socalfunplaces Chapter 46 Ambush
Chapter 46 Ambush
The pharmacist turned to look at Sasuke, and said with great interest, "Want to settle this with a duel?"
"I'm sorry, but we're out of time." With that, he quickly adjusted his stance, assuming a fighting posture, ready to end the duel swiftly within the limited time available.
When Sakura and Naruto heard Sasuke challenge Kabuto, they both turned to look at him, a hint of surprise on their faces.
After all, Kabuto Yakushi had helped them before and even unilaterally provided them with information about the Chunin Exams.
“Sasuke…” Sakura said softly, but Sasuke interrupted her.
“We have no other choice now. As I said before, in order to pass this second Chunin Selection Exam, we must take all necessary measures.” Sasuke gritted his teeth and looked at Kabuto Yakushi.
Although Sasuke was reluctant to take such drastic measures, this was the best solution he could think of at the moment.
Kabuto narrowed his eyes slightly, seeing through Sasuke's inner conflict at a glance. A smile played on his lips as he said, "Hmph, you're lying, aren't you?"
"Lying?" Boruto paused, a look of surprise flashing across his face.
Yakushi Kabuto adjusted his glasses and explained calmly, "You didn't make the tough decision you claimed to be. If you were truly used to the cruelty of this exam, why did you bother to challenge me? You could have taken a more covert approach and waited for the right moment to take my scroll."
Kabuto Yakushi continued, "But in reality, you didn't do that. A true ninja should learn to conceal their emotions and intentions. You don't need to deliberately declare a challenge; you just need to attack when I'm least prepared. That's... the way of the ninja."
"I don't dislike you for who you are. So let me show you the path you should take, but... we'll have to talk as we go."
"The smoke from the fire has already carried the smell of the grilled fish far and wide. If this continues, we'll attract the attention of wild beasts and enemies."
Boruto was startled when he heard Kabuto's words. He immediately realized that their location had been discovered and that many others like him who had not obtained the scroll were now gathering here, trying to steal it.
Just as Boruto had predicted, as soon as Kabuto finished speaking, the leaves in the distant trees began to rustle slightly, a subtle sound indicating that someone had just hurriedly left.
Boruto was secretly amazed. He hadn't expected Kabuto's perception to be so sharp. Even while they were talking, Kabuto was still able to detect signs of someone lurking in the distance.
This gave Boruto a new understanding of Kabuto's strength.
Kabuto seemed to notice Boruto's gaze and smiled slightly in response.
……
Kabuto led Boruto and the others swiftly through the forest.
Unable to contain his doubts, Boruto asked Kabuto, "At this point in time, are there really still enemies?"
"Yes, there's no mistake. You'll know once you think about it." Kabuto Yakushi gave Boruto a direct and affirmative answer to his question.
Then he posed another question: "Do you know what the best way to fight is in such a vast forest?"
After thinking for a moment, Boruto said, "Stealth and surprise attack? After all, the terrain in the forest is complex and visibility is limited."
He couldn't help but recall his previous experiences in the forest, where the enemies always appeared without warning and launched sudden attacks, making them feel helpless and unable to defend themselves.
Yakushi Kabuto nodded and continued, "That's right. The common goal of all of us examinees is the tower located in the center of the forest, because the tower is where the scrolls are most easily gathered. Therefore, it has naturally become the focus of competition among examinees. So, we must be prepared to deal with all kinds of situations at any time."
After listening, Sakura understood the reasoning behind it and agreed, saying, "In other words, we should target those teams that have already obtained the Heaven and Earth Scrolls and are approaching the tower."
"In this way, we can not only get what we need, but also prevent other teams from completing the mission, making the third exam easier for us."
Boruto frowned: "I'm afraid it's not just us who have this idea. The enemies we can think of can also think of it. When we get there, we don't even know who the target will be!"
Kabuto looked at them seriously and said earnestly, "That's right. There may already be people on the other side of the tower who have the same idea as you, so we can't let our guard down and must be careful."
Upon hearing this, Naruto suddenly realized, "Oh, so there are a lot of ambushes waiting for us! Hmph! The more obstacles there are, the more excited I get, just as I wish! As long as we defeat them all and get the [Book of Heaven], we can all pass the test!" After saying that, Naruto rubbed his hands together, eager to try.
However, Kabuto gently shook his head and said, "No, you've only answered two-thirds of the question correctly."
Sasuke frowned upon hearing this and asked in confusion, "What is the answer to the remaining third?"
Kabuto smiled slightly and said slowly, "They are the collectors who will definitely appear in this kind of exam."
"The Collector?" everyone asked in unison.
Boruto immediately thought of a possibility and said, "Is it someone who has already collected the [Book of Heaven] and the [Book of Earth], but is still lying in ambush outside the tower to hide others?"
Kabuto nodded and continued to explain, "Even with the tower right in front of them, they can't relax during this exam. This situation has shaped them into those who collect extra scrolls at the cost of getting the other party to spare them when they encounter an unexpectedly strong enemy."
“There are some people who use this to exchange scrolls for information that will be beneficial to the next exam, and there are others who are considering eliminating the powerful teams participating in the second exam if it is in their favor.”
"These guys are powerful and cautious, the kind of enemies you'd be most afraid of encountering."
Sasuke then laughed and said, "I see. Now I know why you appeared in front of us. You must be scared too, right?"
Without hesitation, Kabuto nodded and said, "That's right! So, I've chosen to cooperate with you to deal with this together."
Boruto watched Kabuto's retreating figure, a doubt creeping into his mind. Was it really true? With the powerful sensory abilities Kabuto had just displayed, he could easily have bypassed those lying in ambush outside the tower and quietly entered to complete his mission.
Why tell yourself and others? Is it really just a simple request for help?