Arc Two, Chapter Two: Second Stage Encounters
There was something creepy about the place, Aoi had to admit.
"Uh, what was the name again?' Kaito inquired, though Aoi was sure he had heard the name.
"This place is called the Forrest of Death, you'll soon realize why. Before we start, I've got something to give to you." She took out a thick stack of papers from her pocket. "This is a consent form. Before you can take part in the test you have to sign this. From here on out, there will be corpses. I have to get your consent to that, or it'll be my responsibility." She smiled, and began to laugh. Though it seemed genuine, Aoi could sense a little bit of "crazy" in it.
"Well, I'm going to start the explanation for the second test. In a word," she handed the papers to Jin, who then proceeded to pass them to other ninja, "the limits of your survival will be challenged.
"First, I'll give you step-by-step instructions on the terrain of this Training Field." She held up a book, the inside of it having a little illustration of a forest inside a small circumference. "Training Field Number 44 is surrounded by 44 locked entrance gates, there are rivers and a forest and a tower in the middle. It's about ten kilometers from the towers to the gate. In this confined area, you will go through a certain survival program. The contents of which is an anything goes scroll battle!" Her brown eyes bore into them.
"A scroll battle?" Naoki said from somewhere in the crowd.
"Yes. I want you to fight for two scrolls, the Heaven Scroll, and the Earth Scroll. All together, 23 teams got through the first test. Half of them, give or take a few, 12 teams get the Heaven Scroll, the other half get the Earth Scroll, one team getting either the former or the latter. I'll hand over one scroll to each team. To put it simply, that's what you're vying for."
"And what might be the conditions to pass?" Shika adjusted her glasses.
"Three of you being both the Heaven and Earth Scrolls to the central tower. That means, of the teams, half of them will definitely fail.
"Furthermore, it has to be in time. For this second test, the time limit is 120 hours. Do it in exactly five days!"
"Five days? What about items like food, water, and shelter? Bathrooms!" Kaori cried out.
"Be self-sufficient! It's a treasure trove in the wilderness. There's more than enough for food. As for bathrooms, I'm sure you'll find a way."
"Yeah, but the forest is teeming with fierce man-eating animals, poison bugs, poisonous weeds, and much more. There's practically no way." Jin commented.
"That's survival for ya." Takehiro nodded.
"Also, it's questionable that all 36 people in thirteen teams will pass." Hibiki said.
"With each passing day, the intervals of action get longer while the time of recovery gets shorter... S-seems pretty grueling.
On top of that, you're surrounded by nothing by enemies, even falling asleep will be a problem..." if Emi didn't seem shy before, she definitely was at the moment.
"And besides those injured during attempts to capture scrolls, there will definitely be people who are unable to endure the rigors of the course." Anko said.
"For the quitters here, according to the rules, you cannot give up in the middle of it. I want you to spend five days in the forest. Moving on, conditions of disqualification. Number one, if all three members of the team can't make it to the tower with the Heaven and Earth Scrolls within the time limit. Number Two, if a team loses a member or if a member becomes incapacitated. Those two, and this is a supplement; do not look at the contents of the scrolls until you have reached the tower. For those of you who are curious... When you look at it. You'll. Find. Out!" Anko smiled a mischievously.
"There are times when a chunin must deal with super-secret missives. This is to test your reliability. That's it for the instructions. Exchange your three consent forms for the scrolls in that hut over there." She pointed at the hut with three chunin sitting in it. "After that, pick your entrance, and all the gates will open simultaneously." Anko sighed deeply.
"Finally, just a word of advice. Don't die!"
. . .
Kaito felt an odd mix of fear and joy when he heard the rules. After everyone got the form, the Chunin at the booth rolled the red curtain to the right, closing the front of the booth from prying eyes.
"Guys, we won't know what scroll the team is carrying, won't know which of the three have it. If what Ibiki said was right, this test will involve life-or-death struggles for information. Everyone is an enemy, and with the determination around here, it might come to killing each other." Aoi glanced worriedly at the other teams.
"You may now come from the scroll exchange." The Chunin announced.
Teams went in through the side, exchanging scrolls while others waited in line. One would team would go in while the other stayed a ways away, making sure no one knew what the other team got.
Kaito handed the three forms to one of the men, and received a Heaven Scroll.
"Teams who have taken the scroll, stay with the representative and move to the gate. You'll all start simultaneously in thirty minutes!" Anko announced, looking at her watch.
. . .
"You two ready? We've gotta show those rookies who's boss around here." Naoki rolled his neck around, successfully cracking it.
"If you want. I don't mind, but it seems pointless. I don't want to sit around all the time, but what if we run into your friends?" Shika glanced Naoki's way.
"Emi and Takehiro? I don't think we all need to go after them. According to our rules, either Shika, or you," Naoki turned to Aiko, "Will be fighting them, since we can't fight people we have relations." He glared at Shika.
"It's just a precaution. Emotions can get in the way. Now, since I have no feelings for that Jin fellow, I can certainly get him, correct?"
"Incorrect." Naoki smiled. This time it was Shika's turn to glare.
"Either way, we don't know our competition. We can handle much, but not all. Being cautious might help us this time around." Aiko finally joined in, running a hand through his hair.
. . .
"It's finally here. Guess I'll be the lead after all." Jin cracked his knuckles.
"I'll be in the spotlight too. What do you think it'll be like in there? Will it be cold, or will it be hot? Is that place like a swamp in there? I don't like swamps. I think they have something to do with my hair. You know, the humidity and all-"
"I'm sure it will be alright." Hibiki placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"I thought you weren't one for senseless violence, noble-san?" Jin stretched down and touched his toes.
"This isn't senseless," Hibiki tapped the gates, "This is to get promoted."
. . .
"You ready, guys?" Ren looked at his teammates.
"Yes, Ren-chan." Emi smiled sweetly.
"S-stop calming me that!" Ren blushed furiously.
"Guess I'm closing up shop for the time being." Takehiro sighed.
"Yeah. That's because we're going to war." Ren told Takehiro.
"That's right, and we've got enough weapons to fund both sides."
. . .
"Alright! Time to test my new moves on some living targets!" Kaito exclaimed.
Aoi sighed and said, "We're focusing on getting the scrolls, not getting into fights."
Hayato, who had previously been flinging a kunai in the air, stopped to look at the proctor. The proctor unlocked the gate and checked his watch.
He looked up when Anko yelled, "We now start the second test of the Chunin Exam!"
The gates opened and Kaito and his team didn't waste a moment, dashing into the wild forests and the unknown.
They gained speed as they went. They sprung up a large root and began whipping from tree to tree. The exam had begun, and they had already made up their minds that weren't going to lose.
Kaito and the team stopped on the branch of a huge tree, leaves hiding them from the view of other teams.
"So which team are we going after first?" Kaito was buzzing with energy.
"I think we should first gather some supplies. We'll go to the water first, and then search for some edible animals. Safe edible animals." Aoi said, staring in Kaito's direction. "That means that whoever hunts, being you or Hayato, I will have to come with you."
"Fine with me." Kaito shrugged.
"Alright then. Since you wanted to test out your moves so badly, I think we've got some visitors."
At that instant, three ninja with Konohagakure headbands burst above. Kaito stood and jumped, tackling one of them head one. They clashed midair, kunai sending sparks, until Kaito made hand seals and water burst from his mouth. The ninja flew, but Kaito flew back from the pressure.
"You idiot!" Aoi yelled, but she would quickly take back her words.
Still spewing water, he turned his head and was yanked to the left. He aimed his elbow to strike, and strike he did; his elbow slammed into the next ninja's stomach. The water still going, he and the ninja flew into the tree, the water making Kaito's elbow drive deeper into the genin until he spit blood. Kaito, deciding this ninja was finished, decided to go after the last one, who had started fleeing.
"Oh no you don't," Kaito made a couple of hand seals. "Water Style: Water Bullet Jutsu!" Water shot out of his mouth at the poor ninja, who got hit not once, not twice, but thrice, the force of each bullet smashing him into a branch. The barrage of bullets stopped after a moment, way after the poor ninja had been knocked unconscious by the sheer pressure of each blast.
"Woah, Kaito! How'd you do that thing?" Aoi asked.
"Which 'thing' are you talking about?" He jumped down to his teammates.
"The flying thing?"
"Using the force of the water from Wild Water Waves, I could change the force to where it propelled me or something. I forgot how Mariko explained it. Basically I can control it by turning my head." He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh, well since you could handle those three no problem, I'm sure you won't mind handling one more." Aoi turned, glaring at a figure hidden in the shadows.
A tall, pale genin stepped from behind a tree. He had purple eyes and short, wild spiky blue hair, green marks on his face. He had a long white robe that exposed none of his skin; it went well past his hands and the collar was so high it covered his mouth and the bottom half of his nose. He had matching pats and blue shinobi sandals. He said nothing, but glared hungrily at them.
"Got anything to say?" Kaito brought out a kunai, but when he was about to charge Aoi stopped him.
"There's something off about him. He's different than those three Kaito. I think you might need some back-up with this one."
The genin apparently heard this, as he tilted his head in a maniac sort of way.
"I got your back," Aoi said, forming a bow made of pure chakra. "Hayato, do you mind scouting the area to see where his teammates are?"
He nodded and disappeared without a word.
"You ready?" Aoi drew the bowstring back and an arrow appeared.
"I won't need it, but I'll gladly accept your help." Kaito grinned, and jumped towards his opponent.
. . .
"That's sickening." Ren cast a disgusted glance towards a large bug slithering its way into the shadows.
"I agree, but there's no need to make the poor thing sad." Emi placed an apple neatly on top of her head. "Ready!" She gave Takehiro a thumbs up.
"Alright!" He turned around and bent down to touch his feet. Suddenly the apple was off of her head and pinned to a root by a kunai.
"And again, I couldn't see it." Emi sighed. "How about you, Ren?"
He shrugged. "I saw his hand move, but I couldn't see the kunai the whole time." Ren looked at Emi who was trying to get the kunai out of the tree. He saw black particles start floating in the air near her, and he narrowed his eyes in concentration. 'They looked like black dust clouds... What the heck..?'
"Emi!" He appeared by her side, picked her up, and vanished from the spot just as a spear drove through the root and into the spot Emi had previously been standing. Takehiro appeared by his side as a genin appeared by the thrown weapon. He was fair skinned with red hair, had a black full body suit with t-shirt-like sleeves, 3/4-length legs, and a collar. With this, he wore a white cloth over his left shoulder and on his right thigh, with some black sandals. His Sunagakure headband was sewn into his suit on the right shoulder. He slowly clapped.
"How did you ever know?" He asked.
"Just a gander. Dust isn't black." He glared at him.
"My name is Taro, if you'd like to know your killer's name." He grinned sadistically.
"Mind telling us where your teammates are?" Takehiro asked, idly twirling a shuriken.
"They're having fun somewhere else. I was hoping you could give me a show." He smiled, the same black misty substance Ren saw seeping from his mouth. Ren set Emi down, who had been shuddering nervously the whole time.
"Wind Cutter." Ren whispered, and wind swarmed around his right hand, spinning at incredible speeds. "I plan to end this quickly." He spoke in a murderous tone.
"I don't mind. It's always fun when the target struggles." The misty substance grew in size and became thicker; it flew around its owner as he made a handseal.
"Iron Sand," Taro said, "Drizzle."
. . .
"Where is he?" Kaito looked around with obvious confusion.
"I don't know." Aoi lowered her bow. Their opponent had disappeared as soon as Kaito landed on the branch. And she meant disappeared. He vanished from sight, and neither Aoi or Kaito could sense his presence. It was almost as if he left the face of the earth. Glancing around, Aoi was trying to put things together in her head.
'What the heck could have happened?'
Looking to Kaito's left, Aoi caught a ripple in the beam of sunlight that pierced through the bush's shadows.
"Kaito, move!" She shot an arrow.
Kaito obediently moved as fast as he could, barely avoiding Aoi's arrow. The arrow froze mid-motion, and their foe appeared out of thin air, clasping the projectile with his pale, yet strong hand. He tilted his head.
"You saw me." His voice was deep.
"Who are you?" Aoi ignored his previous statement. She drew the string back again.
"Are you asking for my name, female?" Aoi finally noticed the Kirigakure hitai-ate strapped to his arm.
"Scattering Shot!" Aoi let go of the string. The arrow was set free, but split into four beams of energy as it left the bow, curving inwardly to their target. The tips of the beams were shaped to be an arrowhead's, and sped toward the foe with amazing speeds. Before they could connect, he disappeared yet again. The streams crashed into nothing but the branch, strong enough to make the huge thing fall off. Aoi looked around again but gasped when she heard a voice behind her.
"It's Yoshio, female. Remember it well."
. . .
Hibiki stopped his teammates as they landed on a branch.
"Someone's here." He looked up the trees. As if the trees heard him, they rustled in response. The three scattered as senbon rained on their previous location.
Appearing to another location, Kaori asked, "Who is it?"
"Byakugan!" The Hyuga's pupils became more distinct and the veins near his temple bulged prominently. "It's a female. She's... flying. Jin, aim at that!" He pointed upward.
Jin rose his hand. "Soul Screech!" The golden bracelet on his wrist blared, or more specifically, the orb in the center of it. The orb turned into a translucent white, and rippling waves of white shot out of Jin's palm and rustling into the leaves.
"Did i get her?"
"No, she avoided it. Wait, she's not alone."
From the left, a familiar genin came on a tree nearby. It was Aiko.
. . .
The iron sand hardened into minuscule grains near Taro, and as he whipped his hands back, they attacked simultaneously, soaring towards them at incredible speeds. Ren barely had time to avoid the bullets as they came. It seemed as if they got faster after they were shot! He jumped in the air just as another volley was propelled. He put his arms in front of him as the grains slammed into him. Immediately he felt an immense pain all over his body, a sharp throbbing sensation making parts of his body grow painfully numb. He grind his teeth together to keep from shouting in pain. The force drove him into the tree.
He stiffly opened an eye and saw two shapes shielding him.
"Ren!" Takehiro roared, "Get up!"
Ren's eyes shot open, and he made a handseal. Wind went off of his body, and he felt lighter. Jumping into the air, he made rapid handseals. "Cyclone Buster!" He screamed, and wind screeched around his arms, spinning so fast it looked like mini tornadoes swallowed his arms. He dropped to Taro, who had only a brief second to move before Ren's hands came in contact with the ground.
The earth broke, sending splinters all around Ren's raging technique. The jutsu tore at the ground, the speed reducing the grass to dirt and gravel. He kicked off of his right leg and charged, lifting his head up as he let out a battle cry.
Taro picked up the spear made from the special sand and parried. The sand squealed at the mercy of the powerful wind technique, tearing at the weapon as if it were paper. He roared one last time, and thrust his arms harder, destroying the weapon and sending a powerful blast at Taro. He blocked and kept his feet on the ground, withstanding the tearing force of the blast. He skidded to a halt, and stared daggers at Ren.
"If you intend to fight seriously, then I also intend to. Iron Sand: Small World!" He thrust his battered palm forward and the iron sand gathered into a small black sphere. A black branch shot out, and then another and then another. They grew out at a rapid pace, shooting out faster and faster. And poor Ren was stuck in its path.