The Forest of Death loomed, its twisted trees casting shadows over the gathered genin. Anko Mitarashi, the proctor, grinned wickedly as she explained the rules: collect two scrolls—one Heaven, one Earth—from other teams, and reach the central tower within five days. Naruto bounced on his heels, shouting, "Piece of cake! I'll grab all the scrolls!" His cheer hid his tension. This was no game—other genin were killers, and Anko's presence reminded him of her kindness, but also her ties to the village's secrets. He trusted no one, not even her.Team 7 had the Earth scroll, so they needed a Heaven scroll. As they entered the forest, Naruto's grin stayed, but his senses were sharp. Sasuke took the lead, Sakura stayed close, and Kakashi was gone, leaving them to face the dangers alone. Naruto summoned a few shadow clones to scout, keeping his act light. "Gotta make sure we're the coolest team out here!" he said, but his clones were his eyes, watching for ambushes.The first attack came fast—a team from the Rain Village, their kunai flashing. Naruto's clones swarmed, overwhelming them, but Sasuke's fire jutsu stole the kill, earning a scowl from Naruto. "Show-off," he muttered, playing the jealous kid, but inside, he was studying Sasuke's strength, measuring it against his own. He needed to be better, stronger, to face what was coming.Then the real threat appeared: Orochimaru, a pale, snake-like ninja with eyes that chilled Naruto's blood. He attacked with terrifying speed, targeting Sasuke with a strange mark that left him writhing in pain. Naruto's grin vanished as he summoned a hundred clones, driven by instinct and a flicker of the Nine-Tails' chakra. "Get away from him!" he roared, the red aura flaring around him. Orochimaru laughed, deflecting the clones effortlessly, but Naruto's raw power forced him to retreat, leaving a warning: "You're interesting, Jinchuriki."Naruto's heart pounded. Orochimaru knew. The word—Jinchuriki—confirmed everything, but it also deepened his distrust. If a rogue ninja knew, who else did? Kakashi? The Hokage? He helped Sakura carry Sasuke to safety, his grin returning to hide his fear. They found a Heaven scroll after another skirmish, reaching the tower battered but alive. Naruto's facade held, but Orochimaru's words haunted him. Power was his shield, and he needed more—more clones, more of the Nine-Tails—to face threats like that and uncover the village's lies.
