Seeing light in the mire, that was precisely how Karin felt in this moment.
Born into a miserable life, she barely made it to adulthood and finally earned the status of a genin from Kusa. She thought things were finally turning around. But the moment the exam started, she was abandoned by her teammates.
They took all the supplies and scrolls. To others, it was just an exam; to her, it was survival.
Having never received formal training, she couldn't even handle the wild beasts in the forest. Just as she was about to die at the claws of a bear, she was rescued by a Konoha ninja, descending from the sky.
And he was a handsome black-haired guy. With just a few swift kicks, he defeated the huge bear that had left her in such a miserable state. He looked her up and down and said, "What a coincidence, I think I found her ahead of schedule."
Found? Me?
Then his teammate quickly arrived, a blond calling himself Naruto, saying he had a letter from the Hokage of Konoha to deliver to her.
"So I'm actually someone from Konoha? I can finally leave that place? They're inviting me to attend the Ninja Academy? Konoha even provides living stipends…"
It really… really felt like her luck was turning.
Naruto explained enthusiastically, "That's how it is! We're actually from the same clan, dattebayo! If things haven't been good out here, why not come back to Konoha!"
"I ACCEPT!!!" Karin agreed almost instantly, the memories of Kusa were just too painful.
"Mission complete!" Naruto exclaimed, punching his fist into his palm with a hearty laugh. "Now let's keep moving to the tower. Once the exam's over, I'll treat everyone to Ramen Ichiraku with my mission reward!"
For now, Team 7 had become 3+1. Just as the four were preparing to head toward the tower, the sound of battle erupted in the distance.
---
Countless sand bullets rained down like a storm. Battle was unavoidable. Lee's pupils shrank as the weights at his waist dropped to the ground.
"Neji!"
"You go left, I'll go right!" The veins bulged around the eyes of Neji, his Byakugan instantly locked onto all the incoming sand bullets, his nearly 360-degree vision calculating every trajectory. Chakra swirled in his palms, resonating with the sudden burst of chakra from Lee.
The ground beneath Lee cracked like a spiderweb, steam bursting from his pores as he opened the Gate of Opening.
Behind them, injured members of Team 8 couldn't be left behind, so evasion wasn't an option, they had to face it head-on.
Two streams of blue-green chakra merged into a spiral of defense. The resulting whirlwind almost forcibly blew away the sandstorm.
"Impossible…" Kankurō was stunned. The chakra strings of his puppet, Karasu, nearly snapped. "They're using taijutsu… against Gaara?"
"Don't get distracted!" Temari's fan was already open. "These two are way stronger than before!"
Before she finished speaking, Lee had already vanished. Sonic booms echoed in the air as his afterimages shattered the oncoming sand, protecting the wounded while creating an opening for Neji, who gave up defense completely, charging in a straight line toward Gaara. As long as he could get within the range of the Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, it wouldn't matter how powerful Gaara was, once his chakra points were sealed with Gentle Fist, he'd be helpless.
The two moved in perfect sync, offense and defense, while Tenten tossed a scroll into the air, raining ninja tools down like a storm to scatter the Suna siblings.
At almost the same time, Asuma's team joined the fray. Choji finished his hand seals just as a barrage of sand spikes fell. The fat infused with chakra glowed orange, expanding into a four-meter-wide meat shield.
Shikamaru's shadow darted through the gaps toward Temari, nearly grabbing her ankle, and just then, Ino's Mind Body Switch Technique activated, her mental energy shooting like a spike toward Kankurō's brow.
Thus, the tides turned.
At the very moment Neji's Gentle Fist was about to strike Gaara's chakra points and seal them, the entire Forest of Death shook as the sand began to boil.
A massive arm of the One-Tail erupted from the ground, and slammed Lee into it.
"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"
Palm attacks rained down like a storm on Gaara, striking each chakra point with precision. Once the chakra points are sealed, no matter how many techniques the enemy had, it was useless. The battle was nearly over, Gentle Fist truly was the strongest!
But all the attacks vanished like stones sinking into the sea, completely ineffective.
No damage!
No breakthrough!
No penetration!
The strikes failed to pierce the opponent's defense.
Every bit of damage and even the hard control techniques were blocked by Gaara's Armour of Sand.
"This guy's chakra… isn't human!"
Neji's veins bulged as his pupils trembled. Through the Byakugan, he saw the twisted, violent monster lurking within Gaara. It was the first time in his life he felt a fear that came from his very bloodline.
Sand began to coil around his arm, tightening as it crept toward him. The closer he got to Gaara, the stronger the chakra in the sand became. Normal attacks couldn't break free anymore. As the sand was about to fully bind him, he had no choice but to use Revolving Heaven again.
Yellow sand collided with deep blue chakra, as his Revolving Heaven shattered the sand that had nearly wrapped around his entire body, sending it flying away. In an instant, he flickered back and retreated.
The consecutive bursts of chakra had left his breathing ragged. His Gentle Fist stance was now tilted toward defense. Cold sweat dripped down from his jaw.
At this moment, Lee had broken free from the sand's grasp and was crouching on the ground, battered and exhausted. But burning youth cannot be extinguished. His chakra flared to life again. Turning to Neji, he shouted, "It's my turn to go on the offensive!"
This is the moment Guy-sensei spoke of, when youth truly burns.
With the sound of bones cracking, blood and chakra surged. Green chakra exploded into flames.
Under dark eye bags, Gaara's mouth curled into a wild grin as the curse marks climbed up his face. "You saw it, didn't you? This… is the real me!"
The battlefield fell into a silence that felt like time had stopped.
Shikamaru's shadow was dodged. Ino's Mind Body Switch Technique was blocked by a wall of sand just before it could strike. Chōji's Multi-Size Technique was tightly restrained by a sand hand, and his chakra was rapidly being drained.
Lee's burning fists of youth turned into a green streak of light, fearlessly charging toward an enemy who now looked and fought more like a monster than a man.
Gaara, with dark red chakra markings crawling up his forehead, screamed as the sand around him boiled like fire.
"Feigning Sleep Technique!"
A colossal creature made of raging sand took form, the One-Tail had entered the battlefield!
"Game time is over, Sensei."
Without warning, in the very next instant after casually discussing the exams and the Will of Fire, the Kazekage suddenly pressed a kunai against the Third Hokage's throat.
Hiruzen, calmly puffing on his pipe, took a deep breath and said without surprise, "Orochimaru… so you've finally made your move. A bit earlier than I expected."
Poof.
The Kazekage's bodyguards reverted to their true forms, the Sound Four:
The hulking Jirōbō
The spider-armed Kidōmaru
The dual-headed Sakon and Ukon
The flute-wielding Tayuya
"Four Violet Flames Formation!"
All four performed hand seals simultaneously, summoning a purple chakra barrier that sealed off the area. The ANBU rushing to assist were all blocked outside the barrier.
A kunai struck at the Third Hokage without hesitation.
"That was just a shadow clone, my foolish student."
---
At the same time, Konoha was ambushed inside the village by the sudden betrayal of the Suna and Oto ninjas. Giant snakes smashed buildings, while giant toads fought the snakes. Ninjas from all three villages clashed in fierce combat.
The Chunin Exams were officially over. What came next, was a coordinated invasion from Oto and Suna against Konoha.
But the Third Hokage had foreseen it all.
This was a conspiracy by the Suna and Oto, but at the same time, it was also a trap set by Hiruzen, to lure out his treacherous former student, Orochimaru.
Lightning Release techniques easily struck down two Oto ninjas.
Nunchaku bashed in a Suna ninja's head without effort.
"Kakashi! Is the Hokage alright over there?" Guy, shouted mid-battle to his best friend.
"Don't worry," replied the ever-bored-eyed traitorous Kakashi with a lazy voice. "He is the strongest Hokage. Besides, Jiraiya-sama is there too."