Ch16- Chunin exams

18 months after they graduated.

All of team 22 was already familiar with Kakashi and had thus planned their morning schedule around him being late to every unimportant meeting. Because of that, they all arrived ten minutes to half an hour late, having to wait a few minutes instead of an hour.

"Alright team, I have decided that you guys are good enough to participate in the incoming Chunin exams. The Hokage has also given his permission. As such, we will be traveling to Kirigakure where it will take place. Be prepared, as the image of our village lies on your shoulders."

Although Kakashi had already expected not to hear much of an answer, he was still astonished at how few words they would say in a day. Well, at least he still had the energetic Uzumaki who was, without a doubt, the loudest. "Alright, Kakashi-sensei."

***

The travel towards the village hidden in the mist went smooth as they traveled in a rather sizeable group, consisting of three genin teams and two Jonin instructors. Their group mainly consisted of Genins that were dispensable but not too weak in case the hidden mist would backstab them. They wouldn't want to lose their biggest talents after all.

Since they were still from the same village, even if they were competitors, they still went through each team's plans and shared ideas. For the sake of their village, they had no problem helping their fellow shinobi, even if it gave them a slight disadvantage if they had to face each other.

While the two other teams were happily chatting with each other, Namaki and Namiko were by themselves while Semaru was nearby, meditating.

This didn't sit well with a member of team 18, one of the other teams participating with them. "Oy! Help us make plans so that we have better chances to pass!"

Although their team was naturally quiet, even Namiko was slightly pissed at their fellow leaf shinobi. Why should they have to help them pass? Even the Hyuga was starting to glare at them with an unfriendly gaze. "Didn't you hear him!? Go and give us your plans, even if you won't pass, we will."

"Fuck of, ant." Even the two siblings were surprised to see the sudden outburst of their teammate, who would rarely even speak louder than necessary.

"Who the f*ck are you calling an ant!?"

"He obviously meant you, though I do have to apologize since his words were unfitting." This calmed them slightly down, as smug grins could be seen on their faces. Which abruptly fell, when they heard what else Namaki had to say. "You are not even worth being called ants. They are at least strong enough to survive, something I couldn't say about you even if I would try my best to overestimate you."

Never had they been insulted like that. They were proud shinobi of the leaf, who would soon become Chunin, something not any civilian-born child was able to accomplish. "I'll kill you, you ugly bitch!"

Both Namiko and Semaru didn't even show signs of getting up as they observed with boredom how Namaki easily defended the attacks of the incoming Genin. It didn't take long for her enemy to be on the ground as she went ahead and dealt with the other two. Fortunately, the third team consisted of a few rather competent shinobi, who merely watched the incompetency of the defeated team with interest.

It was quite obvious to them, that the team without a Jonin instructor had almost no teamwork running for them and was not nearly strong enough to partake in the Chunin exams.

They arrived in Kirigakure two days later without the other team attacking them, as they seemed to have learned their lesson. However, they didn't have much interaction with the last team either as they both knew that it wasn't worth it. Additionally, they had no reason to fight, except to spar while training.

***

"Welcome to Kirigakure. All of you are here today to participate in the chunin exams. For the first stage, let the team captain come towards room 5 while all the others will go to room 3."

While some teams had to decide who the leader or vice-leader after their Jonin-sensei was, all the other captains including Namiko had already made their way to room 5. Those were the teams, which would most likely make it the furthest, as teams without a commanding structure had no place in the shinobi world.

"Now listen up you brats! I'm the proctor of your side of the exams. Each one of you will have to take a written test, which consisted of a few multiple-choice questions. However be careful, as all answers you give will have consequences."

As Namiko stared at the questions, she was surprised to find the answers were rather easily answered.

The same happened to her teammates as they easily passed the first stage. Even the second stage was only small of a problem. What surprised them however was how few had passed. Those that had were the best, which would make it hard to win the tournament. It didn't matter, however, as they still fought the best they could. Both Namiko and Namaki won while Semaru barely lost against one of the favorites from Kiri.

In the semi-finals, Namiko lost to Namaki who later won the tournament. Even the favorite from Kiri was not her opponent.

As they went back to Konoha, they were suddenly ambushed by a few rouge shinobi and bandits, who captured Namaki and Semaru, leaving only Namiko standing. Kakashi-sensei was already lying weakly on the ground, swimming in his blood. While he was alive, he had been rendered useless until he would manage to get back enough chakra to go back to Kiri and get treatment.

While Namiko was being overwhelmed, she noticed how a few enemies had gone over to the trapped Namaki and started ripping her clothes to shreds, leaving her chest exposed. Even if the person in question didn't bother with it she couldn't bear to look at that sight and do nothing.

Namiko meanwhile was cursing, as she needed a bit more time to further open her seal, as she had almost no chakra remaining.

At the same time, some bandits had taken Semaru and bound him to a crate at a 360 angle with his face and stomach facing the air.

Namiko had only two possible choices, run and leave her teammates behind or try her best to free them, and risk all of them living a life worse than death for years to come.

Although she hesitated for a few seconds, which was natural since she would walk towards hell, she ultimately decided to risk it. Storming towards Semaru, she was unfortunately too late to stop a grown man and woman from having their way with him. However, even then, she slit both their throats, killing them on the spot and leaving one dead on top of Semaru. This chance made him able to retaliate as he regained all of his chakra after destroying the seal and recovering his will to fight, especially after being tainted by those scum.

However before she could properly go back into the fight, a bandit suddenly appeared next to Namiko and buried a sword deep into her left arm. She instantly knew that it was lost, as they had no medic on their team. However, she quickly got over the shock and dispatched the bandits head.

As they were both now able to move, Namiko and Semaru started slaughtering their enemies while having to watch how some of them started to play with their teammate. Though most had come to aid the others in fighting them, leaving only two remaining. Once again they could have decided to run but they decided not to.

While Namiko went to free her sister, who had already killed the remaining two bandits while she was still bound and molested, Semaru got their sensei who was barely breathing. Together they made their way towards Konoha in the hopes of them all surviving.

Multiple years passed like this. All three of her little siblings were now in the academy, while Namaki, Semaru and Namiko continued to go on missions.

They were still led by Namiko, even after they had become Jonin, but it seemed like her days would soon take a dark turn.

"Oy! Stay with me! Don't you dare die on me now!" Although Namiko had saved him all those years ago, Semaru was unable to escape his trauma and had decided to take his life, almost taking Namaki with him. She didn't know why, but the Hyuga that had slowly opened up to them had refused to get help with the Yamanaka clan and had continued to drown in his mental struggle, losing in the end.

Namiko was lost. Every thought she had , would just continue to let her spiral. From self-depreciation to suicidal thoughts, she was worse than Kakashi.

The biggest pillar in her life, her big sister and mother figure, Nozomi had been in a coma for weeks now and the atmosphere at home had grown gloomy.

Every time she returned, she could feel her family's criticizing looks, clearly pushing the fault of Nozomi's coma on her shoulders.

She couldn't live like this. Her family had turned against her and she had almost no friends because she never needed them. Now she felt the drawback of her actions. Alone in a random apartment in Konoha, without a purpose, without will. The only reason to stay were her duties. But even there, the expectations of her superiors, especially Danzo whom she was working under, continued to gnaw on her mind, causing waves of self-doubt and depression.

Out of the people that went to Kumogakure, only herself and Kakashi-sensei were alive while Namaki was in a coma. She felt broken, mentally and physically. However, she still had a duty towards her village, as well as Naruto whom she was taking care of now that Namaki wasn't able to. Even if he hated her, she continued to invest her salary to make his life better.

Even after Nozomi woke up a few years later, nothing improved. Or rather, it got even worse when Nozomi looked at her one day, "why wasn't it you?"

***

*pant* *pant* *pant* Namiko felt like she woke up from a nightmare. However, as she looked around her, she was able to notice her fellow shinobis that were lying motionless on the beds splattered around the room.

Letting out a huge sigh to rid herself of those negative emotions, she sat herself up and was soon greeted by the proctor who quickly got someone to bring her to another room where Namaki was already waiting. Soon Semaru followed as the room slowly began to fill up with the participants.

It appeared, that everyone had been put under a genjutsu without them knowing. Some had tried running away and leaving their teammates behind, only to suffer the same fate as them, breaking under the daily torture and rape. Others had tried to save their teammates, only to end their lives shortly after they did because they couldn't cope with the grief.

There were even a few, that had just surrendered to their fate or had taken their own lives in order not to suffer as much. The craziest however was a team of shinobi from a village only Namaki knew off, the village hidden in the sound, that had surrendered. They had then enjoyed themselves until their 'masters' had enough trust in them. After they grew bored of their 'masters', they decided to slit their 'masters' throats as pleasure took over their bodies while they got drenched in blood. Truly a team of creeps.

***

"Listen up! You all have experienced a Genjutsu to see if you are worthy to become chunin. While the leaders of the teams were free and had to help their teammates, the others had to first save themselves before that. All in all your experiences were largely similar." Smirking slightly, the proctor bathed in the satisfaction of their terrified expressions as every one of them remembered their experiences.

"Those that have made it back to their village and continued working as a shinobi have passed. Even if you abandoned your teammates, killed them yourself, or they committed suicide, as long as you didn't run from your responsibilities you passed."

Looking at the disgusted looks some of them had on their faces, the proctor only let out a small chuckle, as he continued.

"You are shinobi and this means you will have to make sacrifices and overcome them. In the end, the village is the most important, even if it will cost your life. Now I will call out those that passed."

"Manabo Akado,

Namiko Uzumaki

Mibu

.

.

Gojou

.

Namaki Uzumaki

Ukita Kinu

Semaru Hyuga

.

.

Konoe Yasu

Fujioka

.

."

"You will have a one-week long break. After that, the second stage will start."

***

Heaving out a sigh of relief, all of the ones that still had their whole team remaining left rather satisfied while the others could only hit themselves for losing a teammate or their entire team.

While all three of them had made different decisions, all of them had passed in the end.

Namiko had freed them at the cost of an arm, letting them all escape.

Semaru had temporarily abandoned them, getting reinforcements from Konoha and freeing them. Even though they were traumatized they had made it in the end, only to try to commit suicide multiple times later on.

Namaki had the most abstract one, as she traded her freedom in exchange for her teammates. This caused her to suffer for a whole year under physical and sexual torture, but she still found an opportunity to slaughter them all. This caused all three of them to return safely to Konoha as she was easily able to endure any trauma she might have received.

After a week the second stage had begun. Only around 28 of the original over 100 participants had gotten towards the second stage.

As many had teammates that had failed, temporary 3-man teams and one solo team were made.

Luckily for them, their team was still complete. Only one other team from Kirigakure had managed to do the same. Even the strange 3-man cell of the hidden sound had only managed to get two of them to pass.

While they did enjoy themselves in the hands of enemy shinobi, it seemed like one of them had turned mad enough to accidentally slaughter her teammates too and later do the same in her village, which caused her to fail.

The second stage was quite simple. They had to survive inside a zone, which was the habitat of chunin-level beasts, for a week. Additionally, each team had gotten a scroll, which they had to defend with their lives. Only those that were able to give the proctor two at the end of the week would pass.