Haruno Sakura has been very upset recently, not because her relationship with Sasuke has not made any progress, nor because the annoying Naruto has made her angry, but because she really feels that she has become a drag in the three-person team. Sasuke is fine, but even Naruto, who is at the bottom, has gradually caught up. How can she, a top student, be happy? Now in Sasuke's heart, her status is not even as high as Naruto's, which is really sad. What makes her even more unacceptable is that she finds that all this seems to be true.

"Naruto has become stronger, and Sasuke is already very powerful. I am the only one who can't help at all!" Haruno Sakura complained to herself on the balcony, "Should I go for the Chunin Exam? I really don't have the confidence. I'd better not hold Sasuke and Naruto back!"

When I was struggling, I suddenly heard someone calling me.

In another venue, Hatake Kakashi looked helplessly at Mizuki who was busy.

"You have set up barriers and illusion arrays, and arranged so many traps and sealing spells. If you don't know, you might think you are setting up a battlefield."

"It's better to be prepared." Shuimu replied, "I have put so much effort into your students. You should thank me."

"It's just a preliminary test. Is it necessary to go through so much trouble?"

"For the sake of the next generation of the village, we, as seniors, should not be afraid of trouble. Kakashi, where is your sense of responsibility?" Mizuki has been planning this for a long time, and he can't give up halfway. "Why are you staring at me? Why don't you go to see Sasuke and Naruto?"

"I'm quite confident in their abilities." Kakashi said helplessly, "The only one I'm worried about is Sakura, especially since you're the one in charge of the assessment..."

"Finally done." Mizuki turned around and asked, "What did you say just now?"

"Nothing, I just said Sakura will be here soon."

"You have very good eyesight, I didn't see anything at all."

"I stand high..."

In the distance, two thin figures gradually walked over. They were Sasuke and Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun, you said you had something to say to me?" Sakura said uneasily, "But why did you bring me to a place like this?" It was obvious that the surroundings were all uninhabited jungles.

"It's quiet here and no one will disturb you. I'll make it short. You'd better withdraw from the Chunin Exam." The merciless words hit Haruno Sakura dizzy.

Kakashi, who was hiding on the sidelines, frowned, "How dare you say that? You are indeed a jerk with bad intentions."

At this moment, taking advantage of Haruno Sakura's restlessness, Mizuki quickly activated the illusion circle, and the barrier began to change the surrounding terrain, and various traps and small sealing arrays also began to take effect.

"Sasuke-kun, why do you want me to quit?" Sakura asked in surprise, "Don't you like being with me?"

"No, it's because you're not strong enough. After you quit, Naruto and I will invite more suitable people to team up and take the exam together."

"But, will Kakashi-sensei agree?"

"Didn't we say that participation is voluntary? As long as you withdraw, I'm sure Kakashi-sensei will have nothing to say."

Looking at the pretending Sasuke and the tangled Sakura outside the arena, Mizuki turned his head and smiled at Kakashi: "It's time for the villain to take the stage, do you want to make a cameo appearance?"

"No thanks." Kakashi refused.

"What a shame, it's so dull, I'm honestly worried about your sense of humor."

After that, Shuimu performed the Shadow Clone Technique, and the shadow clone turned into a masked Kusanagi, and then rushed over, with countless kunai traps covering the two people. The sudden change and the attack from all angles made the two people below have nowhere to escape, and they were immediately in a desperate situation.

"Be careful, step back quickly." Sasuke yelled and threw Sakura to the ground. In an instant, Sasuke was shot into a hedgehog and it seemed that he would not live long.

"You incompetent idiots should all get out of this Chunin Exam, or else this will be your fate," the shadow clone did not forget to taunt at the right time.

"Finally the real master has come out?" Sakura rolled over and pushed the fake Sasuke away. "Did you think you could easily trick the Konoha ninjas with the combination of shadow clones and illusions?"

Shuimu frowned on the sidelines. Compared with the traps full of loopholes in the original novel, Shuimu thought he had done a very good job. If Shuimu, who was more adept at guessing people's hearts, was the examiner, he shouldn't be discovered so easily. However, the general plot was not bad, so it didn't matter if some small details were changed.

"Kakashi, Sakura has a really good eye for things. She was able to see through this trap."

"After all, she has the best theoretical knowledge among the Genin, and the best chakra control, so it's normal for her to have such performance." Kakashi also breathed a sigh of relief. At least she has performed well so far. As long as she doesn't perform too badly in the future, he will have an excuse and will not prevent Sakura from being unable to take part in the Chunin Exam.

Having been accidentally exposed, the shadow clone had no choice but to attack forcefully.

"It seems that you are very confident in yourself, little girl. The Chunin Exam is not a joke. Everything will become a reality. Since you don't want to give up, then let me teach you a lesson."

Before he finished speaking, the illusion reappeared, and rows of kunai were shot out, blocking all escape routes. Then there was a hazy light and shadow on the ground, and three wooden puppet warriors rose up, drew their swords and slashed at Haruno Sakura.

Facing attacks from all directions, Sakura ignored them and formed seals with her hands, ready to dispel the illusion. The kunai passed through Sakura's body, but she was unharmed. The long swords of the two puppets also slashed through Sakura's body, but still did not hurt her at all. Just as the third puppet's long sword was about to chop Sakura's head, Sakura suddenly felt something was wrong and hurriedly dodged sideways, but she was still a step too slow, and a strand of hair fell along the blade.

"The combination of reality and illusion in illusion, Mizuki, isn't this too difficult for a Genin?" Kakashi said dissatisfiedly.

Mizuki replied: "It is indeed too difficult for a new Genin, but for a Genin who is going to take the Chunin Exam, it is barely acceptable."

"Yeah." Kakashi reluctantly accepted this statement.

"What's up, little girl? Are you almost done? Get out of here now, or it won't be your hair next time."

"No, I won't admit defeat to a guy like you who hides his head and shows his tail."

"A meaningless act of arrogance? You are so naive. Then I will let you experience the cruelty of a ninja."

The formation barrier was fully activated, and the shadow clone cooperated with the puppet to kill directly. Haruno Sakura, who was in danger, did not retreat but rushed directly to the puppet warrior, instantly kicking the puppet that looked like it was made of inferior wood into pieces, and then flew back to avoid the kunai shot by the shadow clone.

"That's about it, Mizuki, do you want to continue?"

"Let's finish what we started. Shadow clone doesn't have much time left."

Next, even though the Mizuki Kage clones intentionally let go, the two sides maintained an offensive and defensive situation. Finally, the exhausted Haruno Sakura managed to hold on until the Mizuki Kage clones disappeared.

Just when even Kakashi thought it was over, the puppet that was kicked away by Sakura suddenly recovered quickly and swung its sword at Sakura.

"What's going on? Why didn't the barrier disappear?" Kakashi could confirm that Mizuki's real body hadn't taken action. With the shadow clones gone, there shouldn't be anyone to use chakra to support the barrier, so everything should disappear. When Kakashi saw the puppet that should have been abandoned long ago move again, he couldn't help but be shocked. He pulled open his forehead protector, revealing his blocked Sharingan to observe carefully.

"What is that? It's not an ordinary puppet?"

Under the insight of the Sharingan, ordinary illusions and concealed truths are nowhere to be found.

"Did the shadow clone use the transformation technique? It doesn't seem like it. It was this that was supporting the illusion barrier." Kakashi turned his head in surprise and asked, "It seems that your purpose is to test this thing. You are really a scheming guy."

Sakura was seen dodging left and right, but her exhausted body could no longer support her. She felt weak and her feet slipped, and she was slashed by the unknown puppet-like creature that caught up with her.

Unable to dodge in time, Sakura could only close her eyes helplessly.

But Sakura, who had her eyes closed waiting for death, did not wait until the blade reached her, so she opened her eyes to observe, and saw a strand of hair falling along the blade.

Sakura, who survived the disaster, could no longer support her exhausted body and collapsed to the ground.

"I just cut your left hair, and now I cut the right one. It's finally symmetrical and your hairstyle looks normal. I'm sorry for damaging your carefully groomed hair." A shrill voice came out of the puppet's mouth, "To thank you for your hard work, I'll give this to you." A scroll was thrown to Haruno Sakura, "But you should think carefully about what I said. Without the corresponding strength, you will only be a burden to others."

Kakashi said to Mizuki with an unpleasant expression: "You are taking it too far, Mizuki."

"Hasn't he compensated me?" Shuimu shrugged indifferently, then made a seal, "Resolve."

The puppet disappeared in a puff of chakra smoke, and then the illusion barrier gradually dissipated.

"What did you give Sakura?"

"These are all the results of my recent research, some sealing techniques, potions, and illusion information. They are very practical and perfect for a ninja like Sakura who is a top student and a chakra control type."

"Student master?" Although Kakashi didn't quite understand, it didn't stop him from understanding the meaning. "Isn't it too early for her?"

Mizuki shook his head and sighed, "Kakashi, you are biased. Although she is not a ninja of the same type as Sasuke, nor as gifted as Naruto, you should not turn a blind eye to Haruno Sakura's talent, right?"

"Perhaps you're right. I'm not very good at dealing with this kind of female ninja."

"Deal with it?" Shuimu sneered. "It's none of my business anyway. She's your student, not mine. Do as you please. I'm going to submit the report, and I'll leave it to you from now on."

"This is really a headache. I had a bad feeling about this, but I didn't expect it to be so troublesome." Kakashi had a headache.