Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Sasuke is Targeted
After gathering everyone together, Sasuke gave his own suggestions:
"Shikamaru, Shino, I think it's best for your two teams to act together. There's a very dangerous person participating in this Chunin Exam, so it would be safer if you stay in a larger group during the day."
"Moreover, Ino and Hinata both possess perception-type ninjutsu and can take turns scanning the surrounding area. If you sense a strong chakra, avoid it immediately and don't engage."
Shikamaru and Shino are both smart, and they should be able to weigh the risks and benefits. Ino and Hinata's perception abilities will also be invaluable. This way, the two teams working together should avoid most dangers—unless they encounter Orochimaru suddenly, which is unlikely since Orochimaru is probably targeting me.
"Is it necessary? This is just a Chunin Exam,"
Inuzuka Kiba disagreed, thinking Sasuke was exaggerating. He was confident in his own strength and saw no need to team up with other squads.
"Look at that red-haired gourd guy from the Sand Village over there—see him? He's the One-Tailed Jinchūriki from the Sand Village, which is why he has such heavy dark circles under his eyes," Sasuke pointed at Gaara, a slight smirk on his face as he spoke.
"If you don't know what a Jinchūriki is because you skipped class..."
Inuzuka Kiba scratched his head, muttering to himself, "This guy is really arrogant! But... what is a Jinchūriki? I feel like I've never heard of that word."
At this point, Shikamaru and Shino became serious. The two exchanged glances, seemingly communicating without words. Shikamaru nodded, clearly accepting Sasuke's suggestion.
Shikamaru thought, "It seems Sasuke already has a plan. We just need to follow his lead. But... the Sand Village actually sent a Jinchūriki to the Chunin Exam? I wonder what their Fourth Kazekage is thinking."
Shino silently observed Sasuke, a flash of admiration in his eyes. Ino, of course, followed Sasuke's instructions without question. As Sasuke's girlfriend, she believed it was the right thing to do. Although Choji was hesitant, he saw that Shikamaru agreed, so he didn't voice any objections.
With that, the two teams reached a consensus under Sasuke's proposal and decided to work together during the second exam. Seeing everyone cooperate, Sasuke was relieved. He was mainly worried about Ino and Hinata's safety; if they weren't in the same team, he might not be able to protect them in time. But with this plan, he believed they would be safe.
As time passed, the second exam officially began. The members of Team 8 and Team 10 began their joint operation. However, Team 7, where Sasuke was, did not act with them.
From the moment he entered the exam, Sasuke had a strange feeling, as if he were being watched by a snake. He knew this was Orochimaru, who coveted his body. But Sasuke didn't feel overly uneasy—Orochimaru was just an old man who could offer him power. With Sasuke's current strength, even if he couldn't defeat Orochimaru, he could still escape.
"Neji, let's go find Uchiha Sasuke! I want to have a man-to-man duel with him... uh, a real duel!"
Rock Lee secretly encouraged himself and then proposed this idea to Hyuga Neji.
After what happened yesterday, Rock Lee had gradually overcome his frustration. This time, he was determined to have a real contest with Uchiha Sasuke!
Hearing Rock Lee's words, Hyuga Neji frowned and said, "Sasuke's strength should not be underestimated. We don't need to provoke him right now. It's more important to pass this exam smoothly."
"Neji, he's a genius who can be compared to you at the ninja academy. Don't you want to compete with him?"
Rock Lee clearly didn't want to give up easily and continued to persuade Neji.
Neji looked at Rock Lee's determined expression, sighed helplessly, and finally compromised:
"Fine, we can go find him, but I won't fight Uchiha Sasuke, and you must be careful not to lose your cool when fighting!"
"Okay! No problem! Target: Uchiha Sasuke, move out!"
Rock Lee shouted happily.
On the other side, the Sound Ninja trio was also discussing their plans.
"Our mission is to find Uchiha Sasuke and kill him!"
Dosu said to his companions, Zaku and Kin. Kin nodded to show she understood, and Zaku added indignantly, "How dare he humiliate me like that? I must make him pay!"
As soon as he spoke, the three of them rushed into the Forest of Death together. At the same time, the trio from the Sand Village also made their move.
"First, kill a random team and collect all their scrolls. If we encounter Uchiha Sasuke, I'll deal with him personally," Gaara said coldly, his arms crossed in front of his chest.
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