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NBB Chapter 178: The Forest, the Exam, and the Prison Break
🕑 Added 2025-08-26 22:30:52 +0000 UTCKitagawa Gen’s growth this time was truly immense.
From Danzō he had plucked Hashirama’s Yang Release, and on his own he had achieved the fusion that led to Dust Release.
In one stroke, his development had surged to 46%!
But more crucial than that was his insight into spatial abilities.
“Even though I haven’t awakened anything like Amenotejikara or Yomotsu Hirasaka, my grasp of spatial manipulation has once again advanced.”
In the past, his use of the Flying Thunder God was always somewhat bound to seals.
Now, however, he could teleport through any technique he had used before, or through any medium covered by his chakra.
“Although I still need some kind of medium, if the distance is close enough I can transmit directly through chakra. That means I have even more options at my disposal.”
This leap in spatial ability left him exhilarated, for it meant his patterns of attack would become all the more unpredictable.
“And as my bloodline develops, I’m gaining stronger command over my eyes as well. Combined with the effects of attraction and repulsion, the results will be even better.”
The fusion of spatial ability with gravity and repulsion, creating a domain where direction itself was at his command—this had always been his dream.
Now, step by step, he was moving toward that goal.
“On top of that, the Yang Release that Danzō gave me is absurd… I didn’t expect it to work like this.”
Kitagawa Gen could sense that this Yang Release had also greatly enhanced his use of the Source of the God Tree.
He could even channel the Source of the God Tree according to his own will.
“Maybe I could even conjure some kind of strange Wood Release out of this?”
He scratched his head—something to keep exploring.
But when his eyes drifted toward Gaara, sitting silently in the corner, a smile crept across his lips.
He was certain that once he gathered more and more tailed beast chakra, and the Dragon Vein filled in the gaps—
“My power will be endless!”
But just thinking of the Dragon Vein left him uneasy.
The power of time within the Dragon Vein was still beyond his comprehension. All he had managed so far was to perceive it more clearly.
“My development is still too shallow…”
While Kitagawa Gen was lost in his own thoughts, the boy sitting across from him—Naruto—was already going numb.
“Damn it… why won’t he leave? He’s doing this on purpose, isn’t he?”
Although Konoha’s education system had come down on Naruto with crushing force, raising his grades just a little, this exam was testing intelligence gathering. There was no way someone like him could easily write the answers. He was already panicking.
By now, he hadn’t written a single word!
“What do I do… what do I do… I’m finished!”
Sweat streamed down his face as he debated whether to cheat, when suddenly Kitagawa Gen leaned his head toward him.
“Why aren’t you writing? If you don’t write, you won’t get any score at all, you know.”
“…”
“Or is it that you have some problem with me, and you’re refusing to answer on purpose?”
“…”
“Say something. Sure, if you speak you’ll be thrown out of the exam hall—but isn’t it rude to just ignore me?”
“…”
Naruto sat frozen, his mind shutting down. But even more numb than him was Morino Ibiki.
This Chūnin Exam was on a scale never seen before, and naturally, Konoha intended to “make use of home field advantage.”
As for the idea of “being both contestants and judges”—which village didn’t run their exams like that?
So of course, the best genin would be given a “reasonable guarantee of promotion.”
Naruto and Sasuke counted among the candidates Konoha valued most, which only meant the pressure fell squarely on their shoulders.
'Jōnin Gen… are you putting pressure on your subordinates, or on us?'
Morino Ibiki could hardly complain aloud, but after rubbing his head, inspiration struck him quickly.
'Looks like I’ll have to add one more question for everyone.'
Yet just as Ibiki was deep in thought, Kitagawa Gen suddenly raised an eyebrow.
'Kisame… there’s movement on his end?'
...
Konoha, ANBU prison.
Kisame sat sealed of chakra in the deepest cell, utterly still, as if lost in thought.
“Hm?”
The ground before him stirred faintly, and soon a pitcher plant slowly rose from beneath the earth.
“So it’s you. I figured it wouldn’t be long before you came to spring me.”
“No choice. This place is hard to find, and layered with barriers. We had to be cautious.”
Kisame seemed relaxed, but Black Zetsu shook his head before speaking.
“Fortunately, the barriers are dealt with now. Everyone is already here—we’re just waiting for the exam to begin.”
“Uchiha Itachi came too? I recall he was beaten badly by Kitagawa Gen.”
“No matter. As long as he’s alive, he must move. I’ll make sure of it. Your condition isn’t so bad—just recover properly. You’re not the same as him.”
“Is that so?”
Kisame grinned wide, then nodded.
“Perhaps. Though I really do feel like moving again. But if I leave, won’t it alert the enemy?”
“Don’t worry. I have a way.”
Black Zetsu chuckled softly. Two White Zetsu appeared at his side.
One helped undo Kisame’s restraints, then transformed into Kisame’s likeness.
The other draped itself directly over Kisame, merging with him until the two became one.
“This way, no trouble will arise. With my clone here, we can take you out immediately.”
“How convenient. Did you manage to get intel from Konoha?”
“Something like that. We captured Orochimaru, and now he has to cooperate with us. On top of that, we’ve gained a high-ranking Konoha official. Everything will proceed without a hitch.”
“So that’s how it is. That’s excellent news.”
Kisame’s grin only widened, as if he could barely restrain his thirst for revenge against Konoha.
“Let’s go. Once the time comes, we’ll begin.”
Black Zetsu nodded, speaking in a low tone, and Kisame agreed with a nod of his own.
“Yes… just waiting for it all to start.”
...
“That bastard nearly scared me to death!”
Inside the Forest of Death, Naruto and his teammates were moving quickly.
They had already entered the second round of the exam, but whenever Naruto recalled the terrifying moments of the first test, he couldn’t help but curse under his breath.
“You bastard! Isn’t it just because your basics are so shaky?”
Thinking back to Naruto’s performance earlier, Sakura couldn’t stop herself from snapping at him.
“Why can’t you be more like Sasuke? That was way too close—you almost scared me to death.”
“He was cheating with the Sharingan. I saw it.”
Naruto crossed his arms, grumbling with irritation. Sasuke only gave a sharp snort.
“Tch. Shut up, idiot. Be glad we passed at all. Just focus on what’s ahead.”
With that, he strode forward, eager to finish the test as quickly as possible.
More than that, he wanted a better score.
“Only then will Gen-senpai agree to teach me. Only then will I gain the power for my revenge.”
...
“Gen, I know you mean well for Naruto, but don’t do that again.”
Inside the Hokage’s office, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked pained as he faced Kitagawa Gen’s innocent expression.
Even though he knew the boy was putting on an act—and in truth, he found that sly streak rather satisfying—dealing with him face-to-face was exhausting.
“And what about Deidara? Aren’t you on good terms with him? Why did you trick him again?”
“He’s fine, right?”
Gen blinked curiously. The question made Hiruzen shake his head helplessly.
“He keeps whining about why he can’t leave, and about how you’re such a lousy friend.”
“Well, that’s good, isn’t it? Keeps him from causing real trouble. Nothing wrong with that.”
“Maybe so, but the way you went about it…”
Hiruzen pressed his lips together. He knew all too well how much of a menace Deidara could be, especially since the boy had been to Konoha before.
Gen might have tricked him, but of course Konoha wouldn’t toss him into the ANBU prison.
Still, they could keep him under lock and key in the guest residence, behaving himself quietly.
That much, Hiruzen was perfectly happy with—he just felt Gen had acted too hastily, which made Konoha look a little lacking in dignity.
“Forget it. Let’s drop that topic.”
Hiruzen shook his head, then spoke again with grave seriousness.
“Once the Forest of Death exam ends, I’ll arrange a one-month break. It will be used to host the visiting Kage and the Daimyō of the Land of Fire."
"During that month, make good use of your time. Work hard where you need to, understood?”
“Yes.”
Kakashi nodded. He already had his plan—he intended to teach Sasuke how to better use the Sharingan.
Beside him, Jiraiya, who had been silent until now, also nodded, though with a troubled look.
“One month… it won’t be enough to awaken the chakra sealed inside Naruto.”
“Then try what you can, and teach him other things along the way.”
Hiruzen sighed. Awakening the chakra within Naruto was no easy task. But one way or another, they had to try.
“All right, I understand.”
Jiraiya nodded, rubbing his brow.
“But as for receiving the visitors—that shouldn’t involve us, right? Aside from the Kazekage, most of them don’t have good relations with us.”
“You think I don’t know?”
That only deepened Hiruzen’s frustration.
Ōnoki, at least, wasn’t unfriendly, but since Deidara had been tricked by Gen, it was unlikely the old Tsuchikage would be very pleased.
Aside from that, Konoha’s silent incursion into the Land of Earth back then was still a thorn in everyone’s side. Nobody spoke of it, but none had forgotten.
As for Kumogakure—
Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Kitagawa Gen, then decided not to mention it at all.
