Chapter 10: The Second Exam: The Forest of Death!

"Whoa, nice place. What is it?" Naruto asked.

A/N:

Author-chan has something to say!

Author-chan: There is a mini part in this chapter that isn't very appropriate for younger viewers. It isn't too bad, but it might disturb people, depending on their tolerance level. I put a warning where it starts, so if you wanna skip it, you can ^^ That is all!

Black Ice Chapter 10

The Forest of Death

After Anko had broken down the window she talked to us about the next exam, she didn't exactly explain what we were doing, she just said that there would be at most half of the teams that were still here to make it. It made me nervous, but I know we can pull through.

"This is the location for the 2nd phase of the exam. It's the 44thbattle training zone but we call it the forest of death." Anko replied.

"The Forest of... Death?" Naruto echoed.

"Pleasant…" I mumbled.

"This whole place completely freaks me out," Sakura said.

"It should. They call it the forest of death and soon enough you'll find out why." Anko replied

Naruto stuck out his butt and shook it, "They call it the forest of death and soon enough you'll find out why!" He imitated. "Do your worst you're not going to scare me away. I can handle anything!"

"So looks like we got ourselves a tough guy..." She threw a kunai and it grazed Naruto's cheek.

I jumped away.

Anko appeared behind Naruto, "Are you tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you? Guys like you usually leave there blood all over this forest."

A grass ninja appeared behind Anko, "I was just returning your knife..." His tongue was wrapped around the kunai.

A shiver ran down my spine. Who is this girl? She's creeping me out, I thought.

"Why thank you grass ninja…You know I really only recommend you stand this close behind me if you wish to reach your premature end..." She took the kunai.

"My pardon with the sight of blood on your blade sliding through my hair...I'm afraid I got a little excited I meant you no harm."

Naruto started to shake his tongue randomly around. I stared at him and he stopped.

"Seems like everyone here today is quick tempered. It's something in the air…This is going to be fun," Anko said.

"Some of you may not come back from this test and I have to have your sent for that risk otherwise it will be my responsibility…Now I'll explain what you'll be doing on this test. The first thing you need to
know is that this test will test everyone on your survival skills.

"First..." Anko said as she pulled out a map, "I'll give you all a description of the terrain on the practice field. The 44th battle training zone has 44 locked entrance gates. There are rivers and a forest inside. In the centre is a large locked tower located 10kmsfrom each gate. It's in this confined area you'll undergo the survival test...The test consists of and anything goes battle to get your hands on these..." Anko took out two scrolls.

"Both of them?" Sasuke asked.

"Yes you'll be fighting to get both a Heaven scroll and an Earth scroll...Altogether 28 teams will take part in this test so half of them teams will be going after the Heaven scroll and the other half will be trying to get the Earth scroll...I'll hand over one scroll to each team and that's what you'll be dying for."

"Ok so how do we pass the test?"

"Your entire squad must bring both a Heaven and an Earth scroll to the tower."

"That means that half of us will fail... More if not every team gets both the scrolls."

"No one said it would be easy oh and one more thing the test has a time limit. You must finish it within 5 days."

"5 days out there!" Ino yelled.

"What are we supposed to do for food?" Choji yelled.

"People obviously don't get the point of the word survival," I said.

"You should look around the forest is plenty of things to eat."

"Yeah but that's not all the forest is full of. There are man-eating beasts and poisonous plants in there," Kabuto said.

"Aw man!" Choji said.

"Quiet down. This is what survival is you know," Ino said.

"That means with these circumstances there's no way half the teams will pass the test."

"With the days getting longer the nights getting shorter...so we will have less time to sleep and less time to recover. It is a challenge indeed..." Lee said, his teeth sparkling.

"Completely surrounded by enemies. There won't be time to rest you have to keep a constant watch." I muttered quietly

"That's right. This test also measures endurance behind enemy lines. This is designed to be a group test and I'm sure some of you aren't up to the challenge."

"So mmm let's say in the exam can we quit?" Shikamaru asked.

"Of course not! In the middle of a battle you can't say sorry I quit. Well I guess you could but it will probably get you killed," Anko said.

"Oh just great. This is gunna be such a drag."

"There are also some ways you can get disqualified the first is simple if all 3 members of a team can't make it to the tower with both scrolls after 5 days. Number 2: If a team loses a member or if a
member becomes incapacitated and cannot continue but most important none of you and absolutely none of you may look at the contents of the scrolls until you reached the tower."

"What if it just happens to fly open and you read it?" Naruto asked.

"Let me put it to you this way little man. You don't want to know!"

"Gahhh" Naruto said cowering behind me.

I just turned and stared at him until he walked back up beside me.

"There are times when a ninja will be attacked to carry secret documents. The scroll rule is to test your integrity ok we're done each team take your consent form and exchange them over there for your scrolls. After that each team pick a gate and you'll be let inside…Oh and one word of advice...just don't die." Anko said eerily.

I see how it is. You don't know which team will have which scroll and we won't know which of the team members is carrying the scroll...Stealing information is really a matter of life and death...It's just as Ibiki said. Everyone is equally determined to pass and all of them my enemies,I thought as Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto joined me in line.

I signed my name on the form that said that we don't blame Anko if we die as the line moved. Sasuke and I sat down next to a rock. I waited until the line got short enough to go to it.

"Come on, it's our turn now." I stood up and then Sasuke stood up.

We walked into a small room with Naruto and Sakura and handed in our forms. Naruto picked up a scroll and put it in his pocket.

"Listen up all teams have received there scrolls so everybody go to your gate and wait there. When the gates open the test is on."

We walked over to gate twelve.

"Believe it I'm daring you to bring it on Ninja. I'll just send it right back twice as hard!" Naruto said.

We walked into the forest, our senses all on alert. I looked around cautiously, making sure I knew that we were safe and not surrounded by ninja way more skilled that we are.

"AAAHHHHH!" I heard someone scream from far away.

My head snapped over in that direction. Wow... already? It's just five minutes into the exam and someone's already hurt. I fingered a kunai and glanced around again.

"Hey guys..." Naruto suddenly said, looking over at us nervously.

"What is it, Naruto?" I asked, glancing around again to see if he caught something I didn't.

"...I really gotta pee!"

I face palmed. Really, Naruto? I thought in disbelief. He never ceases to ama- annoy me. Naruto grabbed his crotch and started jumping around, whining.

"NARUTO! GO YOU BAKA! NOO! NOT HERE! GO INTO THE TREE'S OR SOMETHING!" Sakura added when he started to unzip his pants.

I sighed in slight annoyance and took a seat on a rock. Seven minutes later he returned... but something about him was different. His scar on his cheek... it's gone... his shuriken holster is on the wrong side... It must be an imposter!

"Whoa! I think I peed so much that I wrote my own name!" 'Naruto' said, grinning and chuckling.

I growled and stood up, getting in a fighting stance and pulling out a kunai. Sasuke glanced over at me and took out one as well. I charged at 'Naruto' and punched him hard in the face, sending him flying backwards and into a tree.

"Whoa! Mizuki, why did you hit him? It doesn't really matter that he took that long." Sakura exclaimed, looking at me incredulously.

"Yeah, Mizuki. What's your problem?"

"Shut up... you impostor. The real Naruto is right handed. So why is your shuriken holster on the opposite side?" I said.

"And the real Naruto had a scar on his cheek. You're an even worst replicator than the real Naruto. Show yourself!" Sasuke finished.

He then attacked the impostor that turned out to be a rain ninja when he released his Jutsu. I jumped over to where Naruto had disappeared and began to look for him. I found him tied up be a tree, struggling. I walked over to him and cut him out with a kunai, helping him up.

"Thanks, Mizuki! I owe ya one!" Naruto exclaimed, stretching.

"No problem..." I replied turning away so he couldn't see my slightly pink cheeks.

We both turned and walked back to Sasuke and Sakura. We all began to walk until Sasuke had an idea. He told us all to huddle up into a circle so he could tell us.

"We need to have a password. We can't trust each other blindly like this. The same thing that happened to Naruto could happen to one of us, and maybe we won't be so lucky next time. So, if we are separated and find each other again we will ask, 'What is the poem Niki?' then, the other person will reply: We thrive in the Chaos of the Enemy tide. The quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide. Our only concern is to watch and wait... until the enemy lowers the gate. Got it?"

"Yeah, I got it. Good thinking, Sasuke." I replied.

"Couldn't we have an easier password? Like... I don't know... swordfish?" Naruto complained.

"No."

"Wow, Naruto. I already have it memorized. It's so easy!" Sakura bragged, smirking.

"Haha I was kidding! I already got it memorized, too."

Suddenly a kunai came out of nowhere and slashed Naruto's cheek. I looked over at him as a gust of wind picked up, nearly sweeping me off my feet. I planted my feet firmly on the ground. Dust rose up and got in my eyes, blinding me. I was suddenly pulled backwards by strong arms into the safety of the bushes. Acting quickly, I flipped myself over the person and pulled out a kunai, pressing it to their neck I looked closely. Duck butt hair... Sasuke! Or is it...

"What is the poem Niki?" I asked, still holding 'Sasuke' by the neck with my kunai.

"We thrive in the Chaos of the Enemy tide. The quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide. Our only concern is to watch and wait... until the enemy lowers the gate." Sasuke replied.

I sighed and let him go, putting my kunai back into its holster.

"We got separated... again." I said, walking back out of the bushes with Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun!" 'Sakura' screamed, running over to us.

I got into a fighting stance.

"What is the poem Niki?" Sasuke asked, making 'Sakura' halt in her steps.

"Oh, that's easy! We thrive in the Chaos of the Enemy tide. The quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide. Our only concern is to watch and wait... until the enemy lowers the gate." She sort of sang, smiling widely.

"Good." Sasuke replied, nodding.

"Where's Naruto?" Sakura asked.

"We don't know. We were coming to find you and Naruto in the first place." I replied, taking out a kunai, again.

"Okay..."

Naruto then walked out.

"Hey, guys! Oh, the password? We thrive in the Chaos of the Enemy tide. The quiet shinobi don't need dens to hide. Our only concern is to watch and wait... until the enemy lowers the gate."

I sighed. Again? I threw a kunai at 'Naruto'.

"I know you're an impostor. You may have copied Naruto completely, but you didn't get his personality. He would never remember such a long password as that. That's the main reason the password was so long. Right, Sasuke?"

He nodded and smirked. Suddenly, the impostor giggled. Weird... It released the Jutsu, revealing the female ninja that had the freakishly long tongue. My eyes widened and she giggled again, taking out her Heaven Scroll.

"You guys have an Earth Scroll, right? Do you... want this? Well, you'll have to fight me for it!"

She giggled and... Ate the scroll? Yes, she ate it. She wrapped her tongue around it as she pushed it down her throat. I slightly gagged and got into a fighting stance.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." She said, tugging her left eye down.

Darkness surrounded me.

(Warning: sort of scary but not really)

I ran through my Clan's shops, seeing the dead faces, all turned to me. They cried out to me, wanting me to save them. I couldn't... I kept running, out of fear and shock. I kept running until I reached my house, throwing open the door and darting in. I looked franticly around, seeing blood all over the walls and screams coming from everywhere. I also saw body parts... fingers, toes and bloody bones. I gasped, running forward into the last room. There, were four people... if you could call them that. My parents were leaned against the wall, their arms and legs cut off and thrown to the side. Their glazed over eyes held pain and suffering. Then, I saw my little sisters, Mai and Jade. They were hanging from the ceiling by their arms, swinging eerily. Their eyes were wide open and... Staring straight at me... Their mouths opened and began to...

"NO!" I screamed, "THIS ISN'T REAL! IT ISN'T REAL!"

I became slightly aware of my surroundings. I was on my knees, sitting on a piece of bark. I need to snap out of it! I thought. I then grabbed a kunai, ramming it into my arm. Fortunately, it brought me completely into reality. I was screaming and shaking like a leaf, although my screaming was muted until it was unnoticeable. Sasuke had clamped his hand around my mouth, cutting off the noise of my screaming. I looked up at him and saw that he was shaking as well. I sat up and nodded at him, breathing in shakily.

"Sasuke, watch out!" Sakura yelled as she pulled Sasuke's hand off her mouth.

We all jumped away.

"Unbelievable, I didn't even notice! I'm losing it!" Sasuke yelled.

"Sasuke, calm down!" I yelled.

The snake tried to bite at us. "No! Stay away!" Sasuke yelled throwing shuriken at it.

We both landed on another branch, panting. "I think… you need to deal with… your… snake fears," I said. Sasuke ignored me. We watched as the ninja came out from the snake. "She just keeps getting creepier."

"I sense your fear and desperation," She said, "It's only natural. The prey must never let down its guard not even for a moment. Not in the presence of its predator."

"I'm not sure I like being referred to as prey," I said.

She started running up the tree toward me and Sasuke but she was almost hit by kunai and shuriken.

"Looks like I came just in time!" Naruto yelled.

"Naruto!" I yelled.

"Oh and by the way… what was that password again?"

"We know it's you. No point in using the password," I said.

"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!"

"Obviously you don't either, Sasuke. We're gunna need all the help we can get," I said.

"You should listen to that girl," The ninja said. "So, Naruto, you managed to escape from my friend. Well done."

"Okay okay, I don't know what's going on here, but you've been picking on my friends and I don't like that. So you just better slither back into your hole, snake lady, before I make a pair of shoes out of you!" Naruto yelled.

I took out a kunai and ran at the ninja, pulling my arm back. I jumped to the left to avoid her kick, ducking low and kicking upwards. She blocked my kick with her arm, grabbing my leg and swinging me to a tree. I flipped and landed in a crouching position on it. I leapt again, spinning. I made hand signs.

"Earth Style: Earth Bolder Jutsu!" I yelled, waving my arms forwards when earth boulders appeared.

The ninja easily blocked it, smirking and licking her lips.

"Oh yes, you'll do nicely.

What? I thought, continuing to fight her. Sasuke joined in, helping me tie her to a tree. We both did our fire Justus's but she managed to escape. She smirked and appeared in front of me. So fast! I thought. She punched me in the face, sending me crashing through a couple trees. I groaned and slid down the tree, landing with a thud on the earth. My vision got hazy and I lay there stiffly, waiting for the nausea to pass. Suddenly I heard Sasuke's scream. I quickly looked up to see the ninja biting his neck. Wait… is that a guy? Oh my gosh, it's Orochimaru! I thought. I frantically ran at Sasuke, leaping from tree to tree. I landed in front of him, pushing him backwards to shelter him.

"I have a special gift for you, my dear." Orochimaru said, licking his lips and extending his neck to me.

I screamed and turned, running away. I ran up a tree, flipping backwards off of it when his neck started to come up. I landed on his neck, driving it into the ground. I then leapt up, dodging his body as it was pulled back to his head. I ran on the tree branch, leaping higher when his neck extended again.

"Resistant, are we?" a voice said above me. I

I looked up and my eyes widened. Orochimaru was in front of me, his mouth inches from my neck. I was restrained from behind. I trembled.

"Stop this!" I yelled, desperately kicking.

He easily dodged my kicks, leaning closer. He bit just above my collar bone, turning to bite the right and left side of my neck. He licked the bite marks and smirked, jumping backwards as I collapsed. I tried to hold in the pain until he left.

"I know I will be seeing you, Mizuki. Sasuke too. You will seek me out for the power that you both so desire."

I glared at him as he sunk into a tree. When I thought he was gone I let the pain wash over me, screaming as loud as I could. I panted, barely able to keep my head upwards. Sakura appeared beside me. She said something but I was too tired to read her lips. I let out one final scream before the darkness completely took over me.