Whether consciousness lingers in the brain after death is a question, I imagine, only those truly on the verge of death can truly feel.
At this moment, Sasuke deeply felt the terror of death. His five senses disappeared, darkness descended, and the consciousness remaining in his brain tried to control his body but couldn't. He could only feel his body gradually stiffen and go numb, as if he would become a corpse once the blood inside solidified.
Fear, unease, and panic overflowed in his heart. Not everyone could face death calmly, let alone Sasuke, who had many unfinished wishes. Defeating his brother to make him see himself again, letting his father know that he, Uchiha Sasuke, was no inferior to his brother Itachi, and he also wanted to teach a lesson to Uzumaki Linhu, who had brought him childhood nightmares...
Finally... if he were gone, that idiot Naruto would surely cause a whole lot of trouble. Thinking of this, Sasuke's consciousness was filled with resentment.
Would this guy Naruto make new friends after his death and then forget him? Would this guy Naruto take his newly made friends to Ichiraku Ramen? This guy Naruto... No!
He absolutely couldn't let that happen. If it did, it had to be with his permission!
However... his body still wouldn't move, and his consciousness was growing increasingly blurred. Was he really about to die?
Mwah!
Suddenly, a surge of warmth entered Sasuke's body. His heart, which had stopped beating, slowly began to revive. This jolted Sasuke's blurred consciousness, and his five senses returned one after another. His heart began to beat, and he gradually regained control of his body.
What was happening? Was it a final burst of energy before death? But... what was this warm, soft thing on his lips?
Sasuke wanted to open his eyes to investigate, but the warmth on his lips suddenly left, and he felt a pang of regret.
But as Sasuke managed to pry open a sliver of his eyelids to get a clearer view of his surroundings, he seemed to hear Naruto muttering.
"Still not awake? Let's try another big one!"
Naruto took a deep breath, then closed his eyes, pursed his lips, and leaned down again towards the familiar spot.
"Damn it! No!"
At this moment, Sasuke couldn't speak and could only shout "No!" in his mind. After all, there were cameras filming the surrounding area. If this scene were to be broadcast, how could he, Uchiha Sasuke, ever walk in the ninja world again?
Despite Sasuke's silent pleas, he could only watch as Naruto's passionate mouth lunged towards him.
His lips met warmth, followed by waves of heat. Sasuke immediately understood that Naruto was saving him, and his resistance lessened considerably.
He kept telling himself: This is first aid, not a kiss. This is first aid, not a kiss. Naruto is saving me! With that, Sasuke closed his eyes. Since he couldn't resist, he might as well accept it.
Not far away, Itachi watched the two kissing, or rather, Naruto performing CPR on Sasuke. His previous strike had caused Sasuke's heart to stop, plunging him into a state of suspended animation. Although he didn't understand why Teacher Linhu had made him do this, Itachi now understood.
This seemed to be another method of promoting Sasuke's strength. (It definitely wasn't about finding him a sister-in-law or brother-in-law!)
A moment later...
Boom!
A terrifying aura erupted from Sasuke, but it subsided to calm after just an instant. Sasuke opened his eyes, his three black tomoe clearly visible. This was the Sharingan awakened by Naruto's kiss, or rather, the power of his anger. He was determined to win!
"Sasuke! I knew you wouldn't die that easily!"
Naruto wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth and, in his excitement, tried to give Sasuke a big hug. However, before he could get close, he was stopped by the latter, who said with disdain,
"Stay away from me right now!"
Naruto pouted aggrievedly, "I was the one who saved you just now. You're already turning your back on me after such a short time."
Damn it!
Sasuke's face turned ashen. He knew their conversation was definitely being broadcast. He couldn't continue like this, or he wouldn't even have the face to participate in the third exam and might as well surrender!
"Naruto, let's deal with him first before anything else. Don't forget, we're still in the Chunin Exams."
"Heh, that's what I wanted to say too. Don't blame me for not warning you, I just mastered a new power."
Sasuke blinked slightly, a smile playing on his lips, "Just right. I also want to see the difference between the Three-Tomoe and Two-Tomoe."
Boom!
As soon as the words left his mouth, lightning crackled around Sasuke. In his left hand, a blue and white lightning chakra gathered, emitting a "chirping" sound. It was even more dazzling than the Chidori he had used before, as if a thousand birds were singing. Beside him, Naruto summoned several shadow clones, each spinning a Rasengan. However, the ordinarily azure orb was now mixed with the red Nine-Tails chakra, making it even more ferocious.
The two looked at each other, then simultaneously disappeared from their positions.
"Chidori!" Coupled with the Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke had now truly mastered the Chidori ninjutsu.
"Rasengan!" The Rasengan, imbued with Nine-Tails chakra, was extremely unstable but several times more powerful than a normal Rasengan.
Seeing them fight side-by-side, Itachi seemed to recall the scenes of his battles with Shisui in his youth.
"You've found your own bonds, Sasuke."
...
The first stage, the original structures of the buildings had been reduced to rubble and debris, with no intact items to be found. This was why the big screen had never shown any footage of the first stage.
The barriers on either side had vanished. Nagato stood on the ruins, his attire somewhat tattered, but apart from that, he seemed to have no injuries.
After a long while, as the distant figures disappeared from view, Nagato murmured, "What a monster."
At this moment, Toneri, who was the first to pass the stage and emerge from the barrier, had two choices.
First, to proceed directly to the palace and await the other genin as they passed through the remaining eight stages to successfully advance.
Second, to provide support.
Toneri did not hesitate and entered the second stage. Although he was heavily injured and his chakra was depleted, Toneri was still worried about the safety of Gaara and Kimimaro.
Besides, with his recovery speed, he should be fine.
Moreover, he had noticed several individuals with promising bloodlines and talents among the genin participating this time. If there were an opportunity...