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-------------------------------------------Shattered Illusion : Copy Of a Ninja
: Chapter 13
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As the seventy-eight remaining candidates followed Anko toward their next testing grounds, Sakura lagged behind. She could not keep herself from pondering upon her errant teammate.
One thing she did know, Naruto before their last mission, and Naruto after… were two completely different people.
She felt like she didn't know the boy anymore, and that scared her.
The boy that she thought she knew would do anything for her, and would surely have panicked during the exam just now. However, such was not the case, she got the feeling that he considered her as nothing more than an acquaintance, if they got along so be it, but if she got in his way... she shivered.
An example of this had occurred only moments earlier, near the end of the first test. She was sure that Naruto could not have completed the test, as even she herself had trouble, and she did not want to remain a genin, so, determined to help him, she had started to raise her hand.
Whether he just did not like her or he somehow sensed that her hand was about to be raised Naruto partially turned his head to meet her gaze.
Her breath froze in her throat, she felt like she was being crushed. His gaze was unlike any other she had ever received, or wished to again. All thoughts of quitting had been immediately erased from her mind. She felt helpless.
Who was this person?
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After some time, the group found themselves standing before a gigantic fenced off area. From behind the enclosure an ominous forest loomed. They could hear the call from various predators echoing from within the shadowy depths.
"Welcome to the stage for the second test. Practice arena 44. Also known as the forest of death."
Turning to fully face the remaining candidates Anko warned. "You'll soon find out why it is called the forest of death."
Naruto snorted at this, unimpressed. An action that did not go unobserved.
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Alerted by the suddenly focussed chakra of the examiner, Naruto boosted his own body's reactions. Glad that he had retained the chakra from when she had first arrived in the third floor classroom.
She was fast; Naruto would give her that, faster than him without this forbidden technique. But this was of little consequence, in a battle between shinobi only results mattered.
Drawing the approaching kunai from the air impossibly fast, Naruto grabbed the leaf jounin around her slender neck with his other hand, slamming her into the unforgiving ground. Taking advantage of the momentary disorientation this move brought about, he drew the kunai along her cheek.
Feeling the drain from maintaining his enhanced state, Naruto was forced to drop it, he wanted to keep a large reserve for the upcoming exam. He needn't have worried though, as the instructor was still reeling from the blow.
Naruto replaced the kunai within her hip holster, rose, and walked away, muttering a low, "hmpf".
Keeping his senses sharp Naruto only stopped when he found himself next to his teammates once more, as the examiner had risen to her feet. Still annoyed at the attack he could not help but take a dig at her, "Don't sneak up behind me unless you want to die."
Obviously uncomfortable with this turn of events, Anko chose to ignore it, and once more brought herself up before the group. "Now, before we start the second test, there is something I have to pass out." With this announcement she held up a stack of forms.
"There will be deaths in this one. And if I don't have you sign these, it will be my responsibility."
Ignoring the murmurs that this tactless comment created, Anko went on to describe the second exam.
"Simply put. You will attempt the ultimate survival…."
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- Scroll battle eh - Naruto thought to himself, leaning carelessly against the fence line. – Sounds like fun - And we get five days for this battle as well, more than time enough to do some recon on the other teams. First thing I will have to do is collect a set of both scrolls, that way I can leave the others with a buunshin while I scout on my own.
As he was planning who to find first however, his sensitive hearing picked up a rather curious conversation.
"So first we'll go after the rookies."
That drew his attention; looking over toward the voices source, Naruto found himself peering at a trio of grass nins. The interesting thing was that the chakra on one of them was seriously screwed up. Not unlike his own, the spirit contained within the body was of a vastly disproportionate factor. Only, the energy signature was entirely human. How on earth could that be possible.
It could not be from specialized training, if that was the case then all three would sport the anomaly. So, what did that leave? Something similar to the Yamanaka techniques?
Only permanent?
Well, another interesting guy had shown up, and if the conversation was any indicator he would have the opportunity to ask that and more very soon. Looked like he would be sticking with the others for a little longer than initially planned.
"Everyone follow an instructor and go to your gates. We will start in thirty minutes."
Oh well, that was often the case these days. Sauntering over to his own teamates, Naruto lead the pair over to the instructor standing disinterestedly before gate twelve.
"The second test of the chuunin exam will now begin."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rough Draft Done. Comments Welcome.