Kakashi had spent most of his time in the tower itself during the second exam, and was often seen pacing around the hallways of the building. The Third Hokage found it amusing that the jounin was worked up about his students, even if he adamantly denied it.

He had been right about Kakashi enjoying being a sensei, it had only taken the right group of genin to change his mind.

Around the second day, word reached his ears that Orochimaru had infiltrated the village somehow, that they needed to be on guard and keep the information from the other villages. That was around the time that his worry for his students skyrocketed. With his team consisting of the last loyal Uchiha, and a jinchuriki, he had no doubt that there was a chance they were on Orochimaru's radar.

His request that the exams be canceled, that they pull all genin out of the forest to avoid any of them coming across Orochimaru and facing his wrath, was denied.

While he understood why, it still felt like a slap in the face. He knew that they needed to carefully consider all options and keep the news secret, and normally he would be all for it. It was his genin out there in that forest, with huge targets on their back, however.

As much as he trusted in his teams ability to take care of themselves, he had put them through hell in training for a reason after all, there was nothing they could do against a sannin.

So he paced the tower and pestered a few of the chunin there with his presence.

On the fourth day, two chunin approached him. Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki.

They decided that harassing him with questions about his team was the best idea, informing them of exactly what had gone down just before the first exam started.

"They saw through the genjutsu, and didn't even make a scene. Who does that? That Naruto kid is known for being loud, and he didn't even attempt to accuse us of messing around with the other contestants." Kotetsu whined, stretched out on the couch next to Kakashi.

He was sharpening a kunai as he spoke, a pout on his face. "That pink haired girl was the one to spot it first, genjutsu type? I know the illusion we used was rather basic but it fooled even some of the seasoned genin. The Uchiha didn't even need his sharingan to see through it either, but that might be from the girl pointing it out."

Kakashi wasn't even paying attention at this point, having already discreetly pulled out his book to read during the chunin's rather boring rant. Izumo hadn't given any input either, obviously zoned out by the look on his face.

Kotetsu's complaint went on for a few more minutes before he finally realized that his companions had tuned him out.

"Rude." He huffed, tossing the kunai lazily in Izumo's direction. The chunin only moved his head slightly, allowing the weapon to smack into the stone wall instead. It clattered to the ground quietly, the room now completely silent.

Kotetsu forced himself to his feet, straightening out his clothes as he did so, before turning towards Kakashi,

"Do you ever put that-"

Poof.

"And he's gone." Izumo chuckled, eyes now on the cloud of smoke signaling Kakashi's departure. "Bummer."

On the fifth day, his team finally showed up.

Unfortunately, there wasn't time for him to greet his team before the third test was introduced. They were now all standing in an arena where the preliminaries would take place, with Anko and the Hokage explaining exactly what would happen and why.

This gave him enough time to look over his team, who was situated near the back of the group.

Naruto seemed to be rather unscatched, besides the rather obvious wear and tear on his clothing. He still seemed to be full of energy, although there seemed to be an air of wariness around him. His guard was up, which was unusual. Then it became obvious that his eyes kept darting to his teammates, who both seemed to be in worse condition than himself.

Sasuke's condition was obvious just from looking at him. The boy looked exhausted, cuts and bruises along his skin. Though he didn't seem to be severely injured there was no telling just how sore he was. Then there was the added fact that he had been informed of their run-in with Orochimaru. It had been exactly what he had been hoping to avoid but unsurprisingly he always had the worst luck. Seemed like that extended to his team as well.

The curse mark was most likely placed on his neck, just like Ankos. He was unable to see it from here but there was no doubt that it was there on his skin. Sasuke most likely didn't understand exactly what it meant and the type of danger he was now in.

After the prelims, sealing it would be his first priority. He wouldn't be allowed to compete in the finals otherwise. That was assuming he made it that far at least.

Tearing his eyes away from the Uchiha, Sakura came into focus.

What he saw made his eyes widen, and a sudden rush of concern bleed through his calm composure.

Sakura was in the worst shape out of all three of them. The most obvious change being her hair, which was now cut extremely short. It was spiky and uneven, as if the person with the kunai had been in a rush.

Unfortunately, while being obvious, it wasn't the alarming factor.

Her injuries were what caused him to do a double take, to clench his fists to ground himself. He couldn't go over to her at the moment. As much as he wanted to check up on her it would have to wait until the first fight.

The skin around her neck was a dark mix of purple and black, the damage due to someone's hands from the looks of it. Then there was the white bandage that was awkwardly placed on her face. It seemed to have been modified a bit to fit on her skin without covering any part of her eye, and seemed to span from just underneath her forehead down to her left cheek.

Then there were her eyes.

He had been expecting a bright gleam in her green eyes, happiness from passing the second test. Maybe even a shine of fatigue from the grueling task they had been given.

He hadn't been expecting the haunted look in her dull eyes, the way she seemed to be glancing between both her teammates and towards the group they were in. Kakashi almost thought she might have been looking towards someone specific, but he was unable to figure out just who it might be.

Sakura was different than before she had entered that forest, that much was certain. Something had happened, and Kakashi was certain it had to deal with Orochimaru.

This is exactly what I was afraid of.

Kakashi knew there would come a time that Sakura would face her first real battle, the battle that would steal a piece of her soul. Both her teammates had been in that position already, and would be able to help her through it. He had just been hoping it would be one where he could step in to pick up the pieces, to make sure she didn't fall too hard.

It seemed she carried the same amount of luck that he did.

After watching a few more genin drop out, one being Kabuto, it was time for the preliminaries to begin.

Sasuke watched the large screen with narrowed eyes as it flashed through several names. With his luck, it would be his appearing on the screen.

Sasuke Uchiha vs Yoroi Akadō

"Didn't waste any time, huh?" Sasuke chuckled, stretching his arms above his head as he watched the other genin start to head up to the viewing area. A sudden tug on the back of his shirt caught his attention,

"Don't overdo it." Sakura murmured to him before abruptly turning and heading off to follow Naruto.

A sudden twinge of pain clouded his mind, hand immediately shooting up to cover his neck. Gritting his teeth, Sasuke forced the pain down and walked forward to stand before his opponent.

Yoroi Akadō was the teammate of Kabuto, he remembered that much. His abilities were completely unknown to him. With the added unknown factor of his mark, this wasn't going to be an easily won battle.

I need to make this quick.

Sasuke was only half listening as the proctor, some jounin that seemed to be coughing every so often, explained the rules. Instead his attention was on the genin before him as he tried to scope out any injuries he might have.

Unfortunately he seemed to be in decent condition and lacked any serious injuries from the forest. That would be an issue, as Sasuke was already rather low on chakra and energy.

As the proctor finished speaking, he motioned for the remaining jounin to head up to the viewing area as well. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kakashi walking towards him. When the man stopped just behind him, he heard him speak quietly,

"Don't use your sharingan."

Sasuke only nodded, already aware of that fact. He had tried to activate his sharingan a few times after battling the sound genin, and had been greeted by a searing pain in his neck. Although he was a bit surprised that Kakashi knew as well. He didn't voice his thoughts however,

"I won't hesitate to stop the fight if I feel things are getting out of hand with the mark. Good luck."

With that said, he felt Kakashi's presence disappear from behind his back.

Stop the fight?

Sasuke couldn't have that happen. He already knew it responded to his chakra, which was an issue. He had a way to work around that however. His taijutsu was good enough that he may be able to end the fight using only his fists, as well as the sword on his hip. He didn't need his chakra for this.

At least he hoped he didn't.

He just needed to use his strength to his advantage, without using chakra, all while ignoring the random bursts of pain that the mark forced upon his body.

Easy enough, right?

Focusing in on the genin before him, only a few more moments of silence passed before the proctor was calling for the match to start.

"Begin!"

Sasuke's hand shot down to his kunai holster, fingers curling around the cold metal as he readied himself for whatever his opponent might pull. Before him, Yoroi had slipped his hand into his own shuriken pouch while the other began to glow a bright blue.

Some sort of ability using visible chakra? Interesting.

Yoroi's hand darted forward as he sent several shuriken his way. Sasuke smirked as he easily deflected the sloppily thrown projectiles, sending them back towards Yoroi. Not even seconds after however, the dull pain from his mark suddenly skyrocketed, forcing him to the ground as he gritted his teeth.

I didn't even use chakra. Damn it.

Taking advantage of the situation, Sasuke was only given a second to react as Yoroi suddenly appeared towards him with a fist drawn back. Rolling himself away as the genin's fist hit the ground, his sheathed sword pressing painfully into his hip as it hit the ground, he shoved his kunai into the ground below him to stop his momentum. Putting his weight into his upper half, Sasuke kicked out at Yoroi's wrist before easily maneuvering him down into a hold.

With one leg stretched out over his neck to keep him down, the other tucked underneath his neck to more securely hold him, Sasuke grabbed ahold of Yoroi's wrist and held it against his own chest. It wasn't the best move, he knew Yoroi could easily get out if he used enough force, but Sasuke just needed a moment to think.

He wasn't expecting Yoroi's hand to twist around and grip onto the collar of his shirt however.

Shit!

Yoroi's hand glowed a bright blue, sapping Sasuke's energy without any resistance.

It only lasted a few seconds before he was pulling his hand away and out of Sasuke's grab easily. Raising it up, Yoroi brought it down hard against Sasuke's chest, using it as a distraction in order to pull himself out of the hold and back onto his feet.

Sasuke was still on the ground, struggling to catch his breath after the hit to his chest, as well as finding it hard to shake the pain that had blossomed from the mark. Yoroi seemed to have absorbed energy from him with just one touch.

I can't let him touch me again, I can't lose here.

Shaking, Sasuke started to pull himself up slowly in order to prepare himself to fight again. Before he could get to his feet however, Yoroi had already struck again. This time, Yoroi's glowing hand grabbed onto his forehead, shoving him back down to the ground harshly.

Unlike before, he didn't let go after a few seconds, instead choosing to continue draining Sasuke's chakra. Sasuke cried out as he gripped Yoroi's wrist tightly and tried to pull his hand away. The chakra loss became too much for him however and soon his body stopped struggling as his hands slowly fell away from the genin's arm.

Sasuke couldn't believe that he lost so easily against this genin. What was the point of all his training? He had been useless in the forest as well and hadn't been able to protect Sakura from those sound genins until it had been too late. Was this all he was now? He was weak.

He could vaguely hear both his teammates yelling from the stands, urging him to fight back. To show Yoroi exactly what he was made of.

"Are you really going to let him win Sasuke?!"

"You're better than this! Get up!"

Eyes shut tightly, Sasuke clenched his fists as he mustered up enough strength to pull his leg back and shove it straight into Yoroi's gut. When he felt the genin's grip on his face loosen, he shoved the arm away and scrambled to his feet. Sliding into his usual taijutsu stance, he readied himself for Yoroi to retaliate.

The first few strikes were easy to dodge, although he was much slower now after being drained of chakra. Then he hadn't moved out of the way quick enough and allowed Yoroi's fist to graze his hair.

The quick zap of chakra leaving his body caused him to stumble as he moved to get behind the genin.

"What's the matter? Tired?" Yoroi chuckled, easily jumping back when Sasuke sent a weak kick in his direction. "I was expecting more of a challenge." Sasuke huffed in annoyance, trying to ready himself for the next attack.

I'm gonna have to use my sword. It's my last chance.

"Come on Sasuke! I thought you were a Uchiha!"

Naruto's sudden shout from the stands caught his attention and he instinctively turned around towards the sound. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, prepared to pull it out when he turned back.

"I'll teach you not to turn your back on me!"

Sasuke's eyes widened at the sound of Yoroi running towards him. Without hesitation, he withdrew his sword in one quick motion and turned just in time for Yoroi to reach him. The genin was too late to stop when he realized that Sasuke had pulled out the blade. The short distance gave Sasuke just enough time to position his blade, the tip immediately sinking deep into Yoroi's shoulder.

Taking advantage of the situation, Sasuke slid the blade as far as he could before ripping it out and shoving him back with a strong kick to the stomach. Yoroi stumbled backwards with a hand on his bleeding wound.

"This ends here." Sasuke murmured, wincing as pain shot through the mark on his neck. Ignoring the pain, he channeled the last of his energy into his movements as he rushed forward. Slipping behind the genin easily, he kicked out at the back of his knees to send Yoroi to the ground.

Placing a foot against the genin's back to keep him from getting up, Sasuke brought his sword down and placed the tip on the back of Yoroi's neck. Ignoring the blood that was dripping into Yoroi's skin, Sasuke looked over at the procter.

"Call it."

"The winner is Sasuke Uchiha."

Sakura sighed deeply in relief, leaning forward to place her body against the railing. She had been worried that the mark would cause issues. If anyone deserved a win in this room, she felt like it was him and Naruto. They had worked hard to get here, and she herself had fought hard to make sure they got this far.

Her injuries were proof of that.

It didn't matter to her if she became a chunin or not, she honestly wasn't sure if she was ready for it. Sakura knew she still had a long journey ahead of her before she would feel confident in her own abilities.

No point in dwelling on it now. I may not even make it to the finals.

Kakashi had already disappeared to escort Sasuke away, he had informed her of his intention to seal the mark on his neck during the match. She doubted he had planned on telling them but had easily divulged that information the moment Sakura had made a quiet comment about the mark. Naruto was still unaware of the actual situation but seemed to understand that there was a reason they were being secretive about it.

She had no doubt that Kakashi would fill him in the moment they were actually alone.

"Zaku Abumi vs Shino Aburame."

Sakura's head jerked up at the mention of the sound genin, green eyes wide as they settled on the large screen. Naruto noticed her change in demeanor and placed a hand lightly on her arm in concern.

"You okay?" He whispered, glancing around to see if anyone was looking at them. Confident that no one was watching, he moved closer and nudged her slightly with his shoulder.

"I-I...I'm fine." Sakura managed to mumble, head dropping back down as she forced herself to relax. She couldn't think about him, or what had happened in the forest. If she let herself focus on those memories she'd never be able to leave her head.

Naruto suddenly tugged her away from the railing,

"Sit. We haven't had a proper break in a while, might as well relax before our turn. Sasuke will be pissed if we both lose our matches."

Naruto punctuated his words with a loud laugh as he practically flopped to the ground. His movements got him some looks from the other teams, but most seemed to be focused on the match before them. Sakura stared down at him for a long moment before letting herself carefully sit.

"Naruto..Are my bandages dirty?" Her voice was barely a whisper but Naruto was able to hear her rather easily due to their position. "I don't want anything to get infected just because I was too scared to change them."

"I can help you? It's been a few days, you might not even need the bandages anymore."

Sakura only nodded and reached up to untie her headband, letting it slip off and into her lap, before she started to carefully tug the bandages away from her skin.

Underneath lay the dark red scar on her skin. It had stopped bleeding shortly after the incident, but it was very obviously going to leave its mark, both physically and mentally. Naruto didn't know much about injuries but it seemed to be healing rather well considering their circumstances. He hadn't seen it until now as Sakura had already covered it up by the time he woke up after the battle.

"I think it'll be safe to leave it uncovered, I don't know shit about this kind of stuff though."

Sakura ran her fingers lightly along the scar, tracing it's path. Without a second thought she tied her headband across her forehead. It wouldn't do her any good to let it hide, she needed to get used to it being there. As long as she didn't let herself dwell on the dark thoughts circulating through her head at least.

It's not like she could go back in time and avoid that blow anyways. Next time she would be ready, she wouldn't make the same mistakes.

Naruto took Sakura's silence as acceptance as he turned a bit to watch the battle before them. Sakura couldn't let herself watch but she did focus on the sounds of the battle. All she hoped was that Shino won this battle.

"The winner is Shino Aburuame!"

In the end, Zaku had been his own undoing. In any other situation Sakura might almost feel bad for him. Those hands that had once been wrapped around her neck were now potentially destroyed. It was a fitting end in her opinion.

Is that wrong of me to think? Killing is normal for a ninja. Is it wrong to take it personally?

The next match was over before it began. Two sand genin had been pitted against each other, one had forfeited before they even reached the arena. The murderous aura that seemed to leak off of the red head, she thinks his name was Gaara, had sent a shiver down her spine. He didn't seem happy that his teammate had given up. Being unhappy probably wasn't what she would describe it if she was being honest. There was a glint in his eyes that made her uneasy.

She would have raised her hand to forfeit too if she had been faced against someone with that look in their eyes.

Kakashi had come back just moments before the match between the sand genin had been called. Sasuke was nowhere to be seen though he was most likely taking a well earned rest after the events of the past few days. The jounin seemed hesitant to speak and Sakura could see his lone eye constantly darting between her and the ground. He probably wanted to know about the scar and the rest of her injuries, but as Sakura made the decision to answer his unspoken questions, she heard her name being called.

"Sakura Haruno vs Ino Yamanaka!"

Shit.

Of course this would be the match chosen for her. Part of her was tempted to forfeit, to give up now. Her previous injuries still ached and there was no telling just how she might react to being up close and personal in a battle like this. How Ino's taunts might affect her.

I can't give-

"I didn't spend all those weeks training you just for you to give up Sakura."

Kakashi.

Bracing herself for the upcoming match, Sakura gave him a short nod before making her way down to the arena. Ino was already almost there, a skip in her step. Seems like the blonde was expecting a win from this.

I'll show her. I made it through that damned forest, I can do this.

Taking her place before Ino gave Sakura a moment to scope out any injuries Ino might have. Unfortunately it seemed like the genin had made it out of the forest unharmed. By the uneasy glint in the girl's eyes though, one that didn't match the carefree smirk on her lips, it seemed like she was studying Sakura's own injuries.

"Begin!"

Neither girl made a move, both keeping a close eye on the other. Sakura's hand twitched as she readied herself to grab a kunai from her holster.

"I never thought I'd have to fight you."

Sakura scoffed lightly at the words but couldn't help the small grin that spread on her face. In one quick motion she held a kunai in her hand, slipping into a steady fighting stance.

"You can't talk your way out of this Ino. Let's get this show on the road."

Before Ino could respond, Sakura rushed towards her, forcing the genin to assume a defensive stance. Initiating a close taijutsu fight, striking out with her kunai whenever she saw an opening. Ino had managed to tug a kunai out during the battle as well though she was only using it to defend against Sakuras.

"You really have let yourself go, you know. Short hair isn't a good look for you."

Ino's comment stung, that was for sure. It wasn't like she had asked for a haircut. Ignoring the obvious jab, Sakura managed to land a good kick against Ino's side. The blonde bit back a wince and slid back for only a moment before their fight began again.

"It's okay to give up Forehead. We both know you can't win this."

"Big talk for someone that can't even land a hit on me."

Sakura's words seemed to strike a nerve as Ino bit back a retort and focused on trying to actually land a hit. Ino gave up on defending herself and went on the offensive, forcing Sakura to defend herself.

After landing a few good hits, with Sakura landing a few as well, Sakura suddenly jumped back to create some distance as her hands flicked through a few familiar signs.

"Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu!" This was meant to only be a distraction so Sakura could gain the upper hand and take Ino down. She knew that Ino had decent chakra control and would probably break free in a matter of seconds.

Ignoring the fearful expression that suddenly overtook Inos face, her eyes glazed over from the use of the genjutsu, Sakura took that moment to place herself behind Ino. As Ino's posture changed, signaling the release of the genjutsu, Sakura wrapped her hand around Ino's ponytail and tugged down. Hard.

Ino stumbled backwards, tripping over her own feet as she tried to whip around and land a blow on Sakura. Letting go of her hair allowed Sakura to steady Ino, hands on her shoulder, and bring her knee up hard into her gut. As Ino fell backwards with a whine of pain Sakura didn't hesitate to follow her down. Now straddling Ino, Sakura lifted her fist to deliver another blow to the genin.

Then, as she gazed down at the genin before her, it was no longer Ino below her. It was Zaku, his eyes piercing as they glared up at her. Her throat felt tight.

I can't breathe.

Unlike in the forest however, she felt no tug at her hair as Kin pulled her off. There was no feeling of the earth chakra thrumming against her skin. Her body was frozen, even as Zaku suddenly flipped them over. If Sakura strained her ears, she could almost hear someone shouting at her to snap out of it. To win.

Then everything went black.

Kakashi had been watching the match with open interest, paying close attention to every move Sakura made. Taking mental notes on things she needed to work on, determined to make sure this genin succeeded in her career. There was something different in the way she moved, the way she held herself. This wasn't the same Sakura from that very first day he met her.

He could only see it as a good thing. Ninja didn't have the luxury of a life of happiness, no matter how much he wished for her to keep her innocence. She chose to be a ninja, and Kakashi wasn't going to let her be unprepared for the battles she might face. Although he did wish that he had been there to help her after whatever ordeal she survived in the forest. He didn't think the injuries came from Orochimaru thankfully, and from what Sasuke had told him, she hadn't faced the sannin.

That snake would have killed her if she had, no doubt about it. Orochimaru didn't play around and had only been in that forest for Sasuke. Anyone standing in his way would have been killed. Naruto was only spared due to the seal on his stomach.

Kakashi pushed those thoughts aside as he watched the battle before him. Sakura had just pinned Ino down and was about to land what was most likely the would be what pushed her to the win. From his view, he could easily see the moment Sakura froze. There was a faraway look in her eyes, fist hovering above Ino's face. Ino herself seemed confused but took advantage of the situation to flip them over.

"Sakura! Snap out of it! You can win this!" Naruto shouted from beside him. The genin was pressed up against the railing and had a worried look on his face.

Then the look in Sakura's eyes switched to fear.

He watched as Sakura managed to catch Ino's wrist before the girl could punch her, free hand reaching into Ino's own kunai holster. Ino seemed to realize that something was wrong and tried to twist away and out of the tight grip that Sakura had on her wrist. Without hesitation, and before Ino could move out of the way, Sakura was sliding the kunai deep into Ino's side.

Sakura ripped the kunai free from Ino's side, after twisting her wrist slightly to add to the pain, and shoved the girl off of her. Now straddling her once again, her fist came down harshly with a crack. A few more blows left Ino with a dazed look. Sakura then lifted the hand holding the kunai high above her head.

Kakashi's eye widened as he realized exactly what she was going to do.

"End it."

Sakura blinked a few times as she became aware of her body again. There was the feeling of cold metal in her hand and someone had her wrist in a tight grip. Her gaze drifted down to the girl below her.

Ino.

The blonde genin below her seemed to be struggling to keep her eyes open, seemingly due to pain based on the nasty looking mark, a bruise, that seemed to be forming on her face. Eyebrows furrowed, Sakura stared in confusion at Ino.

Did I do that?

"Right..The winner is Sakura Haruno!"

Sakura's head whipped around to stare at the proctor in shock, but was only given a moment to stare before the grip on her wrist was tugging her up and off of Ino. Stumbling slightly as the one holding her wrist began marching forward, Sakura realized it was Kakashi that was guiding her towards the stairs.

"What happ-"

Her words died in her throat as Kakashi squeezed her wrist and sped up. Glancing back, she saw Ino's own sensei and a medic escorting her out of the arena. Instead of the stairs, they seemed to be taking a different door. Ino's hand was clasped around her side and Sakura could see the blood staining her hand from the wound.

What happened?

Fear crept in as Sakura realized she had absolutely no idea what had happened towards the end of the match. She remembered straddling Ino, prepared to end it, and then-

Oh.

Her brain had shown her Zaku underneath her, instead of Ino. She couldn't remember what happened after that. Had she blacked out and hurt Ino like that? While she wanted to win, she never planned on majorly hurting Ino. Roughing her up maybe, but causing her to bleed like that?

"We'll talk about it later. Right now, I want you to sit down and rest. Watch the rest of the matches, after this is over you are going straight to a medic to get checked out. Got it?"

Sakura could only nod as Kakashi continued to lead her up to the viewing area. Naruto was waiting for them by the stairs, compliments already falling from his lips as they got close. Beyond the happy demeanor he portrayed, Sakura could see the worry in his eyes.

Passing the exams had been her goal before that first test. She had made it to the finals. However, she had blacked out and hurt someone that she cared about in fear. Sakura knew Ino would never hurt her like those sound genin had, yet her brain had thought differently.

There was no way she could fight in the finals if she acted like this in battle. What if it had been Naruto she was facing? Or Sasuke? Could she trust herself to not panic and do something she might regret?

"Don't worry so much Sakura. Things will be alright." Kakashi's gentle words did nothing to calm her, though she still followed him to their previous spot before her battle. Settling down against the wall with Naruto at her side was comforting.

As she let herself relax, Sakura felt her eyes begin to droop.

I didn't realize how tired I was.

"I'll wake you up when my match starts, you're not allowed to miss out on me winning!"

Sakura smiled as she let her eyes close, allowing sleep to overtake her. She didn't want to think about everything at the moment.

Magen: Narakumi no Jutsu - Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique