Chapter 29

Title: Chunin Exams 2

....

"Welcome to the stage for the second test, area 44." Anko began as she smirked and continued. "Also known as...'The Forest Of Death '!!"

The Forest of Death, when observed from the outside, was a dense and foreboding forested area.

It was shrouded in an aura of mystery and danger. The forest is known for its tall trees with thick canopies that block out much of the sunlight, creating a dark and eerie atmosphere.

The forest is filled with wildlife, both ordinary and extraordinary, and is rumored to be home to various creatures and obstacles designed to challenge those who enter, as it is famously used as the setting for the Chunin Exams.

"This is Creepy." Sakura said as he observed the forest lying beyond the fence to which many others nodded, albeit to themselves.

"You would soon find out...why it's called 'Forest of Death'" Anko said to which Naruto snickered and repeated her words mockingly.

"Hah! You think that scares me? That's nothing. I'm not scared." He said while making sure Anko knew he was talking to her.

'Hoh? That's the Uzumaki brat Shun's always on about eh?' Anko thought as she gave him an eye smile. "Yeah... You sure are spirited."

Pulling out a Kunai, she quickly threw it at Naruto, nicking his cheeks and drawing blood.

Before Naruto and everyone around him could actually process what just happened, Anko appeared behind him and licked up the blood dripping down his cheek.

"Spraying that red blood I love so much..." she muttered before gazing sharply behind her to block a Kunai being thrown at her.

"Your Kunai..." the man who three it said as he licked his lips seductively causing Anko to shiver imperceptibly.

"Why thank you." She responded. "But you know...don't sneak up behind me..unless you wanna die." She finished while still cradling Naruto who was facing the full bloodlust of the two.

"Forgive me... I just get excited when I see blood, plus, you cut my precious hair, I couldn't help it." The man said and took a step back.

"Ah... Sorry about that, but as a man, why care so much about your hair..? Ah, forget it." She said as she remembered a certain white haired man who has hairs longer than any woman she had ever seen.

Meanwhile, the young man in question who was sneaking around in the Hideout of a fellow hair enthusiast suddenly sneezed.

"The hell? Who's cursing me right now? Orochimaru couldn't have discovered I'm borrowing some materials from his hideout, could he?" He muttered before scoffing. "Yeah right, like anyone would ever discover..."

...

The atmosphere outside the forest of death was extremely tense as everyone watched the exchange between the examiner and their fellow examinee.

However, a certain blonde wasn't feeling the tension, what he currently found perturbing was: "Why is that guys tongue so long?"

"Looks like we have a blood thirsty one in this exam. Hehehe, this could be fun." Anko said under her breath which Naruto heard and thought. 'Like hell! You're the most bloodthirsty one.'

Thankfully, his one in a while wisdom made him understand he shouldn't say that aloud.

"Now! Before we start the second test, there's something I have to pass out..." Anko said as she passed out the life and death agreement forms while explaining their purposes.

After everyone had gotten theirs, she then said. "I'm going to explain the second test, then you can sign it afterwards. And then each team will check in at that booth behind me..."

She then went on the explain that the second test was a test of survival. She explained the layout of Area 44 as well as it's natural habitats, the distance from one gate to the other as well as the distance from the gates to the tower.

"Most importantly, in this exams, there are no rules." She said and pulled out two scrolls. "You will fight over these two scrolls, the Heaven and Earth Scrolls."

"There are 78 people here, which means there are 26 teams. Half will get 13 Earth Scrolls while the other half will get 13 Heaven Scrolls." She said and then her expression changed into a grave one.

"To pass that test, your team must make it to the tower with BOTH Scrolls."

The examinees quickly put two and two together and understood that only half of the team present were going to make it. And that was considering the fact that only two teams would meet throughout the span of the exams.

"The second test has a time limit. 120 Hours. No more, no less. Exactly 5 days." Anko said.

"Five days?!"

"How's that possible?"

"What about dinner?!"

Anko decided to selectively ignore the last comment and continued. "You're on your own. The forest is full of food. Just watch out for man-eating beasts, poisonous insects, poisonous plants...." she went on to give them friendly reminders which only served to frighten them.

She then went on to explain the terms of disqualifications and then said. "A simple word of advice... Don't die."

"..."

The entire group of examinees all went silent as their already grave expressions turned even graver.

From her words, they understood that even the slightest mistake could claim their lives.

"It's about time to exchange the scrolls..." an examiner seated in the booth shouted causing Anko to smile and flicker away

...

Sasuke's POV.

'Life and Death Agreement...'

Looking at the sheet of paper he held in his hand, Sasuke couldn't help but wonder... Life and Death.

Signing this meant that in the off-chance he died, no one would hold the village responsible.

By signing this agreement, his life and death has nothing to do with the village any longer, but was that what was bothering him?

No.

He was bothered than one of his teammates, Sakura to be exact would refuse to sign the agreement. He knew he couldn't put pressure on her, as that would mean that if she died, her death was on his hands.

Yet, he also knew he needed her to sign the agreement so he could achieve his full potential by fighting strong people of his age.

He had trained for as long as he could remember just to prove himself and know the truth behind his family's predicament.

He had honed his mind during his daily meditations by focusing it on one thing alone. Surpassing Itachi Uchiha.

To do that, he had trained more than anyone knew, he had exhausted his chakra over and over and over again, just to make sure it increased by even a small margin.

He couldn't escape his brother's shadow.

A genius, who at the age of 12 was already a Jounin, an expert one at that. He was so strong that even Shun affirmed to the fact that he alone could destroy the leaf village should he put his mind to it.

There was no way he wasn't reminded of that fact on a daily basis, however, he didn't allow that anger or inferiorty to deter him.

He trained. When he failed, he learnt from it and overcame it, when he fell, he always stood back up, just so he could be one step closer to surpassing his brother.

He knew that the village wouldn't give him, or rather, allow him the environment he needed to grow, yet he reminded himself that by climbing the ranks of Shinobi, he would be allowed certain privileges.

That was why he couldn't pass up on this opportunity. He needed to show his strength. Affirm it by clashing against those of equal might as his.

Only by defeating them would be know that he had grown. He needed that challenge.

And by winning, he would be a step closer to finding out the truth and knowing how to go about his revenge.

Casting one last look at the sheet of paper, he bit his thumb, drawing blood and stamping his thumbprint on it, and with a look of unwavering determination, he walked over to Naruto who was chilling beside Hinata and team 9.

"Hey"

...

Naruto POV.

'Life and Death Agreement? Please, like I could even lose to any one of these guys in this exams.' Naruto thought to himself confidently as he immediately bit his thumb and stamped..

"Naruto...." He heard his name and turned to see a bewildered Hinata. "Hinata-chan." He greeted back with a bright smile. "What's with that look?" He asked.

"You didn't even read through the paper." Hinata said and shook her head with a sigh.

"Hehehe." Naruto scratched his nose. "What's there to read, I'm the man who's gonna become Hokage. I still need the villagers to respect me y'know. What Hokage would be afraid of some Genins?"

Naruto asked with a carefreeness that made Hinata stumped for a moment before she chuckled.

"What? Why are you laughing?" Naruto asked with a frown. He felt that Hinata was making fun of him, but knowing her, he also knew she wasn't, causing his confusion.

"It's nothing. For a moment I forgot something important about you." Hinata said. "you're right. What's there to be afraid. We just need to win, right?"

"Of course." Naruto said with his smile back and his carefree aura nearly affecting those around him.

Hinata then called her two teammates, Kiba and Shino, who had both already signed their papers. The four of them then went on to sit underneath a tree as they discussed.

Kiba and Naruto were at loggerheads on who would reach the tower first while Shino was being his usual self... going unnoticed.

As for Hinata, she just watched their banter with an affectionate smile, but underneath that smile, one could see an unwavering resolve.

As someone who's life had been changed by Naruto, she knew one thing about him that only those close to him would realise only after spending a good amount of time with him.

He wasn't one to give up.

No matter the obstacle he was up against, Naruto had never been one to cower or even take a step back

Yes, she knew it was rash, but some way or another, he always stuck to his commitments.

When he failed to run up the hill fast enough on one occasion due to his unfamiliarity with the hill sides, she saw him run up and down the hill consistently till he broke the record Kiba had created.

It was after than incident that Kiba would always want to compete with Naruto.

Kiba had gone up the hill on one occasion and saw Naruto's name above his, after throwing a tantrum at how he cheated, Hinata beat him up before making him understand that Naruto did it fair and square.

He wanted to question how she knew, and as though reading his thoughts, she told him: I was there.

Since then, Kiba would always compete with Naruto while also giving Hinata a good degree of respect.

Looking back, she realized that she had also grown into Naruto's way of thinking. His ninja way was to never give up, and that was also her's.

...

Time passed and Anko called everyone back to submit their forms, after which she said.

"Alright, everyone, follow your proctors to their respective gates. When the signal sounds in half an hour, the exams will begin."

As she said that, the various Chunins led their respective teams to their gates...

And quickly, time passed.

30 minutes later...

"Part two of the Chunin Ninja Selection Exams, Begins...Now!"

...

"All right!" A certain blonde said as he stood in front of his teammates and declared. "Let's Go!"

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