"Damn it!" The Rain Village Genin's eyes widened, filled with shock and disbelief as he stared at Uchiha Sasuke. He couldn't believe that a newcomer, taking the Chūnin exam for the first time, had overpowered him—a veteran who had already taken the exam three times.
The pain in his chest was sharp, but the hurt to his pride was even deeper.
A spray of blood arched through the air, with a few drops landing on Haruno Sakura's forehead. The sight of the blood made her heart race, filling her with fear.
"Sasuke!" she called out, her voice shaky as she watched him from a distance.
"Don't just stand there, Sakura," Sasuke shouted, pulling his kunai out of the Rain Genin and staying alert. "There might be more enemies nearby. Don't let your guard down, or we'll be the ones taken out."
Even in the heat of battle, Sasuke's mind stayed sharp. He knew how dangerous the Forest of Death was and that this exam wouldn't allow any mistakes.
Suddenly, the Rain Genin pushed against Sasuke's shoulders, using the force to escape. With a pained look, he stumbled backward, clutching his wounds, and retreated deeper into the forest, blood trailing behind him.
"Unlucky," the Rain Genin muttered through clenched teeth, regretful of his decision to come alone. He knew he wouldn't last long without stopping the bleeding, so he sprinted away as fast as he could.
Sasuke watched him go, his scarlet Sharingan spinning as he stared, wanting to pursue and finish the job. But when he glanced back at Naruto and Sakura, he reconsidered. He couldn't leave them alone, or they might be attacked again. He didn't want his exam ruined because of them.
"Let's move, Sakura, Naruto," Sasuke ordered coldly. "This place isn't safe anymore. We need to find somewhere else."
Blood from the battle would likely attract more opponents, and Sasuke didn't want to take any risks by staying there.
Hidden in the trees above, Lee watched with quiet admiration. Sasuke Uchiha—he truly lives up to the reputation of the Uchiha clan, he thought. Even in a tough situation, Sasuke had kept his cool, showing both skill and awareness.
Following from a distance, Lee decided it would be wise to observe them. This team was no ordinary one. Naruto was the son of the Fourth Hokage, and Sasuke, the last surviving Uchiha with the fabled Sharingan, had already shown remarkable talent. Sakura's background was unclear, but her presence alongside these two suggested she wasn't just any Genin.
Staying close to them could be useful, Lee reasoned. If I help them in a real crisis, it might earn their trust.
After some time, Sasuke found a relatively quiet spot where the three of them could rest and regroup.
"If we get separated again," Sasuke said, looking seriously at Naruto and Sakura, "we won't trust anyone who can't respond with the code. The enemy could use transformation to attack us like before."
"What code should we use?" Sakura asked.
Sasuke thought for a moment, then replied, "If I ask, 'What does a ninja seek?' your response will be: 'The perfect moment when the enemy is off guard.' Remember, if anyone fails to respond with that, we treat them as an enemy, no matter how familiar they look."
He glanced pointedly at Naruto, knowing he might forget something as critical as this.
"No problem!" Sakura said confidently, memorizing the phrase right away. Naruto, on the other hand, looked uneasy.
"Can you say it one more time?" Naruto asked, scratching his head sheepishly.
"I already told you—only once," Sasuke replied coolly.
"Geez, Naruto, I remembered it already!" Sakura said, annoyed as she waved a fist at him.
"I got it, I got it!" Naruto replied quickly. "I just wanted to make sure," he muttered, looking defeated.
This Sasuke... he's impressive, Lee thought from his hiding spot. If given enough time to develop, he could become an extremely powerful ninja.
Sasuke had set up the code not just for their safety but also to test his teammates. His sharp mind impressed Lee even more.
"Alright," Sasuke said, standing up, "I'll keep the scroll with me."
"Hold on, Sasuke," Naruto interrupted.
But before Naruto could finish his sentence, a sudden, violent gust of wind tore through the forest. It was so powerful that trees bent and shook, and the three Genin struggled to keep their footing as they were nearly swept off their feet.
Lee's eyes narrowed as he felt the intense force of the wind. What a powerful presence! he thought, shocked. The feeling of dread he had was unmistakable—it was the same fear he'd felt earlier when he encountered that dangerous female ninja.
Could it really be her again?