An hour later…
The forest began to thin out gradually, the thick trees giving way to wider gaps and clearer paths. The air felt different here, denser with chakra, more saturated with tension.
This was the heart of the Forest of Death and the center of the trial.
Far in the distance, just beyond the trees, they saw a tall, foreboding building.
The central tower.
It stood like a dark sentinel among the wilderness, its upper spires barely visible through the mist that clung to the canopy.
"We're close," Naruto said, his voice quieter now.
Sakura, walking beside him, gazed up at the structure as they stepped through the final rows of trees.
"Finally…" She whispered. "It almost doesn't feel real."
Sasuke walked ahead, his eyes scanning the shadows. "Let's not relax just yet. We're still in the Forest. Until we're inside, anything could happen."
Naruto agreed with a nod. He had been on full alert the entire way. His sensory field extended like a radar around them, scanning for hostile chakra.
It was this very ability that had helped them avoid four other teams who were lying in wait with traps, ambushes, and hidden jutsu, but none of it worked when Naruto could feel them coming from a hundred meters away.
"We're clear," He said finally. "Only one other team inside."
"Just one?" Sasuke's brow lifted. "That means we're the second team to arrive?"
"Guess so," Naruto said, stepping forward toward the entrance of the tower. "Let's finish this."
As they entered the stone archway of the tower, the heavy doors creaked open slowly. The thick silence inside felt like walking into a tomb. The stone walls were ancient, inscribed with old shinobi inscriptions and marks from previous exams.
Footsteps echoed as they moved through the long corridor.
Eventually, they reached the designated summoning room at the center of the tower. A circular chamber with a summoning mat placed in the middle of the floor and two pedestals for the scrolls.
The team stood in front of the mat, taking a moment to breathe.
"Ready?" Naruto asked.
Sakura looked at Sasuke, who gave a slight nod.
Naruto placed the Heaven Scroll on one pedestal, and the Earth Scroll on the other.
There was a sudden surge of chakra—a flash of light—and a cloud of smoke burst out from the center of the room.
PFFFFSHHH!
When the smoke cleared, a familiar face stood before them.
It was their teacher, Kakashi Hatake.
"Well done," He said with a lazy smile under his mask, one hand raised in a salute. "Looks like you've made it to the tower without too much trouble."
"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said, her eyes brightening.
"Looks like you've grown since I last saw you," He continued. "You got the scrolls quickly… and you didn't even trigger any major traps. I'm impressed."
Naruto crossed his arms. "We're not here to play tag, sensei. We're here to win."
Kakashi gave a soft laugh. "So serious. You really are becoming more like a leader."
Sasuke didn't say anything, but his sharp eyes were fixed on Kakashi. He was trying to read his teacher's tone to gauge if there was a hidden message or a test in his words.
Kakashi stepped back and gestured toward the side door.
"Rest for now. You've got two days to recover before the next phase begins. Food and supplies are provided. But keep your guard up since this isn't the end."
Naruto smirked and turned toward his teammates. "Let's eat and rest. We've earned it."
Sakura nodded. "Definitely. I'm going to enjoy a proper meal and not another grilled squirrel."
Sasuke simply walked past them, saying, "I want to train."
And like that, Team 7 entered the waiting period for the next test.
As Team 7 rested inside the central tower, the air still heavy with tension and adrenaline, Sakura's sharp eyes wandered across the dim chamber. She scanned the large room until her gaze halted on a familiar figure standing calmly in the far corner.
Her eyes slightly widened.
She leaned toward Naruto and gently nudged his shoulder with the back of her hand, then tilted her head in a subtle gesture.
"Naruto," She whispered, her voice low and cautious. "Look over there… it's that guy."
Naruto followed her gaze and saw Gaara, the red-haired boy with the gourd on his back, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Beside him were his siblings, Temari and Kankuro, both equally composed yet visibly on alert.
A smile tugged at Naruto's lips.
"Heh. So they're here already," He said, voice calm but tinged with a spark of interest.
Sasuke, who had just finished adjusting his clothes, caught the look in Naruto's eyes and turned toward the direction they were staring. His eyes landed on Gaara.
"That's him?" He asked, curiosity turning sharp in his tone. "The one you mentioned… with the weird chakra?"
Sakura nodded slowly. "Yeah. His name is Gaara. He's a Genin from the Sand Village. But… he's not normal. When Naruto and I first saw him a few days ago, it felt strange. His chakra is different and heavy."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't look like much… but I can feel it too now. His presence… it's suffocating."
Naruto chuckled, his voice light but filled with intent. "Well, I guess it's time to say hello."
Sasuke blinked. "You're going over there?"
"Of course," Naruto replied with a grin. "We're all shinobi, right? It's only polite."
Without waiting for a response, Naruto stood up, adjusted his headband slightly, and walked toward Gaara's team with a confident, easy stride. He made sure to keep a fair distance, not close enough to seem hostile, but not too far to appear afraid.
Just enough to show he wasn't a threat…
Gaara, who had been silently watching the room, turned his gaze sharply toward the movement. His teal-ringed eyes locked onto Naruto as he approached.
The atmosphere around him shifted subtly. The sand inside his gourd trembled ever so slightly, responding to his emotions.
'He's coming here…?' Gaara thought, surprised, but not unsettled as his curiosity was piqued.
Temari, catching on quickly, straightened her posture while trying not to look flustered. Her heart skipped for a moment as the blond boy neared them.
There was something so casual, so bold about the way he walked, a calm confidence that radiated off him like heat from a flame.
Kankuro took a small step forward, putting his hand near his puppet scroll just in case. His voice came out low and gruff.
"What do you want?" He asked. "You picking a fight?"
Naruto raised both hands slightly, a playful grin on his face.
"Whoa, relax. I'm not here to stir trouble," He said easily. "The test is over, right? No point in clashing before the main event. I just came to say congrats."
"Congrats?" Temari blinked in confusion.
---- ✦ ✦ ✦ ----
Spoilers for the next three chapters!
Chapter 196: Sand Freak
Chapter 197: The Exam Continues
Chapter 198: The True Meaning
--- ✦ ✦ ✦ ---
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