The release date for the English version of 'Naruto, Vol. 05: The Challengers' by
Masashi Kishimoto is Dec 2004. If you enjoy this novel, it is available for buy as a paperback from Barnes & Noble or Indigo, as an ebook on the Amazon Kindle store, or as an audiobook on Audible.
The three ninja-in-training have registered for the Chūnin Selection Exams, which they need to pass in order to become shinobi in the true sense. It is too late for them to realize how risky and demanding the examinations are. If they survive the trials of combat, stealth, and talent, their fellow junior ninja will. Moreover, the three are only as good as their weakest member—Naruto—because they succeed or fail together!