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Sōsuke naturally had no idea how much shock he had caused the chief examiner.
At this moment, their group, led by the examiners, arrived at the entrance of the Forest of Death.
The Forest of Death was located on the outskirts of Konoha village.
Here, towering trees covered the area, and dense vegetation spread across the land. Strange sounds occasionally echoed from the depths of the dark forest.
Many examinees looked pale as they stared at the dark depths of the forest, swallowing nervously.
Ninjas from outside Konoha were fine since they didn't know much about the Forest of Death.
However, the young shinobi of Konoha, who grew up hearing the legends of the Forest of Death, had some fear of this forest.
Sōsuke calmly gazed at the lush forest, a glint flashing beneath his glasses, as he pondered the meaning of the second exam.
He didn't know much about the Forest of Death either.
According to the rumors, it was created by the First Hokage using his unique techniques!
This information surprised Sōsuke, and excitement shone deep in his eyes as he contemplated the Forest of Death before him.
What kind of technique could create such terrifying results...
He and Dai had been training in different parts of the Konoha Forest, which were just on the outskirts of the Forest of Death.
They had never set foot in this vast, dark forest.
The Forest of Death was a forbidden area within Konoha.
It was said to be extremely dangerous!
It was filled with various poisonous creatures and fierce beasts!
Even elite Chunin were generally prohibited from venturing in alone. In such a terrifying environment, any moment of relaxation could cost them their lives.
Usually, entry was only permitted when the village needed to study certain beast information or when the members of the Aburame clan needed to collect insect samples.
The high mortality rate every year led to the most fitting name for this forest near Konoha—The Forest of Death.
At the entrance of the Forest of Death, the examinees met the chief examiner for the second exam.
He was a middle-aged man who seemed very amiable, dressed in the traditional Konoha shinobi battle attire. He appeared like a cheerful uncle-next-door.
"Hello, I am the chief examiner for the second exam, Maruma Mitokado," he introduced himself briefly.
In the audience area, the red-eyed Yūhi used his elbow to nudge the young man next to him, surprised.
"Shisō, isn't he your uncle!?"
The young man beside him also looked surprised but signaled for Yūhi to be quiet.
On the field, Maruma Mitokado's expression suddenly became serious as he looked at each examinee, his expression stern.
"Listen carefully, the second exam requires you to individually navigate through the Forest of Death and reach the central tower!"
"I believe you already know the dangers of the Forest of Death. The exam is straightforward. The first fifty people to arrive and meet the necessary conditions will qualify for the third exam."
At this point, he paused for a moment and continued,
"You will enter from different entrances. Each of you will be given a scroll and a number tag. When you encounter a situation where you want to give up the exam, open the scroll, and Konoha ninjas will come to your aid."
After speaking, he stared seriously at the examinees on the field.
"Remember, the following point is the most important!"
"Every person who reaches the tower must meet two conditions!"
"First, you only have five days, which means you must reach the tower within that time!"
"Second, I'm sure you have already noticed the number tags you are carrying. Let me tell you, in reality, the set of number tags only goes up to 123. In other words, two of you in this field have completely identical number tags!"
"In the Forest of Death, no matter what means you use, you must obtain a number tag that matches your own. Otherwise, you will need three number tags to qualify."
"Only by meeting these conditions can you qualify for the third exam!"
The examinees below were discussing and expressing astonishment at the elimination rate and task requirements of this exam.
"There are probably over two hundred of us here! And they're only selecting fifty people!?"
"Is the Chunin Exam really this difficult!?"
"Ah, with the rate of elimination, almost seventy-five percent will be cut, including those who failed the first exam! Why is this year's exam so tough?"
The examinees on the field complained incessantly, and the severe exam rules made them somewhat panicked!
Sōsuke, confident in his abilities, was naturally unconcerned. He lightly adjusted his glasses, showing no signs of nervousness about the upcoming exam, maintaining a calm and composed demeanor.
However, he was genuinely interested in the rules of this exam.
When Chief Examiner Maruma explained the task rules, some clever individuals began observing the number tags of the people around them.
Yes, this exam from UU Novel, was going to be extremely cruel!
Each examinee had their own designated enemy and prey!
But it didn't stop there; others could also become their enemies, revealing their fangs!
What the examinees would experience was not just a simple journey to reach the tower!
Perhaps, from the moment they set foot in the forest, they would face more than just terrifying creatures and beasts!
Under the brutal conditions of the Forest of Death, there would undoubtedly be a group of examinees unable to survive alone, requiring them to form teams.
However, the number tags on their bodies would make them targets for hunters!
Each examinee faced not only the issue of survival but also the challenge of trust and the necessity to possess comprehensive ninja skills to seize the number tags of others!
Despite most of the examinees' fear and complaints, Chief Examiner Maruma Mitokado paid no attention to their grievances.
Soon, they were arranged and sent into the Forest of Death according to the order of the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches.
One by one, the examinees were transported into the depths of the Forest of Death.
As soon as they entered the forest, they quickly advanced, one by one disappearing without a trace.
They concealed their tracks perfectly or hid in dark corners, awaiting the arrival of their prey!
This exam had a time limit of only five days.
In other words, they needed to survive in the Forest of Death for those five days.
Within this time frame, they had to reach the tower and obtain their corresponding number tag or at least two number tags!
No one who made it this far was a fool!
Each person was filled with the desire to become a Chunin through this exam!
The brutal battle began in the Forest of Death!