A few years after the current Naruto storyline, young genins (OCs) from throughout the shinobi world are eager to prove their potential to become a chuunin in the Chuunin Selection Exams, this year being held in Konoha.

Those who pass the first test make their way to the Forest of Death…

This is a fan fic based on an online RPG I began and took part in (in fact still taking part in) on a forum I frequent. Although I edited the RPG, and came up with the idea for it, very substantial parts of it were written by my fellow forum members Shadow (who created and played the Sand team) and 343 (who created and controlled the Mist team). The Konoha team was my own creation. Mostly OCs. Reviews, opinions and comments would be very welcome.

CHAPTER 1

Anko finished explaining the rules of this second test to the genins who had been successful in passing the first test. She began to hand round the consent to them, some of whom were shocked or scared, while others were already pondering the best strategy to pass the test.

Ralfe, Kyo and Rina, a team of 15-year-olds from Konoha listened in surprise to the explanation of the rules.

'Holy cow', said Kyo, 'This is gonna be great.' Kyo was a tall boy, with blond spiky hair who wore a red jacket and clothes, and was the strongest fighter in the team. As usual, he remained full of energy and confidence.

'Look, ass, you have to take this test seriously, otherwise we're gonna get killed out there. We have to come up with a strategy.' said Ralfe, the team leader. Though not particularly strong, he possessed a quick mind and could come with plans fairly quickly. He retied his headband backwards around his head, over the beanie hat which he always wore.

'OK, whatever.' replied Kyo.

'I think we should listen to Ralfe, Kyo. He is a great strategist, and thats why Genma made him the leader of this team,' advised the third member of the team. Rina was a pretty girl with long, red hair and matching clothes. She was the least confident of the team. She had not really wanted to enter the exam, but her team mates had convinced her to do so.

'OK, I think I got a good plan.' said Ralfe.

He explained his plan, and the three of them headed into the forest.

……………………………………………………………………….

A grass cell stood by their gate, chuckling.

'Sweet, we get a free run at all these weaklings,' said Kroan, a strong young man, the leader of the team.

'Yeh, even if we don't pass this lame exam, we get to kick a bunch of rookies' asses,' chuckled Kai, a spider-like boy with black spiky hair and long, thin arms.

'Look, you idiots, this exam isn't going to be easy. But we'll pass for sure. After all I'm on this team,' said Akari, the only female member of the team.

'Whatever,' replied Kroan, 'I'm the leader of this team. Don't forget it.'

………………………………………….

Shadow walked up with his team to sign the forms. After signing they were sent to their entrance. Shadow was a blood-thirsty thirteen-year-old who had a troubled past. He talked little and trusted only one person – Gaara, Kazekage, his tutor and mentor.

"Alright! Let's get going!" Haru said bouncing around. Haru was a little annoying and didn't get on well with Shadow.

"Shut up..." Shadow shot an icy cold glance at him, "We must wait and be silent, like you will be if you don't shut your mouth..."

Soni just sat down waiting for their scroll to arrive. The most sensible member of the cell, who was completely infatuated with Shadow.

A group of Genin walked up to Shadow's team and started talking about how badly they were going to kill them when one suddenly went flying and Shadow stand there, his chakra shifting the sand and ingulfs the other two's bodies.

"Weaklings..."Shadow said as he walked into the forest with his team.

……………………………………………………………………..

Ralfe finished explaining his proposed strategy to Kyo and Rina.

'Sounds good', said Rina.

'Ralfe came up with a strategy to cope with this test so quickly. His ability to adapt is incredible.' thought Rina in awe. She looked at Kyo. 'And Kyo is so strong. They're both such great shinobi. I'll never be able to match up to them'

Ralfe noticed the worried look on Rina's face, but attributed it to nerves. Kyo looked around the groups of genin, trying to find a weak link - the team that would be the easiest to defeat.

…………………………….

Upon completing his consent form, Kira gathered the other two members of his team and turned in the three forms of consent. He received the scroll, and pocketed it until the exam started. Rukia immediately began formulating a plan.

"All right, here's the deal. We should either try to catch one of the other teams off guard by attacking them early, or we should follow a team and slowly grind down their endurance until the fifth day, when we will kill them and take their scroll. The first option has a higher rate of success, but the risks are also greater, especially if one of us gets wounded. The second option is safer, but victory is not guaranteed."

Kenpachi cleared his throat.

"I vote for the first plan, since the team we follow until the end may not have the scroll we need..."

Kira nodded.

"He's right. And I hate waiting around anyway..."

These were a team of genin from the Village of Mist. Kira, the leader, was an orphan who had been taken in by their Jounin leader. He had a special bloodline limit that he only used if he had to. Kenpachi, also an orphan was a great taijutsu specialist. He was by far the fastest member of the team. Rukia was a good strategist and genjutsu user, who often had to keep her team mates in line.

After entering the Forest, Kira's team jumped into one of the taller trees, with Kenpachi and Rukia keeping a careful lookout. Kira sat in a meditative pose, with his pupils moving underneath his closed eyelids. After a short while his eyes stopped moving and opened. He raised a hand and pointed to their left.

"There are two teams over there. One is from Konoha, and the other appears to be from the village of Rain."

He pointed to their right.

"There is a team from the grass in that direction, along with what feels like the remnants of another team...but i can't tell where they are from..."

Rukia grinned rather evilly.

"Opportunity knocks...but which door should we open?"

………………………………

Shadow's team headed to the tower, having taken the heaven scroll they needed from the team they had just buried.

"That was easy" Haru chimed.

"Shut up we have to get to the tower before some one finds us..." Shadow said between his teeth

………………………..

Kira's team cautiously made their way towards a Konoha team that appeared to be stocking up on food supplies. Kenpachi looked at Rukia, who nodded grimly. She made a series of hand seals.

Illusion Harmony!

Suddenly the three Genins began slowly raising their arms up.They all began yelling in pain, at which point Kenpachi darted in and hit each of them in the chest with a flat palm. They stopped yelling and started coughing up blood. Kenpachi began rustling through their pockets, looking for their scroll.

'...They don't have one...perhaps they already lost it? No, they must have hidden it...Kessu...they're already dying from those hits to their sternums...they wouldn't even be able to tell me where it is...not that they would want to...'

He and Kira quickly hid the bodies and had Rukia set up a protective illusion preventing intruders from seeing the three Mist-nins in the top of the tree as they rested and regrouped.