The Challengers!! (volume)

is volume 5 of the Naruto manga.

Chapters

 * 037.
 * 038.
 * 039.
 * 040.
 * 041.
 * 042.
 * 043.
 * 044.
 * 045.

Synopsis
Rock Lee has arrived to challenge Sasuke, much to the displeasure of Naruto. Naruto, claiming he will defeat Rock Lee rushes him head on, only to get pummeled by Rock Lee's Leaf Whirlwind. Naruto is sent spinning into a wall and knocked unconscious. Sasuke finally accepts Rock Lee's challenge. He rushes Lee and dodges his first attack. Just as Lee is about to deliver a second kick Sasuke raises his guard, only to be hit anyway. This surprises him, but he rises again, and to be able to see whatever jutsu Rock Lee is using, he activates his Sharingan. He rushes Rock Lee again and is once again hit, only this time Rock Lee sends him into the air, and floats under Sasuke, getting ready to use his jutsu. He tells Sasuke the secret behind his attacks. He is not using Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. Only Taijutsu, physical skills. Rock Lee also says Sasuke's Sharingan may be able to see his movements, but it is useless if Sasuke's body can not keep up with him.

Before Lee has a chance to use his move he is interrupted by his sensei, Might Guy. After a long discussion, where Guy claims he is faster than Kakashi, Team 7 resumes their journey to register for the Chūnin Exams. When they arrive at the door Kakashi is pleased that Sakura decided to come because if she had not, neither Naruto nor Sasuke would have been able to register.

When they arrive at registration, they meet up with the other nine rookies but they also meet a newcomer: Kabuto Yakushi. Kabuto has taken the exam seven times! Kabuto reveals he has ninja info cards, containing data on all the participants. Sasuke tells him to show him the info about the sand ninja he had met earlier, Gaara of the desert and the info on Rock Lee. The one surprising thing about Gaara is that he has come back from every mission without a single scratch. Finally the exam begins, and surprising everyone, the first part of the exam is a written test! Their proctor, Ibiki Morino, reveals that they pass and fail as a team. If any one on someone's team gets a zero, the whole team fails. Naruto is extremely bad at writing written tests and is already freaking out. They also learn that if they get caught cheating five times, their whole team fails.

When the tests are handed out there is only one person in the room who knows how to answer the questions: Sakura. Sasuke finally realizes that this test is not only about the answers, but they are also testing the Genin on their information gathering skills. All the Genin find a way to gather the information, until the final question, which is given to them fifteen minutes before the end of the exam. If they get this question wrong, they will no longer be allowed to take the Chūnin Exams. After all the candidates who do not wish to take the question have left, the ones who remained learn they they have passed the test.

The proctor for the second exam, Anko Mitarashi, arrives. She brings them to the entrance of the Forest of Death. After she cuts Naruto's cheek with a kunai as punishment for his rude attitude, a man with a freakishly long tongue returns it to her. All the teams are then given one scroll, there are two different kind of scrolls and there goal is to get them both. They are not allowed to look at the scroll, and in the forest anything goes to get the scroll including killing each other. As all the teams are sent to different gates. They wait patiently for the exam to start. After a time of waiting the exam finally does start and they all prepare to enter the Forest of Death.