"Where to first Neji-senpai-san?" Ayame asked as they jumped through the trees as effortlessly as walking.
"The other Konoha team is heading straight to the river, but if we continue this direction we should run into your friends." Neji said, turning his Byakugan on for only a second in order to preserve his chakra.
Ayame remember making a note in her journal that Naruto and his team most likely was attacked on the first day, but that seemed a lot like story convenience. There was also that whole thing of ninjas hedging into Naruto, so Ayame would hoped there was a few hours in between those events. That would be ridiculous if Orochimaru pulled the same trick that some Rain-nin pulled only moments before.
"Let's meet up with Naruto and everyone first. Then we can talk about our plan." Ayame suggested, looking over to her teammates to see if they agreed.
Ideally, they would get a heaven and earth scroll before nightfall and just booket to the tower. Or just go to the tower ahead of time and set up some traps. Ayame assumes there are proctors there, and the closer they are the better chance Ayame plan has of working.
"That sounds fine." Neji said briefly and silence fell as they ran.
Even without knowing Orochimaru was here, the forest was very creepy. There was too many things for Ayame to be able to pinpoint anything by smell, and all the tree distorted the sounds. Not to mention that they are allowed to kill during this round, and Ayame could only guess how many genin teams would be fine with that.
I don't know if the other Konoha teams are 'above' that if it means that they will move on.
They must have been running for only 20 minutes when they first heard screams. They didn't stop since it sounded far away, too far for Lee to ask if they could help. That didn't stop Neji from turning his Byakugan on to see what happened.
"Looks like one of the teams ran into a trap filled with Jumping Leeches." Neji said without stopping.
"Ew." Ayame couldn't help but vocalize.
Normal leeches were gross, but the leeches native to Konoha could literally suck you dry in five minutes. At least with the blood loose, Ayame suppose that it wouldn't hurt too much.
"I'm assuming that another team took their scroll?"
"Yes. My cousin's team." Neji said and Ayame nodded.
That's good Hinata has her scroll already.
After a few more steps Neji motioned them to land, and there stood Sasuke and Sakura who got into a fighting position before noticing who it was.
"Ayame? You scared me! I thought you were an enemy team." Sakura yelled loudly enough that Sasuke gave her a hard look.
"Sorry about that. Where's Naruto?" Ayame asked when she didn't see the blond hanging around.
Has it already started?
"He had to go pee." Sasuke said like the whole idea of peeing was a foreign concept to the boy.
"Oh MAN! So much came out... What the Hell are you doing here!" 'Naruto' Yelled pointing at Ayame and her teammates.
Ayame looked to Lee and Neji from the corner of her eyes to see Neji with his Byakugan activated make the sign for 'fake' and Lee took a step back.
"Naruto we already talked about this!" Sakura said stepping forward to confront 'Naruto', only to be interrupted by Sasuke.
As Sasuke pushed 'Naruto', Ayame followed Neji to where the others where. Ayame felt bad about leaving, but she was sure they could handle it.
It was just a rain ninja. Not Orochimaru. And it would making it easier in the long run.
It took a few minutes before Neji signaled them to stop. Below them was the two other Rain ninja setting up traps for food. It seems even though they sent one of their men, they didn't think anyone would try tracking them down.
Konoha was well known for their trackers. They really should have thought this attack through.
"Behold Konoha's Beautiful Beast! I will defeat you and take your scroll for attempting to harm my teammate's friends!" Lee said as he jumped down between the two, one arm already behind his back.
"Wha-" One of the man started to only to get interrupted by Ayame kicking him in the back.
They weren't even trying to hide, yet it seems they took the ninjas by surprise. Which was good because Ayame wanted to subdue them as quickly and effortlessly as possible. She has no idea when Orochimaru will attack, but she needs all her chakra for then. Ayame can't even afford to use Goku's as a last resort since Orochimaru knows how to seal chakra like it was nothing.
Neji didn't join the fighting until a mist filled the area.
And here I thought this technique was only for Mist ninja. Ayame thought humorlessly as she tried her best to sense them.
Ayame turned around when she heard a sound behind her, only to see Neji there with his Byakugan on.
"Their third teammate is coming back, he seems wounded though." Neji told her, and Ayame just then noticed the other two were out.
Lee was over checking for the scroll and Ayame made a face at the damage they did. The two man had their masks cracked and Ayame could see blood seeping through their off white outfits.
They were strong, but not smart enough to be Chūnin.
"How is their team?" Ayame asked and saw Neji shift his gaze a little.
"They are talking right now. Probably waiting on us." Neji said with a face, no doubt thinking how stupid it is to be talking in the open.
Ayame took a deep breath, letting herself relax a little. Things were going fine. They soon will have another scroll, and hopefully it will be some time before Orochimaru attacks.
"...What? That's not a codeword, that's like a codeparagraph!" Naruto complained loudly and if Sasuke thought Ayame and her team would have trouble finding them, he would only have to have Naruto talk.
"Sasuke, I got it, but Naruto's right. We shouldn't be waiting our time with something so long. It would be better if it was a question that only one of us will know."
"Ya! Like I could ask you what Ayame's nickname for you is." Naruto said with a snicker.
"Fine, but we are not using that one." Sasuke told them firmly, but Naruto just laughed openly and even Sakura smiled.
Don't get him wrong, Sasuke is happy that Sakura got over her 'fanatic bug' or whatever Ayame called it, but sometimes Sasuke missed when Sakura would always take his side of things.
"Interesting. I didn't think anyone here would be willing to work with another team."
Sasuke got up using one foot and had a Kunai out by the time he was facing the stranger.
"Hey it's you! That freak with the super long tongue!"
Sure enough, that man from before who got excited by blood was standing on top of the pond along with his teammates. A quick look showed that they were from Grass, meaning they wouldn't be anyone too challenging. But there was something about this man...
"Why don't you two keep their friends company. I'll take care of them myself." The man said and the two body flickered away.
Sasuke frowned a little at that, but Ayame should be able to deal with them.
"How long have you been spying on us?" Sasuke asked, wondering if he was hiding went the Rain nin attacked or if he overheard them before they even entered the forest.
"Hehe, don't worry about that. You want my Earth scroll right? Since you guys have the Heaven scroll..."
How does he know that?
"Why don't you just hand it over before we bet you up!" Naruto said and Sasuke almost felt like hitting the idiot like Sakura always does.
The man chuckled before raising his scroll up and swallowed it.
"Eh? Why did you do that!" Naruto yelled.
"So we can fight... With our lives on the line." The man said and Sasuke couldn't breathe.
He didn't realize it until later, but the man's killer intent was so pouant that Sasuke saw himself die. It was the worst thing he has ever witness, and Sasuke soon found himself dry heaving on his knees.
Sakura was on the ground shaking with tears in her eyes threatening to fall and Naruto...
"Y-you Think a s-stupid trick like that will scare m-me?!" Naruto yelled despite how shaky his voice was.
"Hehe, you can't even move right now. What do you think you will do?" The man said and Sasuke could hear a condescending smile of him even though his face was still a blank mask.
Naruto you idiot! Can't you just stay quiet for once in your life!
Sasuke bit the inside of his lip hard enough that it started bleeding, but he hardly payed attention to that. Naruto was egging on the enemy, Sakura was out of it, and Sasuke was too afraid to move. This man was might be stronger than Zabaza and they were going to die if Sasuke doesn't do something.
Sasuke pulled out a kunai, noticing in the back of his head that his hand was shaking too badly to throw it properly. But he wasn't going to throw it.
"Why don't I get a friend out to play with you?" The man said, pulling up his sleeve slightly to reveal a seal.
"Naruto! Get out of here!" Sasuke yelled just as there was a puff of smoke, and a giant snake appeared.
"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" Naruto yelled, barely getting out of the way as the snake bit down on where he was.
Sasuke stabbed himself in an effort to get his body to move, the pain hardly registering as he grabbed Sakura and ran. The snake was going after Naruto, but he needed to make sure Sakura was in the right mind to help.
If there was a time when Kakashi's lesson of teamwork was needed, now would be it. Ayame was going to be too busy dealing with this man's friends to be help. They would have to use everything to get out of this alive.
"Sasuke-kun are you-" Sakura started to say before he covered her mouth.
They were hiding behind a tree, and Sasuke lost track of the man. They would have to get Naruto then run. The Hyūga on Ayame's team should be able to track them, so they don't have to worry about that. Only getting away.
Sakura pulled his hand away, and Sasuke felt the telltale feeling of her using her medic-jutsu to heal his self-inflicted wound. He wanted to yell at her, tell her that she would be saving her chakra and not wasting it on him, but Sasuke could tell the act was calming her down.
Then she stopped suddenly and Sasuke turned in time to see her throw a kunai at the giant snake that was right by them.
Damn it!
The snake easily doge Sakura attack and lunged at Sasuke. Sasuke panicked, realizing it was the same snake that the Man summoned before, and send out a volley of Kunais at the snake with little rhyme or reason.
Enough hit the head, pinning it to the side of the tree.
"W-we need to find Naruto-" Sakura started to say before they noticed the snake was still moving.
No, something is coming out if it.
Sasuke grabbed more kunai just as the snake explored and a hundred Naruto came popping out.
"NARUTO? What were you doing in there?!" Sakura yelled, and Sasuke let himself relax a little from seeing the orange knucklehead.
"It ate me! So I made it throw up!" One of the Narutos said, looking way too happy considering he was covered in stomach acid.
"You guys shouldn't relax, not even for a moment."
The three kid turned around to see the man standing behind them on a higher branch. A chill went down Sasuke's back at the sight.
"Prey should always be trying their best to run away in the presence of a predator."
"As if we'll run!" Naruto yelled as his mob of clones rushed the man before Sasuke could say anything.
With only a flick of his wrist, a wind appeared between them. Sasuke had to increase the flow of chakra to his feet to keep from sliding off the branch he was on, watching with a grin as all of Naruto's clones were popped and the real Naruto was sent flying into the tree. However Sakura jumped over with speed Sasuke didn't know the pink haired girl had, and was able to catch Naruto in mid air.
That must have been at least a c-rank jutsu and he didn't use any seals! Sasuke realized as activated his sharingan, a tome spinning around in each eye.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke pulled out the scroll. It was the only bargaining chip they have, and while Naruto and maybe Ayame will be piss, he didn't have a better option.
"If you want the scroll, here it is. Take it and leave." Sasuke said, hoping that he sounded more forceful than what he was feeling.
"Sasuke? What the hell are you talking about?!"
"Naruto. We just have to get two scroll instead of one. If we die, we can't." Sasuke heard Sakura say, still not taking his eyes off the man.
"I see. Very smart. The only way for prey to escape a predator is to give the predator a different meal."
Deciding that was as good as an agreement as Sasuke was going to get, he threw the scroll over.
Only for Naruto to intercept it.
"NARUTO!" Sasuke and Sakura both yelled.
"What are you doing? Are you too much of a numskull to understand-" Sasuke started to chew out the boy who landed next to him, only to be interrupted by Naruto punching him.
"NARUTO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Sakura yelled as Sasuke got back up to see Naruto looking furious.
"What is Ayame's nickname for you?" Naruto asked with his hands still in fits.
Does he honestly think I am a fake?
"...Duck-butt." Sasuke said quietly because this was stupid but he wasn't going to waste time it Naruto thinks that...
"You can't be Sasuke! There is no way that such a stupid coward like you is the Sasuke I know!" Naruto yelled before calming down slightly.
"I know this guy is strong, so what guarantee is there that he'll let us leave if he give him the scroll? Aya-chan has told me to never trust strangers, so I think you are the one who is too much of a numskull to understand our situation!"
Sasuke closed his mouth because for once Naruto was making sense. What's to say that the man won't just kill them even after he has their scroll. Sasuke forgot where he was.
"You are correct Naruto-kun. I can just kill you all and take the scroll myself." The man said and Sasuke felt more of that killer intent.
"Shut up!" Naruto yelled, charging the man before Sasuke had time to grab the idiot.
The man didn't even both moving out of the way, only kicking Naruto at the last moment sending the boy flying threw a branch.
"Naruto!" Sakura yelled and Sasuke saw Naruto cough up some blood.
We need to get out of here. Before Naruto gets himself killed. Sasuke thought frantically, but was still unable to come up with a plan.
When Naruto got back up, he looked angrier than Sasuke has ever seen him. Not only that, but when Naruto tried to attack the man again, it seemed like he was stronger?
What is going on?
Before Sasuke could use his Sharingan to see what Naruto was doing, the man released another wind based jutsu that had Naruto crashing into the ground. Before Naruto could get back up, the man punched him in the stomach with his fingers. Sasuke could see what ever energy or jutsu Naruto was using drain away with his screams.
That's enough.
Sasuke pulled out his weapons with the barest idea of a plan in mind. The man threw Naruto who looked to be unconscious now, but Sasuke trust that Sakura would deal with him. She will make sure Naruto doesn't die on them.
The man dodged all his attacks, and even with his sharingan Sasuke could barely keep track of the man. Sasuke aimed for obvious weak point while trying his best to lead the man to get wrapped up in the ninja wire he had.
"Hehe, too bad this wouldn't be enough to keep me contained." The man said and Sasuke responded by making the handsigns for his dragon fire jutsu.
The flames leaped down the chakra induced wire and straight into his face.
Good. This is our chance to leave.
"To be able to use the sharingan so well at this age; you truly are someone who carries Uchiha blood. Just as I thought... I want you." The man said liked his face wasn't peeling off.
What is with this guy?
"I had fun testing your powers. You really are brothers, but I sense power in your eyes that surpasses Itachi."
Sasuke frowned despite the wave of killer intent rolling off the man now.
"How do you know Nii-san? He died four years ago!"
"Oh, is that what they told you? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. This village is full of liars."
"What are you talking about? Do you know who murdered my clan?"
"I do. My name is Orochimaru, and if you want to know what truly happened then come meet me after you pass this exam. I'll even leave you a gift Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru said, forming a seal moments before his neck started elongating like a snake.
Sasuke was too tired to properly dodge, but even then he didn't think there was much he could have done. Which might have been the reason why Sasuke was having trouble processing the scene in front of him.
One moment Orochimaru's head was rushing at him, and the next a figure was standing in front of him. His sharingan was still on, so he saw what happened, but it didn't make sense.
Ayame moved fast enough to intercept Orochimaru with a kick. Her foot was on fire- no it wasn't fire it was lava. Orochimaru's head retracted back to his body as the rest of his face was pulled off, the lava melting it and catching the tree he stood on aflame.
"Oh shit." Ayame said under her breath and Sasuke couldn't agree more.
Thanks everyone who Favorited/followed this story, and 1bigbro4ae, MrSmileyPikachu, Luna Latanya, reebajee (special thank you for your mutable reviews), lizyeh2000, RadioPoisoning, Blacksword Zero, and the two guest. I feel like half of my motivation for this story is my ideas for parts I haven't written yet and the other half are the review. Even when it's people telling me my grammar and spelling is bad. This is now the longest thing I have ever written.
As for the romance poll, once I add in all the review and comments (from Ao3) to it, Hinata is still in the lead, followed by Neji, then Sakura. I think at this point I might just have the top five at lest have a one way romance, so I can experiment with their relationships.
As always, tell me your thoughts about this chapter or the story as a whole.
And have a good Day/night!