Third Person's POV
Anko stood there as Orochimaru walks towards her. She pulls out the kunai that's in her hand and throws it at him. Orochimaru just catches it with his fingers and throws it away.
"As you are a special jonin of the village, you can't be just using the forbidden Jutsu I taught you." Orochimaru said as he step closer to her.
"Why have you come now?" Anko said as she catches her breath.
"It's our reunion after so long and you're awfully cold." Orochimaru said with a smile.
"Don't tell me that you came to assassinate Hokage-sama?!" Anko said looking at him.
"No, no... I don't have enough subordinates for that yet...I've heard of the excellence ones of this village and thought I'd put dibs on it." Orochimaru said.
Anko holds onto her left shoulder as she falls onto her knees, gritting her teeth. She looks at the ground trying to relieve the pain in her shoulder.
"A little while ago, I gave that same Curse Mark as a present. There's a kid that I want." Orochimaru said, also kneeling to meet her eyes.
"Selfish as always. That kid will die" Anko said meeting his eyes.
Orochimaru chuckles. " And... I also visited someone, but I'm disappointed that she didn't remember me and the gift I gave her a few years ago..." He said with a smirk.
Anko's brows knitted with confusion, then her eyes widen realizing who is it. "Akira...you...those kids will die"
Orochimaru chuckles again. "Oh... seems like you know her. Don't worry. I am one hundred percent sure that Akira will handle it...very well. But...certainly...the odds are 1 in 10 that the other one will die, but may survive just like you did."
"These kids, you really like them, huh?" Anko said with a smirk.
Orochimaru reaches his hands to touch her cheeks. "Are you jealous? Hey...Are you still holding a grudge that I use you and threw you away? Unlike you, those two will excel. I'm just waiting for Akira to discover that power of hers. From all the years that pass the curse mark, was completely adapted to her body as if it were connected to her. I'm still deciding whether she will be my vessel or just let her continue with her life, and excel on her own." Orochimaru said making Anko look at him sharply.
"Hmph, we both know that she will not be willing to let herself be your vessel," Anko said with a smirk.
"It's true. That is why, the other one, for one thing, he inherited the Uchiha ability. He has beautiful features and is a vessel who can become my heir. If that kid lived, it will make things interesting. I will see the both of them fight, with the same gift I gave them." Orochimaru said with a smirk as he stands up.
"Be sure not to cancel this test." He said as he walk away
"Three people from my village are also under your care. Make me enjoy it." He finishes as he disappears. "If something happens to deprive me of my fun, consider it the end of Konoha" His voice echoed through the forest.
Anko looked at where he is just a while ago, she gritted her teeth. She has to communicate this to the Hokage.
-skip-
Akira's eyes flutter open as she quickly sat up, her head pounding making her close her eyes again, holding onto her head.
"You're finally awake..." The voice said making her open her eyes and stand up, kunai in her hand.
Akira stared at the creature in front of her, she tilts her head "eh?"
"Wow, that's all your gonna say after I took care of you," He said
"Eh, ah...huh?" Akira said dumbfounded, she knows this kind of creature. But why is he here?
"Don't stare at me like I'm some kind of alien" He said making a face
Akira looks at the frog-toad in front of her. Black spots on its back, red in color, and blue color surrounding his eyes.
"I'm sorry but, why...? I mean why are you here?" She said looking at him.
"What do you mean by that you summon me and let me drag you here. Then there I am being summoned out of nowhere then seeing you pass out." He said with a frown.
"Eh..." She said looking at him still dumbfounded. She really did that. Her mouth agape in surprise and looks at her hand. So it works she thought it didn't...
Her blood was used to engrave a seal on her hand. She thought it failed because she pass out before she cast it.
"Are you just gonna stare at me or what?" The toad said putting his front legs on his sides as if he is lecturing her.
Akira look around, just noticing that they were in a cave
"Umm...how long I am sleeping or passout?" Akira said with worry. She is still not disqualified, right?
"Well, this is the third day. It's just daybreak. It seems like you are dreaming of something, you keep moving your head and groaning something"
"Be thankful I'm kind enough to drag you here to safety. I know you are in a chunin exam..." He said jumping on her lap when she sits.
The toad puked something in her hand making her grimace.
"Err-thanks" She said. So it's already the last day of the chunin exam. She needed to get moving again.
"Don't look so disgusted I protect your scrolls" He said making his eyes small.
Akira chuckles and scratches her neck awkwardly. She sighs remembering the events.
"Judging from it, he got you" He said making her look at him uncertainly.
"Oh well, I need to get moving again." She said not wanting to talk about any of it. She stands up and puts him down.
"You-you can go" She said smiling a little, as she put her hand on her right shoulder, slightly squeezing it.
The toad blinks at her and shakes its head.
"Well, I'm not really your summon. But you're someone special to us and him. Maybe I could stay here with you until you complete this phase." He said jumping on her shoulder.
"Well if you want. Thank you for protecting me" Akira said smiling at the toad.
"Are you really sure you can move now? It seems like you barely have chakra left when you summon me, even your body is strained. You should still rest." The toad said.
"Well, I'm fine now. Besides this is the last day of the chunin exam. I needed to get to the tower." Akira said, fixing herself and putting the two scrolls in her pouch.
She sighs as she slowly walks. Even if she still feel the slight pain in her shoulder, she needed to get moving. This is the last day, there are only a few hours left before the second phase ends.
She is glad that Orochimaru didn't get her scrolls. She sighs again. She needed to be more careful now. Since most of the examiners might be almost close to the tower, or some of them may ambush her, she is not looking for any of that, especially in the condition of her body.
She didn't want to activate the curse mark by being reckless. She didn't want to rely on something like this, after all...
Just what is that Orochimaru planning?...
A thought cross her mind, making her worried. Sasuke, Naruto, Sakura... Just what the hell happened to all of them? They are not dead as Orochimaru said, right?
She almost trips on a branch of the tree making her stop to balance herself, even the slightest quick movement made her head pound.
"Oi! what are you thinking, be careful. You'll get us hurt!" The toad said sternly.
"Oh... I'm sorry" She said laughing as she continue to move again, remembering that she have a company.
She shook her head. She needed to focus. She is sure they are okay. They are okay. She convinces herself.
She glances at the toad, she is embarrassed, she never thought that she will summon one of them again for the 3rd time...She looks at the trees. Yeah, the third time.
The toad looked at her, worried. He may not be her actual summon but she is someone they know. Someone that Great Toad Sage dreams of...but, it's always just her, nothing else, no events, no actions or anything.
That's why they want to protect her. They believe that she is someone important, someone important to the world...those dreams that the Great Sage Toad is a sign...that's what they always believe.
Akira doesn't have any summon, they all know it... Toad is not her summon but she can summon one of them even without any contract. That is what makes her important to them, someone that is precious to them.
They always find her mysterious. She barely uses that specific seal to summon any of them, just when she knows she will not be able to carry on, it's like letting them know that she is in danger, or she might die, just like how they told her to do so. They will come in clutch for her if she did summon them, without any reason they just felt like it. She might not remember those times, but it will be always the same.
He let those thoughts to process in his head as Akira run faster and faster as if she is not on the brink of death a few days ago.
-skip-
"You're late Kabuto." One of his teammates said.
"I got a bit involved in something. Sorry" Kabuto said walking to the other two members of his team.
"But, but...thanks to you, we got both the scrolls-dattebayo" Naruto said getting all their attention.
"No, it's because you guys fought hard. You were amazing at the end, Naruto-kun" Kabuto said looking at him. Naruto chuckles, proud of himself.
Sasuke looks at Kabuto's teammate. Sakura helps Sasuke stand by putting Sasuke's arm around her shoulder.
"Ne, ne, What happens to you-dattebayo?" Naruto said with concern looking at Kabuto's teammate. His right sleeve is cut in half in a very destructive way, and his shirt is torn on the other side, revealing gauze wrapped around his stomach, and his whole right arm is also wrapped with gauze. His other teammate is holding him to support his weight.
Sakura and Sasuke look at him brows meeting. He seems like he really got in trouble. He looks beat up. And it confuses them, how he is the only one in their team in a condition like that, just who did he encounter?
Kabuto's team exchange looks before they answer the waiting kids in front of them " Well, we just got a little unlucky." Kabuto said scratching his head, and giving them a smile.
"Isn't you still have another teammate?" Kabuto said changing the subject.
Team 7 looks at each other, and looks at the forest with worry. Akira...
"Well, we're going through this door. Well then, I wish us both luck. I know your other teammate will be here soon. Her name is Akira, right?" Kabuto said sending them a reassuring smile.
"Mhm,mhm. She is the best-dattebayo!" Naruto said nodding his head, and sending them a cheeky smile.
"Well, then we better get going," Kabuto said giving them a thumbs up.
Naruto and Sakura gave him a smile, while Sasuke just observe Kabuto's teammate.
Once Kabuto's team went to their room, Team 7 look at the forest before they went inside the room in front of them.
"There's nobody here." Sakura said looking around the room.
"I'm okay now, Sakura," Sasuke said removing his arm around her shoulder.
"O-okay' Sakura said a blush on her cheeks. Shannaro!
"Say, say, what're we supposed to do-dattebayo?" Naruto said looking around.
"Oh! Look at that..." Sakura said pointing at something getting their attention
"Without...Heaven...I don't get it at all-dattebayo." Naruto said whispering the last part.
"If 'Heaven' does not exist, enrich your knowledge, and prepare for the chance. If 'Earth' does not exist, run the fields in search of an advantage. Open the series of Heaven and Earth, and the perilous way shall be redressed...This is namely the secret of 'the one that guides...'" Sakura reads what is written on the board in front of them.
"It looks like there are letters or something missing there. It probably has to do something with the scroll. I think this means we're supposed to open the Heaven and Erath scroll." Sakura said as she grab the other scroll, while Naruto hold the other scroll.
"Umm...Are we not gonna wait for Akira-dattebayo?" Naruto said making them look at him.
"I don't think so... besides she will have two scrolls on her own." Sasuke said, glancing at the door.
Naruto gulped looking at the scrolls. They all look at the scroll intensely, hearts pounding in their chest.
"Okay then, I'm going to open it-dattebayo" Naruto and Sakura slowly open the scroll. Once they completely open the scroll. They look at it confused.
"Huh?" Naruto said tilting his head.
"A man...person?" Sakura said reading what was written on the scroll.
"Naruto! Sakura! Let go of the scroll!" Sasuke said immediately as smoke comes out of the scroll. Naruto and Sakura quickly throw the scroll, the smoke enveloping the whole room.
They all got alert and waited for the smoke to clear. They look shocked at the person in front of them. "Yo! It's been a long time" He said with a smirk.
"What's going on?" Sakura said
"It appears you guys have had a rough time of it." Iruka said giving them a smile.
"Why are you appearing with a summoning?" Naruto said confused.
"At the end of this second exam, we are to welcome the test takers. I just happen to be given the important task of being the messenger for you guys" Iruka said walking towards them.
"Messenger...?!" Sakura asks.
Iruka looks at his clock and looks at the team in front of him, he nods to them. "There are still a few minutes before the second phase end," Iruka said.
"Then..." Sakura said.
"But, I will start explaining when she got here. You didn't forget about her right?" Iruka said with uncertainty.
Team 7 looks at each other and looks at the door intensely as if it's going to open and the person they have been waiting for will appear.
"Akira..." They said with worry, just looking at the door.
Iruka sighed trying to calm himself. Where are you, Akira?
Akira groaned looking at the team in front of her. Tch... "Just give us your scroll, and will not do anything to you." They said with a smirk.
Akira looks at the tower. Just a few meters and she will be there. "The second phase will end in just a minute, and that will be enough time for us to get the scroll from you" One of them said with a smirk.
"Tch...I'm sorry but that's not gonna happen" She said jumping on a tree as she starts running. 40 seconds...
"You're not gonna get away from us" One of them said blocking her way.
Akira looks at them and smirks. "humph, It seems like I don't have a choice..." 30 seconds...
"Acting all cool, tch" They said readying a kunai, an annoyed look on their face.
"Don't worry you will not see me soon" Akira said disappearing.
"You-" One of them said but a kick on the back of his neck made him collapse to the ground.
"1, 2 more" Akira's voice echoed in the forest.
"Oi! What happen-" The other teammate said looking at his teammate on the ground not moving. A kick on the back of his head make him collapse, just like his teammate. 20 seconds...
"1 more..." Akira said as the last one frantically look around, a scared look on his face. Akira chuckle.
The last one tenses when a presence appears behind him. "The last one." That's the last thing he heard before his vision went black.
Akira looks at the three genin on the ground and sighs wiping the sweat on her nose. Damn...she already felt drained.
"You okay?" The toad said on her shoulder, it startled her making her jump. She nods immediately and looks at the tower. She sighs feeling her body become weak like it just wanted to collapse on its own.
"10 seconds" She said disappearing from her position. Just a little more...
The toad yelp at the sudden movement. "I don't think you should be going this fast!" The toad said hiding in her jacket to avoid the harsh wind.
7...
Iruka looked at the door. 6...
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke look at the door. Akira, where is she? She is safe, right?
5...
Akira runs faster. Just a few steps. 4...
She smiles and jumps, not worrying about any damage it may cause her. She can sense them...
3...
The door suddenly flew open, and a loud crash can be heard. They cough because of the dust it brought to the room, and the wind passes them.
Sakura yelped feeling the slimy thing on her face. "Ahhh!" She shouts removing it.
Iruka smirks. "Just in time, Akira"
"Akira-ttebayo!" Naruto said seeing Akira laying on the floor, breathing hard. Sasuke smirks and looks at Akira.
"Humph" Akira smirks as she sat up with a sigh.
"Wah! What is this thing?!" Sakura said looking at the creature in front of her. It looks at her in displeasure.
Akira looked in her direction then avert her gaze to the toad. Akira nod, and she mouthed at him 'Thank you'. The toad nodded and gave her a smile. "Ja ne" He said before disappearing.
Sakura blink dumbfounded. It talked...
"Wah! Akira you're really here-dattebayo." Naruto said hugging her.
Sakura looked in Akira's direction, a smile on her face, forgetting about the thing in front of her earlier. Her chest feels light. Her tense shoulder relaxing.
Sasuke and Iruka look at Akira with a smile on their face, not questioning the summon earlier. Just relieve that Akira is there.
Akira sighs and holds on to her right shoulder, and tries to crack her neck. Her shoulder relaxes, she is here now... with them...
"Now, we're complete-dattebayo" Naruto said standing up.
"I'm glad that you are here now Akira," Iruka said smiling.
Akira nodded and squeeze her right shoulder feeling a weird feeling from it.
"So... does Akira also need to do the same thing with her scrolls?" Sakura asks getting their attention.
"Well, she doesn't really need to since I'm already here, but if she wants, then, it's okay. He must be waiting, I can tell that he is worried about all of you" Iruka said scratching her cheek slightly. After all, he was the one that was supposed to be there.
"He?" Sakura said confused.
Akira sighs and pulls out the two scrolls in her pouch. She put it on the ground near Sakura and Naruto. "I don't really know what to do" She said scratching her head a little. Sakura and Naruto chuckle while Sasuke and Iruka smirk.
"It's so slimy-dattebayo" Naruto said disgustedly.
"Come on just hurry up, I feel so drain," Akira said with a sigh.
"Yoshi!" Naruto said as they quickly open the scroll and put it on the ground, a cloud of smoke comes out of the scroll. They wait for the person to appear.
Akira chuckles seeing who it is. Well, her guess is right.
"Sensei" Sakura said looking at the person in front of them.
"Yo! Min-na" Kakashi said waving his hand while the other one is in his pocket.
"You guys... Seems like you pass the second phase." Kakashi said giving them an eye smile. He looks at his student, knowing about it. He can't help but take glances at the two.
"Right, We survive from hell" Akira said collapsing on the ground with a sigh.
Her teammates sit on the ground, with a sigh. They nodded in agreement.
Akira looks at Sasuke having a smirk on his lips. Sasuke...She looks at him worriedly. She unconsciously reaches her hand again on her right shoulder, sighing, feeling the warmth of her hand on that mark, she felt relief.
She closes her eyes as if it will give her strength. Opening her eyes she looks around. She locks eyes with their Sensei looking at her worriedly. She give him a smile and sat up.
"Is this a mannerism or what-dattebayo?" Naruto said taking a glance at Sasuke and Akira.
"Are you copying each other? you've been holding your shoulders all the time. Does something hurt at you or what-dattebayo?" Naruto said concerned with the two of his teammate.
Sakura looked at Sasuke and Akira who have both their hand on their shoulders. She looks at Akira with worry and confusion. Is that mean...Akira-
Sasuke and Akira lock eyes. Sasuke looked at Akira's right shoulder brows knitted. Akira quickly removes her hand from her shoulder and smiles, feeling the sudden tension in the room.
"What are you talking about Naruto, I'm just stretching" She said standing up as she stretches her shoulder and body.
Sasuke hums in agreement also standing
"I-I see" Naruto said brow twitching, looking at the two who is stretching.
"Yeah, Naruto you should do stretches too, It will relieve some pain in your body after those five days" Sakura said joining the two.
Naruto looked at his teammate dumbfounded "Really?" He ask, They immediately nodded.
Iruka and Kakashi look at the four stretching in front of them, they can't help but chuckle.
Kakashi looks at the genin in front of him, reaching his hand to touch her shoulder.
Akira jumped at the sudden contact on her right shoulder. She smiles reassuringly seeing their Sensei. She sighs feeling the pressure on her shoulder, it somewhat makes the weird feeling subside.
"So... we still needed to explain something to all of you," Kakashi said, removing his hand from Akira's shoulder. He walks towards Iruka.
Naruto, Akira, Sasuke, and Sakura, look at the two in front of them waiting.
Note:
This is probably my last update this month since I'm going to be really busy the next few weeks. But, I promise that I will update in February. I hope you guys like this chapter. Sending lots of love. Mwah... Keep safe everyone...