Heiyan followed Izumi's gaze and immediately spotted Gaara's group, who stood out conspicuously on the street.
Gaara walked ahead with his arms crossed, carrying his giant gourd on his back, while Temari and Kankuro proceeded behind him, one on each side.
Hmm?
At this moment, Gaara, sensing something, also stopped in his tracks and looked toward the balcony on the second floor of the inn.
After seeing Izumi Uchiha, his entire body involuntarily stiffened. Without realizing it, he clenched his fists tightly, the veins on his hands bulging. His eyes burned with killing intent.
"Gaara, what's wrong?"
Kankuro noticed Gaara had halted, so he followed Gaara's line of sight and also spotted Izumi Uchiha and Haku on the balcony. Just like Gaara, he became visibly tense and his expression turned serious.
"Huh? Isn't that guy the white-haired handsome man we encountered in that alleyway that day? Why is he with those two women? What's their relationship?"
Temari exclaimed in surprise.
Her reminder jogged both Gaara's and Kankuro's memories—they indeed had passed by Heiyan briefly before.
Realizing this, Kankuro quickly advised Gaara,
"There's something strange going on here. Gaara, whatever you do, don't act impulsively. For us right now, participating in the Chunin Exams and completing our mission should be our top priority."
Gaara listened, gave Kankuro a brief glance, then silently turned away and continued walking forward.
Kankuro and Temari exchanged glances, both visibly relieved, and quickly fell in behind him.
"The show is about to begin."
On the balcony, Heiyan watched Gaara and his group walk away and murmured to himself. Then, he set down his teacup, wiped his mouth, and went downstairs.
The Chunin Exam had begun.
Just like the original storyline, the first exam was a written test that eliminated many low-tier candidates.
Soon followed the second practical exam, where participants were required to form squads and compete to acquire Heaven and Earth Scrolls, reaching a designated location within the time limit. The examination site was the Forest of Death.
The Forest of Death, as Konoha's Training Ground 44, was an expansive and mysterious ancient forest, seemingly endless with towering trees and home to countless beasts and dense vegetation.
Within the forest, the ground rippled slightly as Heiyan slowly emerged from deep underground.
Naturally, he infiltrated the Forest of Death to personally witness events unfold up close.
In the original plot, the most intense segment here was when Team 7 encountered Orochimaru hunting them down, sparking a fierce battle, which temporarily ended when Orochimaru implanted a cursed seal onto Sasuke.
However, Heiyan had no intention of interfering in that matter—he had other intentions altogether.
Right at this moment,
"Roar!" A bear's growl echoed through the woods not far ahead.
It seems I got here just in time.
With this thought, a faint smirk lifted Heiyan's lips as he strode toward the direction of the roar.
In a clearing within the woods,
A Genin named Uzumaki Shinrin from Kusagakure was being forced into a desperate situation by a giant black bear many times her size.
Is this truly the end for her?
Shinrin trembled backward in the face of the giant black bear, her pretty face filled with despair.
She had barely passed the first stage of the selection trials, never expecting that after entering the Forest of Death, the real ordeal was just beginning.
To a ninja like Shinrin from a Minor Hidden Village, participants from villages like Konoha and Sunagakure seemed like monsters. They were all technically Genin, yet those kids from Konoha were stronger than Chunin from Kusagakure.
Ten minutes ago, Shinrin's team had been ambushed—her companion didn't hesitate to abandon her and flee. After barely escaping the enemy's pursuit, before she even had time to catch her breath, she encountered this huge black bear.
With nowhere left to retreat, Shinrin could only close her eyes tightly, waiting hopelessly for death.
At this final moment of her life, she recalled her former clan members, her mother who had died, and also that man who once helped her stand up and brought warmth into her life.
Unfortunately, she didn't even know his name.
A single tear slowly slid down from the corner of Shinrin's eye.
What she didn't realize was that at this very moment, two men capable of altering her fate had arrived here simultaneously.
"Hmm? That red hair, and that unique chakra… is she from the Uzumaki clan?"
Orochimaru had happened to pass by, drawn in by the bear's roar. He immediately spotted the scene before him.
He originally intended to look for Team 7—in fact, specifically Sasuke Uchiha, Itachi's younger brother—but unexpectedly found a bonus here instead.
This girl, Shinrin of the Uzumaki, might make an excellent vessel.
Thinking thus, Orochimaru moistened his lips hungrily. He was about to chase away the bear and then try persuading Shinrin to join him, but he was just a beat too late.
Whoosh.
Heiyan burst forth from the woods, leaped high into the air, then descended as though weightless, landing lightly atop the black bear.
Yet, the bear let out a wailing cry as if crushed beneath a mountain, its whole body pressing flat against the ground, unable to move no matter how desperately it struggled.
What was happening?
Hearing the bear's pained cries, Shinrin opened her eyes and saw Heiyan subduing the beast. She stood frozen on the spot, rubbing her eyes hard in disbelief.
Then, Heiyan leaped down from the bear's head and turned to address it directly:
"Go. Leave this place."
Upon hearing Heiyan's words, the bear fled into the woods without daring to look back.
Heiyan turned around and walked toward Shinrin with a gentle smile on his face.
"Are you okay?" He touched her head softly, asking with concern.
"This is... a coincidence, big brother? You... why are you here? Why did you save me? Thank... thank you."
Overwhelmed with emotion, Shinrin stammered, at a loss for words.
Heiyan bent down, leaned close to her ear, and whispered softly:
"Because I am Uzumaki Heiyan."
Heiyan… Uzumaki?
Shinrin trembled with shock, suddenly overcome with joy.
So, this big brother with flowing white hair… was actually one of her clansmen?
"Shinrin…"
Heiyan reached out a hand and gently stroked her cheek. "It's truly tragic for ninjas like us who have lost our homeland. But don't worry, as long as you're with me, no one will ever hurt you again. I promise."
"Waaah!"
Hearing this, Shinrin could no longer suppress her emotions. In a flash, she flung herself into Heiyan's arms, holding him tight and crying uncontrollably.
At that moment, she seemed just like a poor little cat who had been separated from its family for years—now reunited, pouring out all her sorrow in tears.
"It's okay, it's okay... everything's fine now."
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