Kakashi had been hiding in the shadows, silently observing the confrontation between Sasuke and Lee.
The sophistication of Sasuke's taijutsu surprised even him, his teacher.
Sasuke's taijutsu far exceeded Kakashi's original expectations, much stronger than at any point before.
This sudden progress filled Kakashi with doubt, but also sparked his imagination about Sasuke's future potential.
"But now that his physical strength has reached this level, I can try teaching him Chidori."
Kakashi thought to himself.
For Sasuke, who possessed the Sharingan, Chidori was undoubtedly an ideal choice.
The Sharingan's perceptive abilities perfectly complemented Chidori's need for precision, allowing the technique to display unprecedented power in Sasuke's hands.
And amid this atmosphere, the curtain on the Chunin Exams was about to formally rise.
Deep within the hidden confines of the Root base, Danzo stood under dim lighting, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's as he swept it over the rows of Root operatives arranged before him.
They were dressed in uniform dark attire, their faces all expressing absolute obedience.
Danzo slowly opened his mouth, his low voice cutting through the silence as he issued a strict order to everyone present: "During the Chunin Exams, no one is to take any action without permission. Everything awaits my further instructions."
"Hiruzen, Hiruzen…" Danzo murmured to himself, his tone carrying a faint sorrow mixed with undisguised resolve and ambition, "Rest in peace. The position of Hokage will eventually be mine."
Meanwhile, far from the Root base at the exam venue, the first stage of the Chunin Exams was in full swing.
The first stage—a written test—was a trial for all participants.
The rules were strict; any candidate caught cheating would be immediately disqualified.
This stage tested the candidates' foundational abilities and knowledge.
Sasuke and Sakura had been worried for a while, but thankfully, although Naruto couldn't answer a single question, he managed to pass through the bonus question and ultimately advanced.
With the end of the first stage, the three members of Team 7 arrived at the Forest of Death.
Each team held either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll. Their goal was to find the opposing scroll and successfully reach their destination within five days.
The candidates began to realize this exam was no longer a simple competition, but a true survival game.
In this place, casualties were inevitable.
After that harsh training with Garp, Sasuke's strength had seen a qualitative leap, and his confidence had soared to unprecedented heights.
Not long after entering the forest, the team encountered a crisis when they were separated. During an inadvertent moment alone, Naruto was captured by an enemy.
The enemy came from Amegakure; one of its ninjas used a high-level transformation technique to cleverly disguise himself as Naruto, aiming to seize the precious scroll.
Fortunately, Sasuke was not deceived by appearances. Using the sharp observational skills honed during Garp's training, he quickly saw through the disguise.
The moment he confirmed the enemy's identity, Sasuke acted without hesitation, using his swift taijutsu to cleanly take down the ninja from Amegakure.
This scene not only shocked Naruto and Sakura, but also made them deeply aware of the tremendous progress Sasuke had made during this time.
For Naruto, this shock was tinged with an indescribable anxiety.
Watching Sasuke's figure, he felt a strong sense of urgency, as if the gap between himself and Sasuke was quietly widening.
"I'm the one who's going to become Hokage!" Naruto shouted in his heart. He had to work harder and keep improving his strength.
Full of ambition, Sasuke led Team 7 forward, aiming to defeat other teams and successfully capture their scrolls.
He was completely unaware that in the shadows, Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Three Ninja, was watching him with an almost obsessive, greedy gaze.
"What astonishing talent." Orochimaru's voice was low and magnetic, his tone filled with admiration for Sasuke's abilities. "Not only does he possess the Sharingan unique to the Uchiha clan, but he also has such remarkable taijutsu talent. He's truly a rough gem."
"Ssss, what a mouthwatering fruit. It's just a shame the time to harvest is still so far away…"
A sinister smile curled at Orochimaru's lips. Ever since his defeat by Itachi Uchiha years ago, his desire for the Sharingan had become an almost obsessive pursuit. Sasuke was the perfect prey in his mind.
"But since the opportunity is already before me, how could I let it slip away?" A glint shone in Orochimaru's eyes. "I can lay the groundwork first and collect some interest."
He was utterly confident. As one of the top ninjas in the world, he firmly believed no one could stop him in this Forest of Death.
Just as Orochimaru was speeding toward Team 7 at an alarming pace, Sasuke suddenly felt a strange sense of danger.
His Sharingan flickered faintly, as if capable of perceiving any hidden threat.
Just then, a giant snake, as wide as several people and covered in strange scales, burst from the thick forest, carrying an unnerving presence as it lunged at Team 7.
"What is that thing?!" Sakura shrieked in terror. She had never seen such an enormous snake, her fear plain to see.
Naruto, on the other hand, shouted excitedly and immediately used his signature technique—Shadow Clone Jutsu. Dozens of clones appeared around him, engaging the giant snake in fierce combat, eventually subduing it.
"How about that, Sasuke? I did great, didn't I?" Naruto grinned smugly, his face beaming with the joy of victory.
But Sasuke didn't joke around with him as usual. His expression was unusually serious, his eyes locked on the direction the snake had come from, filled with caution and unease.
"Someone's coming," Sasuke said quietly.
A man wearing the forehead protector of Kusagakure appeared silently before them. His appearance seemed ordinary, like the most unremarkable person in a crowd.
Yet for Sasuke, who had already begun to master Observation Haki, he could keenly sense the extraordinary aura emanating from this man, making him wary.
"Hey, where are your teammates? The great Naruto is going to beat you and win this match!"
Unaware of the changing atmosphere, Naruto remained his carefree self, charging without hesitation toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Naruto for a moment, a hint of amusement curling his lips. "The Nine-Tails jinchuriki? That hair does resemble the Fourth Hokage's from back in the day."
Orochimaru's words carried a trace of complicated emotion. When it came to Minato Namikaze, his feelings were mixed. If not for Minato, he might have already taken the seat of Hokage.
But from another perspective, had he become Hokage, would he have been able to freely explore forbidden techniques and achieve what he had now?
Just as Orochimaru was lost in thought, his cold, serpent-like eyes suddenly opened wide.
In an instant, a terrifying surge of killing intent erupted, instantly saturating the entire space.
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