While Gaara and Sasuke were still locked in battle, the commotion had not gone unnoticed. The noise was simply too loud to ignore. Initially, the remaining students had been focused on planning their strategies to seize the top spot in the exam. But now, with everyone still in the forest being a skilled ninja, no one was willing to back down.
Even Kankuro, who knew deep down he couldn't surpass Gaara, wasn't ready to admit defeat without trying. But what they didn't expect was that, as they moved forward, they stumbled upon a gruesome scene. Bodies were scattered across the forest floor. And everywhere, a barrier stretched out, trapping them in place.
A heavy silence settled over them as the realization hit. Something had gone terribly wrong. Though they were near the Grass Village, and their leader would likely come to their aid soon, no one could be sure how long the barrier would last.
And then, there was Naruto Uzumaki, the blonde student lying motionless on the ground. It seemed that he had already been killed.
Without a moment's hesitation, the remaining students knew what had to be done. They would unite, put aside their differences, and bring down the spy, Black Zetsu.
With a fierce determination, dazzling ninjutsu flew through the air toward the fake Black Zetsu. Jugo, fully transformed into his cursed seal state, charged forward in a frenzy, driven by rage. The battle for their survival was about to reach its peak.
However, the fake Black Zetsu's mastery over Fire Style was overwhelming. The sheer intensity of the flames sent a wave of fear through everyone present.
"This… this is just a B-rank Fire Style?" One of the students gasped, feeling the heat scorch the air around them.
"How did he stay under the radar for six whole years?" Another muttered in disbelief, eyes wide as the flames raged.
"There's no way we can win!" A third student hesitated, shaken by the sheer power on display.
"For Naruto!" But Jugo didn't waver. Without an ounce of fear, he charged straight ahead.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock as he watched the flames twist and roar unnaturally. "Someone actually mastered Fire Style to this level…" His fists clenched as he recalled Akihiko's words.
This guy… He really just clapped his hands together, and a simple B-rank Fire Style was executed at the level of a forbidden technique.
"But… I'll never forgive you for this!" Sasuke yelled at the fake Black Zetsu, his voice full of fury. "I, Uchiha Sasuke, will make you pay for this!" With that, he charged forward, intent on taking down his enemy.
"Sasuke!" Gaara called out urgently, but as he watched Sasuke rush ahead and saw the fear on the faces of those around him, he gritted his teeth. "Don't panic. Leader Akihiko and the others must have already realized what's happening. If we hold on a little longer, we'll win."
"That's right!" Temari shouted, swinging her giant fan and sending a massive gust of wind toward their attackers. "Leader Akihiko will be here soon. We just need to hang in there!"
"I'll never let you destroy the Grass Village!" Jugo snarled, glaring at Black Zetsu. "You monster!"
Black Zetsu's gaze lingered on the group, but he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as he looked at them. No, no, no. This isn't me. He looked at the students on the ground, each one ruthlessly dealt with by the arrogant Grass ninja. He had intended to lie low… but now… his thoughts drifted to his mother once again, and he couldn't help but almost cry.
At that moment, Jugo underwent another transformation, his body surging with raw, uncontrollable energy. Not just his hands, his face, his entire form was changing. Veins pulsed beneath his skin, his breathing heavy with fury. "This is my home! My most important place!"
For Jugo, this village was everything. His family, his friends, his classmates, they were all here. His eyes burned with rage. "You bastard! You dare to destroy it?!"
"Jugo!" Gaara called out, watching helplessly as his friend lost control again. He let out a weary sigh, struggling to maintain his grip on the immense amount of sand swirling around him. His body ached, and his chakra was draining fast. Running was the smartest option right now, but Jugo's words echoed in his mind.
This village had changed him. It had given him a second chance. A place to belong. A place to be redeemed. With a heavy heart, he closed his eyes for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the towering figure before him. His voice was calm but resolute. One-Tail, help me.
Gaara, this is reckless. You'll die. Running is the best option; just hold on until help arrives. Shukaku's voice rumbled through his mind, its usual arrogance tempered by concern.
I know, Gaara responded, unwavering. But you know I won't lose control.
A moment of silence passed before the beast let out a sigh, then a low, amused chuckle. Hah… still as stubborn as ever. But I like that. Use it, Gaara.
At that moment, Gaara felt a terrifying surge of power within him, a force that began to erode his will. It was the power of One-Tail. While the tailed beast harbored no ill intentions, its chakra was still a dangerous and overwhelming force.
But Gaara wouldn't let himself be consumed so easily. He had learned to control it over the years. Kankuro and Temari exchanged worried glances, watching in shock as the change overtook their brother. Kankuro trembled slightly, his voice betraying his unease. "I… I'm not sure if I can handle this. Gaara, you…"
"I'm fine! Don't worry about me!" Gaara interrupted, his voice cold and steady. He shook his head, seemingly unaware of Kankuro's concern. His expression remained emotionless as he spoke, "We will avenge Naruto."
Kankuro, taking a deep breath, nodded resolutely. "That brat… as much as I don't like him, no one gets to kill him. Not even a spy." His voice was firm as he added, "Understood."
With that, everyone launched another wave of attacks. However, at that moment, One-Tail's voice echoed in Gaara's mind. "Gaara... Gaara..."
Gaara froze, his attention snapped to the voice. "The Fox's Jinchūriki seems a bit off."
Gaara's eyes widened, but before he could react, danger struck from all directions. Instinctively, he summoned a massive wall of sand to shield himself and his allies. "We'll talk later!" Gaara snapped, his focus sharpening. "Right now... I have to deal with him!"
One-Tail rumbled in response, "Understood."
Then his gaze flickered toward Naruto, still lying motionless on the ground, blood staining the earth beneath him. One-Tail's voice was tinged with concern. "It looks like... he's not dead yet."
...
"Am I… dead?" Naruto muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Dead? Don't be stupid," the Nine-Tails snorted, irritation lacing its tone.
Naruto blinked, his surroundings coming into focus. The familiar sewer-like chamber, the massive fox looming before him, it all clicked. His eyes widened in surprise. "Wait… you saved me?"
"And… you," Naruto's gaze ran over the Nine-Tails, noticing something strange. "You're fully restored?"
"Hmph. Just a little tired, that's all." The fox stretched lazily, its massive body shifting as it let out a slow, deep exhale. Its fur shimmered with an eerie, radiant glow, its chakra pulsing with quiet power.
Naruto stared in awe before frowning. "What even happened…?"
The Nine-Tails let out a long sigh. "That exam… what a damn mess. Even if I had died on the spot, I'd rather face that than go through another one of those again."
The Nine-Tails gazed at Naruto with an unreadable expression before speaking in an indifferent tone. "Looks like you've been through some real trouble, huh?"
Naruto blinked, then slowly lowered his gaze to his chest. His fingers trembled as he touched where the wounds should have been. "I… I should've been dead."
"Dead?" The Nine-Tails let out a booming laugh, its tails flicking in amusement. "With me around? You think dying is that easy, kid?"
Naruto looked up, his eyes filled with uncertainty. "Did you… Really save me?" His voice wavered, thick with emotion.
The fox huffed. "Tch. I already told you, didn't I? I didn't do anything." It rolled its massive eyes. "Look at yourself, brat, you're not even hurt!"
"Not hurt?" Naruto muttered, his brows furrowing. "But I remember…"
His mind flashed back to the moment before he lost consciousness, Black Zetsu had said something to him. Reflection? A shiver ran down his spine as he recalled that eerie sensation. That feeling… it was too familiar.
His breath hitched. "Wait… could that guy, could it have been Uncle Akihiko?" His expression twisted in confusion. "But… would Uncle Akihiko really be that sneaky?"
The thought felt absurd. Uncle Akihiko was the leader of the Grass Village. Why would someone like him go around messing with students? That was ridiculous!
"Uncle Akihiko?" The Nine-Tails snorted, cracking an eye open in irritation. "Tch. Quit babbling nonsense, brat. I was trying to rest."
"Oh, oh, oh! I just realized something!" Naruto suddenly snapped back to attention, his grin widening mischievously. His sharp blue eyes gleamed with excitement. "Looks like it's my turn to make an entrance! Hah! Those fools will never see it coming!"
He lifted his head, turning to the massive fox, who had already closed its eyes again. "Nine-Tails! Lend me some power!"
...
"Sure enough, you're the troublesome one." The fake Black Zetsu smirked, effortlessly shattering the last of the puppets. His gaze swept over the unconscious or barely conscious students scattered around him.
Internally, he let out a sigh. Am I going too far? No. This was necessary. It was all for the children's sake. Besides, this was Black Zetsu's doing, not the leader of the Grass Village's problem.
Reaffirming his resolve, he turned his eyes back to Gaara, who was down on one knee, gasping for breath. A wicked grin stretched across his face. "I'll take care of you first."
Gaara's vision blurred, exhaustion weighing down on him. His chakra was nearly depleted, but still, he refused to give in.
'One-Tail…' he called out desperately.
'You can't handle my full power right now!' Shukaku growled in response.
But Gaara clenched his fists, his voice firm in his mind. 'I know. Lend it to me anyway!'
Shukaku hesitated for a moment before sighing in resignation. '...Alright, Gaara.'
As the voice of One-Tail echoed in Gaara's mind, his expression contorted in pain, and the terrifying chakra began to swirl around him once more.
"You still want to rely on One-Tail's power?" The fake Black Zetsu sneered, raising his kunai high. "You won't get the chance to use it! Die, Gaara!"
But just as the kunai was about to strike… "GAARA!" The others shouted in unison.
In that instant, Gaara felt a sudden tug from behind him. He froze in shock as a figure appeared in front of him. His eyes widened. "Kankuro?!"
"Run, Gaara!" Kankuro shouted urgently, his grip tight on the fake Black Zetsu's wrist. He looked at Gaara with a smile. "And... I told you, I'm not afraid anymore..."
Before Kankuro could finish, the fake Black Zetsu's expression darkened, and with a swift motion, he kicked Kankuro away, sending him flying.
"What's this timing?" the fake Black Zetsu spat. "Still trying to play the hero? You really think you can save him?!"
"I'll kill you! You bastard!" Gaara growled, fury in his voice as he watched Kankuro being sent flying.
"Kill me? And still think you can use One-Tail's power?" The fake Black Zetsu sneered, a twisted grin spreading across his face. "I told you, stop dreaming! This will end now..."
But before he could finish his sentence...
"Die, Black Zetsu!" A voice suddenly rang out from behind. "Take my Rasengan!"
Everyone froze for a moment, the sudden shout cutting through the tension. But when they saw who had appeared, their faces lit up with relief and joy. "Naruto!"
Sasuke, too, was stunned, a mix of disbelief and happiness on his face. This idiot didn't die after all?!
However… just as they thought Naruto was about to land a surprise Rasengan attack, poof! His body vanished into a puff of smoke.
"Huh?!" Everyone blinked in confusion. A Shadow Clone?!
Before they could react,
"Up here~" Naruto's voice rang out again, this time from above.
For some reason… he sounded playful. They were in a life-or-death battle, and this guy was laughing?!
Just as the confusion deepened, Naruto suddenly shouted, "Behold my ultimate jutsu, Wind Release: Great Spiraling Human Trap Technique!"
A red, menacing chakra flared around his body as he lifted what looked like… a giant, swirling bag made entirely of wind. With a grin, he hurled it straight at the fake Black Zetsu. "Take this, Uncle Akihiko!"
Everyone froze in confusion. Uncle Akihiko? The Village Leader Akihiko was here? What was Naruto talking about? The words hung in the air, leaving everyone bewildered.
But before anyone could process what was happening… The confident Naruto vanished in an instant. A scream of pain echoed through the forest, "Ah! Ah! Stop! Stop! Uncle Akihiko!"
"How dare you trap your Uncle Akihiko in a sack?! You still dare to do this?!" With that, the fake Black Zetsu disappeared, and a familiar figure reappeared. In an instant, Akihiko appeared, furious, his eyes narrowed as he beat Naruto senseless.
Meanwhile, Kankuro, who should have been dead, had miraculously sat up. Touching his body in disbelief, he stared at Akihiko, still trying to understand what was happening. "What… what's going on?"
"What's going on?" Akihiko finally seemed to notice the odd atmosphere. He cleared his throat, then suddenly flashed a bright smile at everyone. "Congratulations, everyone! The second practical exam... is officially over!"
For a moment, dead silence. Then,
"Disband! Disband! It's over!"
"Wait, where do we pick up our boxed lunch? Didn't they say food was included?"
"Oh, right~ we don't even need to eat!"
"I want to eat today!"
Everyone stood frozen in shock, watching as the corpses, the ones who had been brutally "killed ", casually got up, stretching as if waking from a nap.
Realization dawned on them. Slowly, their gazes turned toward Akihiko, their expressions a mixture of awe, frustration, and sheer disbelief.
A heavy silence lingered before, all at once, they muttered a single word in unison. "Grass!"