章 39: The Exam begins
"Chūnin Selection Exam, the second round, starts now!" Anko's voice boomed as she signaled the start.
With that, candidates launched forward, racing toward the dark expanse of the forest.
"Lee, slow down!" Tenten called out. "We just started; no need to rush!"
"I have something to take care of," Lee replied, his eyes set on the forest. "I'll be moving on my own for a bit. Just stay close to Neji, and don't wander off alone."
"Lee, what's that supposed to mean?" Neji muttered, sounding annoyed. "You think I'm her babysitter?"
"I'm trusting you to keep her safe," Lee said with a smile, then pushed off the ground and vanished into the trees, moving faster than they could follow.
"Those jerks!" Tenten huffed, crossing her arms in irritation. She hated feeling like the "weak link."
"Tenten," Neji said, eyeing her seriously, "don't go more than fifty meters away from me, got it? If you do, I'm not responsible for your safety."
"I can take care of myself," Tenten replied, annoyed.
Lee moved swiftly and quietly through the forest, his mind set. He wasn't all that interested in winning the scroll. What he wanted was the chance to observe the other candidates, especially those from different villages. Understanding the skills and abilities from other lands would help him learn how to counter them.
The Forest of Death was vast, filled with thick trees, wild animals, and the echoes of strange cries. Even in the afternoon sunlight, the forest felt dark and eerie, a place frozen in time.
The sounds of strange beasts and a constant, chilling silence added to the forest's eerie atmosphere. Lee, despite his strength, could feel a shiver down his spine.
"Rraaawr!" A giant tiger suddenly lunged at Lee from the shadows. Lee spun, his leg swinging out, sending the beast crashing to the ground with a single kick.
But before he could react, a black-furred ape, over three meters tall, barreled toward him, swinging its heavy claws. Its fierce roar sent chills down his spine.
Lee threw a powerful punch, but the force of the ape's strike sent a sharp pain through his arm. He realized this beast was far stronger than expected, so he quickly retreated, slipping away using his agility to put distance between them.
This place really lived up to its name—The Forest of Death.
As he moved forward, Lee's eyes caught a familiar scene in a nearby clearing. Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji were resting there.
"Chōji, we just started the test, and you're already taking a break?" Ino scolded, exasperated.
"But I'm hungry," Chōji mumbled, tearing open a bag of snacks.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, rolling his eyes.
Lee watched from a distance, shaking his head. He knew these three from Konoha's renowned "Ino–Shika–Chō" team, famous for their teamwork. Yet, seeing them now, they seemed anything but impressive.
Suddenly, Lee sensed movement nearby. He spotted three Mist ninja approaching quietly, clearly looking for targets.
"Someone's coming," Shikamaru whispered, pulling his teammates into the bushes.
The Mist ninjas scanned the area but failed to notice the trio hiding nearby. After a few minutes, they moved on.
"They didn't even notice the food Chōji dropped on the ground," Lee chuckled to himself, already judging the Mist ninja's skills.
Once the Mist ninjas were gone, Shikamaru and his teammates let out a sigh of relief.
"Hey, you three!" Lee's voice came from behind them, making them jump.
"Who's there?" Shikamaru, Ino, and Chōji spun around, startled. When they saw Lee, they relaxed a bit, knowing he was from Konoha too.
"It's you, Rock Lee," Shikamaru said, looking relieved. "What are you doing here?"
"I've been following you for a while now," Lee replied, crossing his arms. "Originally, I thought about taking your scroll, but now I've changed my mind."
"What?" Ino looked puzzled. "Why?"
Lee gave them a hard look. "Because you three are so careless, it would be insulting to take it from you."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Chōji asked, offended.
"You need to get serious if you want to survive here," Lee said firmly. He looked straight at Chōji. "And you should focus more on the exam and less on eating. Or else, you'll put everyone at risk."
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