At the same time, while Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura advanced deeper into the Forest of Death, Menma Uzumaki raced through the canopy, moving swiftly toward their position — until something interrupted him.
Perched ahead on a thick branch stood a red-haired girl flanked by two shinobi wearing Kusagakure headbands. The moment Menma saw the trio, his expression froze in faint disbelief.
"…You've got to be kidding me."
The leader of the group — a tall, sharp-faced man with a crest of dark hair shaped like a cockscomb — grinned smugly. "Well, well… luck must be on our side. Didn't expect a Konoha brat to stroll right into our path." He glanced at the red-haired girl beside him. "Good job, Karin. Your sensory skills actually paid off this time."
Karin flinched as he reached out and roughly patted her head. Her crimson eyes darted briefly toward Menma — and in that instant, Menma caught the faintest flicker of apology in her gaze.
"Listen up, Leaf kid," the cockscomb shinobi sneered, stepping forward. "Hand over your scroll and maybe I'll let you walk out alive. That's a rare kindness in this place."
"Yeah," the second Kusa-nin added, smirking coldly. "You don't want to push your luck."
Menma simply tilted his head, amusement flickering across his face. "Kindness? You must be joking. You two don't have the strength to back up those words."
Chakra surged.
In a burst of energy, Menma's power flared to life — dense, controlled, and oppressive.
"Wh–what!?"
The Kusagakure pair stiffened as Menma's form blurred from sight.
"Not good!" one of them shouted, already too late.
Menma moved like a shadow, vanishing from one spot and reappearing between them in an instant. His kunai gleamed silver in the dim light.
"Too slow."
A single clang rang out as his weapon collided with the cockscomb-nin's hurried guard. Sparks scattered. The man's legs trembled violently from the impact — Menma's chakra-infused strength was monstrous.
"Aso! Cover me!" the leader barked, gritting his teeth.
But before his ally could move—
Shhhk!
Menma twisted his wrist, driving the kunai into the man's chest with surgical precision. The Kusa-nin's eyes widened in disbelief as blood erupted from his mouth.
"A—Ahhh!"
Menma's expression didn't change. He rotated the blade once — a clean, lethal motion — before pulling it free. The cockscomb-headed ninja collapsed forward, lifeless before he hit the ground.
The second enemy, "Aso," froze where he stood — only to feel something cold press against his neck. His eyes darted sideways, horror flooding in as he saw another Menma standing beside him.
"Wh—what the—?"
Shadow Clone.
Before he could react, the clone's kunai flashed, and the second Kusa-nin fell, his lifeblood staining the forest floor.
The clearing grew silent again — the only sound was the faint rustle of leaves.
Menma exhaled softly, glancing between the two bodies. "You didn't even notice the clone behind you… pathetic."
He crouched, retrieving the scroll from the fallen leader's pouch. The character for "Earth" (地) was etched across the paper. He tucked it away into his vest with little interest before turning his gaze toward the red-haired kunoichi, who was still frozen where she stood.
"You didn't warn them," Menma said flatly, eyes narrowing. "You're a sensory-type. You should've felt my clone's chakra."
Karin's lips trembled, but she steadied her breath. "They're not my comrades."
That answer — calm, measured, and full of bitterness — made Menma pause.
After a short silence, Karin raised her head. Her eyes met his — sharp yet desperate. "You probably won't believe this, but… from the first moment I saw you in the first round of the exam, I felt something different. Something… familiar. I don't know why, but I trust you more than I ever trusted them."
Menma arched a brow. "Familiar? Because of the hair color?"
She shook her head. "No. It's not that. It's just… intuition."
Her voice was soft but firm.
Menma studied her for a moment longer, arms crossed. "You're a Kusagakure kunoichi. You stood by while I killed your teammates. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you next?"
A sad smile tugged at Karin's lips. She rolled up her sleeve, revealing her forearm — littered with rows of deep, crescent-shaped bite marks.
"I'm a sensory ninja, yes," she said quietly. "But I'm also a medical-type. My ability lets others heal by biting me — my chakra accelerates their recovery. Those two didn't see me as a comrade… just a tool. My mother died the same way — drained by her own village after they used her too much."
Her voice cracked slightly. "So tell me… what's there left to fear? If you kill me, at least it won't be by their hands."
For the first time in the entire encounter, Menma's expression softened.
He knew her story. The blood of Uzumaki ran through her veins — just like him.
"…No," Menma said quietly. "I believe you."
Karin blinked, startled by the gentleness in his tone.
Menma wiped the blood from his kunai and sheathed it. "You're strong to have survived that long in Kusagakure. You don't have to keep living like a tool."
Her eyes widened slightly, emotion flickering in them.
He turned away. "Come with me if you want to live through this exam. Stay close, but don't draw attention. Orochimaru's already in the forest — and he's not the type to care who gets caught in the crossfire."
Karin's breath hitched at the name, but she nodded. "Orochimaru…?"
Menma's silver eyes glinted beneath the dim light filtering through the trees. "Yes. The real monster in this forest isn't one of us. Stay alert."
With that, the two Uzumaki — bound by fate yet from different worlds — vanished into the forest's shadows.