"Brother, brother! I'm taking the Chunin Selection Exam!" Naruto ran home excitedly, calling out to his brother.
"Naruto, that's awesome!" Menma smiled, patting Naruto on the head.
Naruto: o(￣︶￣)o
"But still," Menma said, "if the two of us end up facing each other in the Chunin Selection Exam, I won't hold back."
Nani (ω)!
"Brother… you're participating too?"
Menma nodded.
Naruto: w(Д)w I can't believe it—I have to tell Sasuke right away!
"Brother, I'm heading out for a bit!" As soon as he said that, he bolted out the door. Watching Naruto's disappearing figure, Menma smiled softly. He was genuinely looking forward to the Chunin Selection Exam.
Five days later...
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura arrived at the classroom Kakashi had told them about. As they approached, they noticed some commotion near the door. Naruto looked around but didn't see his brother anywhere.
"Where's my brother?"
Two individuals stood blocking the classroom entrance, refusing to let anyone through. They had just knocked down a green-clad, thick-browed guy.
One of them scoffed, "So you want to take the Chunin Exam?"
The other sneered, "Wouldn't it be better if you all just gave up? You're just kids."
"They're all just little brats. Listen up—this is us being kind. The Chunin Exam is brutal. We've seen people drop out of being ninjas altogether, people who just couldn't bounce back."
"Being a Chunin is the equivalent of being a squad captain. Mission failures, deaths of subordinates—those responsibilities fall on your shoulders. Can you kids handle that?"
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look. Then Sasuke stepped forward and said, "Nice speech, but I'm going in. This illusion you set up... it's over. Let's cancel it and head to the third floor."
The two "gatekeepers" looked surprised.
"Oh? You saw through it?"
Naruto chimed in, "This is just the second floor." Both he and Sasuke had noticed right away.
One of the men muttered, "Impressive. But noticing it doesn't mean you're getting through." He lunged at them.
Sasuke reacted instantly, blocking with a kick. Naruto followed up with a powerful strike, launching the man back.
"Nice one, Naruto," Sasuke said, lowering his leg.
"Of course!" Naruto grinned.
The gatekeeper got up, glaring at Naruto. "You little brat… you're dead!"
Whoosh!
A figure appeared behind him, a kunai at his throat.
The man froze as the blade grazed his neck—blood already seeping from the cut.
"Brother!" Naruto shouted, excited.
"Menma?"
"Brother Menma?"
The one who had appeared was Menma. He hadn't planned to show himself—but some people just didn't know their place.
Everyone stared, stunned. When had he even arrived?
"What did you just say? Say it again," Menma growled, pressing the kunai deeper. Blood trickled out.
The other guard panicked, "Menma, don't overdo it!"
Menma smirked. "Consider this a lesson: learn what you should and shouldn't say." He released his kunai, then punched the man hard in the back.
"Ahhh!"
Menma turned to Naruto and the others. "I'll be going now." And just like that, he vanished. Quick arrival, quicker departure. It felt surreal. Yet the groaning men on the ground proved it was all real.
"Who was that red-haired guy just now?" asked the green-clad thick-browed man, approaching Naruto's team. His movements had been too fast to follow.
Sasuke replied, "If you want someone's name, shouldn't you give yours first?"
"I'm Rock Lee. And you?"
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, this is Uchiha Sasuke, and she's Haruno Sakura," Naruto said cheerfully.
Sasuke: "..."
Idiot. (⊙_⊙) You could've just introduced yourself—why include us too?
Naruto Uzumaki? Uchiha Sasuke? This year's top freshmen!?
Just as Rock Lee was about to speak, Sasuke said, "Let's go, Naruto, Sakura." He stepped forward, the other two following.
Leaving already?
Rock Lee stared after them, then chased them down.
"Wait!"
The trio stopped and turned, puzzled.
"Rock Lee, is something wrong?" Naruto asked, silently thinking how awkward the name was.
"Who was that red-haired man earlier?"
"Oh! That was my brother, Menma Uzumaki!" Naruto said proudly, then turned and continued walking. He was dying to ask his brother why he showed up and vanished so quickly.
Sasuke and Sakura hurried after him.
But Rock Lee wasn't finished. He pointed at Sasuke.
"I want to challenge you to a duel!"
Sasuke didn't hesitate. "No."
Rock Lee: Rejected? w(Д)w
"Sasuke Uchiha, I challenge you!" Lee declared, dropping into a fighting stance. He wanted to test his skills against the Uchiha name.
"No," Sasuke repeated.
"Sasuke, just end it already—I want to find my brother," Naruto muttered. He blamed Sasuke for getting them stuck here.
"Yeah, yeah," Sasuke replied. His eyes shifted—black turning red, with two tomoe in each.
Sharingan: Illusion Technique!
Rock Lee's eyes glazed over.
"It's done, Naruto," Sasuke said.
"Nice work, Sasuke! I'll treat you to ramen later!" Naruto beamed, throwing an arm around Sasuke.
"I want three bowls."
"No problem."
They walked off, shoulders hooked, laughing.
Sakura hurried to catch up.
Behind them, Rock Lee stood, completely spaced out.
A while later, a boy with Byakugan and a girl in pink arrived.
"Lee?" the girl called out. Lee snapped back to awareness.
"Tenten. Neji."
"Why are you just standing here?" Tenten asked.
"I wanted to duel Uchiha Sasuke..." Lee said, still dazed. Then he looked forward, confused. "Wait… where is he?"
"You were caught in a genjutsu!" Neji said seriously.
Lee: Illusion! (ω)!
(End Of Chapter)
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