He grabbed her firmly by the shoulders and looked deep into her eyes.
"Who was that other person Sakurai?" asked Batsu sternly.
Rai pushed her arms away, and began to walk up the ramp of debris.
"It was no one okay? So just drop it and lets keep going." she with a weak smile.
Batsu heard the rocks behind him shift, he looked back to see Ai who wore a look of confusion.
"Did I miss something?" she asked.
Batsu turned forward following Rai saying "Yeah, you did."
"Oh." said Ai as she walked behind Batsu.
The sunset on the first day of the survival exam in the sector five forest of Banjugakure. Not a single team had made it to the center of the forest where the mountain awaited them, although some were closer than others.
"Aaaaaahhh!" Nanako yells in pain from deep within the forest.
Rina and Hina smirk to themselves as they watch Nanako writhing in pain from the power of the seal on her forehead. Nanako's skin has darkened substantially, it carries a more reddish tint to it. Her blonde hair glows faintly, while the seal charges.
"You have done well so far Nanako. You must feel the power that the seal grants you by now." said Rina.
Chakra emanates from her body like steam off boiling water, she breathes heavily.
"Why. . . , why does it hurt so badly?" asked Nanako with tears in her eyes.
Hina smirks to herself, saying "It's just how the seal works sweetie. For one such as yourself who has never used chakra, it has to collect as much as it can to grant you the power you need to spread Lord Nakamaru's vision."
Nanako looked up toward the twins to see there faces full of worry.
"Why was it necessary for us to fight so many others?" she asked.
Hina and Rina looked to each other, somber looks upon there faces.
"It was the fastest means of activating the seal." said Rina.
Feeling her heart begin to steady it's pace Nanako stood to her feet saying "So it is combat that activates the seal, Lord Nakamaru must've really been concerned to have given me such a power to defend myself with."
Rina and Hina glance at one another slyly, both saying "Of course he was."
Hina continued "After every enemy you vanquish, your power will double, til no one is a match for you. Then, you will have nothing to fear.
Nanako smiled to herself, feeling closer to Nakamaru now more than ever. She would cherish the seal and use it well. This Nanako promised to herself.
Batsu, Rai and Ai, had come to a clearing in the forest where beautiful flowers bloomed. These flowers glowed in the light of the full moon.
"We should try to cross this area as quickly as possible, if we want to avoid being spotted by another team." said Batsu to his teammates.
The Rai and Ai nodded in agreement, as they began to rush across the flowers Ai stopped in her tracks, signaling for the others to do the same.
"Ah, to be spotted so soon." said a voice among the flowers.
"Especially after all the hard work we put into to making this trap." said another voice from within the flowers.
"Oh well, guess we'll just have to go on to plan B. To think we would have to deal with an Uchiha as are first opponent. said another voice.