Konoha, Death Forest.
Lee, who had been beaten by him before, lay unconscious on the ground with multiple wounds on his body.
Naruto and Sasuke were in the same state, lying next to each other, though Isagi was able to see purplish evil chakra permeating from Sasuke from time to time.
Sakura, unlike the start of the exam, was in a completely different state, bruised with her pink hair short now. Protecting Sakura and the other three was the team Ino–Shika–Cho, the enemy they were facing the Sound Village trio, Dosu, Zaku, and Kin.
"Looks like it was a waste of time." Said Isagi with a dejected look on his face. While most of the figures present had potential more than others, they were still too young. He had some reservations on the matter that a year later, when his replication chances refreshed, he might not be allowed to copy the same people he did last year.
In that case he would end up missing a lot of potential good things to copy, a risk which he didn't want to take.
When they all grow up a little and their ability column is more polished, that'll be the time for him to harvest the benefits at their maximum.
With the intention of not wasting time here any further, Isagi quietly turned around to leave, but his steps halting halfway as he spotted a figure approaching carrying someone, the familiar white eyes with veins around them.
Neji carried Tenten on his shoulder, the latter who, after being injured badly by Mei, unable to move for the time being, awake now but some of her back bones broken, and for the time being having lost the ability to even stand straight, let alone walk and help in fights.
With his Byakugan, Isagi was easily spotted, calm eyes of Isagi meeting that of Neji's containing anger and frustration, looking down at him who was on the ground from the branch of the tree.
"Hehe"
"Swish!"
Feeling his angry gaze, Isagi didn't show any fear and curved his lips into a wide smile, with his thumb pointing towards the battle happening behind him and then waving his hand to say goodbye, flashing away.
"HA!!"
The smile that Isagi gave Neji before disappearing, the smile which seemed to mock him to the fullest, Neji almost losing his reasoning and attacking without caring about the consequences, but the incapacitated Tenten on his shoulders stopping him from making an irrational decision, taking a deep breath to calm himself down.
He couldn't risk fighting someone who could take down Lee with fair ease while carrying a burden; a fight of that intensity would require his full concentration, which he wouldn't be able to achieve while making sure Tenten doesn't get hurt.
Isagi, who thought he had wasted his time making a trip here, didn't stay dejected for long as near a stream with a waterfall finally locating the person he was looking for, his eyes lighting up with anticipation.
Thud!
"Aghh!!"
Near the waterfall, two shinobi with the forehead protector of Kusagakure and wounds on their body pounced on the girl with crimson eyes and crimson hair, both biting her arm as she groaned in pain, though both not caring as their wounds healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Thud!
Just as Karin, with her eyes closed, was silently enduring the pain, a slight piercing voice reached her ears followed by warm blood splashing on her fair face, even on her glasses.
KA… AGHH…
She opened her eyes and saw both of her teammates holding their necks pierced through by kunai's, trying to hold and stop the blood flow but all futile, as Karin with eyes wide saw them stumbling and their bodies, after twitching a little, going motionless, blood pooling on the grassy ground.
SWISH! SWISH!
Just as Karin stood there statue-like at what had happened, her red hair suddenly blew up as wind-tearing sounds fell in her ears, from a distance sharp gusts of winds approaching her at top speed, intending to decimate her into pieces.
Karin felt like she was glued on the spot as her body powerless despite her mind screaming to dodge. Just when Karin felt it was all over for her, the ground before her shook and a mud wall rose suddenly.
BOOM!!!
The wind gusts hit the tall and sturdy wall, with a bang, debris and chunks of wall flying everywhere and for a moment dust covering everything.
Surrounded by dust and debris, Karin tried to process what had happened, but suddenly stiffening as she felt a hand on her shoulder, sensing the presence of someone with quite a strong chakra behind her.
With her breathing quick, Karin tried to turn her head around to look at the person behind, but a force acting on the back of her head suddenly and her world wobbling.
Before everything went black, able to see a sharp and attractive face, it etched into her mind.