A strange sense of relief and excitement welled up in Garp's heart.
This child before him might have an unknown past and heavy burdens, but his desire to grow stronger was so real and fervent.
"Ahahahaha, good lad, you've got guts! I'll grant your wish!"
Garp laughed heartily, his voice filled with boldness and cheer. He clapped Sasuke on the shoulder with a force that felt like it might shatter the boy's bones, but Sasuke only clenched his jaw and endured it in silence, his eyes growing even more determined.
However, Sasuke had no idea that the next few days would mark the true beginning of a "hellish training" for him.
Garp's training methods were simple, brutal, and remarkably effective.
Yet Sasuke remained unaware of the challenges ahead, not knowing that the coming days would become both the most difficult and the most valuable period of "demon training" in his life.
Garp's training style was both straightforward and brutally efficient, paying no heed to Sasuke's physical limits and focusing solely on unlocking his inner potential.
From the first rays of sunlight piercing the clouds to illuminate the island, until night fell and the stars dotted the sky, Sasuke's training never ceased.
For physical conditioning, Garp made him run along the beach carrying massive boulders until his strength gave out. In combat training, Garp transformed into a ruthless opponent, each punch and kick thrown without mercy, forcing Sasuke to learn defense and counterattack in real combat situations.
And the training for Armament Haki was particularly grueling, requiring Sasuke to spend long hours pushing himself to maintain the state of hardened Haki, constantly testing his limits until he could control the power.
Garp never eased the training due to Sasuke's exhaustion or pain.
Sasuke's body had long since reached its limit; even breathing was painful.
Yet even in such trying times, Sasuke never voiced a single complaint.
He endured everything silently because he knew it was all for becoming stronger, for the sake of revenge.
Each night, when silence enveloped everything and Sasuke lay alone on his crude bed, the pain flooding through his body made it hard to fall asleep.
Yet amidst that pain, he felt an unprecedented sense of fulfillment and hope.
He knew that every moment of pain was the price of growth, and every failure was a stepping stone to success.
Garp watched Sasuke's development and secretly marveled.
Though still young, this child possessed extraordinary resilience and perseverance.
His rate of improvement surprised even Garp, a veteran of countless battles.
Though the training was arduous, Sasuke never gave up, and the unyielding fighting spirit in his eyes never dimmed—a longing for strength, a commitment to revenge.
For Sasuke, these few days marked not just the start of training, but a transformation, a remarkable journey from weakness to strength.
…
In the Naruto world, in the lively and peaceful Konoha Village, sunlight filtered through the leaves onto an open training ground.
Kakashi stood with a sharp gaze fixed on the three members of Team 7 before him, his expression serious.
He had just announced an important decision to them: he had signed them up for the upcoming Chunin Exams.
Naruto's eyes immediately lit up with excitement, as if he could already see himself shining brilliantly in the exam, capturing everyone's attention.
The corners of his mouth turned up, full of confidence and anticipation.
Sakura seemed a bit resistant, her brows slightly furrowed with unease in her eyes.
Sasuke, meanwhile, maintained his usual cool, indifferent expression, as if everything was under his control.
"Hmm? Sasuke's demeanor seems to have changed quite a bit lately," Kakashi mused to himself, keenly sensing subtle differences in Sasuke—not just outwardly, but something emanating from within.
"And it seems his strength has changed significantly." Kakashi's brow furrowed slightly. He vaguely sensed something unusual but didn't dig too deep.
After all, how much Sasuke's abilities had truly developed would become clear during the Chunin Exams.
This Chunin Exam appeared to be filled with hidden talents and skilled participants from various places. As one of Konoha's few elite jōnin, Kakashi knew much more than others.
He understood that this exam was not only a test for Team 7 but also a major evaluation of Konoha's younger generation.
"I hope everything goes smoothly." Kakashi silently prayed, fully aware of the exam's significance and hoping Team 7 would demonstrate their true abilities.
Meanwhile, Sasuke and the others had turned to leave, heading back toward Konoha.
Sasuke walked coolly to one side while Naruto stayed close to Sakura, constantly talking in an effort to catch her attention.
But clearly, Sakura's focus was on Sasuke.
She stopped and turned to Sasuke, wearing a gentle smile. "Sasuke-kun, I haven't seen you much lately."
Sasuke replied coolly, "I was training."
Seeing Sakura fuss over Sasuke, Naruto felt a twinge of jealousy.
He stepped forward and declared loudly, "Hey, Sasuke, I've been training a lot lately. I'm definitely going to beat you this time!"
Sasuke simply snorted dismissively. "Hmph, just don't hold us back, you dropout."
His tone brimmed with confidence and disdain.
Naruto was grinding his teeth in frustration.
But as they walked, Naruto suddenly blurted something that startled both Sasuke and Sakura.
"So, uh, what exactly do we have to do in the Chunin Exams?" Naruto scratched his head, looking utterly clueless.
"No way, you didn't even read the scroll Kakashi-sensei gave us?" A sense of dread crept into Sakura's heart.
Watching Naruto stammer with an innocent look, Sasuke and Sakura felt a sinking feeling. Both silently prayed that Naruto wouldn't embarrass himself during the exams, much less drag down the entire team's performance.
"The first part of the Chunin Exams is a written test," Sakura said gravely.
At that, Naruto froze on the spot, eyes wide as if he had heard something unbelievable.
Seeing Naruto's reaction, Sasuke felt like a thunderbolt had struck him.
He had trained so hard, poured so much effort into growing stronger, all to perform well in the Chunin Exams and prove his strength.
Now, however, he faced the possibility of failing the first round because of Naruto.
They had no choice but to drag Naruto to a quiet place and start drilling him on the necessary basics.
---