Naruto: The Forest's Chosen (Mori Mori No Mi)

"Uchiha Sasuke?"

"Haha, Konoha Genin really are arrogant."

Kankuro narrowed his eyes at Sasuke, who had just made a threatening remark, before shifting his gaze back to Naruto.

"Damn you, just wait!" he muttered.

Temari: "???"

Had Gaara not been standing beside him, completely unfazed, Kankuro might have launched a sneak attack right then and there.

"How impressive! As expected from Genin of a great ninja village—you're full of yourselves."

"Dosu, how about we go have some fun with them?"

"Of course. That Uchiha brat doesn't take us seriously at all."

"Then let's open his eyes. A newcomer should act like one."

Shikamaru sighed, rolling his eyes. "What a drag... I've become everyone's target already."

"It's fine, Shikamaru." Choji responded nonchalantly, munching on some jerky.

The rest of their team didn't seem too concerned. Their indifferent attitude only fueled the irritation of those around them. Many were angered, but few dared to make a move—except, of course, for the Sound Ninja trio, who had yet to learn their lesson.

"Teach them a lesson!" Dosu sneered, and the three Sound Ninjas sprang into action.

Whoosh—

They rushed at Sasuke with remarkable speed, so fast that many of the so-called 'veterans' in the room failed to notice their movements.

Kabuto, standing slightly apart, lowered his head, the glare from his glasses obscuring his expression.

Unfortunately for the Sound Ninjas, the Twelve Strongest Genin at this stage were more than capable of perceiving their actions.

Even the subtle shift in Kabuto's stance was not lost on them.

Sasuke smirked. "Perfect. Just when I was in a bad mood."

But then, his gaze flickered to Kabuto, eyes narrowing slightly in intrigue.

Buzz—

The three Sound Ninjas appeared above Kabuto, who seemed surprised, as though he had only just registered the attack.

Whoosh—

Jin flicked his wrist, sending a few kunai flying.

Kabuto's immediate reaction was to retreat tactically.

Puff—

The kunai embedded themselves in the spot where he had just been standing.

"Otogakure?" Kabuto muttered, feigning confusion while inwardly sighing.

Idiots!

They hadn't even bothered to obscure their village's identity. If they couldn't adapt to the situation, then their mission—to infiltrate the ranks of the Twelve Strongest—was doomed to fail.

In a flash, Dosu was already behind Kabuto.

Buzz—

His arm raised, sound waves vibrating ominously.

Boom—

The impact sent Kabuto stumbling back several steps.

Bang—

He managed to steady himself, but his glasses shattered upon impact. Blood trickled from his ear as he half-knelt on the ground.

The room fell silent.

Wasn't that attack blocked?

Then why is he bleeding?

"Hmph!" Dosu sneered, taking pride in the stunned expressions around him.

"How strong is Otogakure, huh?" Kabuto muttered to himself.

He hadn't even exposed their background yet.

"Haha, didn't you just claim to be a veteran?"

"Six Chunin Exams and this is your level?"

"You'd better record Otogakure's strength on your Ninja Info Cards and get out of here!"

Dosu and his teammates laughed mockingly, arms crossed. Their confidence bordered on arrogance.

Kabuto merely sighed in exasperation.

Boom—!!!

A deafening explosion silenced the room as thick white smoke engulfed the podium.

Then came a chilling voice:

"You brats, shut up!"

As the smoke dissipated, the invigilator of the Chunin Exam stepped forward.

Several proctors scanned the room, their aura radiating undeniable authority. A bone-chilling killing intent washed over the examinees, making many break out in cold sweat.

"Impatient, are we?"

A man with a black scarf, a face marred with scars, and a dark, ominous presence emerged from the group.

"I am Morino Ibiki, your examiner for the first stage of the Chunin Selection Exam."

His hands rested in his pockets as he slowly advanced, the black of his attire complementing his grim aura.

His gaze settled on the Sound Ninja trio. "Genin from Otogakure, step out of line again, and I will disqualify you on the spot."

Then, he glanced at Sasuke, his warning clear.

"Hmph." Sasuke smirked.

"Apologies, it's our first time. We didn't know the rules." Dosu chuckled insincerely.

Ibiki's cold smile didn't waver. "Then let me enlighten you."

"Fighting without the proctors' permission is prohibited. Even when allowed, killing is forbidden."

"Anyone who breaks the rules will be immediately disqualified."

The Sound Ninjas fell silent, returning to their seats without further protest.

Naruto observed Ibiki carefully before motioning for his own team to settle down.

Once everyone was seated, Ibiki continued, "Place your applications on the table. We'll collect them. In three minutes, you will be assigned seats."

Proctors moved through the room, gathering the applications.

Naruto glanced up at one unfamiliar proctor, whose hands trembled as he reached for Naruto's form.

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly.

That look…

The man gazed at him with unmistakable fanaticism.

I see… Nine-Tails chakra seeds. Did Kurama start a cult or something?

Naruto chuckled to himself.

If he ordered this man to assassinate the Hokage, he'd probably charge to his death without hesitation.

Two and a half minutes later, Naruto turned to Hinata, who sat beside him.

"Relax, Hinata."

"I-I will try my best... Naruto-kun, good luck~" she stammered, cheeks flushed.

I'm so lucky to sit next to Naruto-kun~ she thought happily.

Ibiki's voice cut through the moment.

"Listen carefully. I will now explain the rules."

Newcomers were naturally nervous, but even experienced candidates weren't at ease—each exam had different content, after all.

Ibiki went on to explain:

The test was scored out of ten.

The team's total score determined if they passed.

Cheating resulted in deductions.

Hearing this, many candidates felt the pressure mounting, their faces stricken with despair.

So, if one person failed, the whole team was doomed?

Ibiki's lips curled into a knowing smirk as he watched their reactions.

"Don't think you can get away with it. If one team member loses points, all three are eliminated."

A wave of realization swept through the room. Those who had counted on their teammates to carry them felt their hopes shatter.

"The test will last one hour."

"Begin!"

As Ibiki's voice rang out, the room plunged into silence, heads dropping to examine their tests.

Naruto glanced down.

The first question?

A complex problem about calculating the trajectory of a kunai.

He smirked.

Doesn't really matter if I solve it or not... This is all about how well we can cheat.

That is the ninja's ability to conduct reconnaissance and gather intelligence.

Finally, with some psychological tactics, you can pass even if you submit a blank paper.

Naruto originally planned to do some exercises on his own to pass the time. Who would have thought that the plants would start sending messages one after another?

"Naruto-sama! I can see the answers from the window!"

"So can I!"

"..."

Well, I guess I don't need to overthink this.

Suddenly, he sensed a familiar yet unfamiliar chakra. His perception sharpened, and he immediately located an inconspicuous corner of the examination room.

A pair of eyes were locked onto him.

At the same time, it felt as if Kagura's Mind's Eye perception ability was being directed at him.

"I forgot that Kusagakure sent Karin to participate in this Chunin Exam."

"A Kusa-nin?"

"Forget it, let Mom handle this."

"Let the clone guard her first."

Naruto closed his eyes. Moments later, his Natural Sage Mode clone outside received the message and immediately changed direction toward Kusagakure.

"What?!"

"Kurama, are you serious?"

"Are there really still Uzumaki clan members living outside?"

Kushina's eyes widened in shock. In her excitement, she accidentally threw away the Mask of Death.

Luckily, Minato swiftly caught it before it hit the ground.

"Hmph, I don't know either. Naruto mentioned it in the sealed space," Kurama said.

"If you have time, go to Kusagakure. Maybe the child's mother is still alive."

"But I saw the girl in the exam room—long red hair. She must be an Uzumaki."

Kurama stood up, his demeanor shifting as he recalled something unpleasant.

"They must have suffered..."

"Damn Kusagakure! I'm going there myself!"

Kushina and Minato exchanged glances, their expressions full of disbelief.

"Kurama, let us handle Kusagakure. Your presence alone would make too much noise."

"Fine, I'll keep watch. But we split the spoils—half for each!"

"No! We spent a fortune on the last mission with the Yamanaka Clan. We need to recover those losses!"

"There are two of us, Minato and I, while you're alone. We'll take two-thirds, and you get one-third. Deal!"

"You... what you said makes sense."

Soon, three figures arrived outside Kusagakure.

"This is it!"

"I can feel the Uzumaki clan's chakra!"

"Damn it! I never thought my people would be reduced to this! Damn Kusagakure!"

Kushina seethed with fury.

Sneaking into the village, they followed Kushina's perception and arrived at a small, dilapidated house. As soon as they entered, the faint scent of decay filled their noses.

"Her arms... they're covered in bite marks."

Minato frowned, stepping toward the frail woman lying motionless on the bed. Her red hair, strikingly similar to Kushina's, flowed over the pillow.

Her breathing was weak—if they had come any later, she might not have survived.

"Kurama, thank you for your help."

Minato placed a reassuring hand on Kushina's shoulder.

"Don't worry, she's still alive. With chakra replenishment, she'll be fine."

Kurama stepped forward, channeling chakra into the emaciated woman's body.

Tears welled up in Kushina's eyes. "She must have awakened the Uzumaki clan's special ability."

She clenched her fists in rage. "These damn Kusagakure bastards... they used her as a living battery for chakra!"

"Unforgivable!"

"Kusagakure... after today, it will cease to exist!"

Minato quickly intervened. "No snowflake is innocent in an avalanche."

"But Kushina, if we act rashly, won't we be no different from those cruel higher-ups?"

Kushina turned, her eyes sharp. "So, you mean to forgive these monsters?"

Minato shook his head, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "There are many innocent people in Kusagakure who might have suffered just as much as she did."

"We can eliminate every ninja responsible, but the civilians… we should investigate carefully."

"Once the truth is revealed, they will become the best testament to Kusagakure's crimes."

"Besides, there are still Kusagakure ninjas outside the village. If we strike now, they'll escape."

Hearing this, Kushina let out a breath before punching him playfully, a small smile breaking through her anger.

"It's great to have you here."

"Kushina~"

Kurama: "..."

Meanwhile, back in the exam room, each candidate displayed their unique skills.

Kiba discreetly received answers from Akamaru.

Shino's parasitic insects relayed the information he needed.

Hinata didn't need any tricks—her Byakugan made everything clear.

As for Sakura, who had topped the written exam, she finished early and tapped the desk lightly.

Ino immediately understood the signal and activated her Mind Transfer Jutsu.

Swoosh—

Sakura slumped onto her desk, seemingly asleep, while Ino's consciousness took over her body.

Effortlessly, she copied the answers onto her own test paper. Then, she used the technique again to help Tenten before returning to her own body.

Sensing everything unfolding behind him, Naruto mused, "Ino might be a good candidate for the Spirit Transformation Technique. Her current jutsu is still risky."

Sasuke used his Sharingan to mimic others' movements.

Through his plant network, Naruto checked on Sasuke's progress—

Talent... While others were working on the third question, he copied their movements and wrote the answers to the first one.

Half the exam time had passed when one candidate suddenly stood up.

"I have a question... How many passing slots are there?"

Ibiki smirked. "And if you knew, would it change anything? You think that guarantees you a spot?" His voice dripped with intimidation.

"S-sorry!"

The already tense atmosphere thickened.

Candidates continued to be eliminated for cheating, and before long, the time limit was reached. A dozen participants had been disqualified.

"Alright, time's up. Now, I'll reveal the 10th question."

Ibiki's expression darkened further.

Adding last-minute rules piled even more psychological pressure onto the examinees. Even the most seasoned among them began to sweat.

Without Naruto's defiant speech, many would have cracked under the pressure and quit.

Finally, Sasuke snapped, "Hurry up already!"

His words ignited the room.

"If I fail, I fail. Who cares?!"

"Yeah! Bring it on!"

Ibiki, keeping a blank expression, nodded internally. The number of remaining candidates was just right.

"Very well. Everyone here... has passed the first exam!"

"???"

The candidates looked around in confusion.

Ibiki, relishing their reactions, dragged out his explanation.

Just as frustration threatened to boil over, a burst of laughter shattered the tension.

Crash!

The classroom window shattered as a banner unfurled against the blackboard.

A figure stood in front of it, striking a dramatic pose.

"It's too soon to celebrate! I'm the examiner for the second test, Mitarashi Anko!"

"The next exam is waiting for you! Follow me!"

Silence.

Naruto sighed. "This woman promised not to cause a scene..."

The girls beside him lowered their heads, silently praying Anko wouldn't notice them.

Only Tenten remained indifferent.

"Hmph, small-time theatrics."