bookbashuk Page 56
Page 56
Naruto suddenly stood up, the chair making a screeching sound.
His golden hair shimmered in the sunlight, and an indomitable flame burned in his blue eyes.
Hinata's heart skipped a beat.
Through the Byakugan's vision, she could clearly see Naruto's slightly trembling legs, but his straight back displayed an astonishing determination.
That spirit of never giving up is what she admires most.
Ibiki narrowed his eyes, the scars casting shadows on his face: "Oh? Even if you remain a Genin forever?"
"So what!"
Naruto slammed his fist on the table, the sound echoing throughout the examination hall: "I, Uzumaki Naruto, keep my word! Even if I remain a genin for life, I will become Hokage!"
The entire examination room was completely silent.
No one expected that such a reckless young man would be so fierce.
However, Naruto's words were like a pebble dropped into a still lake, creating ripples.
"And I!"
Hinata was surprised to find that the previously oppressive atmosphere in the exam room had completely changed.
One by one, the examinees stood up, their fear replaced by determination because of Naruto's words.
One person even slammed their fist on the table, just like Naruto: "Are you kidding me! How could we possibly back down here!"
Choji gripped his pencil tightly: "This time... I won't give up either."
Despite his constant groans, Shikamaru looked at Naruto with an appreciative gaze: "What a nuisance..."
Ibihi's lips curled up slightly.
However, that smile sent a chill down the spines of everyone present.
After all, this guy hasn't smiled once from beginning to end, so if he smiles now, it's definitely not for anything good.
But everyone was wrong. Ibiki gave Naruto an appreciative look, then announced, "Congratulations, this is the tenth question."
"Huh?" The whole room erupted in an uproar.
“The real test is your resolve.” Ibihi looked around at everyone. “Now, all those who remain have passed the first test.”
To everyone's surprise, they passed the exam in such a muddled way.
For a moment, no one reacted until someone cheered, "Great!" Then everyone cheered, celebrating the victory in the exam.
Suddenly, the window shattered.
A black package flew in spinning, and four kunai precisely unfolded it into a huge curtain.
The words "Second Chunin Exam" were written in bold, blood-red characters.
“Surprise!”
A black-haired woman hangs upside down in front of the curtain, her beautiful curves outlined in a black bodysuit.
She licked her lips, her sharp gaze sweeping across the room: "Oh? So many people are still here."
Ibiki changed his cold and ruthless demeanor and became kind and approachable: "After all, they are all very excellent students."
"In that case, the next exam will be a bit..."
"Who are you?"
"A Rain Village ninja shouted in dissatisfaction."
With a whooshing sound, a bamboo skewer grazed the ninja's cheek and embedded itself deeply in the wall behind him.
The dark-haired beauty maintained her sweet smile: "Raise your hand if you have a question!"
The Rain Village ninja from before was so frightened that he was sitting down in his seat.
Ibiki sighed and stepped out from behind the curtain: "She is the examiner for your second exam, Mitarashi Anko."
"Hello everyone!"
Red Bean greeted everyone gently.
However, everyone present felt a chill run down their spine when faced with that gentle smile.
"Those who remain now, gather in the Forest of Death tomorrow morning. I will then explain the rules for the second exam."
Hongdou blinked, then suddenly lowered her voice: "However, the next exam will be quite dangerous, so all candidates should prepare their wills."
These words startled everyone present.
Everyone says the Chunin Exams are dangerous, but they shouldn't be dangerous enough to be life-threatening, right?
"Okay, disband!"
Soon after, Hinata hesitated in the corridor.
When she saw Class 7 approaching, her heart nearly leaped out of her chest.
"Congratulations..." Her voice was barely audible.
Kiba wrapped his arms around Naruto's neck: "That was pretty cool of you!"
Naruto scratched his head, a bright smile on his face: "Of course! And it's all thanks to Hinata."
"Huh? Me?" Hinata's white eyes widened, and her cheeks instantly flushed red.
"I only had the courage to say those things because Hinata was cheering me on," Naruto said, unusually earnest.
Hinata's fingers unconsciously twisted together: "Naruto-kun... what he did just now... was so cool..."
"Haha, actually I was almost scared to death!" Naruto exaggeratedly patted his chest, causing Sakura to cover her mouth and giggle.
Inside the sealed space, Kurama swung its massive tail: "Hey, old Madara, Fourth Hokage, what if Naruto really marries the Hyuga clan's little girl..."
Ban scoffed: "A boring assumption."
Minato smiled and replied, "Hinata is a good girl."
Gentle and virtuous, aside from being overly shy, she is truly the best choice for my daughter-in-law.
Kurama grinned, revealing its sharp teeth: "Yeah, if I fell for any Uchiha, I'd be driven crazy."
Madara's eyes suddenly turned dangerous: "What did you say?"
Minato quickly smoothed things over: "Haha, alright, you two, it's too early for Naruto to talk about these things now."
Chapter 64 The Unreliable Master
The afterglow of the setting sun spilled onto the paths of Konoha Village. Naruto hummed an off-key song and skipped home.
His victory in the first exam put him in a great mood, and even his steps became much lighter.
"Hehe, you looked so cool today!"
He gestured to himself, muttering, "Once I become a Chunin, I'll make everyone look at me with new eyes!"
As he spoke, Naruto couldn't help but imagine himself rising from Chunin to Jonin, and finally donning the Hokage robes.
"Watch where you're going!"
It wasn't until Madara reminded him that Naruto noticed there was a telephone pole in front of him.
"Ha ha……"
Naruto gave an awkward laugh and continued on his way home.
As Naruto turned the last street corner, he suddenly froze on the spot.
He squinted his blue eyes, staring intently in the direction of his home.
The door, which was originally locked securely, was now ajar!
"A thief?!"
Naruto's expression instantly turned serious.
He has lived here for over ten years, and not a single thief has ever visited.
Naruto crept closer, pressing his ear against the door to listen carefully.
There were faint noises coming from inside the house, and... the sound of slurping noodles?
Noodles? That's not...
"How dare you steal my stored grain!"
Naruto gritted his teeth, his golden hair standing on end in anger.
He quietly formed a hand seal, creating a shadow clone, and the two of them slipped into the house from the left and right.
Meanwhile, in the living room, a white-haired man was comfortably nestled on Naruto's only sofa, holding a steaming bowl of instant noodles.
The man was engrossed in a boring variety show on TV, completely unaware of the danger at the door.
"Gotcha! Thief!"
Naruto suddenly jumped out, and his shadow clones pounced on him from the side at the same time.
Jiraiya's hand trembled, and he spilled instant noodle soup all over himself.
He jumped up in a panic, only to be tripped by the shadow clone and fall awkwardly to the floor.
"Wait! It's me!"
Jiraiya struggled to lift his head, his red eyeshadow smudged.
"Perverted Sage?! What are you doing in my house?!" Naruto was stunned when he saw Jiraiya.
After all, he should have been "gathering material" at the bathhouse at this time, so why did he end up at his own home?
However, when Naruto's gaze swept to the coffee table, there were several empty instant noodle cups piled up there—all of them his favorite flavors!
"My limited edition seafood instant noodles!!"
Naruto's voice trembled: "I saved up my allowance for three months to buy that!!"
Jiraiya chuckled sheepishly as he got up: "Come on, don't be so stingy... I was just helping you taste it..."