Tale of the Setting Sun
Chapter 9: "Deep, Dark, Crystal Cave"
The teams that had managed to take out their opponent teams before the time limit were all gathered in a large room with rows of clay chairs. When Naruto and his team arrived, only one other team from Amegakure was there. Their eyes were bloodshot as they glared at team Kakashi, and in wordless agreement, they chose seats at the opposite end of the room.
As the minutes passed, the remaining teams came trickling in, each looking increasingly more bedraggled. With ten minutes left on the clock, he noticed the Konoha rookies coming in. Despite how long it had taken them, they did not seem particularly worn down and walked in with confident demeanors.
Rai noticed as well, and beckoning for Mayu and Naruto to follow him, he made his way over to the girl with buns in her hair. "If it isn't Tenten!"
The girl perked up at her name, but when she saw Rai, her face fell. "Oh...it's you."
"It's been a while," said Rai, ignoring her lack of enthusiasm. Naruto got the impression that this was not an unusual dynamic for them and wondered whether something had happened in their past. "This is Tenten, guys. These are my teammates, Mayu and Naruto."
Mayu shyly smiled at them.
"This is Hyūga Neji and Rock Lee," replied Tenten dutifully, gesturing to the two boys besides her. The one with the clear eyes had to be the Hyūga, meaning the one with the bushy eyebrows and the martial arts belt around his waist was Rock Lee.
"Nice to meet you! I am Rock Lee," said Lee, with a flashing grin and a thumbs-up. He seemed reasonably friendly, and hadn't reacted at all to Naruto's countenance the way other villagers did. On the other hand, Naruto had never seen him before, so it was possible that the boy was one of the war orphans who'd kept to the orphanage.
"You're Kakashi's team, aren't you?" said Neji, glancing at them coolly.
Lee visibly perked up. "What?! So you are the pupils of Gai-sensei's eternal rival?! You will make worthy opponents then!"
"Is Gai your team leader?" asked Mayu.
"Yes," answered Tenten, with a warmer smile for the other girl. "You guys must be the reason why Gai-sensei wanted us to take the exam this year as rookies."
Rai raised an eyebrow. "I've never heard of Gai though. Are you sure he and Kakashi-sensei are rivals?"
"Are you sure you have never heard of him?!" said Lee, his already circular eyes growing even wider than Naruto had thought possible. "He is the strongest jōnin in Konoha, with a record of – "
"You're Uzumaki Naruto?" interrupted Neji. The whole time, Naruto noted, his pale gaze had not wavered from him. "The one who graduated from the Academy two years early?"
Naruto blinked; he'd never heard anyone refer to him as such. "That's right," he said.
"He's our local genius, the kind born only once a generation, yadda yadda," said Rai, throwing an arm around Naruto. With a sly smile, he added, "Kinda like you Hyūga, I'd say."
"A genius?" echoed Lee; the words appeared to have struck a chord with him. "I'd like to challenge you to a fight sometime, then."
At that, Naruto turned towards Lee, taken aback. "This probably isn't the best venue for a fight," he said mildly. "You'll have to wait for a later test for an opportunity."
Neji's eyes narrowed. "You say that like you expect to win."
That hadn't been Naruto's intention, but thinking about it, he supposed it was true.
"As if Naruto would lose to some rookies like you," scoffed Rai.
With that, it seemed Tenten had had enough, for she seized her teammates firmly by the arms. "Will you drop it already? Let's go, guys."
Although Lee allowed himself to be dragged away, Neji brushed off Tenten's hand. Nonetheless, with another hard look in their direction, he left as well.
"You could've been a bit more friendly, Rai," said Mayu, watching them walk away.
Rai shrugged. "They were being too cocky for a bunch of rookies."
His teammates' voices fading into the background, Naruto's gaze followed the retreating backs of the rookies. He hadn't gotten much of an impression of Tenten besides the fact that she and Rai seemed to have a strange rivalry going on. Moving on, there was Lee. He seemed determined to make a name for himself, judging from the way he'd instantly challenged Naruto. His heavily bandaged fists also indicated strong resolve.
Lastly, Naruto's eyes flicked towards Neji. He had been a bit more scathing than expected, but Naruto felt impressed at his self-control. He'd thought when he saw him before that perhaps the calm attitude was all an act, but the first test had barely ruffled his feathers. The Hyūga boy was the real thing after all. Team Gai would all likely be strong contenders in the exam.
Naruto didn't mind; so long as they didn't get in the way of Team Kakashi, he thought that the more Konoha genin that passed, the better.
From a rough estimate, there were about eighteen teams seated in the room, about evenly distributed in terms of villages. Many of them looked weary, with purple bruises and scratches all around their body. Only a scant few seemed relatively untouched, like himself and his teammates. Simply judging from their lack of presence, compared to the Konoha rookies, they did not seem like they would be much of a challenge for him...
But looks could be deceiving. That was what being a ninja was all about, after all – blending in with the shadows and offering oneself as harmless so as to lower the enemy's guard. And then, just when the enemy had relaxed and left an opening, you struck.
Suddenly, he turned around as he felt a tendril of intensely cold blood lust creeping in from the entrance. A sandaled foot emerged from around the corner – and just as the bloodlust vanished as quickly as it had appeared, he saw Kabuto walk in, with his teammates trailing behind. Naruto closely examined the teammates, but they looked fairly ordinary with black masks covering most of their faces.
He wondered: Could this be an example of precisely what he'd been thinking of just moments ago? Of a snake, coiled around its unsuspecting prey, poised to strike with its poisonous fangs?
It turned out that Kabuto's team had been the last one to pass, for no one else had come in when a bell rang piercingly at the one-hour mark. As all the gathered genin simultaneously turned to look, a pair of doors that had been closed flung open with a bang. A file of Suna chūnin marched in, with a different jōnin at their head. He looked younger than Baki, with black hair that hung over his right eye.
"Congratulations on passing the first test of the Chūnin Selection Exam," said the jōnin, his indifferent expression belying his words. "My name is Yūra, and I will be your second examiner. Regardless of whether any of your teammates are capable or not, the second test will commence within the hour. But first, we will proceed to the venue for the second test."
Following the chūnin past the doors they had just come through, it was revealed to be a long tunnel-like hallway that sloped sharply downwards. The walls were made of sanded rock and it was dark, lit only occasionally by stone torches. As they shuffled in silence down the steps, Naruto looked around. The air was growing increasingly colder and damper, and the sputtering lights from the torches were growing weaker: it seemed the second test would be taking place underground.
Mayu stumbled besides him, and as Naruto reached out to steady her, he suddenly noticed how pale her face was.
"Are you alright?" he asked. He wondered if she had gotten injured during the first test, and whether it would be serious enough to affect them in the second test.
"Yeah...I just don't like feeling trapped in small spaces," she said, pulling away from him. Naruto exchanged looks with Rai, who tried to say something to her. She ignored him however, and for the rest of the journey, she didn't talk again.
After twenty minutes, the ground finally leveled out again and soon, they emerged into what appeared to be a narrow underground cavern. There were twelve gaping human-sized tunnel holes in the opposite rock wall. A torch burned besides each entrance.
Naruto immediately realized the nature of the second test: It was likely going to be some sort of maze. Besides him, Mayu must have come to the same conclusion, for she began to tremble.
"I will now explain the details of the second test. And then, before starting, I will need everyone here to sign these agreement forms," said Yūra, standing in the middle of the cavern. With a rustling sound, one of the chūnin pulled out a sheaf of papers and began passing them out. "There will be deaths in this test, and it won't be against the rules this time. So if I don't have you sign these, it will become my responsibility." It was silent. "In this test, it will be a survival of the fittest. Each team will enter the maze through a tunnel in the order that they passed the first test. Here are some details about the maze: we are two hundred feet below ground level, and if you take the correct path all the way through, it is about three kilometers long before ending up at the surface. All the tunnels intersect one another at multiple points. Using whatever weapons and jutsu you have available, your objective will be to obtain two team plates. This includes your own team plate, so if you manage to protect yours, you need only secure one other one. If your team plate is taken, you will need the team plates of two other teams. To pass this test, you and your team must reach the end of this maze with two team plates."
"They're cutting us at least in half now..." A genin grumbled.
"There is also a time limit. This second test will last 120 hours, which is exactly five days. You will be given a torch, but there are other sources of light within the maze. As for food and water...well, you'll have to figure that out on your own," Yūra's eyes gleamed maliciously. "Those who cannot learn to adapt will die from the harshness of the course. Now, I will talk about what will disqualify you. First, those that don't make it to the end of the tunnel with two plates within the time limit. Second, anyone who creates their own tunnels that reach to the surface. And third, anyone who destroys a team plate."
A genin from Amegakure raised his hand. "What if not everyone on our team survives?"
"Your objective is to reach the end of the tunnel with two plates," said Yūra. "Even if you are the only surviving member of your team, you will pass if you complete this requirement." He gestured towards a copy of the form in his hand. "That is all, so after signing the form as a team, go stand by one of the entrances. One team per entrance only."
As the genin signed the forms, Naruto stared down at the paper in his hand. The second test was very telling of the remainder of the exam, as well as the code that the shinobi of Suna lived by. It was apparent that for Suna, the accomplishment of a mission took precedence over the lives of the ninja – failure was not an option. Furthermore, the fact that the entire team was not required for completion of the second test indicated that the third part of the exam, unlike the first two, would test individuals. The third test would likely pit the remaining contenders against one another in direct battles.
"Do you think any of these tunnels are easier than the others?" mused Rai. By the time they'd handed in their forms, half the teams had already picked an entrance. They now waited outside one of the tunnels, tensely waiting for the rest.
"Possibly," said Naruto. "But he said that they intersect, so it's unlikely to matter." He looked at Mayu, who had stopped shaking during the explanation but was still pale. He hesitated, searching for the right words; he still wasn't used to comforting people. "The tunnels should widen, so it shouldn't be too bad, Mayu."
"Thanks," she said with a weak smile, but remained quiet.
Naruto supposed it could've been worse.
Since the team from Amegakure had been the first to pass, they were the first to disappear into the gaping black hole. As the sounds of their footsteps faded, a chūnin examiner walked up to Naruto and his team and marked their team number by the entrance. Rai lifted a torch from its handle.
"Good luck," Kabuto called out good-naturedly from two entrances away. His masked teammates besides him looked at them sullenly.
Naruto was spared from having to respond when, just then, Yūra gave them the signal to go. Taking a step forward, they walked into the darkness.
The light from the cavern behind them quickly faded, and the tunnel began to curve slightly to the right. When they turned the corner, the cavern completely disappeared from view and the only light now came from the torch in Rai's hand. However, the fire was weak and was barely strong enough to light up the path directly in front of them. Naruto wondered how long it would last. The wood was burning slowly but surely, and Naruto estimated that unless the chūnin examiners were going to stroll over and replace them for them – which was extremely unlikely – it would burn out within several hours. Then, they would be left in the pitch dark. Having trained in the dark before, Naruto wasn't worried, but he wondered how Mayu would fare.
"Do you hear something?" Rai suddenly said.
Naruto stopped, and listened carefully. Sure enough he could hear something echoing far ahead. It sounded like dripping. "It's probably water."
"Water? Down here?"
"Remember how we had to climb those mountains to reach Suna?" said Naruto patiently. "Mountains are just tilted layers of porous sedimentary rocks, and they usually run under the desert. Whenever it rains or snows, they soak into the layers, creating reservoirs of groundwater. The water should be safe to drink too."
During his preparation for the exam, Naruto had made sure to put aside a day in the Archives to research the prominent geography of Wind country, and was now glad he'd done so.
"Well, if you say so," Rai shrugged. "So now that the issue of water's solved, what's the plan for food and this maze?"
"There'll probably be some animals that we can eat around here," Mayu said suddenly. As Naruto had predicted, the tunnels had gradually widened in diameter as they walked further inside, and it seemed she felt better with more space around them. "I think we should find food and water first, before anything else."
Naruto nodded. "And after dealing with food, we should find a secure location. It'll be difficult finding somewhere truly hidden inside these tunnels, so we should look for a place with more space to prepare an ambush. For tonight though, we should conserve our energy and just rest. Other teams will be worked up and trying to attack one another first, and they'll be easy pickings for us later on."
They picked up their pace, and soon saw a pale blue light in the distance. When they reached the light, they found themselves emerging from the narrow tunnel into a large cavern that was easily three times the size of the one they had left before. The ground was clustered with large boulders and the walls were lined with something that was emitting the light. As the other two gawked up at the sheer size, Naruto cautiously went over to the wall. Touching it, he realized what Yūra had meant by 'other sources of light.' It was a soft and mossy type of plant that he had never seen before, and it glowed, washing the cavern in watery blue light.
All of a sudden, Mayu let out a cry of alarm. Immediately, Naruto spun around to face her – and saw something small and black streaking out from behind a grey boulder.
Rai threw a kunai; striking the thing right in its chest, it let out a small squeal before slumping on the ground. Stepping forward, he nudged it with its feet: It was a small furry mole-like creature with a pink snout. "Looks like we've found our dinner."
Naruto eventually found the source of the dripping water to be a crack in the wall. Chipping holes into fist-sized rocks with their kunai, they took turns collecting water. Then, after hunting down several more of the mole-like animals, they nestled themselves behind a boulder with their findings. After Rai skinned the animals, Naruto had just begun to ponder how to cook the meat over their dying torch when Mayu revealed something about herself that took him by surprise.
"Your chakra nature is fire?" asked Naruto. On further thought, he supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. The fire chakra nature was common among shinobi of Konoha after all. But she had never before demonstrated knowledge of any fire-based techniques.
Mayu nodded shyly. "I'm not very good at it though, so I usually stuck to genjutsu."
"How does it work?"
"Well...I gather the chakra in my stomach and then kind of put pressure on it, heating it up. Then when it's ready, I blow it out, and I... Here, let me show you." Her hands moving quickly to make the signs, she blew lightly on the wooden torch: "Katon: Takibi (Fire Release: Bonfire)!"
A stream of fire came out from her mouth which, though on the weak side, nevertheless strengthened the torch's flame to a respectable level.
"That's handy," Naruto said, beginning to think of how he could incorporate this unexpected ability into their future plans.
For some reason, Mayu turned pink at that, and avoided his gaze for a while.
After cooking the meat over the torch and eating it – it was stringy but edible – they had just put out the fire and covered their tracks, when another team entered the cavern. Naruto, hearing their foreign footsteps, noticed first, and quieted the two down immediately with a raised fist. As Rai and Mayu lowered their bodies against the ground, Naruto crept to the side of the boulder and peered around its edge. When he saw who it was, some of the tension left his body, but he remained hidden.
The rookies of Konoha wandered through the cavern, looking just as amazed by the light-emitting moss as they had been.
"Amazing! Truly, this is a springtime of youth!" said Lee, punching the air.
Tenten shushed him. "Is there another team here, Neji?"
Naruto saw the Hyūga boy turn around, and immediately noticed that the veins around his temple were bulging: His Byakugan was activated. The boy looked directly at the boulder where Naruto and his team were currently hiding behind, and smirked.
"Yeah...but lucky for them, we'll leave them alone for now," said Neji. "Come on, let's find another place to find shelter."
His teammates nodded without protest, and they leaped to the exit on the other side of the cavern.
Once it was safe, they came out of hiding.
"I really hate that guy," Rai muttered.
Though they couldn't see the sun, they could feel in their bodies that the hour was getting late. Taking into consideration Mayu's poor condition, it was down to between Naruto and Rai to take the first watch. While Mayu crawled into a sleeping bag she'd summoned from a scroll, Naruto and Rai looked at one another.
The other boy jerked his head. "Go on, I'll stand watch first. I'm not sleepy anyways."
Laying down on the ground and looking up at the dark ceiling, Naruto wondered whether the sun had set yet. While his internal clock told him that it was likely around six in the evening, it'd probably been thrown off an hour or two since they'd traveled to Wind country. Truthfully speaking, he couldn't wait for this test to be over, so they could return to the surface. Before going to sleep, he usually liked watching the sunset from his window. Not being able to see the sky was unsettling.
He had just been about to drift to sleep when suddenly, a voice spoke up near his head.
"Hey, Naruto," whispered Rai. "You awake?"
His eyes snapped open, instantly alert. Despite the glow of light from the moss, it was dark enough that all he could make of Rai was a vague body outline. "What is it?"
"...I just wanted to know...what'd you do to Mayu?"
He'd never heard Rai speaking in such a serious tone before; somewhat alarmed, he asked, "What do you mean?"
There was a pause. "You wouldn't know it, but I've known her my whole life, so I know...Once she decides something, it's pretty much impossible to change her mind." Another pause. "Mayu didn't like you, did you know that?"
"I had an inkling," Naruto said drily.
"Actually, everyone I know hates you for some reason, so I figured you must've done something really bad - " Rai abruptly broke off when Mayu shifted. For a moment, it was silent; and then her soft, steady breathing resumed. He cleared his throat. "Anyways...do you remember that day when we had to fill out our birthdays in a calendar at the Academy?"
"What about it?"
"That's when I realized that, well." Rai hesitated. "I guess you already know that you were born on the day of the Nine-tails attack. I was really young so I barely remember it, but my parents were killed on that day. And it's stupid, but...you kinda look like a fox with your whiskers, so it used to give me the creeps."
Naruto blinked, taken aback despite himself. The Nine-tails. He had once wondered as well whether he was an orphan because of that attack. But for some reason, he'd never even considered it as a possible link to the reason behind his ostracisation.
His head beginning to throb, he massaged his temples, and as such, he almost missed Rai's following words.
"Still, you know...whatever anyone else says, we definitely wouldn't have made it this far without you. And," Rai added in a grudging tone, "I don't know what you did, but I think even Mayu kinda likes you now."
With that, Naruto heard Rai rise to his feet and he walked a distance away.
All was silent, except for the sound of steady breathing. Naruto lay still. He wondered why Rai had told him this, and what it was that he wanted from him. He opened his mouth, but couldn't think of anything to say, so he kept quiet.
Since they had put out the fire, it was cold in the cave.
But it also felt just a bit warm. Probably due to the heat emitting from the moss, he thought to himself.
A/N: This second test was based off of the one in Hunter x Hunter.
1/22/17: Fairly significant edits were made.