Chapter 87: The Feeling of Déjà Vu

The next day, all the candidates who had passed the first test gathered at the site of the second exam—the Forest of Death.

Mitarashi Anko licked her lips, looked at the group of examinees with excitement, and said, "This is the venue for the second exam: Training Ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death."

Forest of Death?!

Many candidates involuntarily swallowed their saliva.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke beside him and joked, "Sasuke, just admit you're scared. Don't worry, I'll protect you." He patted his chest proudly after speaking.

Sasuke: w(Д)w

"That line should be mine, Naruto!" he retorted.

"Hehe, don't be shy, Sasuke."

"Hehe, speak for yourself, Naruto."

And just like that, the two started bickering again.

Sakura and Hinata, standing nearby, watched them with envy. To them, it looked almost like the two boys were flirting.

"Seriously, you two have so much energy." Mitarashi Anko chuckled as she looked at them.

She continued, "Before we begin the second exam, I need you to fill out these." She pulled a stack of papers from her coat. "Consent forms. Anyone who wants to participate must sign one."

"Why?" Sakura asked, clearly confused about the need for a consent form.

Mitarashi Anko explained calmly, "Because people might die. Without this, I'd be held responsible."

Sakura: (ω)! Nani?! Die?

Her expression changed instantly.

Noticing this, Naruto quickly comforted her. "Don't worry, Sakura. Sasuke and I will protect you, right Sasuke?"

Sakura immediately turned to look at Sasuke.

With no other choice, Sasuke nodded. Hey (｀Д)!! Why am I being volunteered like this? Might as well just team up with Naruto.

Seeing Sasuke nod, Sakura's face lit up. (><) See? He really does care about me.

If Sasuke knew what Sakura was thinking, he probably wouldn't have nodded even if his life depended on it.

After that, Anko handed out the consent forms to everyone. Once they had them, she pulled out a scroll containing a map, opened it, and held it up for all to see.

"First, a breakdown of the terrain," she began. "Training Ground 44 is circular, surrounded by 44 locked entrances, with rivers, forests, and a central tower. The tower is approximately 10 kilometers from each gate. Within this limited area, you will be conducting a wilderness survival mission."

She then put away the map scroll and pulled out two more scrolls from her coat.

Menma couldn't help but look puzzled. How much stuff does Anko even have in that coat? Is she a walking storage unit? Doraemon??

Anko raised the two scrolls and declared, "The exam is a battle for the scrolls—anything goes. These are the Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth. Among the 27 teams that passed the first test, 14 will receive the Scroll of Heaven, and 13 will receive the Scroll of Earth. Each team gets one scroll. The objective is simple—steal the opposite one."

Someone asked, "What's the condition for passing?"

Anko answered, "Bring both the Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth to the central tower within the time limit. The second exam lasts for five days—a full 120 hours."

Five days?!

The crowd was stunned.

Naruto glanced at Menma. No wonder big bro made me pack a backpack this morning—and stuffed it full of food.

"What about food?!" Choji shouted immediately, unable to accept this revelation.

Anko replied coolly, "You'll be self-sufficient. The wild is nature's treasure trove. There's plenty to eat."

Kiba clutched his head. "Self-sufficient?!"

Seeing Kiba's panic, Menma teased, "Hey Kiba, if you get hungry, you could always go with some red ball stew, roasted red ball, or maybe steamed red ball."

Akamaru: (ω)!

Kiba quickly hugged Akamaru and took a couple of steps back, putting some distance between himself and Menma.

"Hahahaha! I'm kidding, I'm kidding." Menma laughed at their reaction.

At that moment, Anko continued, "In the scroll battle, not only will there be injuries, but some of you might give up if you can't handle the difficulty of surviving in the wild."

Just as she finished speaking, Shikamaru raised his hand. "Excuse me… can we quit halfway?"

Menma immediately chimed in, "Shikamaru, if you dare give up, I'll drag you home and make you play Shogi with me for a month straight."

Shikamaru: (ΩДΩ)

"Never mind. Forget I asked."

Anko glanced curiously at Menma, who had just changed Shikamaru's mind with a single sentence. But now wasn't the time for curiosity—she answered Shikamaru's question.

"By the rules, no one can quit halfway. You must spend all five days in the forest."

"As for elimination conditions:

First, if a team fails to bring both scrolls to the tower within the time limit.

Second, if a team loses a member or a member is rendered unable to act.

Third, if anyone opens their scrolls before reaching the tower."

She explained, "This last rule exists because, if you become a Chūnin, you'll have access to top-secret documents. This test helps determine if you can be trusted."

"That's it. Once you've signed the forms, take them with your scroll to the hut over there." She pointed to a small building near the entrance, where three Konoha Chūnin were stationed. "Choose your entry gate, and once everything's settled, everyone will head in together."

At this point, Menma silently walked up behind Shikamaru and patted his back, startling him.

"Bro—what was that for?" Shikamaru asked, confused.

Menma didn't answer. He simply moved to Kiba and did the same.

Both Kiba and Shikamaru were puzzled, but if you looked closely, you'd see seals placed on their backs.

Then Menma approached Naruto.

"I'm heading in first," he said.

"Okay, big bro! I'll pass for sure!" Naruto responded with determination.

Menma smiled and ruffled Naruto's hair. "I believe in you."

Without hesitation, Menma walked straight into the small hut.

Everyone noticed his actions. That fast? He didn't even hesitate!

Moments later, Menma emerged and disappeared into the Forest of Death.

His reasoning was simple: if he went in first, it would be easier to move around and "take care of business."

After Menma entered, Naruto took Sasuke and Sakura and followed him into the hut.

Meanwhile, a voice murmured in the crowd:

"Have you noticed? That red-haired one has been alone since the beginning. He gives me a strange sense of déjà vu."

The speaker was a red-haired boy with the word "love" engraved on his forehead, carrying a gourd on his back—Gaara.

Déjà vu?

The blonde girl beside him asked, "Gaara, what do you mean?"

Gaara shook his head. "I don't know. I just… feel like I've seen him somewhere. But I don't remember him in my memories."

At that moment, Gaara suddenly heard a sharp voice in his head:

"Filthy fox!!"

(End Of Chapter)

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