Naruto: The new beginning

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The candidates were assigned to lounges in groups and informed to head to the cafeteria for dinner in the evening.

Kiba glanced around at the other candidates from various ninja villages and said, "These guys are staring at us so openly. Their eyes are way too intense."

Tenten quipped, "Kiba, your eyes aren't much better."

Naruto chuckled, patting Kiba on the shoulder. "Relax. Maybe they're just dazzled by Sasuke's charm."

"What?" Sakura and Ino slammed the table simultaneously, causing it to rattle precariously.

Sasuke shot Naruto a sideways glance, his expression unreadable. What does that have to do with me?

Choji, meanwhile, pointed at a rather large participant from the Kusagakure. "That guy… he's really something else," he muttered with a mix of awe and concern.

Everyone turned to look. Sure enough, the man was nearly twice Choji's size, sweating profusely as he lumbered toward the dining table.

With every step, the ground seemed to shake slightly beneath his weight.

The most unsettling part was the way his body fat jiggled with every move, throwing sweat droplets everywhere. To make matters worse, the man bellowed one word with startling intensity: "FOOD!"

Chaos erupted as everyone scrambled to rescue the dishes that hadn't been contaminated by the flying sweat. Inevitably, collisions occurred, and soon enough, a full-blown fight broke out.

The Chunin Exams were often referred to as a microcosm of war. Tensions among the candidates from different villages were already high, and even the smallest conflict could quickly escalate.

The children of ninja villages, raised to solve disputes through combat, were quick to let their tempers flare.

Before long, the cafeteria descended into chaos. Tables were overturned, chairs were flung, and utensils flew through the air like projectiles.

Naruto stood protectively in front of Hinata, holding two trays of food. Using his foot, he hooked a fallen table and flipped it upright to shield it from the debris.

Sasuke, standing nearby, carefully observed the other candidates' abilities while Sakura climbed onto a table to keep an eye on the situation.

Some of their peers avoided the commotion entirely, hiding in corners to stay out of trouble.

Others, like Kiba, jumped right into the fray. Innocent bystanders like Rock Lee tried to mediate but only ended up taking a few punches themselves. Lee, now thoroughly enraged, decided to use "physical persuasion."

"LISTEN TO ME!" Lee shouted, delivering a powerful kick aimed to stop the brawl. However, to his shock, his kick was caught mid-air by another participant.

The one who blocked Lee's attack introduced himself as Shira. Like Lee, Shira specialized solely in taijutsu but lacked formal training.

Despite this, his strength rivalled Lee's, even when Lee opened the Fifth Gate of the Eight Gates technique.

Recognizing a kindred spirit, Lee immediately shifted gears. Instead of fighting, he eagerly challenged Shira to a friendly sparring match.

However, their interaction was cut short when the sound of shattering glass grabbed everyone's attention.

A figure burst in through the cafeteria window, exclaiming, "Yo-ho! Has the party started? I'm Fu from Takigakure! My goal is to make 100 friends!"

The brawl froze at once as all eyes turned to the exuberant newcomer. Fu, undeterred by the silence, began cheerfully listing activities. "So, what are we playing after dinner? Poker? Dominoes? Or maybe something else?"

Her carefree demeanour effectively killed the fighting spirit in the room. Candidates exchanged glances, shrugged, and began retreating to their respective rooms to rest.

"Wait! Don't leave!" Fu called out, extending a hand dramatically as if trying to stop them.

No one paid her any mind. Soon, the only ones left in the cafeteria were the Konoha 12. Sasuke narrowed his eyes, sizing Fu up.

She didn't seem particularly strong, yet Sakura suddenly straightened her posture, looking unusually confident.

"Fu, right?" Naruto approached the energetic kunoichi.

"Yup!" Fu nodded enthusiastically. "Can we be friends?"

Naruto grinned. "Sure thing. I'm Uzumaki Naruto. You're welcome to visit Konoha anytime."

"Awesome! Then—" Before Fu could finish, two of her teammates barged in, each grabbing one of her arms.

"Sorry for the trouble," one teammate said curtly. "We'll take her back now."

"Hey! Let me go, Hayan! Demon Wolf! I was just making friends!" Fu protested, flailing her legs as she was carried out of the room. The voice of her exasperated teammate trailed off: "Please don't make things difficult for us. We need rest!"

The Takigakure trio's abrupt exit left the Konoha group momentarily stunned. Finally, Naruto broke the silence by distributing the remaining food among his friends.

He even pulled out his emergency stash, earning a tearful thanks from Choji, who had feared going to bed hungry.

Before they parted for the night, Naruto discreetly handed Hinata a scroll. "You'll need this. Make sure to eat well; you're still growing."

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The Next Day

The candidates gathered at the gate for the second phase of the Chunin Exams. Standing on a high platform were Konoha's four Jonin and Gaara, dressed in his Kazekage robes.

Temari stepped forward and addressed the crowd. "Let me explain the rules for the second test. This is a scroll battle in the Demon Desert, which doubles as a survival challenge."

"Each team will be given either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll. To pass, you must collect both scrolls and reach the central stronghold within three days."

She paused, letting the gravity of the challenge sink in before continuing. "The Demon Desert is dangerous. If you're willing to proceed, sign this consent form."

The Demon Desert was surrounded by a towering wall, much like Konoha's Forest of Death, but the conditions inside were far harsher.

The candidates were then dispersed to various starting points. Naruto secured their Earth Scroll in his ninja pouch as he, Sasuke, and Sakura prepared to begin.

"This heat feels worse than the weather in Sunagakure," Naruto complained, pulling out three cloaks. "Here. I bought these last time we were in Suna. They're great for blocking the sun and sand."

As a signal flare shot into the sky, the trio donned their cloaks and leapt into the desert.

"Let's move forward first," Naruto suggested. "We're too spread out to sense anyone nearby."

Both Sasuke and Sakura nodded in agreement. Their priority was to encounter another team or, failing that, intercept one near the goal.

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Elsewhere in the Desert

A shadowy figure observed the candidates from a distance. "Gaara really came to the examination. Are our preparations complete?"

"Yes," came the reply. "I've mastered all the techniques Lady Fū instructed me to learn."

"Good. Even if he's Kazekage now, the fear he once inspired in the village lingers. This is the perfect opportunity."

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