Disclaimer: I'm taking a break from the not-owning-Naruto thing and telling you instead who shouldn't own it! Those american manga people!! They're calling Chunnin "journeyman"!! Is there any justice? Do these people care to read the manga at all?! What the hell is a journeyman???? Lol, jk...

Chapter 6: Shikamaru's Solution

"Kill someone?!" shouted Sakura at the top of her lungs. That is, until she saw the shocked and frightened looks on everyone's faces at the extremely loud noise she had made.

"Yeah..." Naruto started. "Well, unless, we could figure out another way. Well, basically, the reason we need to kill someone is because we need a dead carcass to be found by someone who can open the gate. BUT, the body must be on the other side of the gate, or else there would be no need for anyone to open the gate to find out if the person is OK."

"So basically, what you're saying...is that we need bait?" Rock Lee asked.

Naruto nodded.

"OK, so we'll need to have someone dead on the other side of the gate, so that...we can call...an ANBU, or someone important like that, and tell them what we've found..." Rock Lee was continuing.

"AND THEN, as he is taking the body out, or examining it, we could have one or two of us distract the guy, as the others sneak in. And all the ones who went in just have to hide out for a while, in case the guy looks in that direction or comes back in." Sakura interrupted.

Rock Lee admired her brilliance. He admired everything about her, actually. Her perfect skin. Her bright smiles. Her silly outburst. Her larger than life forehead. Her silky pink hair. Even after she had cut it, she was still the most beautiful girl in the world in his eyes.

"...The gates can be opened from the inside. They did that just in case little kids somehow got in or something, and they'd have a way to get out, you know? So it'll be really easy for the guy who distracted the person to get in, because all that's gotta be done is just have the rest us open the gate for them! It's pretty fail proof. All we gotta make sure of is that we won't be seen and that we have someone who can open the gate fall for the bait..."

The details ensued from there in a group huddle. Details were discussed and any possible things that could go wrong were solved. Tenten and Neji would be the people that would have to lure the person into opening the gate for them, while the rest would sneak in and hide. Some of them had other thoughts going through the back of their heads though. Like how in the next few hours, they would be fighting each other. Maybe even to the death.

"Well, we only have one problem." Naruto suddenly stated after the huddle was almost done. "Are we really going to kill someone?"

"Hmph."

"What Sasuke?" Sakura was startled by the noise Sasuke had made. He was smirking.

"I think Shikamaru lied to you..."

"What do you mean he lied to me?" Naruto asked with a very confused look. 'Why would he lie?' he thought.

"Has Shikamaru ever tried this out himself to see if it actually worked?"

"Ha! Yes! He has! I'm not stupid! It seemed really hard to do, and a little far-fetched, ya know? Having to kill someone? But he told me he did it before and it worked! Wow, he actually killed someone. Why would he wanna go in there, though? Hmm..."

"It seems to me that he just made up some stupid idea on the spot, so that you would leave him alone to sleep or something. I mean, do you think that Shikamaru, NARA Shikamaru, would actually go to the trouble of killing someone?"

"Oh...Yeah...And, he didn't have a reason for going in the Forest of Death either." Naruto scratched his head, crossed his arm, and scrunched his eyes. He hated being tricked. But that was understandable. Shikamaru, what with the IQ of Einstein could trick the whole Genin squad if he wanted to, and, he actually kind of did...But anyways, what bothered him is when he hears that other people find him annoying.

"Exactly. His story had too many holes. Shikamaru HATES work and troublesome things. His idea was just too troublesome to have been done by him. And besides..." Sasuke walked to the gate. "...I talked to him too."

"Did you ask him about our problem?" Tenten asked curiously.

"Well, I tried to figure it out first. But I knew that Shikamaru would probably find the answer days before I did. So, I asked him. With a promise on the side."

"What promise?" It was Sakura's turn.

"If he became Chunin, I would have to help him out with the, as put by him "heavy-duty" missions. I guess he assumed that if he became Chunin, I would be Chunin too..."

"I can't believe he tricked me JUST because I was annoying...HOW am I annoying? Seriously! What is SO bad about me?!?"

"Shut up Naruto!" shouted Sakura. "Ok then Sasuke! Tell us what Shikamaru told you!"

"He said..." Sasuke started, but then a spark came out of his hand. They were facing his back this whole time, and he must have done some seals without them knowing, because they were all surprisde to find a ball of chakra begin to form in his hand, which could only be known as the Chidori that Kakashi had taught him. And out of nowhere, he directed it straight down the gate that separated them from the dangers of the forest.

And the Chidori died out, Sasuke now facing them. "...He said, in his words 'Perhaps a few birds could help you out.' And then, with a really sarcastic and stupid look on his face, he said 'It's just TOO bad you don't have anything like that.' And obviously, my Chidori was the answer. Hehe...Something so simple, yet only someone like Shikamaru could think of it..."

"What a guy, eh?" someone random in the group had commented.

"But wait!" Naruto still had the frustrated tone in his voice. "Ok. So, Shikamaru found me annoying. But he told you! Ugh! Ok! But, why didn't you tell us earlier and saving us all the trouble of thinking?! Especially me! I had ta think A LOT!!"

"Hmph...Hehe..." Once again, that smirk. Sasuke's smirk.

"What?!" Naruto was at his last thread.

Sasuke started walking in the Forest and the rest followed. Even Naruto, in an angry march though. Then he turned around, smirk still pasted on "I needed some entertainment. Waking up early for this had unfortunately made me miss my weekly dose of Saturday morning cartoons."

And with that, they were in. They had made it in the Forest of Death. But it would be in a few days, that that decision they made they would regret. And all they would want to do is get out. Get out of the Forest, and get out of the fight.