Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

After explaining how to move towards the tower, Naruto's eyes darted between Sasuke and Sakura.

Sasuke and Sakura both shook their heads.

"Then, begin the movement!"

After speaking, the three members of Class 7 disappeared from the ground and secretly moved among the trees in the forest.

The formation of the three advancing was slightly different from that of the first night.

Naruto, who was in charge of leading the way, was at the very front.

Because of the cursed seal, Sasuke cannot freely consume chakra and is at the very back, where danger has already been detected.

Despite being the weakest, Sakura is still in the middle position where Naruto and Sasuke can immediately protect her when she is in danger.

Naruto's route wasn't the fastest straight line, but rather a straight line with a curve.

His multiple shadow clones would sometimes suddenly dispel the spell and transmit the information back to his main body. If the dispelled shadow clone happened to be on the route Team 7 was currently traveling, Naruto would immediately change course.

Although this route would take longer to reach the tower at the end, it ensured that Class 7 encountered no danger along the way.

After walking forward for a while, Naruto suddenly stopped.

Noticing Naruto's actions, Sakura and Sasuke came to his side.

"what happened?"

Sasuke asked.

"All the shadow clones I created have just dispelled the spell."

Naruto frowned as he answered.

"all?!"

Sasuke looked at Naruto in surprise.

Although Sakura didn't speak, her silence conveyed her concern.

"They're all located near the tower... Sure enough, someone chose to ambush on the only way to the tower in order to eliminate more opponents."

Naruto looked grave; it seemed they had encountered the worst possible situation.

"Does that mean we can't avoid a fight from now on?"

Sakura asked Naruto a question.

Naruto nodded, but then immediately shook his head.

"Naruto, what do you mean by nodding and then shaking your head?"

Sasuke was puzzled by Naruto's unusual reaction.

"There's a direction, and although it's an enemy, there's only one person. I can't see the other two companions, so they must be candidates who have already lost their eligibility for the exam. The second exam doesn't allow for withdrawal during the exam period, so that's why that guy is near the tower. Apart from the examiners and candidates, the beasts in the Death Forest won't appear near the tower. That guy is probably waiting for the 5-day exam to end."

Naruto explained his earlier affirmative and then negative attitude.

"If that's the case, why don't we just head straight for the spot of that eliminated candidate? Naruto, what are you hesitating for?"

At first glance, Naruto's explanation made it seem as if they could indeed continue to avoid the battle and head to the tower.

But Sasuke also noticed Naruto's attitude and realized that things were not so simple.

"That lone examinee is Kusanagi Shinobu."

This is Naruto's hesitation.

Orochimaru had previously disguised himself as a Grass Ninja.

"However, Sakura and I met her once before the exam, so she should indeed be a candidate sent by Kusagakure to take the exam."

Sakura was taken aback by Naruto's words, not expecting him to suddenly bring her into the conversation.

But after pondering Naruto's words again, Sakura immediately recalled them.

"It's that female ninja named Karin whom we met at the barbecue restaurant before!"

Sakura recalled the red-haired figure who had been bullied by her friends.

"Hmm, I think that's her name. I didn't pay much attention to her back then... It's amazing that you still remember her, Sakura."

A strange glint flashed in Naruto's eyes, unnoticed by anyone.

His tone of voice, however, made it seem as if he had only remembered Karin's name after Sakura reminded him.

Chapter 45, Group 5

After a brief discussion, Class 7 finally decided to contact Karin.

"Although my shadow clone only found Karin, I cannot let my guard down."

As they set off again, Naruto gave Sasuke and Sakura some advice.

"Because she appeared very close to the tower, I previously guessed that she might be trying to avoid the ferocious beasts in the Death Forest that wouldn't get too close to the tower..."

"...But think about it carefully. If Karin really is eliminated, the exam rules state that candidates cannot give up and leave the Forest of Death before the exam ends, but there is no rule that candidates who have failed the exam are not allowed to enter the tower to wait safely for the exam to end."

"Given the attitude of Karin's two companions towards her, it cannot be ruled out that Karin was used by her companions as bait to lure the enemy in."

Sakura recalled the argument between Karin and her companions at the barbecue restaurant and agreed with Naruto's words.

Sasuke nodded slightly: "It makes the most reasonable approach to consider that the lone female ninja as a means of ambush."

Sasuke had already gotten a brief understanding of the barbecue restaurant incident from Naruto and Sakura: "However, we can't completely rule out the possibility that the female grass ninja really lost two comrades, can we?"

Every choice has both dangerous and safe aspects.

Class 7 is betting that contact with korin is a "safe" option.

And even if things don't go as planned, Karin really is the bait.

Even if Class Seven makes the wrong bet, they won't encounter too much "danger".

Karin's two companions' actions at the barbecue restaurant have led Class 7 to determine that they are weak candidates.

They have no chance of dragging Naruto and Sasuke into a protracted war that is now difficult to manage.

"Yes."

Naruto replied that this was why the three members of Team 7 ultimately decided to contact Karin.

Just then, Naruto's gaze sharpened, and the figure he had met several times before appeared in his line of sight.

Naruto waved to Sasuke and Sakura to stop.

"I didn't sense anyone else, so it seems this girl really got separated from everyone for some reason. But the spot she chose to rest is way too conspicuous. Is she really a ninja?"

The three members of Team 7 observed Karin from a distance, and Sasuke even made such a statement.

Karin's guard is too low. Given Konoha's ninja selection standards, Karin probably won't be able to graduate from the Ninja Academy smoothly.

However, Naruto understood Karin.

Karin's status in Kusagakure, as Sasuke questioned, could hardly be considered that of a ninja.

For Kusagakure, Karin was simply a chakra replenishment tool that could be left unattended and would recover its own chakra.

The Grass Village's plan to teach her medical knowledge was merely a way to more effectively absorb her chakra through medical ninjutsu.

Karin wouldn't have had any real ninja experience until after she joined Orochimaru's team.

Fortunately, Karin's ninja experience is not yet mature enough...

After entering the Forest of Death, Naruto hesitated to approach Karin because he was wary of Karin's powerful sensory ability—Kagura's Mind's Eye.

In the original work, Karin during her time with the Hawk Squad could sense chakra within a radius of tens of kilometers once she used Kagura's Mind's Eye—and could even pinpoint the exact location of specific chakra.

Unless she herself is willing to be found by you, or an accident occurs... the chances of getting close to her through conventional means are almost zero.

Fortunately, Karin has not yet mastered Kagura's Mind's Eye.

Although her sensory abilities are better than those of her peers, her sensory range is still within the normal range of a sensory ninja.

Sasuke and Sakura believed that Naruto's previous shadow clones were used to avoid enemies on the way to the tower.

In reality, Naruto was using Shadow Clones to test the extent of Karin's current sensory range.

The location where Naruto made Sasuke and Sakura stop was the limit of Karin's current perception range, as analyzed by Naruto.

Even a fraction closer, Karin could sense the presence of Team 7.

Naruto glanced at Karin and suggested, "She doesn't seem to have noticed us either. Let's avoid her and continue towards the tower."

Sasuke and Sakura had no objections.

"Then let's leave here."

Naruto shifted his body, preparing to move towards the tower.

This seemingly normal action was actually Naruto's carefully designed move.

Karin sensed Naruto's chakra!

"who!"

Karin's gaze fell on the location of Class 7.

Sasuke and Sakura were both taken aback when Karin suddenly sensed them.

"Damn it! How did she find us?!"

Naruto was also shocked, finding Karin's sensory abilities incredible.

Immediately afterward, Naruto's expression hardened, and before Karin could fully react, he attacked her first!

……

After witnessing Naruto instantly suppress Karin, Sasuke and Sakura appeared in front of Karin.

Two more people appeared in front of them.

Karin's eyes narrowed as Naruto grabbed her by the neck, unable to hide her fear of the suddenly appearing Team 7.

Neither Sasuke nor Sakura doubted Naruto's initiative.

They had already been detected by Karin. If there were a large number of people on the other side, Team 7's first reaction would naturally be to get out of Karin's sensing range.