Naruto: Starting from Eating the Gold Fruit

Chapter 597 Shikamaru: I'm back again!

Nara Shikamaru, along with Choji and Ino, fled the battle in a very disheveled state.

Choji was utterly confused: "Didn't we form a team? Why aren't any of them helping us?"

Shikamaru sighed helplessly: "Because they feel that if we are eliminated, they will have one less competitor."

Choji immediately panicked upon hearing this: "How could they do this?!"

Ino looked at Choji speechlessly. Sometimes, because Shikamaru was too smart, she and Choji were too lazy to use their brains.

But being too lazy to use your brain and having no brain at all are two completely different things.

Without a doubt, Ino felt that she and Choji were different.

This relieved her.

What if she doesn't have a brain either?!

"They can do this. If I'm not mistaken, this second round of testing... there are no rules."

Nara Shikamaru said to Choji and Ino.

Choji and Ino were both taken aback, and then they both panicked.

"What do you mean?!" Choji asked.

Ino quickly pressed, "Yes, what exactly do you mean?!"

Shikamaru sighed. He really didn't want to explain something so obvious, but he knew his two teammates knew that if he didn't explain, they would never figure out what was going on.

So Shikamaru explained to the two of them, "Do you remember when we arrived at the second round of exams late?"

Ino nodded: "Of course I remember. If it weren't for those people from Sunagakure, we might still be waiting outside right now."

Shikamaru gave Ino an approving look; at least, Ino's observational skills were indeed unique.

With Ino's keen observation skills, I can relax a bit.

"So what happened after the people from Sunagakure opened the door?" Shikamaru continued to ask.

"A lot of people are trying to squeeze in..." Ino replied.

"That's right, so here's the question."

Throughout the entire process, did you hear anyone say that the second round of exams had begun?

Ino and Choji were both stunned.

Shikamaru continued, "Not only did no one tell us that the second round of exams had started, but no one also told us what the second round of exams would specifically be about. Anyway, the proctors just told us that the meeting place for the second round of exams was here, so we came. The candidate from Sunagakure opened the door, and so we came in. From beginning to end, it was all based on what we thought the exam would be like, but then the problem arose..."

The second round of exams...

Is the test really testing what we think it will cover?

Ino and Choji exchanged a bewildered glance, then looked at Shikamaru: "What do you mean?"

Shikamaru took out the papers pasted on the trees in the Forest of Death from his pocket and said, "I'm afraid all these so-called rules are fake."

Choji and Ino both gasped simultaneously.

"Hey, hey, hey, Shikamaru, you can't just say things like that! Do you have any proof?" Ino looked around and, finding no one, immediately called out in a low voice.

Shikamaru smiled and tossed the paper aside.

"No one notified us that the exam was starting, nor did anyone tell us what the exam would be about. These rules are just a piece of paper posted on a tree in the Forest of Death. Who said these were the rules for the second round of exams?"

Was there really no one there from beginning to end? This is just our speculation.

I would even guarantee that there must be contradictory rules, it's just that we haven't found those conflicting rule documents yet.

However, this is quite normal. The Death Forest is very large, and conflicting rules are bound to be far apart.

As he spoke, Shikamaru shook his head helplessly: "I originally thought that when they found the corresponding conflicting rules, they would understand that I did not mean to deceive them, and that all the so-called rules on these papers were fake rules."

But I never expected that before we had even found half of the entire team, someone would attack us…”

Upon hearing this, Choji suddenly realized something and asked Shikamaru, "Since all the rules are fake, then the rule that we can't attack other teams must also be fake, right?"

Ino looked at Choji in surprise. Good heavens, Choji can use his brain now?!

Shikamaru smiled and nodded, "You're right, Choji. Attacking people from other teams shouldn't be against the rules."

Choji immediately felt deflated: "What's the point of this? In the end, it all comes down to who's stronger."

Shikamaru smiled mysteriously: "No, I think the final condition for passing the level should be a time-limited or location-limited condition."

"You've cleared the game..." Ino looked at Shikamaru speechlessly. "This isn't a game."

Shikamaru shook his head: "For the Hokage, this second round of exams must have been designed like a game's level design."

Ino remained silent, then Choji asked, "So what does it matter?"

Shikamaru smiled slightly: "It's very important. This means that there's more than one way to pass the second round of the exam."

Inside the Hokage meeting room:

The Fourth Raikage clicked his tongue: "What a clever brat."

After saying that, the Fourth Raikage thought for a moment and added, "Unfortunately, he's not very strong."

The Kage of the other five great ninja villages all nodded.

You Ya glanced at the group and curled his lip in disdain.

Hmph, what do you guys know?

Shikamaru's team isn't very strong, but...

He must understand that himself.

Indeed, in the live stream, Choji and Ino naturally asked Shikamaru what to do next.

Shikamaru, on the other hand, revealed a very eerie smile.

……

Nighttime, in the Death Forest:

The three-person team from Xingren Village set up their tent.

After preparing the tents, the team members laughed at their captain, "As expected of our captain, today you led us to give Konoha a good thrashing! So what if they're one of the Five Great Ninja Villages? If they're not strong enough, they're not strong enough. They were still defeated by our small ninja village!"

The captain laughed heartily, clearly enjoying the praise he received from his team members.

Another team member chimed in with praise, "That's right! Did that squad from Konoha Village see that today? They were so scared they ran away with their tails between their legs, hahaha!"

I wonder what the villagers of Konoha will think when they see this?

"How can you look at it? You'll definitely feel extremely embarrassed~"

"Hahahaha~" X3

The three of them burst into laughter.

Just then, the captain suddenly realized that something was wrong.

He turned around and looked in one direction.

In this direction, Shikamaru slowly emerged from the shadows, looking at the Hoshigakure team members with a mocking expression.

at the same time……

Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata also emerged from the shadows.

Shikamaru: You didn't expect that, did you? I'm here again with my men!

(End of this chapter)