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The three arrived at their assigned rest area, waiting for further instructions.
Naruto was enthusiastically watching Sasuke practice with the Curse Mark's power. He was particularly curious whether Sasuke could learn to control natural energy through the Curse Mark. Naruto hoped he would because it would be useful against enemies who could only be harmed by Sage Techniques. In the original storyline, it was Jūgo's pseudo-Sage Mode that gave Sasuke a chance to fight against Obito. But now, Naruto thought, "Jūgo, you can go play with birds instead. You don't need to join us in fighting anymore."
The reason? Watching Boruto and Sasuke walk side-by-side toward Toneri in The Last: Naruto the Movie looked incredibly cool. That's why during his fights with Kakashi and Zabuza earlier, Naruto had deliberately controlled his pace to walk alongside Sasuke. Against Orochimaru, however, showing off recklessly without safety guarantees was just asking for trouble.
Currently, though, Sasuke clearly couldn't control the Curse Mark; every time it activated, it spread uncontrollably across his body, forcing him to suppress it with sheer willpower.
"Sasuke, stop practicing—we're almost out of time," Naruto said as he noticed there were only ten minutes left before the second phase of the exam ended. There would be more battles soon, so if Sasuke didn't recover properly, he might die. And if that happened, who would help block the Infinite Tsukuyomi?
Only Sasuke's Six Paths Sharingan could resist the Infinite Tsukuyomi—other eyes wouldn't stand a chance. His importance was immense, so he couldn't afford to fall.
Naruto did have another idea: perhaps he could provoke Toneri on the moon and make him destroy it. But that probably wouldn't work since Kaguya used the Infinite Tsukuyomi once without using the moon. Another unreliable plan involved killing Toneri and covering the moon with mirrors to reflect the Infinite Tsukuyomi back toward the sun. While both plans seemed far-fetched, they were fun to think about.
Naruto extended his hand to Sasuke while turning his head away. Sakura watched Sasuke bite his arm to recover from exhaustion, her resolve to become a medic-nin growing even stronger.
After a while, an unfamiliar voice came through the door: "Everyone gather here." The trio followed.
At the gathering point, there were many people—seven groups totaling 21 participants, along with proctors and team leaders. Naruto hadn't worn his mask, and knowing he'd have to take it off later when meeting Hinata felt troublesome.
Orochimaru, disguised among the jōnin instructors, stared intently at Sasuke and the Kusanagi sword in Naruto's hand. The wooden sheath Naruto had crafted in the forest wasn't too difficult for someone skilled with miniatures like him, though it wasn't exactly stylish either. But aesthetics weren't his priority—he simply wanted to subtly flex.
Kakashi rolled his eyes at the sight of Naruto holding the Kusanagi. He knew Naruto was bold, but this was pushing it—fighting Orochimaru wasn't enough; he even dared to snatch the legendary blade?
"Congratulations on passing the second phase of the exam," Anko said after ensuring all candidates were present. She glanced twice at the sword in Naruto's hand, thinking, This kid hit his master over the head with two bricks, stole the sword, and still has the audacity to carry it around openly. Does he not know how to spell 'death'?
[Maybe I should send him some dango later?] Anko mused.
Rock Lee gazed at Naruto and Sasuke with burning determination. Gai had told his students that Lee was the third hardest worker in the village, behind Sasuke in second place and Naruto in first.
Gai explained Sasuke's drive stemmed from seeking revenge after the Uchiha massacre. As for Naruto, Gai chose not to elaborate, fearing it might discourage his enthusiastic pupil. Almost dying from dog bites and becoming the village's most dedicated trainer sounded like an insult to youth itself.
Naruto locked eyes with Hinata, exchanging silent messages while feeding Dogma (dog food) to Kiba. Chōji kept glancing at Naruto, having nearly starved himself over the past five days.
Cough, cough, the Third Hokage cleared his throat.
Naruto turned his attention back, imagining lounging on a sofa with snacks during the matches.
"The next stage is the third exam, but we'll hold preliminary matches first. Allow me to briefly explain..." Ten minutes passed as the elderly Sarutobi rambled on, leaving Naruto feeling drowsy.
The gist was simple: too many participants meant eliminations were necessary to shorten the main event, showcasing the village's ample reserves of talent to secure more mission requests.
"I'll add two points..." Sarutobi took a sip of water and puffed on his pipe before continuing for another twenty minutes...
"Lastly, let me say this..." Naruto was baffled. Had the old man attended some boss training seminar? Delivering a thirty-minute impromptu speech like this was no small feat!
With nothing better to do, Naruto scanned the room and noticed something odd about the formation of the jōnin instructors. Asuma stood next to Gai, Kurenai beside Kakashi, and yet Gai and Kakashi were right next to each other.
What kind of couple-blocking strategy was this?
Are you two members of the FFF Brigade?
Finally, Hayate Gekkō stepped forward, interrupting Sarutobi's endless monologue. If this went on any longer, the preliminaries wouldn't happen until tomorrow.
"Lord Hokage, forgive my rudeness, but allow me, your referee Hayate Gekkō, to take over." Hayate knelt respectfully.
Sarutobi shot him a slightly reproachful look, clearly annoyed his speech had been cut short.
Hayate turned to address the group of genin: "My name is Hayate Gekkō... cough... I'll serve as the referee... cough..."
These frequent coughs made Naruto step back slightly. Wasn't this tuberculosis? Having narrowly survived rabies years ago, Naruto worried about catching whatever illness Hayate had.
"Cough, anyone feeling unwell or unwilling to proceed after hearing the explanation... cough... may withdraw now. Preliminary matches will begin shortly," Hayate announced.
Naruto observed him, reflecting on the importance of physical fitness. Hayate's sunken eyes, dark circles, and unstable gait suggested he was utterly drained. Poor health likely resulted from neglecting exercise despite having an attractive girlfriend. Naruto resolved to train harder once he returned home.
"Individual matches will commence. Withdrawal is optional," Hayate added between coughs.
Naruto, naturally, wouldn't withdraw. He was here to fight. His opponent was supposed to be Kiba—an easy match. Ideally, he hoped to face Gaara last and see whose tail count was higher.
Sasuke also stayed in the competition, confident in his taijutsu skills and Sharingan despite limited chakra usage. He believed he could defeat most opponents except one certain blonde teammate.
Sakura didn't withdraw either, fearing Sasuke's disdain.
Meanwhile, Kakashi and Anko argued quietly about Sasuke's Curse Mark issue. Naruto paid no heed; Orochimaru was eavesdropping anyway, so their words mattered little.
"I'm withdrawing," Kabuto raised his hand.
He realized his presence was fading into obscurity compared to Shino's bug-wielding fame.
Hayate checked the list. "You're Yakushi Kabuto of Konoha, correct? You may leave now."
Kabuto turned and walked away, his momentary role fulfilled.
Hayate coughed again, announcing, "Injuries or fatalities may occur during these matches. If you value your life, surrender immediately. Now, let the matches begin!"
Sarutobi leaned down to whisper softly to Anko, "Hasn't it started yet?"
"Sorry, not yet," Anko replied.
"Is this fate?" Sarutobi muttered under his breath, staring at the names displayed on the screen.
*Uzumaki Naruto vs. Hyūga Hinata*
Naruto exploded internally. Old man, are you trying to escalate Orochimaru's invasion plan with a Nine-Tails rampage? Are you messing with me?!