"Alright, let's go."
The three of them immediately rushed forward, attempting to surround the cat and capture it in one swift move. However, the cat had escaped many times and had gradually grown experienced. At the critical moment, it suddenly leaped down, breaking free from their encirclement and dashing away into the distance.
"Damn it! What a cunning animal!"
"Don't run!"
In that same instant, several figures rounded the corner from behind and collided with the panicked, screeching cat.
*Bang—*
The creature was struck so hard it became completely disoriented and collapsed to the ground, its head spinning.
"I thought it was something serious, but it's just a stray cat!" the person who had been hit snorted, kicking the animal as it lay on the ground.
Although this cat was a daily escape artist, it was, after all, the feudal lord's pampered pet. It had never suffered such humiliation. It immediately bristled, let out a shriek, and with its hind legs coiled, it pounced on the man, ready to tear at him.
"Meow—"
The man sneered and suddenly extended a finger. An invisible thread seemed to materialize, attaching to the cat out of thin air as he violently threw it aside.
"Get lost!"
The expressions on Naruto and his two companions changed slightly. While the cat was a nuisance, it was still the target of their mission and the Daimyo's pet. How could they allow it to be harmed? Hinata rushed forward, using her protective Gentle Fist technique to catch the animal and gently pull it into her arms.
In a flash, Naruto and Sasuke had positioned themselves in front of the trio.
"Hey! Who are you people?! How could you treat an animal so harshly?!"
"Judging by your attire and headbands, you're not from Konoha, are you?!"
The three from the other village were taken aback by Hinata's precise movement; she was clearly no ordinary Genin. However, the one who had kicked the cat remained disdainful of Naruto and Sasuke. "Don't you even recognize the headband from Sunagakure? And you call yourselves Konoha ninja?" he said coldly.
"Sunagakure?" Naruto's heart skipped a beat as he realized they must be here for the Chunin Exams. "So what if you're from Sunagakure?! Does that give you the right to act so arrogantly as a guest in someone else's village?!"
Before the one dressed in puppeteer's garb could speak, another stepped forward. A cool-looking young man with a huge gourd on his back, short red hair, no eyebrows, and a symbol for "love" tattooed on his forehead, spoke first. His voice was devoid of any human emotion. "Village affiliation is irrelevant. In the world of shinobi, strength is the only real authority. The powerful have the right to be arrogant."
His tone was not merely indifferent; it felt like it came from a solitary and ferocious wild beast. It was chilling, almost cruel.
Just as Naruto was about to retort, Sasuke spoke up. "Survival of the fittest is a valid principle, but determining who is truly strong and who is weak is another matter entirely."
The boy with dark circles under his eyes gave him a cold look. "Impressive eyes. Unfortunately, they may not possess the ability to back up that gaze."
Sasuke's brow furrowed. "Want to test that theory?"
"Gaara, you're new here, so it's best not to cause trouble..." the girl beside him quickly cautioned.
"Shut up, Temari. Don't speak to me like you're my older sister," Gaara hissed. "And you, Kankuro, if you anger me, our bond as siblings won't matter... I'll kill you all!"
For a moment, both Kankuro and Temari were terrified, drenched in cold sweat. Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance, both sensing an overwhelmingly sinister killing intent. It was as if an immense, tailed beast—an entity of pure cruelty, tyranny, and bloodlust—had awakened behind Gaara. A terrifying pressure descended, carrying the stench of countless battles and a vision of hell on earth. Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata were all staggered by the overwhelming aura. The cat in Hinata's arms was so frightened it shrieked and struggled wildly.
And at that very moment...
Inside Naruto's spiritual space, the Nine-Tailed Fox, which had been sleeping in its sealed cage, suddenly opened its eyes.
"One tail... Shukaku?!" the fox growled. "Hmph, another wretched creature that deserves to die!"
*What is that?* Naruto couldn't help but ask curiously within his mind. The Nine-Tails snorted coldly and refused to answer. But as Naruto watched its massive tails sway, he seemed to vaguely guess something. *A monster like you?*
"However," the fox said coldly, "unlike me, the boy named Gaara seems to have been completely devoured by that monster..."
"Isn't that a good thing?"
Naruto laughed internally. "A good thing for you, maybe, but not for us. In any case, don't even think about taking over my body. I'm not like him."
After saying this, Naruto withdrew from his mental space.
*"Different, is he? Don't be so sure, you little brat!"* the Nine-Tails muttered as he faded.
The terrifying aura emanating from Gaara vanished in a flash, but the three members of Team 7 had already sensed a boundless terror. Yet, none of them backed down. Having already faced a life-or-death battle with Zabuza Momochi, their mindset was far beyond that of an ordinary genin.
Instead of retreating, Naruto took a step forward. "Enough talk! Let's settle this during the Chunin Exams! Remember the name, Naruto Uzumaki!"
The powerful chakra that Naruto unleashed caused Gaara, Kankuro, and Temari's expressions to shift slightly.
"Such potent chakra... I didn't expect this kid to be so impressive," Kankuro murmured.
Gaara nodded. "Naruto Uzumaki? I've memorized it. And your names?"
Sasuke replied indifferently, "Uchiha Sasuke."
The three Sand shinobi were startled. "Uchiha?" Temari blushed slightly. "I heard the Uchiha clan is full of handsome men. It seems the rumors are true..."
Hinata also said softly, "Hyuga Hinata."
"I see. Aside from you," Gaara said, gesturing to Naruto, "the rest are from Konoha's prestigious families. Let's go."
With that, Gaara's killing intent subsided, and he regained his cold, icy demeanor before leaving with Temari and Kankuro. Hinata gently stroked the cat in her arms and couldn't help but sigh.
"What a terrifying person... It felt like some kind of monster is hiding inside him..."
Naruto and Sasuke both had their own thoughts, having sensed the same thing.
"Looks like this Chunin Exam is going to be exciting!" Naruto declared, his fighting spirit ignited. "This is my chance to stand out! Hinata, Sasuke, let's go turn in the mission and then get back to training!"
Hinata nodded gently.
Sasuke scoffed, "Stop trying to act like a captain," but he still turned and walked back with them.
In the remaining days, aside from daily trivial missions, Team 7 underwent even more brutal and rigorous training, just as Naruto had planned. Inspired by Hinata and spurred on by Sasuke, Naruto, in turn, pushed them both to new heights. For ten days, they did nothing but carry out tasks and cultivate their skills, cutting back on time for eating and sleeping.
The results were remarkable. Sasuke's overall abilities had improved, with his taijutsu, ninjutsu, and shurikenjutsu reaching a high level of proficiency. His Fire Style techniques became more refined, and most importantly, he could now use the Sharingan much more freely. Hinata further refined her use of the Byakugan, and her own self-created Gentle Fist technique became much more mature.
From their time in the Land of Waves, both had perfected tree climbing and water walking and had been through fierce battles with a true Jonin. Their physical conditioning, combat acumen, and battlefield experience were all sharpened significantly. Naruto, too, had made progress in mastering his Wind Release ninjutsu. The three of them were now confident and full of anticipation for the Chunin Exams, as more and more ninja from other villages continued to arrive in Konoha.