And Tian Yu, who saw this scene, also set his eyes on the person disguised as the Kusa-nin.
There was an imperceptible smirk at the corner of his mouth.
I've been waiting for you… You've finally exposed yourself. Then let's have some fun—Orochimaru.
After a brief disruption,
the second exam resumed as scheduled.
Mitarashi Anko stood forward and began explaining the rules of the second exam to the candidates.
In short,
each team would receive a scroll—either Heaven or Earth.
To pass the exam, a team had to obtain the opposing scroll and reach the tower at the center of the forest within five days.
Only then would they be considered to have passed the second phase of the exam.
Once the scrolls were distributed to each team,
the candidates were quickly led through separate gates
into the second examination site—the Forest of Death.
"As expected of a place known as the Forest of Death..."
Candidates stepping into the forest immediately felt an eerie chill rush over them.
It was as if a monstrous beast were lurking in the shadows, its killing intent seeping through the trees.
The air carried a faint, rusty scent of blood,
causing many of the first-timers to shiver as an instinctive reaction to danger.
At this time, the team of Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Tenten stepped into the deadly forest.
"Hmph! Brother lied to me again!"
Looking at the desolate terrain before them,
Tenten huffed and placed her hands on her hips in frustration.
Lee walked over curiously. "What did Tian Yu say to you?"
"He told me he prepared a 'secret weapon' for this phase of the exam."
"What weapon?"
Even Neji glanced over with interest.
Anything Tian Yu provided was never ordinary.
If Tenten had received some new weapon from him, their chances of passing would rise significantly.
With Neji and Lee both looking hopeful,
Tenten reluctantly opened the pack on her back.
"He said this place was perfect for a picnic… so he asked me to bring this along as a 'secret weapon.'"
She pulled out a bulky cast-iron pot,
stuffed full of pre-measured spices and cooking supplies—prepared by Tian Yu himself.
"..."
Hyuga Neji and Rock Lee were instantly covered in sweat drops.
That kind of logic...
Only Tian Yu would consider the Forest of Death as a picnic ground.
"This… This is truly something Brother Tian Yu would do," Lee said with a forced smile.
"For him, this forest really is just a place to relax…"
"Cough, cough…"
After a moment of stunned silence, Neji composed himself.
As team leader, he turned to his teammates and stated calmly:
"Regardless, we must stay cautious.
Although we're not weak individually, unexpected threats are everywhere in this forest.
Let's secure the second scroll and head to the tower as quickly as possible."
"Our main targets are the enemy teams—except Naruto's group.
Everyone else could be a potential threat.
And it's not just enemy ninjas.
The forest itself—its low visibility, venomous creatures, and harsh terrain—adds to the challenge.
Even food must be hunted or gathered ourselves. The test is as much survival as it is combat."
As he spoke, Neji casually spun a kunai on his finger.
"So much trouble?" Lee muttered. "With our strength, nothing here should be a serious threat."
"Better safe than sorry," Neji replied, frowning.
"We can't stay alert 24 hours a day. An ambush in this kind of environment is highly likely.
If anything happens to Tenten while we're distracted...
Lee, you don't want to face his wrath, do you?"
The moment Neji said that,
Lee imagined a terrifying vision of Tian Yu's fury—his hair standing on end.
He shivered.
"Point taken! Caution it is!"
Seeing his teammates nod, Neji raised his hand and ordered:
"Since there are no objections… let's move out!"
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The trio vanished into the trees, heading toward the central tower of the Forest of Death.
---
Outside the Forest of Death
"Finally, a chance to breathe…"
Mitarashi Anko strolled over to Tian Yu with a relaxed expression.
Tian Yu stood calmly, eyes still locked on the forest.
"You can stay here to rest. I'm heading into the Forest of Death."
"What?" Anko blinked in surprise.
"I get that your sister's one of the participants, but she's strong enough to pass without cheating, right?
And if you interfere in the test now…
the other villages could lodge formal complaints."
"Relax. I won't interfere in the exam," Tian Yu replied with a faint smile.
"I'm going in to find someone."
"Find someone? Who?" Anko asked suspiciously.
"Didn't you notice those three Kusa-nin earlier? Something's wrong with them."
Tian Yu leaned in and whispered just loud enough for her to hear.
"Those Grass Ninja… they aren't who they appear to be."
"Huh?"
Anko looked confused.
Tian Yu simply tapped the side of her neck with a finger.
Anko's face instantly turned pale.
Her casual demeanor disappeared.
"…You mean… He's… back in Konoha?"
"What do you think?" Tian Yu asked calmly.
Teeth clenched, Anko turned to rush into the forest.
"No matter what his plan is… I have to stop him! Even if it costs me my life—!"
"Wait."
Before she could dash off, she felt an enormous pressure holding her back—
a single hand on her shoulder freezing her in place.
"You're not his match," Tian Yu said softly. "Let me handle it. I told you—I'm going in to find him."
Anko froze.
She hated to admit it, but he was right. Orochimaru was far beyond her.
Tian Yu, on the other hand…
he had already proven himself superior in every way.
"…Then I'll report this to Lord Hokage immediately.
If you can delay him, I'll bring backup as soon as possible."
"Do as you like."
With a nonchalant wave of his hand,
Tian Yu vanished into the forest.
Even if Anko didn't report this,
Hiruzen Sarutobi had likely already guessed Orochimaru's involvement.
After all, three Grass Ninja had recently turned up dead in the Land of Fire.
And only a few people knew how to use the forbidden technique that allowed one to steal another's face…
Hiruzen couldn't confirm Orochimaru's disguise,
which is why he had appointed Tian Yu as the second phase's chief examiner in the first place.
He was likely hoping Tian Yu could confront Orochimaru—
and minimize casualties among the genin.
But what Sarutobi didn't know…
Was that Orochimaru was also Tian Yu's personal target.
---
Chapter 131: The Snake is Too Big for One Pot
Inside the Forest of Death—
"Sasuke… Naruto led that giant snake away… Will he be okay?" Sakura asked nervously.
"…He'll be fine," Sasuke replied, eyes narrowed.
"That kind of snake won't be a match for Naruto. Don't underestimate him."
He paused, frowning.
"But why was that snake here to begin with?
…Something's not right. This is no coincidence."
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