(Ruby's Point Of View)

Anko smashed through the window for a grand entrance which made me laugh because she was always trying to show off to people.

"Hang on kids and don't celebrate yet, I'm your best Procter! You ready for the second test! Good! Let's go! Follow me!". She looked around the room and people googled eyed her. "How many are there... Ibiki... You must be getting soft."

"Or it could be a stronger crop of candidates this year." Ibiki replied as Anko hummed and she said that they don't look it. "Trust me, before I'm done with them, more then half will be eliminated." This shocked everyone in the room and got them a little shaken up and scared.

"Heh, this is going to be fun... All right, you maggots have had it easy so far, but things are going to be different starting first thing in the morning. I'll let your squad leaders let you know where to meet me. Dismissed."

Everyone left the room and all went home to discuss and worry about what is going to happen tomorrow.

*********Time skip brought to you by stressing out about end of the term finals**********

It was the next day and everyone met up at the place that there squad leaders told them to meet at which I reconized as "The Forest Of Death". Naruto asked what this place was with a determined and curious look on his face.

"This is the location for the second phase of the exam. It's a forty-fourth battle training zone, but we call it... The Forest Of Death." This shook everyone up as the wind blew against there faces. Naruto looked up at the tree tops of the forest with a grim look on his face.

Sakura said that this place creeps her out and Anko said that it should because it was called The Forest Of Death and soon they will find out why. Naruto scoffed and said that he wasn't scared of a little forest. A kunai knife scratched his cheek as it for by his face and she reappeared behind him.

"People like you always leave there blood all over this Forest." She felt someone behind her and she grabbed a kunai to chase them off but it was a grass ninja who was holding the kunai with her tounge.

""I was... Just returning your knife...". She thanked him as she creased Naruto's cheek which had a scratch on it. Everyone was creeped out by the woman who gave Anko the knife because she said she got excited with blood.

Anko walked back to the front and started to talk again. She pulled out a paper and she said that everyone had to sign one with when they get passed out. They got confused and asked what it was for.

"Some of you may not come back from this test and I have to get your consent about that risk. Otherwise it would be my responsibility!". She laughed and everyone was shocked at what they had heard.

"Now, I will explain what you will be doing for this test. The first thing you need to know that is this test will tax everyone of your survival skills. First, I will give you all the description of the terrain on the practice field." She said holding a scroll.

She started to explain what the terrain was like and I already knew about it so I zoned out until she started to talk about the two scrolls you needed to get to pass. "You'll be fighting to get both a heaven scroll and an earth scroll. Altogether, twenty six teams will be taking part on this test, so half of those trends will be going for the heaven scroll and the other half will be trying to get an earth scroll." She says explaining what to do.

"I'll hand over one kind of each scroll to each team, and that's what you'll be vying for." Sasuke asked how we pass the test and everyone was quiet, waiting for an answer. "Your entire squad must bring both the heaven and earth scroll to the tower."

"That means at the very best, half of us will fail or more if not every team is not able to get both scrolls..." Sakura said with worry in her voice as Anko said that no one ever said that it was going to be easy. "Oh, and one more thing... the test has a time limit, you must finish it within five days."

Squad Nine started to freak out about how long it was going to be and what they were going to do about food. "Just look around, the forest is full of things to eat. There's plenty to feed all of you." Kabuto looked at her with a mischievous look in his eyes. "But that's not all the forest has in store... There are man eating beasts and poisonous plants in there."

"This is designed to be a grueling test and I'm sure some of you wont be up to the challenge..." Shikamaru rose his hand and started to speak. "So lets say its mid exam... can we quit?" Anko looked at him with a straight look.

"Of course not, in the middle of a battle you can't just say "sorry, I quit". Well I guess you could, but its probably going to get you killed!" She said with a smile on her face but no one looked amused.

"There are also some ways you can get disqualified... The first is simple, if all three team members of a team can't make it to the tower with both scrolls after five days. Number two, if a team loses a member or a member becomes incapacitated and cannot continue... But most important, none of you, absolutely none of you look at the contents of the scrolls until you have reached the tower."

Naruto asked what if it just flops open and Anko responded saying that he didn't want to know. "There will be a time when a ninja is asked to carry secret documents... The scroll role is to test your integrity... Okay, were done. Each team take your consent forms and exchange them over there for your scrolls. After that, each team pick a gate and you'll be let inside... Oh, and I have one word of advice, just don't die!"

Everyone looked determined when she says this then signed there papers and went to trade them in for there scroll. Squad seven turned in there papers and received a heaven scroll. They choose gate twelve and Naruto started giving advice like saying that they are going to win and stuff like that.

Then they waited until it was two o'clock and when the clock struck two the doors opened and Squad Seven normally walked in when everyone else walked in. They have been walking for about ten minutes until they heard a scream which startled them. Naruto said he had to go to the bathroom so he went behind a few bushes while his squad waited for him.

Naruto came back but he looked different and so did his chakra. He said hi to them and Sasuke punched him in the gut which got Sakura confused. Naruto said that he has gone crazy and Sasuke scoffed. "Yea right, I just struck before you could!"

He lunged at Naruto and they started to kunai knife fight until Sasuke got a clear shot and Naruto dodged a way that Naruto wouldn't dodge. Sakura asked what he was doing and he said to take a closer look at the Fourth Hokage's son.

Sasuke asked where Naruto was and they looked at him thinking he was crazy until he pointed out that Naruto didn't have a cut on his right cheek and that his ninja pouch was on his left leg and not his right leg. Smoke covered the fake Naruto and a man appeared who was wearing an oxygen like mask over his face.

"Alright, you got me, so what? Were still going to take your scroll so hand it over or else." Sakura pulled out a kunai and got into the same position as Sasuke. "So, which one of you has it? Hmm, fine, I guess I am going to have to take you both out!" He lunged at them and they got into a defense pose, ready to block him.

Sasuke jumped up and made hand signs for the Justu "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu" and shot out many many fireballs at the person who was attacking them. He dodged all of the attack and lunged at Sasuke with a kunai but Sasuke blocked it with his own kunai. Sasuke saw Naruto and threw a kunai to get him out of the ropes then went after the guy.

The guy threw paper bombs at Sasuke and he hurried and got out of the way so he wouldn't get hit. Naruto threw a kunai at the guy but Sasuke caught in with the chakra on his foot then threw it at the bad guy.

Sasuke then lunged at him and stabbed a kunai in his chest which surprised the attacker. The guy pushed him away then ram off into the trees which left Squad Seven all on their own.

They sat down in a circle and Sasuke started to speak. "That proves that we just can't trust appearances. We have to come up with a way of knowing that each of us is who we say we are, and not some impostor using a transformation Jutsu." Naruto nodded and Sakura asked what they should do.

"We need a password..." Naruto asked what kind and Sasuke said a secret one. "Something known only to the three of us, and don't trust anyone who doesn't know it. No matter what. Okay, listen closely because I only want to say this once. The qusetion will be "When does a ninja strike"? The response is "A ninja waits till the time is right. When the enemy sleeps and drops his guard, with his weapon life forgotten in the stillness of the night. That is the moment for a ninja to strike. Got it."

Sakura nodded while Naruto looked confused and asked for him to repeat it but Sasuke said that he wouldn't while Sakura said she got it on the first try. "I know, its just, I have a hard time remembering things, okay, geez." Naruto pouted as I giggled even though no one could hear it.

"Alright, then, I'll take the scroll..." Suddenly, something sliced Naruto's cheek which made then look deep into the forest. Then a strong gust of wind blew them away into different places. I hurry and ran over to Naruto to see if he was okay and I see him with his back to the tree.

"Hey, where did Sasuke and Sakura go? I wonder if they..." A shadow loomed over Naruto and I turned out to be a gigantic snake that ate him whole. I gasped and clenched my fists because I knew that there was nothing but stand and watch as Naruto gets digested.

Suddenly I heard someone shout and I see hundreds of Naruto's jumping out of the snake, making the snake explode. I smiled, knowing that he was okay and that there was nothing to worry about.

Naruto hurry and wiped away the slime from being inside the snake and hurry and jumped into the trees to find his teammates. He finally came and saw some snake lady going after Sasuke so he threw shuriken and kunai's to stop him. "Well, it looks like I made it just in time! Oh and by the way? What was that password again?"

Sakura shouted his name in glee while Sasuke called him an idiot for coming. "Naruto! Get out of here! What are you thinking! You don't know what you're up against! Hurry! Go now while you still can!"

The weird snake lady congradulated Naruto from getting away from his friend which then it hit me. The snake like features and the gigantic snake! This was the Sannin, Orochimaru! Naruto needed to get out of here because he was to dangerous but I couldn't do anything but watch.

I see that Sasuke turned off his Sharingan and pulled out the heaven scroll. "You can have it... The scroll right? That's what you want? Alright then, taking it and leave us in peace." Naruto and Sakura looked shocked at what he was proposing.

"Very wise, very sensible. Sometimes the prey if they are to save there own skins, there only hope is to district the predator with something even more precious." Sasuke threw the scroll while Naruto swiftly jumped down and grabbed the scroll mid air so Orochimaru wouldn't get it.

"Stop, playing the hero and just leave this to me..." Naruto punched him in the face while saying that he was an impostor. "Your not the Sasuke I know! I don't care how tough a fight you've been through... surrendering... giving up the scroll... You keep saying I don't understand on but I do, you choked, that's what it is"

We heard laughter and I saw Orochimaru stand up. "Sad, but true... it doesn't matter... as far as the scrolls go, I could simply kill you then take it." He lifted up his sleeve to show a summoning tattoo. He smeared blood onto it and a snake appeared under his feet which meant he was standing on it.

The snake almost hit Naruto by slamming its head where Naruto was standing but he jumped away in time and shielded his eyes from the flying wood. "hehe, what a tasty meal you would make for him. Careful, he likes to play with his food."

The snake hit his tail on the branch Naruto was standing on which made him fly up and hit a branch, knocking him out. He started to fall straight for the snakes mouth, and I closed my eyes, not wanting to know what happens next.

Suddenly, I felt a horrible Chakra in the air that it was almost suffocating, and I knew exactly what it was. I opened my eyes to see Naruto open his, but instead of his normal blue color... they were red with slits for the pupils. "Nine Tails..." I whispered into the air.

Naruto spun around and kick the snake in the snout. I could now perfectly see his face which were his eyes changed and his whisker marks were darker than usual and his hair was spikier than usual.

Naruto started to rapidly hitting the snake in the snout until Orochimaru made a fireball and blew it out at Naruto which hit him directly, making him fall onto a branch.

He then got up when he saw the snake lunging at Sasuke and stopped him by plunging two kunai into his snout, killing it. Naruto looked up at Sasuke with his piercing red eyes, scaring Sasuek. "Your not hurt are you, scardy cat! Standing there frozen there like a frightened rabbit... no way... You're not the Sasuke I know."

Suddenly, Orochimaru's tounge rapped around Naruto, carrying up into the air and brought him closer to him. He made a hand sign and lifted up Naruto's shirt and plunged his hand onto his seal making him scream. I gasped as he was knocked out and was thrown at a tree and Sakura threw a kunai, so he wouldnt fall.

"Sasuke? What's wrong with you! Say what you like about Naruto, he's annoying and he gets in the way, he's just a kid... but at least... at least he's doing something! At least he's no coward!" Sasuke stayed there frozen then closed his eyes then opened them with the sharingan activated.

The snake disappeared in a puff of smoke and the sun showed through the trees, lighting up the forest floor. He pulled out a kunai and got into a fighting postion then put it into his mouth and ran at Orochimaru.

The battle went on for a while and I saw that Naruto started to wake up and watched the battle go on until it got to the point where Sasuke was kneelign on the ground and his neck stretched out and was aiming at Sasuke.

Naruto took the kunai off his jacket and used his speed to run in front of Sasuke take the hit which was a bit to the neck. I screamed at him because knew what just happened. Orochimaru just gave my nephew the curse mark...

Naruto fell to the ground shaking and screaming his lungs as Sasuke just stared at him and asked him why. Naruto was grunting but slowly said... "I-I guess... this is payback for what... you did at the bridge." Sasuke's eyes widen as Naruto fainted from all the pain and Sakura called out his name in distress.

Orochimaru suddenly started to sink into the ground saying that he got the wrong target but what he got was still a prize.

Sakura came down next to Sasuke and Naruto and check him over. She gasped when she saw the curse mark on his shoulder and Sasuke punched the saying "Damn it" over and over again.

Sasuke finally stopped then looked up at the unconscious Naruto then slowly stood up. He grabbed Naruto and slang his arms under his so he could carry him.

"We need to get to a save place. Out here, we are vulnerable out here on our own." Sakura nodded then stood up as well and they walked until they found a tree that they could hangout and get fish and set traps.

Sakura set up some traps while Sasuke got some fish and started to cook them. \

Once they were finished they checked up on Naruto and they found that he had a high fever and was whimpering so he must be having a bad dream or something.

I looked down because I knew that his parents were not going to be happy about this though there was nothing I could do about it. I sighed and kept watching the bad shape that me nephew was in.

Suddenly, someone came into the clearing and they got into a defensive position until they saw it was Kabuto so they mostly put down there guard, but not all the way.

He raised his hands saying that he came in peace and that his team was killed so he had no means to fight. Sasuke asked how they could trust him and kabuto said that he was not going to be in the tournament anymore because he was to much hurt and his teammates have gone missing so he was going to give the closest team to him his scrolls.

Kabuto put the scrolls on the ground, both the Heaven and Earth scrolls then slowly walked away until he saw Naruto. "I am a medical Ninja so I can help heal your friend. Please, I just want to help." Sakura agreed with much glee and pleading eyes.

Sasuke walked to get the scrolls but first made sure it wasn't a booby trap but found out there was none which confused him.

Kabuto started to heal Naruto enough that he could wake up and he did.

Naruto slowly opened his eyes and asked what was going on while Sakura cried and hugged him while Sasuke sighed but smiled. Sasuke told him everything that happened which made Naruto grab his neck in remembrance and pain.

Sakura turned to thank Kabuto but he was already gone which made everyone wonder where he went.

Sasuke held up the two scrolls then looked up at the sky. They have been here for four days already so they have got to hurry and get to the tower. Naruto had a hard time running but was able to manage, thanks to the Nine Tails Chakra.

They made it to the tower by the end of the fifth day, because they took a lot of breaks and being extra careful not to run into anyone.

Once they got there, they found out that they had to open the scrolls because it was a summoning Jutsu scroll and when they did, Iruka appeared. He told them that they passed the test so they got to go onto third round.

They got to an open room where there were three other teams waiting to go into the Third Round but the Third Hokage said that they were going to have a preliminaries to cut it in half.

So the Preliminaries have begone!

Hey Guys!

The episodes used in this chapter were Naruto episodes 25 - 30!

Check out my new story "The Diary (Minato Namikaze Love Story)

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