Chapter 106: The Chunin Exams, First Round

After a brief exchange of words, the three of them headed toward the exam hall together. The instant they stepped through the entrance, their gazes converged as if by unspoken agreement. A single thought flashed through their minds at once: There's an illusion at work.

They settled their thoughts and carefully probed the surrounding chakra, discovering that every classroom in the hall had been placed under a genjutsu. The illusions were cleverly designed to make each room appear identical, as though they had all been carved from the same mold. The rustic overall architecture, the delicate doors and windows, the facade in every detail—it was as if a group of indistinguishable twins had been assembled side by side.

Several candidates stood frozen among the false classrooms, brows furrowed in bewilderment, as though tangled in an endless knot of confusion. Some murmured to themselves, “Which one is the real exam hall?” Others paced slowly back and forth, lost in thought over an impossible puzzle. A few darted frantically between floors like headless flies, glancing upward, then downward, wandering without direction.

Naruto frowned slightly, stroking his chin as he pondered aloud. “Is this testing the candidates’ ability to distinguish the true location? It makes sense, I suppose. If we receive mission briefings in the future and can’t tell which of these identical sites is real, it would be fatal.”

Sasuke sneered and muttered, “Boring,” then strode ahead. “Let’s not waste time playing these childish games. We should enter the actual hall and scout for ourselves.”

As they leisurely passed one floor, they spotted two genin from Konoha Village standing at the entrance, pleading desperately with the stationed ninja. Their faces were filled with earnest desperation, repeating their pleas for mercy and begging the shinobi to let them in.

Sasuke’s eyes were immediately drawn to them. He frowned curiously. “That’s Lee, isn’t it? What is he doing here?”

Sasuke watched every move with intense focus, as though observing a rare performance. “He’s a capable ninja. He shouldn’t be able to tell this is a genjutsu.”

Naruto shifted his gaze to Lee and Tenten beside him, noting how convincingly they acted—every expression and gesture radiating genuine urgency, as if they truly feared being shut out of the hall. Around them, other candidates had gathered, some whispering to one another, others furrowing their brows in thought.

The sight stirred a faint twitch at the corner of Naruto’s mouth. He thought, *They’re trying to mislead the others and reduce competition. This innocent-looking Lee with those big, honest eyes… I didn’t expect him to be so sly.*

Naruto had no intention of interrupting Lee’s performance. He gently tugged at Sakura’s and Sasuke’s sleeves, and the three slipped away unnoticed, their footsteps light, as if afraid to disturb the act.

Their pace quickened, and soon they reached the real exam hall without further delay.

The scene inside was utterly bizarre, almost like a gathering of grotesque freaks. On one side, a figure entirely wrapped in layers of bandages revealed only a single glowing eye. On the other, a man in a full-body wetsuit stood on dry land, wearing a breathing mask and diving goggles, the outfit looking completely out of place. The most striking sight was the third: his hair styled in wild, multicolored spikes like a punk rocker’s mohawk, his entire appearance screaming loud and conspicuous.

Naruto glanced at him and wondered silently whether someone so obviously flashy could possibly be a ninja.

The moment the three stepped into the hall, every gaze turned toward them like arrows, heavy with hostility, as if they were looking at the killers of their fathers.

The intensity nearly drove Sakura into a frenzy; she almost transformed and unleashed a bombardment right there.

At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.

“Yo, Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—you’re here.”

Looking closer, they recognized their old acquaintance: Orochimaru.

Sakura’s expression remained calm, treating him as an experienced senior. Naruto and Sasuke, however, recognized him instantly. They knew his strength rivaled Kakashi’s and that he held the rank of elite jonin within the Akatsuki organization.

The three nearly blurted out at the same time, “You’re also participating in the Chunin Exams? Do you plan to wipe out all the candidates?”

Orochimaru had shared a similar shock upon seeing them, but he quickly understood their reasons. The two were still genin, and the Third Hokage likely wanted them to demonstrate their power to intimidate other nations.

Naruto and Sasuke could guess Orochimaru’s purpose as well: he was likely the vanguard for the Akatsuki’s invasion of Konoha.

After a brief exchange, the three walked to their assigned positions under the collective stares of the other candidates.

After speaking with Orochimaru, Team 7 finally understood why the other examinees had been regarding them with such killing intent. They had become quite famous in the ninja world. In their first month as shinobi, they had completed two A-rank missions. Whether due to their own abilities, powerful connections, or sheer luck, such a feat marked them as exceptional genin. The ordinary genin in the hall—even surviving an A-rank battlefield was difficult, let alone completing a mission. To them, Naruto and Sasuke were the deadliest competitors, the gravest threats to their path of promotion.