The Night Before the Second Exam
Where are you trying to go?
The Kazekage's quarters are beyond here.
Hold it!
Who the hell are you?!
We seek to reform the Land of Wind!
You think I'd let you get away?!
You have nowhere to run…
Divine Punishment!
Take cover!
Oh, you're back.
Damn it…
Be more careful.
You wanted to talk to me?
Please, Gaara, forget about supervising the Chunin Exams.
The people targeting you are stepping up their efforts.
You'll just be playing into their hands if you continue this!
I already know that.
But if I quit because of that,
it would be like declaring that I will cave in under pressure.
Maybe so, but…
But this is only the Chunin Exams!
The Chunin Exams is where everything began for me.
Thanks to him, I've made it this far.
I'll make sure these Chunin Exams are a success…
…without fail.
We've finally reached Hidden Sand territory.
All right, let's go to the second-round site.
Sarutobi Sensei! Yuhi Sensei!
Sorry, but this is as far as you'll go.
Late arrivals are disqualified.
If you're from the Hidden Leaf, return to the village.
The rest of you can disperse from here too.
But we ran nonstop for three days to get here!
If you're complaining,
then maybe it's for the best that you're being eliminated.
That's because hell is beyond this point.
And who knows if you'll even get out of there alive.
Sakura! Everyone! You made it!
I must admit, Guy Sensei's team sure has stamina.
Team Asuma, Team Kurenai…
The main members from that last time made it through.
Yup! You all gave it your all!
The fortitude you showed in running for three days and three nights without sleep
has made me so proud!
Why, it takes me back to the time I took the Chunin Exams…
Sensei… If you're going to tell us a long story…
Please let us rest already. I'm starving.
Seems like it.
We've never been to the Hidden Sand before…
It really is nothing but desert.
To be accurate, this really isn't Hidden Sand Village.
It's quite far from the village.
Neji, have you ever been to the Hidden Sand Village?
Once on an errand for the Hyuga.
This is the Demon Desert checkpoint.
I see.
So this is what they're using.
Taking the Exams in a different village is sort of nerve-wracking.
I wonder what the second round will be like.
It's probably like last time.
So we'll be battling teams from other villages?
There's a good chance of that.
Then we'll have to be wary of some teams.
We went at full-speed, yet we weren't the first to arrive.
The Hidden Waterfall were the first to arrive.
Not only that, they got here long before us.
Just what kind of opponents are they?
C'mon, open up!
What's going on? The door won't open!
Sorry, Fuu.
Stay in there until morning.
Huh?! Why's that?
We never know what you'll do next.
So please, give us a break and let us rest up for the next round.
Huh? Hey!
That means I can't go and have fun with the others!
See, that's what worries us.
Dinner is ready.
Entrants, please assemble in the cafeteria.
So that's Hidden Sand Village…
Check out the Hidden Sand… giving everyone the stink eye.
They sure look mean.
Well, Kiba… You look pretty mean too.
And over there are the Hidden Rain.
I guess the other side is the Hidden Grass.
That guy's amazing.
I'll say.
Compared to him, even our slightly chubby Choji looks normal.
But the way he sweats…
Seriously, that's gross.
Hey…
I'm getting a bad feeling…
Bad feeling?
All that sweat.
If he gets close to the food…
All right! Time to eat dinner!
At this rate…
Our dinner will be…
Damn!
Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation!
S-Saved…
Uh… I do not think so.
What did you do to our dinner?
What are you thinking?
What did you do to our friend?!
Don't misunderstand!
We wanted to protect our food!
So you were going to save your food and never mind the rest of us, right?
What're you saying?!
We'd never stoop to something like that!
Your suspicion shows that Gaara hasn't trained you right!
Did you just criticize Lord Gaara?
That is absolutely unforgivable!
Stop!
Please stop, everyone!
Hey, stop it!
Neji! Aren't you going to stop them?
Sorry, but I'm busy right now.
Burami!
Don't eat food off the ground!
Muyami! You help too!
I'll pass… I'm too shy.
Calm down, every—!
Do not fight—!
Why you…!
Will you stop…and listen to me?!
This room is way too small for a flashy move like that.
I didn't do that at full strength, but still…
To be able to stop me with one hand…
What's that sound?
Fuu!
Ta-dah!
So the party's already started, guys?!
I wonder if I can make a hundred friends?
Wh-Who are you?
I'm Fuu from the Village Hidden in the Waterfall!
This one…
I came to the Chunin Exams to make a hundred friends!
So guys, what's the plan after dinner?
Cards? Backgammon? Musical chairs?
Or…
How about we all take a bath together?
What's with you?
Oh well, so much for dinner…
I'm going back.
Huh? Hey…
W-Wait!
Don't go!
Hey guys, play with me!
Well…
It took an idiot like that to stop the ruckus…
Sort of reminds me of someone.
I know… Naruto.
Right, Lee?
Huh? Lee?
Excuse me, please wait!
I realized it when I made contact earlier.
You are not like the others.
You stopped my attack with such ease.
It may sound arrogant coming from me,
but it takes someone extraordinary to do that.
That's why I can tell…
That you have had to overcome great odds like me.
What are you trying to say?
Well…that you and I are alike.
I know about you.
You're Rock Lee of the Hidden Leaf.
I'm Shira of the Hidden Sand.
Shira…
I don't know what it is you sensed,
but dwelling on the misfortunes of birth is meaningless.
Because, for all of one's flaws and suffering,
we have just one life.
To me, there is only one truth in life.
One truth in life?
Determination never betrays you.
Shira…
Lady Tsunade, I've returned.
I'm glad you made it back. So how did it go?
As I reported, I wasn't able to see Hanzo in person.
I intended to sneak back in and
investigate, but…
The infiltrator must be around here!
Find him!
What?
They've discovered my presence already?
They were on to me from the start.
It was almost as though…
ghosts were watching me.
Well…
I was expecting just the usual Chunin Exams,
But now that it's started,
we're discovering some interesting things about each village.
Interesting things?
Choji…
What are you doing?
Ino…
What's that building?
Oh, that's where the Senseis are staying.
The Senseis?!
Hey, Choji!
I'll bet they'll give us some food if we go there!
We're not supposed to wander around at night!
He's so hungry, he can't think straight!
Let's go after him!
Choji! Where are you?!
– Choji?! – Choji?!
Friends...
Byakugan!
What is that shadow?
Whose voice was that?!
No way…
Did someone go outside?
What?
Oh! Cards? Backgammon?!
Giant scorpions come out at night during this time of year!
That's why you were told not to go outside!
You have things like that?!
Hey!
Choji!
I'm here to help you!
What is this thing?!
Hidden Waterfall Hurricane!
Yahoo! This is fun!
No! Stop!
W-What's happening?!
Hey!
Stop fooling around, and take that thing down!
Huh? It's over already…?!
It's dangerous!
Aww… Guess I have no choice!
Sakura, are you all right?
Yeah…
But you're bleeding!
I'm okay.
Please don't move.
This girl…
She's a Medical Ninja like me…
That should do it.
Thank you.
She's got skill.
Yahoo!
Yahoo yahoo-hoo!
Jeez…
What a pain…
Her again…
How'd she show up so fast?
And she brought down that monster in no time.
W-What is this?!
What's going on?
Going outside at night is prohibited.
The Second Exam begins before dawn breaks!
Hurry up and return to your quarters!
– We're sorry. – Guy Sensei!
W-We're starving!
You guys are…
Go back now!
Clear your mind of mundane thoughts and even a fire will go out!
Missing one meal won't kill a person!
Just think of this as part of training!
Huh? Huh?
Huh?! You're all leaving?
I'm so sad…
You're a good person.… To help foes from other villages.
If you had ignored them, you would've ended up with fewer rivals.
I don't care about rivals or allies.
I wonder if I'm going to make a hundred friends!
Hey, let's be friends!
Wanna play cards? Backgammon?
Or…wanna bathe together?!
They are the Lord Kazekage and the jonin supervisors!
Watch what you say!
One hundred…!
– Enough! Let's go back! – …friends!
Doesn't care about rivals or allies, huh.
Sounds just like someone I know.
Gaara?
It's nothing.
Now I have more to look forward to in the Chunin Exams.
Thanks to a few interesting characters taking part in it.
All right…
I'm going to explain the second round of the Chunin Exams.
The Second Exam will be a competition for scrolls
to be held in the Demon Desert.
In other words, this is the ultimate survival battle!
EARTH HEAVEN There are two scrolls, Heaven and Earth.
Half the teams will be given Heaven scrolls.
The other half will get Earth scrolls.
The objective of this exam
is to obtain both the Heaven and Earth scrolls
and to bring them back to the base
located in the center of the Demon Desert.
You have 72 hours.
Find food on your own!
Starting now, there may be fatalities.
Every participating team member will sign a consent form!
CONSENT FORM When you turn in the team consent forms, you will be given a scroll!
Furthermore, to avoid confusion,
each team will start from a different location.
So be quick, and go to your starting points!
It's finally starting…
The second round of the Chunin Exams!
We don't know what lies ahead.
So let's stay on our toes.
– Right! – Okay!
Our priority is to find the other scroll.
To do that, we're going to have to fight another team for it.
We were fortunate that brawl happened in the cafeteria last night.
We have to watch out for the one who stopped your kick,
Shira, and his team, and…
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "Survival in the Demon Desert"
…the team from the Hidden Waterfall!
IN NARUTO'S FOOTSTEPS ~ THE PATH TRAVELED SURVIVAL IN THE DEMON DESERT
Tune in again!