Disclaimer - i do not own any of the characters used in this fic with the exception of an OC who will be appearing in later chapters.
" text " normal talk
" text " kyubi talk
" text " thoughts
A/N: Once again I wish to thank the nice people who took the time to review. And I'm not going to detail out the first test and the events prior because imo, that was boring so I headed straight to the second test.
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Chapter 3
Team 7 and the rest of the remaining teams stood near one of the gates of the Forest of Death, where the second test will be held. The examiner, Mitarashi Anko explained that each team will be given one of two kinds of scrolls, an Earth scroll or a Heaven scroll. The goal of the test is to obtain both scrolls by any means neccessary and get to the tower in the middle of the forest with all of your teammates. A team is disqualified if one is killed or incapacitated, if they lose their scroll or if they did not make it to the tower within the time limit , which was five days, with the two scrolls. With the important details done, she handed out forms to be signed and explained they were waivers saying that the examiner is in no way responsible to whatever will happen to you during the exam and told them once they were done, they will exchange their forms with a scroll.
The teams then scattered to fill out their forms and some took the time to pick out possible targets. Sakura felt the The team from the Grass kept looking at her team the whole time Anko was speaking and what made her more uncomfortable was they looked very creepy and strong. Her thoughts was interrupted by the examiner yelling that the exam will begin in 30 minutes. She looked around, looking at the others and it seemed to her that everyone looked strong and she was quite intimidated that she didn't notice Naruto approach her.
" Sakura-chan? Are you alright "
" Oh, Naruto... " she looked to her hyper-active, loudmouthed and ramen-crazed teammate. " Its just that everyone looks... "
" Don't worry Sakura-chan, " Naruto struck his nice guy pose. " I'll make sure that we pass this test and kick everyone's ass and protect you so don't worry about anything! "
Sakura just smiled at him. Naruto always had a way of making even the most depressed people a little happier. A little while later, everyone was now gathered at various the various gates to the forest as Anko started the countdown. Everyone was getting excited as other examiners unlocked that gates and prepared to open them.
" 3, 2, 1, GO! " Anko gave the signal and the gates where thrown wide open as every team rushed to forest at full speed. The second exam has begun.
The three Grass nins that were looking at Team 7 earliserrushed into the forest, chasing after them.
" Those guys we are after right? " one of them said
" Yes, the team with the Uchiha. " their leader, a creepy looking woman replied, licking her lips with her abnormally long tongue.
" Sasuke-kun, don't disappoint me. "
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Team 7 were hoping over three branches, searching for a suitable location to place traps.
" Naruto, there are three people who are following you. " Naruto stopped immediately. Sasuke and Sakura stopped to.
" What are you doing? " Sasuke asked glaring at him. Sakura had the same look on her face.
" Uh..nothing " he mumbled then dropped into a clearing below. He then asked Kyuubi if they were strong.
" Hmph, they're pathetic you can take them alone. "
Sasuke and Sakura were confused by their teammates actions and followed him. They found him with a stupid grin on his face.
" What now Naruto? " Sakura was now annoyed. Standing out here in the open was asking to be killed.
" Uh... i got to pee be right back! " Naruto sheepishly answered and went behind some trees to do his thing. His two teammates just sweatdropped as they sat to wait for their teammate to return. It took a while before any of them noticed that Naruto was taking too long.
" Grrrr...Where is that stupid Naruto! He's taking too long. " Sakura said clearly annoyed. Sasuke however doesn't feel right. What if Naruto has been ambushed? He toyed around with their scroll, an Earth scroll, they had decided that he should hold it, since Naruto was too stupid and Sakura was not that strong to defend herself. His insticts told him to check Naruto but he didn't want to leave Sakura alone. They were both relieved when they heard someone come out from the trees.
" Sasuke-kun..How are you? "
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Meanwhile, Naruto tracked down the team that were following them, with a little help from Kyuubi. They were quite surprised when the found out that they had been discovered. Naruto looked at their hitai-ate and noticed they were from the Hidden Mist. The nins laughed at him, telling him he was stupid enough to take on the three of them alone.
" Give them a taste of hell " Naruto smiled at Kyuubi's comment and glared at his opponents concentrating hard. The three Mist nins suddenly stopped laughing and froze in their tracks, and dropped to the ground and were shaking very much. Naruto noticed that one of them had wet his pants and snickered. He went over to them and search them.
" Lucky! " he said gleefully as he held up a Heaven scroll. He then went back to where Sakura and Sasuke where waiting.
" That was easy! "
" Of course, if you just listen to me this test will be a breeze. " Naruto just smiled " Maybe she's right "
Naruto arrived at where he left his teammates and found another person standing there. Then he noticed that Sasuke and Sakura on their knees and shaking.
" What the hell? "
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In another part of the forest, a jounin was moving at full-speed searching for someone.
" It can't be! Why did he come back? What does he want no!"
-/Flashback/-
" Anko-sama, please you have too see this! " a chuunin examiner said to her while she was happily eating.
"What is it now? " she stood up and followed the chuunin to three stone figures. She saw three dead shinobis but what was strange was..
" As you can see, they're faces look like they had been ripped off. "
" No! It's definitely his technique! " she said to herself as her former sensei came to her mind.
" Call the Anbu and send them to the forest, then inform Hokage-sama " she ordered as she ran to the forest fearing the worst.
-/End Flashback-/
" What are you doing here...Orochimaru? "
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Naruto stared at the figure before him that scared the hell out of Sakura and even the bastard Sasuke.
" Be careful, this one is strong and I smell a snake, literally." Kyuubi warned
Naruto figured that this one has to be strong if he made even Sasuke wet his pants, so he had to be careful. He thought his first priority was to get Sakura and Sasuke first.
" Wow, Naruto you're getting smarter now.. " he ignored Kyuubi's comments then threw shurikens at his opponent while creating clones to attack while he himself rushed to where his teammates were shaking.
" Sakura-chan? Sasuke what happened? " he noticed that Sakura crying and Sasuke staring wide-eyed at their attacker. He was then surprised that he was holding the shurikens he threw but his clones were also gone.
" Smart move, but not good enough Naruto-kun. "
" Na...Naruto.. " Naruto turned to Sasuke who tried to speak while shaking like hell. " Ta.ta..take Sakura and r..run, this guy is strong. "
Naruto then looked at their opponent who was now looking directly at him he wondered why he hadn't attack yet.
" He used his killer-intent on your teammates, that why they're scared out of their wits, you will be able to resist it don't worry. "
Naruto was also looking intently at his opponent, also radiating his killer-intent. The other was also surprised that he was not affected by his killer intent but also appeared to be transmitting his own killer intent.
" I'll lend give you some of my power, fight him! "
The grass-nin now noticed that Naruto's eyes were now slitted and red and that he was starting to feel fear and made a few steps back. The instant he moved Naruto made shadow clones which carried away Sasuke and Sakura he himself dashed toward the Grass nin. His opponent was startled a bit, but managed to throw the shurikens that he was holding at Naruto. He more surprised when Naruto avoided them in mid-air that he had barely time to notice the fist that was flying towards his face. Naruto followed by more punches before kicking him in the gut, sending him crashing into a tree trunk. The Grass-nin crashed into thet ree at full-force forming a large hole in the trunk and sending bits of wood and dust around. Naruto calmed down a bit and stood, waiting for his opponent to come out of the rubble. By now Sakura and Sasuke were back to their normal selves and watch Naruto fight. They were awed that Naruto practically kick the nin's ass while they themselves cowered in fear making Sasuke feel uncomfortable. Sakura called out to cheer Naruto, and the idiot that Naruto is turned his back on the enemy to give Sakura a thumbs-up that he didn't notice the long tongue coming at him from behind.
" Naruto,behind you! " Sasuke screamed but Naruto didn't react fast enough as the tongue wrapped around him and the Grass-nin slowly approached him.
" So this the vessel of the Nine-tails, " he said to himself as he gathered chakra in one hand at his fingertips " And he learned to tap the power of the Nine-Tails. "
He thent thrust his hand into Naruto's stomach. " Five part seal! "
Naruto's eyes slowly returned to normal and he felt himself being drained of energy as the Grass-nin released him from his hold and tossed him to a ledge side like a discarded doll.
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Sasuke stared in horror as he saw what happened to Naruto. He already knew that they wouldn't win against this guy but Naruto held his own against him and now he was unconscious. They would have ran now if it wasn't for Naruto. He turned to Sakura who was as shaken as he was.
" Sakura, get Naruto while I distract him. Then take him and get of here. I'll follow you when I can. " he said while preparing some shurikens.
" But Sasuke-kun, this guy is too strong even for you... "
" Just take Naruto and leave! " Sakura just stared as Sasuke left to face their opponent.
" Be careful Sasuke-kun. "
" Now where were we Sasuke-kun... "
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Sasuke carefully sized up his opponent. His plan was to fight him until Sakura had taken Naruto had gotten far away from here then he himself will follow, if he makes it out of here.
" The famed Only Survivor of the Uchiha doesn't seem so great now isn't he? " the Grass-nin smiled licking his lips with his tongue, which Sasuke noticed were quite long and resembled a snake. He gritted his teeth seeing his enemy was taunting him to attack first, but he tried to keep his cool he didn't want to end up like Naruto.
" What's the matter Sasuke-kun? scared now aren't you? My my, the last Uchiha is nothing but a big chicken you disappoint me. "
Sasuke was trying to keep his cool but was failing miserably, no one ever called him a chicken and get away with it. No one. He cursed as he activated his sharingan and threw three shurikens at his opponent. And jumped. His opponents dodged the shurikens and followed Sasuke and lashed out with his tongue. Sasuke barely dodged and threw more shurikens while landing on a tree branch he then made a few handseals.
" Katon, Housenka! " several fire blasts came out from his mouth and flew towards the Grass shinobi. He easily dodged them but he didn't notice them circle him and the thin strings that followed it. By the time he did the shurikens had circled around him and seemed to be wrapping around him. He cursed as he was pulled towards a tree and tied it with the chakra strings. Sasuke made more handseals as he held the strings.
" Katon, Ryuuka! " as large stream of fire, flew towards the Grass-nin, travelling on the chakra strings, completely obliterating him. He relaxed a bit, breathing hard as the jutsu uses up a lot of chakra. he then prepared to check on Naruto and Sakura and get away form here.
" Not bad, Sasuke-kun that's why I want you. " Sasuke turned and saw his opponent stand up. He cursed himself, he was slightly tired now and his opponent seemed unscathed. He didn't had time to move as the Grass nin's neck grew longer and snaked towards him aiming for his head. He screamed as he felt two fangs sink in the back of his neck. His enem'y neck then retracted, and he saw him removed a mask and revealed his real face.
" Wh..who are you? " Sasuke blurted as he slowly sank into unconsciousness.
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Sakura had heard Sasuke scream and immediately rushed to where he was engaging their attacker. She was horrified when she saw the Grass-nin's long neck as it snaked toward Sasuke and bit him. She then saw him removed a mask and revealed a more creepier face.
" Who are you? What did you do to Sasuke-kun! " she screamed as she rushed over to Sasuke who was writhing in pain holding his neck on where he was biten.
"I'll have you know, my name is Orochimaru and I just gave Sasuke a present. "
Sakura saw seals appear near the spot where he was bitten. Sasuke started screaming again, this time a little bit louder, obviously the seal was causing the pain.
" What have you done to Sasuke! " Sakura was now very angry.
" Do not worry, my gift will help him very much and he will want to find me again for more. " Orochimaru replied as he stepped back and seemed to sink into the ground. " I'll be waiting Sasuke-kun "
Sakura watched as Orochimaru vanished and turned her attention to Sasuke. He had stop screaming and the pain was now subsiding. She gasped as he touched his forehead.
" Sasuke-kun! You have a fever! " However Sasuke didn't respond and was now unconscious. Sakura put Sasuke's head closer to her and look upwards to the sky wondering what she will do now, all her teammates were now incapacitated and she was now alone.
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Anko sat on a rock somewhere on a plain just outside the forest covering the wound in her left hand with appendages. Her worst fears have come true, Orochimaru has come back and that's not all.
-/Flashback/-
She can feel his presence. He was near. She run faster and dropped to the ground below and threw a bunch of kunai at a tree. Orochimaru slowly melted back into the tree seeing the attack.
" You won't escape! Shadow Snake hand! " snakes came out of her sleeves and flew toward Orochimaru dragging him out. She then went closer and then brought his and her hand together and pierced a kunai through. She then started making seals.
" Double Snake... "
" Are you going to commit suicide? "
Anko looked up and saw the figure before her turn to mud which then slowly melted away. She slowly removed the kunai and sank to the ground. Orochimaru came closer and touched her cheek.
" You want to assasinate Hokage-sama don't you? "
" No Anko, I don't have enough resources now for that but maybe later I will." he stood up and rubbed his chin while looking at Anko " But there is someone in this exam that I want. " He then gave Anko a threatening glare. " And for Konoha's sake, make sure the exams will continue. " And then Orochimaru vanished.
-/End Flashback/-
Two ANBU members appeared in front of her.
" You sure took your damn time coming here. "
" Now don't say that Anko. " one of the Anbu replied but was cut short as Anko screamed and collapsed to the ground holding her neck. " The cursed seal! It's active again? Is he... "
" Yes, " Anko interrupted " Orochimaru is back."
" We must inform the Hokage, and stop the test. " the Anbu replied.
" No. He threatened to do something if we stop the exam. We need to be more careful. I must tell Hokage-sama. "
" But why did he come back here? "the Anbu wondered as they prepared to leave.
" He is after the last Uchiha. "
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In her prison, the Great Nine-Tailed Fox felt the whole place shake and looked like anytime soon it may collapse. She wondered what will happen to her if the prison did collapse. She saw the creepy snake-guy punch Naruto in the stomach or she thought she did. And then she saw the enormous seal that kept her lock in the cage glow, and was getting brighter every moment until the whole area was covered with light. She closed her eyes, unable to withstand the glare of light. When her sight was restored. She got the biggest shock in her life since being imprisoned inside Naruto. The huge doors that contained her inside the cage was now slightly ajar and one thing came to her mind.
" Freedom! "
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A/N: Do you people want pairings?