Chapter 170: Forest of Death (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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The second phase of the exam was set in Konoha's Forest of Death. According to ambiguous rumors, all of Konoha's forests were created by Hashirama Senju. When it came to afforestation, Hashirama Senju was considered unparalleled.

The periphery of the Forest of Death was enclosed with a circle of barbed wire. From the outside, it seemed like a menacing beast, emanating an ominous and terrifying aura.

Hundreds of students stood outside the Forest of Death, gathered closely together. Forehead protectors from various villages were in sight. Among them, Sakura and her companions were able to spot the Uchiha clan members, who were trying their best to blend into the crowd.

Sakura's group stood out among the sea of Genin. Aside from their distinct aura, what was more striking was that Sakura was holding a book that was the favorite of many male ninjas, the supreme deluxe edition of "Icha Icha Paradise". A young girl reading "Icha Icha Paradise" seemed somewhat incongruous.

"Enough with the chatter! Everyone, come forward one by one and sign the agreement," Anko called out, her mouth full of a sweet rice cake, with a cup of sweet soup by her side. Sakura couldn't help but wonder if Anko would develop high blood sugar from consuming so many sweets. However, considering a ninja's chakra training, Sakura brushed off the thought. With a ninja's physical fitness, high blood sugar seemed unlikely. Yet, if she remembered correctly, in "Boruto", Anko's physique had changed drastically, presumably due to excessive sweets consumption. It was a tragedy, to say the least.

Meanwhile, Sakura sensed a chilling chakra nearby. Taking a quick glance, she recognized the forehead protector of a Grass ninja. It must be Orochimaru, who had infiltrated the exams. But judging by the way he was glaring menacingly at Anko, Sakura felt a pang of worry for her. Although Orochimaru might not kill Anko, reprimanding her seemed inevitable, especially after Anko's remarks had tarnished his reputation.

"Why do we need to sign an agreement?"

A group of Genin began voicing their confusion.

"The Forest of Death isn't a place devoid of danger. Once you enter, your fate is in your own hands!" Anko declared with a wicked smile, one that eerily resembled Orochimaru's. "By signing this death agreement, whatever happens to you inside the Forest of Death, Konoha will bear no responsibility!"

"What?!" The crowd exclaimed in disbelief. "Why is this the case? We came to Konoha to take the exams! Shouldn't you ensure our safety?"

With a swift motion, Anko pulled out the bamboo skewer she'd used for her rice cake and hurled it. The skewer whizzed past the face of the loudest protester, embedding itself in the tree behind him.

"Don't question my decisions so recklessly. You can choose not to sign, but your failure in this Chunin Exam will tarnish your ninja record!" Anko grinned. "As ninjas, if you're not willing to accept even the slightest danger, then why are you even becoming a ninja?"

In the end, except for a few who chose to quit, everyone else reluctantly signed the agreement and randomly received a scroll from Anko.

"The scrolls you have are of two types: Heaven Scroll and Earth Scroll. I've counted, and there's an equal number of each type among you!"

Anko confidently elaborated, "Your mission this time is to pass through the Forest of Death and reach the Central Tower within a week. During this period, you're on your own. Also, you're not allowed to open the scroll you possess. Before arriving at the Central Tower, you must gather both Heaven and Earth Scrolls. Only by fulfilling these requirements will you have passed this round!"

The Genin's expressions changed upon hearing this. With equal numbers of Heaven and Earth Scrolls distributed and each team only having one scroll, it meant that they had to snatch scrolls from other teams, while also protecting their own. This implied that only about half, or even less than half, would pass. Some would be unlucky and perish in the forest, so only a fraction would ultimately reach the Central Tower.

"Heaven Scroll, huh? What we need is the Earth Scroll," Sakura remarked, glancing at their scroll. This challenge wasn't just about strength, but also survival skills and attitude. Those who passed this round would mostly be the elite, and the real competition would commence in the third round.

"We'll snatch a few more along the way," Sasuke coldly suggested, "to reduce our competition in the next round."

"Let's keep moving, no need to be aggressive," Sakura smiled and said, "If we encounter enemies, we'll snatch their scroll. If not, we'll just wait outside the Central Tower. As they emerge from the forest, we can just seize it from them."

"Is that even allowed?" Naruto asked, surprised. Although it sounded like a good plan, would the examiners permit them to camp outside the Central Tower?

"No worries," assured Sakura, "The examiners never said we had to snatch scrolls inside the forest. As long as we don't enter the tower, we're still in the exam. And snatching scrolls outside is just as valid."

Sakura waved her hand dismissively. After all, blocking competitors outside the Central Tower was far more effective than aimlessly wandering the forest.

"Everyone, enter the forest from your assigned directions. And a friendly reminder, try not to die too early," Anko said with a cold laugh, made eerier by the growls of beasts emanating from the Forest of Death.

The candidates silently found their respective directions and quickly entered the Forest of Death. Once inside, they sped away from their starting points. Soon, no examinees remained on the outskirts of the forest, leaving Anko, who was gleefully eating her sweet treats, and a group of ninjas overseeing this round of the exam.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 171: Orochimaru or Orochi Princess? [Part 1]