Naruto: The new beginning

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According to Temari, even for skilled shinobi, it would take three days to travel from Konoha to the Demon Desert.

Long-distance running was no easy feat, though it barely fazed people like Might Gai or Rock Lee, who could train even in their sleep.

Of course, Naruto wasn't one to back down from a challenge either.

At first, Naruto didn't take the run too seriously. His goal was simple just avoid finishing in the bottom thirty.

With so many rookies participating, Naruto figured there was no way his team would rank that low.

However, Sasuke and Sakura were unusually serious. They constantly asked Naruto to check whether anyone had overtaken them and, to gain an edge, drastically reduced their meal and rest times.

Eventually, they were down to one meal a day of high-energy food prepared on Sakura's recommendation and minimal rest, all in the name of making the most of their time running.

By the time they reached the desert, even Sakura, who normally prioritized her appearance, abandoned her skincare routine.

Instead, she focused entirely on monitoring the team's physical conditions and planning their route.

Naruto swept up in their determination, found himself getting serious too. The atmosphere reminded him of soldiers crossing a battlefield, where everyone pushed themselves to the limit.

The Konoha Twelve were known as the strongest group of Genin. Even the more laid-back members like Choji, with his hearty appetite, or Shikamaru, with his infamous laziness, wouldn't falter at such a critical moment.

However, not everyone could keep up, especially Yakumo Kurama.

Yakumo's physical condition had always been her greatest weakness. Despite training and even seeking Tsunade's guidance, she struggled to match her peers.

Yet, gritting her teeth, she refused to give up. Haku and Karin stayed close, helping her maintain her pace, though their group gradually fell behind the Konoha Twelve and was soon overtaken by others.

Noticing Yakumo's worsening state, Haku stopped and suggested gently, "Let's take a break."

"No... I can't," Yakumo panted, hands on her knees as she watched others pass them. "I worked so hard to become a ninja... I finally have comrades... I can't give up now."

Seeing Yakumo's determination, Karin hesitated before rolling up her sleeve. She thrust her arm toward Yakumo and said, "Bite me."

"What?" Yakumo blinked in confusion.

Karin explained quietly, "If you bite me, your injuries or exhaustion will heal quickly. If you want to keep running, just do it."

Haku, who knew of Karin's past, frowned. Though Tsunade had healed Karin's scars, Haku couldn't help but recall the pain Karin must have endured being forced to heal others.

"It's okay," Karin said with a reassuring smile. "Before, I was forced to help strangers. Now, I'm choosing to help a friend."

Yakumo hesitated, sensing there was more to Karin's offer than she let on. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I can't do that to you."

"Don't be stubborn!" Karin snapped, her tone reminiscent of Kushina's fiery resolve. Without waiting for a response, she shoved her arm toward Yakumo.

Yakumo dodged frantically. "No! I don't want to do this!"

Haku stepped between them, smiling. "All right, let's try something else."

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Ten minutes later, the trio sped past a group of stunned participants.

"What the heck is that?!" someone exclaimed as two people, Karin and Haku, pulled an ice sledge carrying Yakumo.

The sledge was Haku's creation, moulded entirely from ice. On flat terrain, they sped effortlessly, and on uneven ground, Haku used his Ice Release to smooth the path.

When Yakumo regained enough stamina, she rejoined the run to conserve her teammates' energy, and they repeated the process when needed.

During a break, Karin sighed, "Using Ice Release like this is genius!"

Haku, nibbling on a snack, replied modestly, "I was inspired by Naruto."

"Naruto?" Karin and Yakumo exchanged puzzled looks. "What does this have to do with him?"

Haku chuckled. "He once asked me to make him a sword of ice called Frostmourne. Later, he started calling my techniques 'ice magic,' talking about ice hammers, shields, cannons... you name it."

Karin groaned. "That sounds like Naruto. Just like his dad, he's always coming up with wild ideas. What's the phrase? Oh, right ' Second-rate brilliance.'"

Haku laughed. "Exactly. He even suggested techniques like Ice Age or some 'Mokobotmo' thing. I haven't figured those out, but making stuff with ice has become second nature to me now."

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Three days later, at the Demon Desert Monitoring Station, the candidates arrived one by one.

The bottom thirty were disqualified on the spot, their efforts wasted. Such was the life of a shinobi falling behind could mean death.

Konoha's representatives, Kakashi, Might Gai, Asuma, and Kurenai, had arrived early to greet the participants.

Kakashi glanced at his team and, seeing they were fine, returned to his book without a word. He thought the Chunin Exams almost felt like overkill for them.

Asuma gave Choji a knowing look, mouthing barbecue later. Meanwhile, Kurenai observed Yakumo, feeling both relieved and proud.

Yakumo's physical stamina had always been a concern, but she'd proven her resilience.

Might Gai, however, was overcome with emotion. Seeing the candidates utterly exhausted, with some collapsing on the ground, he shed tears of joy.

"You've all done so well!" he cried. "Seeing your youthful determination brings tears to my eyes! When I took the Chunin Exams, my teacher"

"Sensei, save the stories for later," Tenten interrupted dryly. "We need rest."

Gai wiped his tears sheepishly. "You're right..."

Naruto, meanwhile, eyed Kakashi with mock annoyance. After handing water and salt to his teammates, he muttered, "Just reading your book, huh? You're really something... just wait..."

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