Chapter 11 The Forest of Death part 1

Naruto stuttered, "W-What is...?"

Sakura finished, "What is this?"

There were several other ninja there.

Sakura thought, 'So many people...are they all here to apply?'

Just then a girl cried out, "Sasuke-kun!" Gintsuki turned to see Sasuke annoyed by Ino jumping on to him.

The young Uchiha's eye was twitching.

Sakura rolled her eyes, "Tch. Ino-buta, she's pathetic!"

Ino annoyed looked to see Sakura, "Well if it isn't forehead girl! Still in love with the dobe eh?" Ino pulled down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out.

Sakura growled and raised a fist, "Don't call my Naruto-kun that Ino-buta!"

Ino just repeated her earlier action.

Kohaku glomped Naruto, "Naruto-kun!"

Sakura turned to see the Uchiha girl hugging Naruto. The Haruno heiress raised a fist, "Shannaro! Kohaku! Let go of my Naruto-kun!"

Kohaku stuck her tongue out at Sakura, "No! He's mine!"

Sakura growled, "No Naruto-kun is mine!"

soon a lazy genius and a...big-boned boy came up.

the lazy genius Nara Shikamaru spoke, "So you guys are taking this troublesome exam eh?"

Naruto grinned, "Well if it isn't the three stooges!"

Shikamaru frowned, "Don't call us that!"

Choji didn't answer he was too ingrossed in his chips.

A loud voice spoke out, "Yahoo! So the rookies are together again!"

Kiba, Hinata, and Shino walked up.

Hinata blushed at Naruto, "Um...Hi."

Kiba spoke, "It looks like the gang's all here!"

Shikamaru frowned deeper, "Inculding you...unfortunately!"

Kiba grinned arrogantly, "So I guess all of this year's rookie teams applied for the exams! I wonder how far we'll get...Gintsuki?"

Gintsuki smirked, "Tch. Trying to act cool huh Kiba?"

Kiba spoke with arrogance, "Please with the way we've trained you have no chance against us."

Naruto yelled, "Oh shut-up Kiba! You won't even beat me much less Aniki!"

Hinata apologized, "I-I'm sorry Naruto-kun Kiba didn't mean it..."

Akamaru barked to Gintsuki, "Please Gintsuki-sama forgive Kiba for his arrogance!"

Soon older voice said, "Would you guys do us all a favor and shut-up?"

The teams turned to see an older boy with silver hair in a ponytail, glasses, and wearing a purple outfit.

He continued, "You people are the new genin teams right? Kids straight out of the academy? This isn't a school field trip you know."

Ino frowned, "Who the hell do you think you are!"

The boy smirked, "I'm Kabuto...Yakushi Kabuto. you need to open your eyes." He pointed behind them.

Sakura asked, "Why?" They turned to see a group of genin from Amegakure the hidden rain village glaring at them intently.

Kabuto explained, "Those genin are from Amegakure and are known to have short tempers."

Sakura and Naruto showed visible fear.

Gintsuki scoffed, "They call that KI?(Killing Intent) I'll show them how it's really done." Gintsuki then released a small sample of his KI at them. just that small sample was enough to overpower the pathetic KI of those Ame Genin and frighten them.

Sasuke shivered at the KI, 'How can he have this power? I deserve it...ME!'

the Amegakure genin instantly stopped their glaring and looked away in sheer terror.

Kabuto felt like his heart was going to explode, 'Such murderous intent! Even Orochimaru-sama would fear this man!'

"But it's unavoidable. I remember what it was like."

Sakura asked, "Kabuto? You've taken the exam before?"

Kabuto smiled and nodded, "Yes in fact this is my seventh try."

Sakura was awestruck, "Wow! So that means you know what to expect in this exam!"

Kabuto smiled sheepishly, "Yeah I guess so."

Naruto cheered, "Kabuto you rock!"

Kabuto chuckled and revealed some cards, "Cute. Okay the least I can do is give you rookies some vital information on what you're in for...with these Shinobi skill cards."

Sakura was surprised, "Shinobi skill cards?"

Kabuto explained, "To put it simply they contain information about our skills. Shown in symbols when I put my chakra through them, it took me four years to collect all the intelligence needed for this exam..in all there are about 200 cards."

Kabuto drew a card it was blank!

He smiled, "It looks blank doesn't it? The only way to read the data on the cards..." Kabuto moved the card around with his finger.

Choji asked, "What's he doing?"

Kabuto placed his hand in the rat seal, "Is by using my own chakra. Each card set is linked to its possessor." Soon a map of the elemental countries appeared on the card.

Kabuto explained, "This card shows how many applicants each shinobi nation sent to the exam."

Gintsuki asked, "Do you have dossier cards? Cards for each individual applicant?"

Kabuto chuckled, "Why? You have someone you have an interest in?"

Gintsuki nodded. " Yes, Sabaku No Gaara from Sunagakure and Rock Lee from Konohagakure."

Kiba yelled, "I want to see Gintsuki's stats!" Gintsuki glared at him.

"I want to see the dobe's statuts." Sasuke spoke up.

Naruto raised his fist, "Sasuke...!"

Kabuto spoke, "You know their names? No sweat!" Kabuto draws two cards and sends chakra through.

Naruto was confused, "I don't know what this guy's talking about...but I'll play along."

Gintsuki spoke, "Let me see them."

Kabuto showed him, "First up is Rock Lee. He's a year older than your teammates. He's completed 20 D-rank and 11 C-Rank missions. his jonin instructor is Maito Gai. His taijutsu is very strong but has no other talents. Teammates are: Tenten and Hyuga Neji. Like you guys this is his first time in the exam."

Kabuto then changed the card to show Gaara, "Now for Sabaku No Gaara she has completed 8 C-Rank and wow! 1 B-Rank! not many genin get B-ranks! Here's the really shocking thing she's come from each mission unscathed!"

Gintsuki narrowed his eyes at the red haired suna jinchuriki, 'I see. Well Shukaku is known for that 'impenetrable defense' of hers.'

Kabuto then changed the card to show Gintsuki's stats...until Gintsuki sliced it in half with his sword...the destroyed card floated to the ground. The Daiyokai Jonin spoke coldly, "I'd prefer not to have my secrets known."

The other genin were so shocked to see the white haired young man suddenly seemingly materialize a very sharp looking sword in one hand.

Tenten's eyes sparkled at the sight of the beautiful blade. she was a weapons' fanatic.

The KI Gintsuki was releasing was strong enough to bring all the Genin to their knees.

Inside Gaara, Shukaku was quivering and whispered, "He'll kill us all!"

Gaara was actually shaking in fear. If 'mother' was afraid she'd be foolish not to be afraid as well.

Gintsuki then sheathed his blade.

Kabuto was shaken by the enormous KI but recovered having faced Orochimaru's.

He explained, "Konoha, Suna, Ame, Kusa, Taki, and Oto...each village this year has sent the best rookie ninja to this exam. I don't know much about Otogakure the hidden sound village. It's a recently created village so intelligence on it is lacking. But every other village has very formidable shinobi competing."

Hinata asked, "Anyone else besides me feeling outclassed?"

Sakura spoke, "So what you're trying to say is...Everyone else here..."

Kabuto nodded, "Yes they're like Lee, Gaara, and Gintsuki there. hand-picked elite rookies. They have to be! The test is pitiless!"

Outside the door Kushina was remembering what Iruka said to her.

Kushina looked back at the door, 'I know that Gintsuki will be okay but Naru-chan, Sakura-chan, and Hikari-chan must shaking in their boots!'

Sakura noticed Naruto quivering, 'I've never once seen Naruto-kun scared. But I can't blame him? We're all Genin here except for Gintsuki he's actually our second sensei.'

The Haruno heiress clenched her fists, 'Still it's not like him! I'll talk to him.'

Sakura reached out, "It's okay Naruto-kun. Nothing to be scared of-"

Naruto suddenly shouted out while pointing, "MY NAME IS UZUMAKI NARUTO! AND I'LL CRUSH YOU ALL! YOU GOT THAT!"

Outside the door Kushina kept silent but inwardly laughed at her son's overconfidence.

Ino yelled, "What the hell's his problem!"

Sakura showed irritation, 'Naruto-kun!' While Sakura does love Naruto very much, there are times when she believes he takes his confidence too far.

Naruto grinned, "Yeah! That was great! I feel better now!"

Gintsuki just shook his head, "Oh-boy."

the group turned their stern gaze on the long haired boy and the others.

Gaara gazed calmly at Naruto.

Kankuro thought, 'Hey it's that runt we met earlier.'

Neji smirked, "Huh. He's a lively one. Lee you went too easy on him."

A spiky haired genin in the back wearing a headband with a note on it said, "According...to his dossier our town's an unknown village in a backwater country."

his teammate said, "I know mortifying isn't it?"

"So want to have some fun with them?"

The ninja was revealed wearing bandages over his entire head and face except for one eye, "Sounds good! That twit...treating us like some afterthought. Let's give him some data for his dossier. His understanding of the hidden sound village is...unsound. We'll see where the intelligence is lacking."

Naruto was feeling pretty proud of himself.

Kiba spoke, "What was that? You have some nerve!"

Shikamaru spoke, "How troublesome thanks to that one sentence everybody in this room is an enemy. Thanks a lot you idiot!"

Sakura grabbed Naruto in a chokehold, "What are you doing Naruto-kun you baka!"

Naruto protested, "I'm telling the truth!"

The group seemed to get angrier.

Sakura gulped and said, "Pay no attention to my teammate..he's a...special-ed ninja."

Gintsuki suddenly narrowed his eyes at the back, 'Hmmm...They're planning something.'

the strange ninja from before suddenly make their move. They weaved in and out of the group heading for Kabuto.

Kabuto senses them coming and looks up to see a genin from otogakure in the air.

He drew some kunai and threw them at Kabuto.

Luckily Kabuto jumped back. But then the mummy-like ninja appeared in front of him with a strange device on his arm.

Gintsuki took action and vanished with his sword drawn. There was a clang as his sword struck the device.

The oto genin saw him and instantly became afraid recognizing him.

Gintsuki held his sword in front of him. He caught the Oto genin in his frightening gaze. His pupils shrunk into slits and his eyes turned crimson red.

All of them fell to the ground in terror shaking.

Gintsuki told them, "When you attack one ninja from Konoha you deal with us all!" his KI smothered theirs and placed frightening and gruesome images in their minds. Soon he ceased with his KI output, sheathed his sword and walked back to his team.

But then a poof of smoke appeared as a voice said, "All right you little bastards listen up!"

The smoke vanished to reveal a tall scary-looking man bearing several scars along with several other ninja.

He smirked to them, "I'm Morino Ibiki your proctor for the first exam and for this moment your greatest enemy!"

Ibiki pointed to the Oto Genin, "You sound ninja! Do you want to be disqualified before the test even starts?" Ibiki informs them of the rules before holding up a paper with a number on it.

it's a...written test!

After everyone was seated... Gintsuki is sitting in the middle row. Sakura's in the back row. Hikari is in the front row and Naruto is in the fourth row.

Naruto is sitting next to Hinata. The Hyuuga heiress is trying not to faint being so close to him.

Ibiki then goes on to explains the rules of the test to them. He then informs them that they have an hour to finish the nine questions and the tenth question wouldn't come until forty-five minutes into the exam.

Gintsuki looked at Naruto, 'Poor Naruto! He was never good with paper tests.' He uses his six-thousand years of knowledge to easily answer his test. He finishes early.

Sakura uses her brain to also figure out the questions. But poor Naruto is so scared he doesn't know what to do!

Now the others have figured it out and are planning their attacks.

Kiba uses Akamaru who quietly barks him the answers.

Shino has his beetles who fly around gathering the answers for him.

Tenten uses mirrors and wires to send Lee the answers.

Ino took over Sakura using her mind jutsu to memorize the answers.

Sasuke and Kohaku activate their Sharingan while Hinata and Neji used their Byakugan to find their answers. The Oto genin use some kind of sound ability.

Gaara creates an eyeball of sand she calls the 'Daisan no Me'.

Naruto realizes you have to cheat without getting caught. He then looks around before opening and using his own third eye. his unique 'Juubi' eye to look around for the answers. He found them from the person in front of him and wrote them down.

The forty-five minutes are almost up.

the proctors caught a few teams and disqualified them.

Kankuro had to 'use the restroom' where it was revealed that the extra 'proctor' was in fact his puppet 'Karasu'.

Thirteen teams had been disqualified and now it was time for the tenth question.

Ibiki revealed one more rule to the shocked genin.

Meanwhile...

The jonin Kakashi, Kurenai, Kushina, and Asuma have gathered at a hangout called Jinsei Iroiro.

Kakashi sighed, "Well with our subordinates in the exams. We've got a lot of time on our hands."

Asuma informs him,"Don't worry. Kakashi we'll be busy again before you know it." Asuma took a drag from his lit cigarette.

Kakashi looked surprised, "Why's that?"

Asuma said, "Word is the first proctor this year is...Morino Ibiki."

Kushina was shocked, "That sadist! They let him apply as a proctor?"

Kurenai looked to the red-haired woman, "Sadist?"

Asuma chuckles, "That's right Kurenai you're a rookie Jonin..."

Kurenai looked serious, "What's he like?"

Asuma explained, "He's a pro...a pro's pro."

Kurenai looked to him, "A pro in what?"

Kushina spoke, "Torture and Interrogation!"

Asuma took a drag, "Kushina-sama's right. Ibiki won't use physical torture in the exams, but he will use psychological torture which can more often than not cause even more damage."

Back in the classroom...

Ibiki asked the genin if any of them wished to accept or reject the tenth question. If they accept it and get it wrong they are banned from the Chunin exams for life.

Naruto and the others are stunned.

Everyone is getting nervous. Do they take it or pass?

Sakura watches Naruto struggle, 'Naruto-kun...why won't you raise your hand? I know your dream is to be Hokage..but I don't want it to be taken from you forever...' Sakura starts to raise her hand...only to freeze as Naruto's arm slowly starts to rise.

Everyone who knew him were shocked to see his hand rising! Poor Hinata felt like her world was crashing down on her!

But then...Naruto slammed his hand on the desk, "ARRRRGH! NEVER UNDERSTIMATE ME! I DON'T QUIT AND I WON'T RUN! I'LL ACCEPT YOUR STUPID QUESTION! Even if I end up a genin my whole life! I'll still become Hokage even if by pure stubbornness!"

Gintsuki shakes his head, 'Heh. I do admire your guts Naruto.'

Sakura blushed, 'Naruto-kun. You may be a baka...but you're my baka!'

Ibiki asked, "Is that your final decision? You can still quit now."

Naruto smirked, "I never go back on my word...That's my nindo...my ninja way!"

Ibiki gazed around, 'hmmm...seventy-eight of them are still here...the kid dispelled their fears along with his own.'

He turned his gaze on the other proctors who nodded with smiles.

'No use dragging this out...thanks to him no one else will quit.'

Ibiki announced, "Good call. Everyone who is still here...you all pass the first exam!"

'HUNH!' was everyone's reactions.

Ibiki then explains to them how the first test was designed to test their spying skills. Of course Naruto tries to show off making Kohaku and Hinata giggle.

Gintsuki just shakes his head.

Ibiki showed everyone his scarred and bald head. He had been tortured big time.

Only Gintsuki who had lived around 6,500 years had seen worse on his own friends.

Ibiki then sensed something coming this way.

Gintsuki smelled the scent of dango and snakes, 'Damn it not her!'

A black ball burst into the room. Then kunai shot from the ball to reveal it was a banner!

Ibiki sighed, "Oh brother...she's early again!"

A beautiful woman with lavender hair in a ponytail similar to Iruka's appeared. Her eyes were a misty brown. She wore a fishnet, brown trench coat, and skirt. The boys took notice of her state of dress and a few of them had nosebleeds.

The banner read '2nd proctor Mitarashi Anko'.

The woman yelled out, "None of you gakis are in any position to celebrate! I'm the proctor for the second half of the Chunin exams...Mitarashi Anko! Now follow me!"

But no one did they just sat there completely shocked.

Gintsuki was trying to hide.

Ibiki peeled back the banner a bit and spoke, "Anko you're early again."

Anko blushed.

Sakura sweatdropped, 'She reminds me of Naruto-kun.'

Anko took noticed of how many was left, "There are still seventy-eight of them? Ibiki you passed twenty-six teams!"

When Anko caught sight of Gintsuki she got excited, 'Gintsuki-kun's here! I'll make you mine soon!' Anko looked at Ibiki, "You went too easy on them!"

Ibiki shook his head, "No this year's applicants are exceptional."

Anko scoffs, "Yeah right! I'll cut the number down by half before the next test is done."

Sakura shivered, 'Cut...us in half!'

Anko gained a sadistic smirk, "Ooh I'm getting excited just thinking about it! I'll explain the details tomorrow when we move to our next location. Meet me in front of the gate of training grounds No. 44 first thing in the morning!"