After receiving the Book of Heaven, Team 7 entered the Forest of Death from the 12th entrance.

As soon as they entered, Sakura instructed Naruto and Sasuke.

"Listen up, you two. Before reaching the central tower, my primary task is to collect over ten types of new biological toxins. Grabbing scrolls is just something we can do along the way."

"Got it, got it!"

Naruto didn't take it to heart at all. He propped his hands on the ground, upside down, and with just the finger strength of two fingers pushing off the ground, he leaped onto a three-meter-high tree branch.

"Hey! Smelly Sasuke! Do you dare to have a contest? Who can use handstands to jump to the top of that big tree ahead first? Whoever loses has to go catch big centipedes for Sakura later!"

Uchiha Sasuke propped himself up with one hand and likewise flipped upside down onto the tree trunk: "Idiot, stop trying to provoke me with such childish punishments. But since you're looking to get abused, I'll keep you company to the end!"

Before his voice faded, the two youths were upside down, constantly rising and falling among the tree crowns over ten meters high.

Behind the bushes not far away.

Three Genin from the Hidden Rain Village wearing breathing masks were observing Team 7.

Watching the bizarre actions of Sasuke and Naruto, Menghuo muttered: "I said it, the Genin of Konoha all have something wrong with their brains! Taking action against them is just right!"

Oboro hesitated a bit: "Take action against them? Their Taijutsu is extraordinary; even the proctor didn't get the upper hand earlier."

"Captain! Let's do it! What we excel at is Genjutsu, which happens to counter these muscle-bound brutes!" Kagari added fuel to the fire from the side.

"Very well, let's make it quick!"

At Oboro's command, the three Rain ninja simultaneously formed Hand Seals with both hands.

"Ninja Art: Haze Concealment Technique!"

More than a dozen Rain ninja clones holding Ninja Blades sprang from the bushes, surrounding Sakura impenetrably in the blink of an eye.

Hearing the commotion, Naruto and Sasuke on the branch flipped down to the ground, guarding Sakura's sides on the left and right.

Oboro stood right in front, twirling a Kunai in his hand and clamoring:

"Konoha brats, if you know what's good for you, honestly hand over the scrolls on you, then break both your legs and withdraw. Seeing as This Great One is in a good mood today, we can still spare your little lives!"

"Hmm? What an unseen species!"

Sakura's attention wasn't on Oboro at all.

She squatted on the ground, using tweezers to clip a purplish-black spider into a glass jar.

Being ignored by Sakura, Oboro lost a bit of face: "Hey, hey, hey! You dead girl, I'm talking to you!"

Sakura gave Oboro a cold glance and said with disgust: "A monkey is just a monkey, truly noisy!"

Afterwards, Sakura stuffed a pitch-black medicinal pill into Naruto's and Sasuke's hands respectively.

"You two, swallow the detox pills."

Naruto pinched the pill, brought it under his nose, and sniffed: "Ugh... Sakura, why does this thing smell like stinky feet?"

"Eat it when I tell you to eat it, stop talking nonsense!"

Naruto put the pill in his mouth with a bitter face and chewed twice: "Pui, pui, pui! It tastes awful! It's sour, astringent, and sticks to the teeth! Sakura, the next time you roll dango, can you add some white sugar inside or make it ramen-flavored? This thing tastes way too bad!"

Although Sasuke beside him didn't make a sound, after swallowing the pill, his entire face turned pale green, obviously having been tortured enough by this bizarre texture.

Crack!

The purple poison bottle clenched in Sakura's hand developed a crack.

Veins bulged on Sakura's forehead as she grabbed Naruto's left ear and pulled upward!

"Idiot Naruto! Do you think This Lady is making you a post-meal dessert?"

"You still want ramen-flavored? How about I roll you a pill of All-Inclusive Arsenic tonic?"

"Ouch, ouch, ouch! My ear is going to fall off! I won't be picky anymore, okay! Sakura, let go quickly!" Naruto tilted his head and wailed.

Seeing this, the three Rain ninja, who had previously been quite wary of the cold and aloof Sakura, burst out laughing on the spot.

So she was just putting on a front earlier!

"Damn it, it scared the hell out of me, turns out she's just a crazy girl!"

Oboro was outraged out of shame, flicked his arm, and six Kunai went straight for Sakura: "Go to hell!"

Hearing the wind behind her, Sakura, who was right on the verge of a rampage, grabbed Naruto's wrist with one hand.

"Stop fucking annoying This Lady!"

Sakura exerted force from her waist and abdomen, swung Naruto around in a full circle like a human meteor hammer, and smashed him toward the lunging Rain ninja!

"Wah aaaah, Sakura, you're using me as a weapon!"

Naruto waved his arms wildly in mid-air, and then crashed horizontally into the chests of two Rain ninja!

Bang!

More than a dozen Haze Concealment clones collapsed at the mere touch.

Seeing that the situation was bad, the remaining Menghuo just wanted to escape when a dark shadow already flashed above his head.

"Tempest Kick!"

Sasuke's right leg slashed a crescent-shaped slash wave in mid-air!

Rip!

Menghuo's Ninja Blade used for blocking snapped on cue, a large gash was slashed across his chest, and with a roll of his eyes, he also fainted.

The battle ended. Sakura pulled out a syringe from her Ninja Tools pouch, walked over to the unconscious Oboro, squatted down, and began drawing blood for samples.

By the way, she fished out a roll of the "Book of Heaven" from his bosom.

Ten meters away, Naruto crawled out of the mud pit, rubbing his red and burning ear while staring at Sakura, who was giving injections to the Rain ninja.

Watching and watching, Naruto crept up to Sasuke's side and poked Sasuke with his elbow: "Hey, Sasuke, I've discovered a tremendous big secret!"

Sasuke glanced at him irritably: "What kind of secret could that head of yours stuffed with ramen discover?"

"I'm serious!"

Naruto held up a finger and analyzed with absolute certainty: "Think back carefully to just now! When Sakura faced those three Rain ninja, wasn't she especially cold and aloof? She didn't even spare them a proper glance!"

Sasuke recalled it and nodded in admission: "Indeed."

"Then why did she turn around and grab my ear, yelling and screaming, and even use me as a hammer to smash people?"

Naruto chuckled gleefully: "Sakura is definitely secretly in love with me!"

"Huh?"

Sasuke looked at Naruto like he was an idiot: "Did you break your brain just now? She was clearly beating you up, you know."

"What the hell do you know!" Naruto retorted anxiously, "The aunties in the village often say when arguing, beating is affection and scolding is love, and if that doesn't work, give them a kick!"

"If she didn't like me, why didn't she use you as a hammer to swing around just now, but instead only swung me? This is called unique favoritism!"

Hearing these words, Sasuke's originally disdainful expression froze.

Wait.

Sasuke crossed his arms and began to seriously review the logic.

Back in the Ninja Academy, Sakura Haruno used to revolve around him every day, calling him "Sasuke-kun is so handsome" at every turn.

But ever since Teacher Kazama took over Team 7, the situation became different!

For over a month now, let alone acting infatuated with him, Sakura usually couldn't even be bothered to say a couple of extra words to him.

Even when she spoke... she would say perverted things like wanting to dissect his Sharingan.

As for Naruto, she still kicked and beat him just like before.

Could it be...

Thinking of this, Sasuke patted Naruto's shoulder with utmost seriousness: "Naruto, your reasoning... is very persuasive."

"Right? Right!" Naruto put his hands on his hips smugly, "I knew This Great One's charm is irresistible!"

"However, there is one thing I can't figure out."

Sasuke frowned and entered deep thinking mode: "Why did she suddenly start liking you? Have you changed in any way?"

Naruto looked down at the green tight bodysuit on his body, and then met Sasuke's gaze.

Finally, Sasuke let out a confident chuckle: "Hmph, I understand! Under Teacher Kazama's training, Sakura has awakened some kind of special fetish!"

"What she's obsessed with now is a passionate idiot who wears green tight bodysuits and is full of toned muscles! Because you look stupider than me and your muscles are trained more exaggeratedly than mine, that's why she likes you!"

Naruto listened and nodded repeatedly: "Sasuke, what you say makes sense!"