Sasuke's gaze swept over the scene before him. Naruto and Rock Lee lay unconscious, their chests rising and falling with faint breaths.

Nearby, Dosu and Zaku were also motionless, but in a different way. They had no signs of life left in them. The area was eerily quiet, the silence only broken by the occasional rustling of leaves in the wind.

Lost in thought, Sasuke tried to piece together the events during this time, This was when Shikamaru, Choji, and Ino were supposed to arrive, providing much-needed help to Sakura, who had been fighting alone. As he pondered, a noise behind him pulled him from his thoughts. Turning, he found Shikamaru's team approaching.

Shikamaru, ever the embodiment of his laid-back attitude, was the first to break the silence. "It looks like you've really created quite a mess, haven't you?" he remarked, a hint of amusement in his tone.

As Choji and Ino attended to Naruto and Rock Lee, Sakura, now recovered, started to clarify the situation. At the same time, Sasuke seized the chance to obtain the scroll from a defeated opponent, aiming to fulfill the requirements of their exam.

After securing the scroll, Sasuke decided to scout the area for a suitable place to rest. As he found a decent spot, Neji Hyūga arrived, picking up the unconscious Rock Lee before departing.

Upon returning to the camp, Sasuke's gaze fell upon Naruto, still unconscious.

A thought crossed his mind, a dark temptation. He could end Naruto here and now, prevent future troubles. But considering Naruto's uncanny luck, there was a chance he would just return, stronger than before. Who knows? The sage of six paths might still be watching over Naruto. Killing Naruto might just prompt the sage to bestow all his power on Naruto.

Shaking off these thoughts, Sasuke remembered his mission. He wished he could change someone, make them more useful, but unfortunately, he couldn't. Checking his system points, he found he had 1,100 points - a thousand for saving Sakura and a hundred for capturing Kin. After some searching, he found a pendant worth 800 points.

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It was a one-time item that could prevent someone's mind from being controlled. It was a bit expensive for him at the moment, but it was the only way for Sakura to win against Ino. Feeling a pang of guilt towards Ino, he decided to go easy on the Yamanaka clan when he started his revenge.

Taking a deep breath, he approached Sakura, the pendant clutched tightly in his hand. "Sakura," he began, his voice steady despite the turmoil of emotions within him, "I have something for you."

He opened his hand to reveal the pendant, its surface gleaming under the soft light. Sakura's eyes widened in surprise as she took in the sight of the beautiful piece of jewelry. "This… this is for me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

He nodded, "Yes, it's for you. It's… it's a good luck charm," he explained, hoping she wouldn't question the true nature of the pendant.Sakura's gaze locked onto the pendant. A soft blush began to spread across her cheeks, painting them a delicate shade of pink. Then, slowly, she reached out and took it from him. Her fingers trembled slightly as they closed around the pendant, her mind full of excitement. As usual, her mind was buzzing with questions. "Thank you," she said softly.

And so, Sakura began wearing the pendant, believing it to be a simple good luck charm.

As for Sasuke, he could only hope that his plan would work. He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief. His mission was one step closer to completion.

Just then, Naruto stirred from his unconscious state. He tried to sit up, wincing slightly at the lingering pain.

"Sakura…?" His voice was hoarse, but it carried a strength that belied his physical condition. His gaze found Sakura, who had been watching over him with a worried expression.

"Naruto, you're awake!" Sakura exclaimed, relief washing over her. She quickly moved to his side, helping him sit up.

"Yeah, I guess I am," Naruto responded, managing a weak grin. His hand moved to the back of his head, rubbing it in a sheepish manner - a classic Naruto gesture. "Guess I missed quite a lot, huh?"

While Sakura and Naruto were engaged in their conversation, Sasuke's attention was elsewhere. He was waiting for Kabuto Yakushi, the glasses-wearing medical ninja from the Sound Village. His keen senses were on high alert, scanning the surroundings for any sign of Kabuto.

However, even after a thorough search, he couldn't find any trace of Kabuto. He guessed that things were going to be different from now on.

he decided to rest for a night and depart the next day for their journey to hunt down the Scroll and complete second phase of the exam