Night had fallen.

Inside the central tower of the Forest of Death, Team 7 finally rested after a full day of battles and exhausting travel. Each of them fell asleep quickly in their assigned dormitory rooms.

Dream Space

In the dim glow of an unfamiliar auditorium, a petite figure suddenly appeared between rows of soft chairs.

Karin's eyes widened in alarm as she spun about.

The hall was vast and silent, empty except for a massive screen that loomed before her. No other presence could be seen, and the oppressive stillness made her breathing grow fast and shallow. Her heart pounded uncontrollably in her chest.

[Ding! Karin's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

"Karin, don't be afraid."

A warm, familiar voice rang beside her.

Startled, Karin turned and there was Naruto, standing at her side.

The once-empty seats around her now filled with several familiar figures.

"Naruto… Naruto?" Her tense nerves eased the moment she saw him.

She didn't understand where she was or what was happening, but with Naruto close by, the fear in her chest began to subside.

Naruto flashed his usual grin. "Relax. There's no danger here. We end up here every night it's just a place to sit and watch."

Still uneasy, Karin timidly sat down next to him. Somehow, her nervousness melted away simply by being at his side.

[Ding! Karin's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +100!]

On Naruto's other side, Kakashi and Sakura also took their seats.

Naruto now sat between two girls, yet his face showed only gloom.

With arms crossed and lips curled downward, he muttered, "Why is it never my turn? It's always Sasuke these past few days, damn it "

[Ding! Uzumaki Naruto's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

Kakashi raised his visible eye in amusement at Naruto's sulking. He glanced at the three younger ninja around him.

Naruto was sandwiched in the middle, Sakura to one side and Karin pressed close on the other her whole body practically leaning against his arm.

The sight made Kakashi sigh inwardly.

This kid… He really is the son of my teacher, the Fourth Hokage. First the Hyuga girl acted strangely around him, and now he's got another clinging to him. I thought he was just a clueless brat, but maybe he's even more magnetic than Minato-sensei ever was.

Kakashi shook his head and let out a soft sigh.

[Ding! Hatake Kakashi's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

Just then, the giant screen flickered to life. A brilliant white light burst forth, instantly chasing away the shadows that filled the auditorium.

Everyone straightened in surprise, their eyes fixed on the screen.

The picture slowly came into focus.

Inside a plain dormitory room in the tower, Sasuke sat up from the bed. His face was cold and unreadable as his dark eyes scanned the surroundings.

The small room was sparsely furnished clearly one of the candidate dormitories provided by the exam staff.

Sasuke's lips curled faintly in displeasure.

Again…

Every time he entered this dream world, it was always the same. This dreary, worn-down tower.

Even in the dream, Sasuke still couldn't see his brother. Every day, all he could do was spar endlessly with Naruto.

And every time, no matter how hard he pushed himself, he still couldn't win.

[Ding! Uchiha Sasuke's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

"Forget it. I'm already here," Sasuke muttered under his breath. After a quick wash, he marched down the hall to Naruto's room, rapped his knuckles twice on the door, and barked impatiently, "Get out here! Let's go! Fight me!"

The door creaked open.

Naruto stood there, blinking in surprise at Sasuke's burning fighting spirit. He gave a bitter smile.

"Sasuke, why are you so energetic lately? We barely got any rest these past few days "

"Hmph." Sasuke's fists tightened, his eyes blazing. "This time, I'll definitely beat you!"

Naruto sighed, shaking his head. His face softened into an apologetic smile.

"Sorry, Sasuke. Not tonight. Karin's visiting me."

"…A guest?"

Sasuke froze, the word escaping his lips almost unconsciously.

[Ding! Uchiha Sasuke's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

He leaned forward, peering past Naruto into the room.

Sure enough, a red-haired girl was there. Karin sat at a low table, two cups of steaming tea and a plate of freshly opened snacks set neatly before her.

Caught by Sasuke's gaze, Karin flinched and stood up quickly, bowing with a flustered look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. Naruto, you can go train with Sasuke. What we were talking about isn't urgent we can finish next time."

Naruto gave her a gentle smile and nodded. "Alright. Next time, I'll tell you more about my mother."

Karin's lips trembled with emotion. She lowered her head, murmured her goodbye, and slipped out into the corridor.

Naruto walked her to the door, watching until her figure disappeared around the corner, then hurried back inside to clean up the tea and snacks.

A short while later, he and Sasuke stepped out of the dormitory together, heading for the edge of the Forest of Death.

Though there was a practice ground built into the tower, both boys knew better. With so many rival teams now gathered here, revealing their abilities in the open would be reckless. Better to keep their training hidden, far from prying eyes.

Audience Hall, Dream Space

In the viewing room, Karin stared at the screen, her pretty face frozen in disbelief.

That red-haired girl in Naruto's room just now… wasn't that me?!

[Ding! Karin's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

Her mind reeled. She never imagined she would appear in this strange dream world. For a moment, words failed her.

Sakura noticed her stunned expression and chuckled softly.

"Actually, Karin, we already knew you'd be in the Chūnin Exams because of one of these dreams. Naruto even insisted on fetching water himself!"

Karin blinked in surprise. "…Fetching water?"

"Mm-hm!" Sakura leaned closer, her smile playful. "Back then, Naruto was so eager. He swore he'd draw water from the river himself, just to see if he could bump into you there."

"Ah! Sakura-chan!" Naruto's face flushed red as he flailed his arms, desperate to stop her. "S-stop! Don't say it like that!"

He was mortified at having his little secret laid bare in front of Karin.

[Ding! Uzumaki Naruto's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +300!]

Karin's eyes widened. Her gaze slid toward Naruto, a strange warmth swelling in her chest.

She had never guessed that their chance encounter in the Forest of Death carried such a hidden story behind it.

What moved her even more was that this strange dream world could connect with reality, revealing truths no one had ever spoken aloud.

[Ding! Karin's emotional fluctuations detected! Emotion value +200!]

....

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