At this moment, the first written test of the Chunin Exam has just ended.
The second elimination round is underway in the Death Forest.
Dozens of Genin teams were dropped into the Death Forest, each holding either a Heaven Scroll or an Earth Scroll. Only by collecting both scrolls and reaching the tower in the center of the forest would they pass the second exam.
Therefore, for the Genin teams entering the Death Forest, everyone except their own three-member team is an enemy.
Moreover, the threats in this Death Forest are not only other Genin teams, but also the giant animals, which are a considerable problem for the ninjas.
When Naruto arrived, he saw:
Under the cover of night, the Grass Ninja Village trio hid under the trees in the bushes, cautiously on guard.
There were too many strong individuals participating in this year's Chunin Exam. Even with two experienced Genin and Karin, a powerful healer, in the Grass Ninja's team, they could only tremble in the exam.
Although the Grass Ninja Village trio was vigilant, they still didn't notice Naruto, who was almost standing in front of them.
The difference in strength between the two sides was too great.
In this situation, Naruto only needed to casually throw three Senbon to end their lives.
This was also why Naruto was too lazy to participate in the Chunin Exam; it was simply boring.
After observing, he saw red hair, red pupils, a huge life force and Chakra, a small girl with many bite marks on her skin, a frightened animal expression, and glasses. It seemed to be Karin.
"Cough."
Naruto coughed lightly, reminding the Grass Ninja trio of his arrival.
Greeting Naruto were Kunai thrown by the two Grass Ninjas and a helpless look from Karin.
With a thought, Naruto caused air currents to rise out of nowhere.
These air currents not only blocked the Kunai in the air but also turned into chains, directly pinning the two Grass Ninjas to the ground, unable to move.
Walking up to the frightened Karin, Naruto took off his mask, revealing a face with a gentle smile.
"Hello, I am Naruto Uzumaki. Don't be afraid. Do you know about the Uzumaki Clan? Speaking of which, we are considered to be of the same clan. If you don't mind, you can call me Naruto-nii. I should be a little older than you."
Perhaps Naruto's gentle smile made Karin feel a sense of kinship, and she didn't resist Naruto's approach too much.
Helping Karin up from the ground, Naruto lifted her sleeve and saw more hidden, dense tooth marks.
The smile disappeared from his face, and Naruto's eyes turned cold, his heart feeling somewhat blocked.
When reading the manga, Naruto already knew about Karin's tragic childhood, but that was just a story after all.
Now, seeing Karin's miserable appearance with his own eyes, Naruto could better understand the bitterness and pain within.
It was a childhood as dim as his own dark childhood.
Karin and her mother were Uzumaki Clan members who had been scattered after the Destruction of Whirlpool Country. They had awakened the Sage Body, a Bloodline Limit ability to share Chakra and heal others, and were discovered by Grass Ninja Village, who used them as valuable medical resources.
The people of Grass Ninja Village had never accepted Karin and her mother.
Years ago, when Karin was still young, her mother died because she had been drained of too much Chakra and life force.
Then, Karin inherited her mother's task and continued to be used as a medical tool in exchange for meager food to survive.
At this moment, Karin didn't even know how to use Chakra to fight, but this time, in order to ensure that the Genin team from Grass Ninja Village passed the exam, she was sent along as a mobile medical kit, completely disregarding her life or death.
And along the way, the two teammates hadn't treated Karin well either.
They would beat and scold her at every turn, not treating her like a human being at all.
Just a convenient medical tool; if she died, she died.
"It must have been tough."
Naruto stroked the girl's hair, his eyes full of sympathy.
Unconsciously, tears kept streaming down Karin's cheeks. She quickly wiped them away, choking back sobs, "It's not tough, I've made it this far, wuwuwu..."
Naruto looked at the girl pretending to be strong and fell silent.
He picked up a Kunai from the ground and handed it to Karin, saying softly, "Do what you want to do, don't be afraid, I'll protect you from now on."
Karin was stunned for a moment, then understood Naruto's meaning.
A complex emotion of gratitude and disbelief surfaced in her eyes.
Taking the Kunai, Karin looked at the two so-called teammates who were bound by the airflow chains on the ground, a cold killing intent appearing in her eyes.
At this moment, the two Grass Ninjas understood their fate. They couldn't speak or struggle, and could only desperately cast pleading looks at Karin.
However, it was all in vain.
A quarter of an hour later, the exhausted Karin dropped the Kunai stained with thick blood, sat down on the ground, and cried loudly.
After venting the anger in her heart, all that remained was emptiness.
Naruto extracted a ball of pure Yin Release Chakra and sent it into Karin's body.
As the gentle Chakra took effect in her body, Karin's depleted stamina began to recover, and the teeth marks on her body quickly disappeared.
"Her body is really severely depleted; at this rate, she probably won't live to be twenty," Naruto sighed, observing Karin's condition.
For a young Uzumaki Clan member, known for their vigorous vitality, to not live past twenty, one could imagine that those people in Grass Ninja Village never treated Karin as a human being at all.
If no one saved Karin, her fate would normally be to have a child with some random man when she grew a little older, and then be drained of her life force and Chakra to die, while the offspring left behind would continue to live such a dark and hopeless life.
Feeling her body recovering quickly, Karin couldn't help but throw herself into Naruto's arms, hugging him tightly, and wailing.
In her life, apart from her deceased mother, Naruto was the only light and warmth she had ever felt.
He condensed a small tornado to destroy the bodies and eliminate the traces.
Then, Naruto, having removed his disguise, used a Flying Thunder God Technique to take Karin to the Heavens and Earth Hot Spring Hotel.
He instructed a maid to take Karin to take care of her hunger.
In Karin's reluctant gaze, Naruto comforted her gently, "Take a bath, eat something, and get a good night's sleep. I'll come see you again tomorrow."
"Naruto-nii, goodbye," Karin said reluctantly.
Naruto watched her back disappear, the smile on his face completely vanishing.
"If I don't change this world, tragedies like mine and Karin's will continue to happen."
Naruto clenched his fist and whispered in his heart.
Boom!
Suddenly, an earth-shattering thunderclap resounded.
Naruto turned his gaze towards the direction of the thunder, only to see dark clouds gathering over the waterfall where he often trained.
At this moment, the massive Kirin manifestation was coalescing amidst the thunderclouds.
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