Naruto: The Forest's Chosen (Mori Mori No Mi)

The Land of Rain—a small nation surviving in the shadows of great powers.

War is constant. Civil strife, foreign invasions, battlefields set ablaze by other nations—conflict never ceases.

And the rain never stops.

The people of this land lack the strength to fight, the courage to resist.

When war arrives, they can only hide.

When war ends, they struggle just to find their next meal.

Even after the legendary battle where Hanzo of the Salamander faced the Sannin, and Konoha withdrew its forces, the Land of Rain remained impoverished.

Then came Pain.

With his rise, internal conflicts erupted, and he emerged victorious. The Land of Rain was reborn under his rule.

But even now... the rain never stops.

Angels. Peace.

No—that's not the whole truth.

"You young ones are full of vigor, standing at the dawn of your prime, like the sun at eight or nine in the morning."

"The future rests in your hands."

Drip—

Ajisai lifted the tattered curtain and stepped outside.

The sun had already set, yet the moonlight was still harsh on her weary eyes.

She reached up and brushed her cheek.

At some point, it had become wet.

"Uzumaki... Naruto."

She whispered his name, her gaze growing resolute.

The central tower within the Forest of Death loomed ahead, clearly visible thanks to the scorched landscape left behind by Sasuke's fire techniques.

Nightfall.

Naruto sat on a makeshift bench of vines, a campfire crackling before him.

Karin and Sakura leaned against him on either side, their faces illuminated by the flickering flames.

Sasuke occasionally tossed dry twigs into the fire, watching the embers dance. He suddenly muttered:

"Naruto... tell me, do you think I can really catch up to that man?"

Naruto closed his eyes, answering calmly.

"Yes. What you lack now is time."

"But... he was strong enough to kill Orochimaru at thirteen. And I—" Sasuke clenched his fists. "I can't even stand a chance against him yet."

Naruto opened his eyes and met Sasuke's dark, conflicted gaze.

"Why do you train so desperately?"

Without hesitation, Sasuke lifted his head.

"No matter who it was that wiped out my clan... I will make them pay in blood."

Naruto smiled faintly.

"I believe that day will come."

"And when it does, what will you do then?"

Sasuke stood, turning toward Konoha's distant direction. He then looked up at the night sky.

"I will make sure no one else suffers as I have."

At that moment, Karin, still nestled against Naruto, shivered slightly before shifting closer into his arms. Curling up like a kitten, she found a comfortable position, the corners of her lips tugging into a small smile as she drifted into sleep.

Sasuke glanced at her but remained silent. After a moment, he declared:

"Naruto, I will make it happen."

That man once claimed to have the heart of a Hokage at the age of seven.

But in the end, he turned his blade against his own kin.

Whether it was right or wrong—that was not his decision to make.

Sasuke's dark eyes gleamed red, his Sharingan spinning wildly in the firelight.

The Next Morning.

"Naruto-kun~!"

As Team 7 arrived at the central tower, they encountered Team 8, who had completed the exam the previous afternoon.

"Hinata, over here!" Sakura waved cheerfully.

Hinata's gaze soon fell upon Karin, her striking red hair impossible to miss.

Curious, she trotted over to join them.

"See? She's from the same clan as Aunt Kushina," Sakura explained.

Hinata's white eyes widened. "Really? That's amazing... Your hair is beautiful."

Karin immediately ducked her head, her face turning scarlet. "Th-Thank you... You're beautiful too."

So cute!

Hinata's own cheeks flushed slightly as she looked away shyly.

Sakura clutched her chest dramatically.

Ah~ My heart is melting~

She pouted, glancing around. Where are Ino and Tenten when you need them?

"Yo, Naruto! Let's move already!" Kiba grinned as he and Shino approached.

"Hmph." Sasuke scoffed, folding his arms.

Kiba smirked playfully. "Sasuke, I won yesterday~"

Ignoring him, Sasuke remained silent as Kiba eagerly recounted the previous day's events.

"By the way, the Sand trio were the first to arrive. That guy with the gourd on his back... he's seriously strong."

Hearing about a formidable opponent piqued Sasuke's interest. "Oh?"

Kiba nodded, detailing what had transpired.

"Heh, so it's you guys."

A lazy voice interrupted their conversation.

Kankuro approached, his puppet Crow slung over his back.

"If I remember correctly, weren't you the ones nearly wetting yourselves in fear? Funny how the story changes now."

Kiba bristled. "Tch—"

Kankuro then shifted his gaze to Sasuke. "Didn't you say we were all trash? And now you're gathering intel on us?"

Sasuke barely spared him a glance. "You're not worth my time. But the gourd guy... he's interesting."

Kankuro's brow twitched before he smirked. "Unlucky for you. If you face Gaara, you'll lose—badly. You have no idea how powerful he is."

Before Sasuke could respond, two cheerful voices rang out.

"Stinky brother!"

"Darling~!"

Team 10 and Team 3 had arrived.

Upon spotting Karin, Ino and Tenten gasped in surprise.

Sakura wasted no time sharing her excitement.

"What a pity~"

"Yeah, I wanted to see it too."

As Ino and Hinata spoke, they noticed Karin and Hinata both blushing once again.

"Aunt Kushina would love Karin!" Tenten teased, ruffling Karin's hair playfully.

At that moment, more footsteps echoed.

"Well, well, isn't this lively? Are we having a battle strategy meeting?"

"Mind if we join in?"

A sarcastic voice echoed through the space as the Hidden Sound trio made their entrance. Dosu hunched over, walking toward Sasuke with a slow, deliberate pace.

"Since you've signed the consent form for the death match, how about a one-on-one fight?" Dosu sneered. "Of course, if you're scared, you can ask the guy carrying all that wood to back you up. What do you say?"

His gaze flickered between the Genin before him.

"The peaceful Konoha Genin, the Sand Genin wrapped in sand..."

Kankuro smirked without hesitation.

"I was wondering who was making all that noise." He folded his arms. "So, you're from the Hidden Sound Village. That thing on your arm—it's a sonic-enhanced ninja tool, isn't it?"

Dosu's smirk faltered slightly as Kankuro continued.

"But I doubt it'll have much effect on me. Your so-called 'wood' isn't exactly afraid of sonic attacks."

Dosu wasn't angered but was taken aback by Kankuro's keen observation.

"As expected of a Sand Village puppeteer. Your insight is a cut above the rest."

However, not everyone took Kankuro's words lightly.

"What the hell do you mean by that, bastard?!"

A loud bark followed.

"Woof~!"

"I'd suggest you take your pet and step back," Kankuro taunted with a smirk.

Suddenly, Hinata's voice rang out, cutting through the tension.

"The Sound Ninja have undergone body modifications." Her Byakugan activated, scanning their opponents. "The ninja tool on his right arm is honeycomb-shaped. When infused with chakra, it emits sonic waves."

She then turned her attention to Kankuro.

"The Sand puppeteer has additional limbs concealed on his back, and his wrists have a hidden mechanism..."

At a glance, she had seen through both the Sound trio's tricks and Kankuro's setup.

The four shinobi eyed Hinata warily.

Kiba, meanwhile, burst into laughter.

"Hah! Now that we know, this'll be easy."

"Kankuro, stand down," came Gaara's voice.

Kankuro shot him a glare but ultimately retracted his puppet and stepped back toward the lounge.

The Sound trio still seemed eager to pick a fight, but Sasuke ignored them completely. The exam time hadn't arrived yet, so they had no choice but to wait inside the central tower.

Karin quickly blended in with the group, just like Hinata had. Slowly, she began to open up.

The waiting time passed quickly. Unlike before, the central tower's facilities provided proper accommodations, sparing them from camping out in the wilderness.

Time soon reached the final day.

Naruto turned toward the entrance.

The last arrival stepped through the doorway.

Ajisai.

She looked disheveled, her breath slightly ragged. Her gaze scanned the room until it landed on Naruto.

She froze for a moment, staring at him in a daze. Then, her violet eyes lit up with unmistakable excitement.

Just as she was about to approach him, the proctor appeared.

"Congratulations. You have all passed the second test," the proctor announced. "Now, follow me to the next stage."

His gaze briefly landed on Karin and Ajisai before gesturing for them to move.

"The second exam is over. You don't need to linger here any longer."

Ajisai hesitated, her enthusiasm momentarily subdued, before following the group toward the next battle venue.

As they reached the assembly area, they found all the leading Jōnin present, each returning to their respective teams.

Only seven teams had made it this far.

Twenty-one participants remained—meaning one would get a free pass in the upcoming matches.

Naruto's gaze shifted to the second-floor stands.

A woman stood there.

She had short, beautiful blue hair, a paper flower nestled in her locks, and a flowing black cloak adorned with red clouds.

She wasn't making any effort to hide her presence.

Konan.

Naruto found himself momentarily entranced. Ajisai, noticing his gaze, quickly moved toward Konan, whispering a few words before standing quietly by her side.

Konan, ever perceptive, soon noticed Ajisai stealing glances at Naruto.

Her golden eyes followed Ajisai's line of sight and, for a brief moment, locked onto Naruto's.

"The Nine-Tails Jinchūriki?" she murmured before shifting her gaze away, her expression unreadable.

Inside his mind, Kurama's voice rang out with excitement.

"Naruto! Take her down!"

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"It won't make a difference if we take one or two more! The Hidden Rain needs you!"

Naruto sighed. "You just want those 600 billion explosive tags, don't you?"

"Nonsense!" Kurama huffed. "What do you mean 'people'? She's coming here, but she's not bringing any dowry?"

Realization dawned on Kurama.

"Wait… does she really have 600 billion detonating tags?"

His eyes gleamed with cunning. Then, as if struck by inspiration, he abruptly vanished from Naruto's consciousness.

"You're on your own! I've got business elsewhere!"

Naruto frowned. "…He ran off to find Kushina and Minato, didn't he?"

At that moment, Anko Mitarashi appeared, congratulating the remaining participants before announcing:

"Now, the Third Hokage will explain the details of the final exam."

Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward, beginning his long-winded speech about the Chūnin Exams' purpose.

Most of the contestants, however, weren't interested.

The Twelve Guardian Shinobi—far different from their counterparts in the original timeline—weren't so easily swayed by speeches.

The remaining nine, even less so.

Kankuro scoffed, unimpressed.

"Can we skip the nonsense and get to the third round already?"

Sasuke, losing patience, spoke up as well. "Yeah, let's get this started."

Hiruzen cleared his throat awkwardly, just as Moonlight Gekkō stepped forward.

"Ahem. In that case, I, Moonlight Gekkō, will serve as the proctor for the third exam."

Hiruzen: "…"

Sasuke's impatience was one thing, but Moonlight Gekkō should have known better.

Even the other proctors turned to Gekkō with bewildered expressions.

Anko, meanwhile, looked at him in surprise before muttering to herself:

"Does this sickly bastard not know how to take a hint?"

"Tell Uzuki Yugao later that this guy has offended the Hokage. It's best to keep her distance from him until the Chunin Exams are over."

Moonlight Gale remained unaware of the remark, coughing into his hand as usual. His pale face and frail appearance made many wonder if he would keel over at any moment.

The Hokage gave Gale a long, thoughtful look before forcing a smile.

"Then, I'll leave the third exam in your hands."

Moonlight Gale gave a small nod before turning to address the gathered Genin.

"My name is Moonlight Gale. Before the third exam, we will conduct a preliminary round."

"Tch! Why a preliminary?" Kankuro grumbled, crossing his arms.

The Chunin Exams were already full of unnecessary formalities. Now, this?

"The final stage of the exam will be attended by many VIPs. If too many participants advance, there won't be enough time for all the matches."

Neji, who had kept his eyes closed, opened them slightly at this statement.

VIPs attending the final round?

Just as Naruto had predicted.

Gale continued, "If anyone is feeling unwell, you may withdraw now by raising your hand. The qualifiers will be one-on-one battles—"

Before he could finish, Kabuto raised his hand.

"I withdraw."

Gale barely reacted. "Understood. You may leave. Someone will escort you back to the village."

With a quick stroke of his pen, he crossed out Yakushi Kabuto's name.

Watching this, the Hokage's eyes narrowed. Kabuto Yakushi...

Without hesitation, he signaled an Anbu to investigate him further.

Gale coughed twice before continuing.

"Now, the match-ups will be decided at random. When your names appear on the screen, stay in the arena. The rest of you, head up to the second-floor stands."

The large screen above flickered rapidly, shuffling through names before settling on:

[Uchiha Sasuke vs. Akado Yoroi]

"Uchiha Sasuke and Akado Yoroi, stay. The rest, move to the stands."

Soon, only Sasuke and Yoroi remained on the battlefield.

Unlike in the original timeline, Sasuke was not burdened by Orochimaru's curse mark.

This meant Yoroi had no chance.

The moment the fight began, Sasuke activated his Sharingan.

A single genjutsu was enough to freeze Yoroi in place.

Before the latter could react, Sasuke moved in, appearing behind him in an instant with his blade resting lightly against his neck.

Victory was decided in a single move.

Expressionless, Sasuke removed the genjutsu and walked off the field.

Yoroi staggered, his eyes flickering toward Orochimaru.

He had lost completely. If Sasuke hadn't ended the illusion, he would still be standing there, helpless.

Orochimaru didn't seem the least bit surprised. If anything, his interest in the Uchiha only deepened.

The next match was Aburame Shino vs. Misumi Tsurugi.

Shino crushed Misumi without difficulty.

From the stands, Kiba cackled. The Sound Ninja trio, who had been so full of themselves before, were now losing one after another.

"Oi, what happened to all that arrogance? Why aren't you laughing now?"

As Kiba jeered, Sakura sat beside Karin, engaged in conversation.

The seat next to Naruto remained empty.

That was until Ajisai—or Hydrangea, as she was sometimes called—hurried over.

"Naruto!" she called, voice tinged with excitement.

Naruto turned his head as she stopped beside him, slightly out of breath.

"Master Konan wishes to see you," she said, her face slightly flushed.

Naruto glanced over at Konan.

She had remained in the stands, unmoving—a cold and elegant figure, like a thorned rose.

"Wait a moment," he told Ajisai.

Because at that very moment, the next match was displayed on the screen.

[Uzumaki Naruto vs. Temari]