The next few days of training were a real lesson in progress.

With each passing day, I improved my chakra control a little more to maintain the gargoyle—while Tetsu insisted on testing my skills with the wooden arm—and before I knew it, I was able to maintain it steadily for long enough that controlling it was no longer an issue.

And during the night, over those days, I remained focused on two tasks that ultimately complemented each other synergistically:

Senjutsu concentration training and improving my medical ninjutsu skills — which I unfortunately had to learn on my own, since finding a sensei for that would probably have taken too long.

Of the two complementary trainings, senjutsu was the most difficult, but by using clones to help me and following some tips I picked up from the scrolls Hashirama had given me, soon feeling the nature chakra was no problem for me, and merging it with my own became a little easier.

[Congratulations! You have acquired senjutsu level 1.]

[Current level: 1 of 5.]

[You have acquired the 'medical ninjutsu' skill.]

[Description: With this skill, a ninja can use the yang style to create and regenerate tissue as well as restore other more specific injuries.]

The two months remaining before the chunin exam began passed so quickly that I didn't even have time to distract myself with anything that wasn't extremely relevant.

No Uchihas, no problems related to Danzo or Obito, and certainly no problems related to the Hokage. In the end, things were stable, and the leaders of Konoha could take care of the problems without my help.

At least that's how it seemed.

"Less than a week to go before the chunin exam... Tetsu gave us this time to rest and mentally prepare for the entrance exam," Renji said.

"But urgh... this boredom is killing me," I replied, climbing down from the tree where I had been channeling chakra into my feet to keep myself upside down.

"You two should be excited! Think of it as time to do whatever we want," Sora commented.

The three of us were gathered at Senju Park. We had agreed to meet here during our break time.

"Really? What have you been doing?" I asked Sora.

"Hmmm... resting?" She looked confused.

Renji rolled his eyes.

"Okay, if we're just going to stand here doing nothing, I'd rather go home and continue my training," he said.

"You're unbearable, you know that?" Sora muttered.

"Yeah, I know," he replied, without showing much emotion.

They say that when your mind is empty, that's when the worst ideas come up, right?

"Guys, I have an idea..."

Sora and Renji looked at me, curious.

"Let's suppose that the chunin exam has pre-established tests that are repeated over the years... I happen to know where one of them is going to take place."

"How would you know that? People don't go around telling each other that kind of thing."

"I kind of know a thing or two about what goes on in the village, you know, being a descendant of the first Hokage and all," I said, omitting the truth.

"That's cool! Where is it going to be?" Sora asked excitedly.

I smiled mischievously.

"Come with me."

***

My teammates followed me through the village, and after walking for a long time and getting lost along the way, we finally reached the entrance to the Forest of Death.

'If we have a chance to get ahead during the exam, why not take it?

"The exam will be here? Isn't that dangerous? I mean, look at the name of this place," Sora said when we got there, pointing to a sign on the metal fence that surrounded the place and blocked entry.

"At least one of the stages, yes. And the place is as dangerous as it looks — but nothing we can't handle easily enough," I said.

"And what kind of things live around here?" Renji asked me.

"Well, if I remember correctly, there are several giant and extremely poisonous animals, like snakes and things like that," I said, trying to remember the creatures that inhabited that place.

"And we're going to have to fight these creatures?" Renji asked, but turned around as soon as he heard people approaching.

Sora and I also turned around when we sensed movement.

"Looks like they had the same idea as us, huh, Fukui?"

Three ninjas wearing Konoha headbands appeared. They were genin who had graduated from the ninja academy shortly before us.

"Yeah, Kentaro," Fukui said.

"You shouldn't be here — not before the chunin exam starts. What are your names?" the third one said.

"That's none of your business," I said.

"We should get out of here before they report us," Renji said quietly.

The ninja who asked our names wasn't very happy with the way I spoke to him and seemed ready to retort, but Kentaro stopped him.

"Leave them alone, Hayato. It's not worth it... We'll probably find them at the exam anyway," he said, and Hayato just nodded without saying another word.

I didn't know any of them — except by sight — but looking at them, I could identify some traits that made me think of their clans. Hayato, the most heated of them, had blond hair and light eyes, typical of a Yamanaka, while Kentaro walked with a small dog, which led me to assume he was an Inuzuka. And finally, Fukui, the quietest of them, had white eyes like a Hyuuga.

Analyzing them with the system, I realized they were strong. Fukui was the strongest of them, on par with Sora, while the others, depending on the circumstances, could be close to her level.

'Maybe we'll have some work to do during the exam... I just hope it ends quickly,' I thought.

"Renji's right, we better avoid more trouble," I commented, still a little bored.

Sora nodded, and the three of us left, keeping an eye on the other team of ninjas, who might be a problem in the future.

"If we can fight them in the forest, I'd like to face Hayato. I didn't like the way he was," Renji commented.

I laughed at his comment, not expecting to see him get worked up over someone other than me or Sora.

"I don't think you'd have much trouble taking him down," I replied jokingly.

Sora smiled too, seeming excited about the challenge we would face.

Now, there were only two days left until the chunin exam, and we couldn't be more anxious.

....

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