(The epic Chunin Exam Arc has started! In the Sixth chapter of this Arc Stage 2 begins and the teams enter into the Forest of Lost Souls. What kind of dangers await them inside? I love feedback and constructive criticism, so please leave a review so I can improve my writing and storytelling skills. Enjoy!)
Meanwhile Ichimaru and Yui are arguing over their strategy while Kenta is taking the opportunity before the start of the test to dine on some fine cuisine that his mother prepared for him before they left Konaha. "I can't carry all this with me, so I will just have to eat some of it now," thinks Kenta as he takes a bite of pork.
"Do you want us to get killed?" inquires Ichimaru in a firm tone of voice that, though his words are spoken quietly, still gets his point across.
"We can't just sit back on this," argues Yui forcefully, "We have to show we are strong and go on the attack!"
"And who exactly are we supposed to go after? We are practically the weakest team here," points out Ichimaru. He's sympathetic with her quest to move up the ninja ranks, but knows they can't just go charging in attacking head on. If they are going to make it through they need to be smart and put themselves in a position where they have the best chance of coming out on top with minimum risk to their own safety.
"We'll just go after one of the teams from the smaller villages, like the Rain or the Snow," she replies.
"Umm…you guys might not want to be so loud about our strategy," interrupts Kenta, cautiously peering at the faces of the surrounding competitors to see if they overheard anything.
"Fine, Yui, we will go after one of the Rain Ninja squads, but we are going to do it my way," says Ichimaru, in a lower tone of voice.
"All right, what is it?" asks Yui, leaning in closer, a big grin of satisfaction on her face after finally winning an argument.
At the same time a Rain squad, who are all siblings, is talking to each other near a large boulder. "Who should we go after, Brother?" says the youngest boy, who wears classic yellow diving gear and scuba equipment.
"I don't know, and I don't really care," answers the older brother.
"Let's go after that one" says the female, motioning over to Ichimaru's team, "They look like one of the weakest and we will have an easy time getting the scroll so we can save all our chakra for later."
"Good thinking, Sister," says the younger brother as he messes with his short, orange hair.
"I don't like the idea of taking out a weak team in order to get to the next round," says the oldest brother as he crosses his arms and leans back against the boulder.
"Just think about it, Rino," says the girl as she is retying one of the blue hair ties for her four ponytails, "Nobody is even going to know what happens in the forest, so we don't prove how strong we are by taking out the strong squads now."
"Yeah, that's right," adds the younger brother.
"Shut up, No!" mutters Rino angrily as he punches his little brother in the head sending him flying a few yards.
"He was getting annoying, but you didn't have to hit him yet," comments the sister.
"Whatever, I don't care anymore, Ino," says Rino walking over to the booth to turn in the team's consent forms, "Let's just get this over with."
"Hurry up, No, or we'll leave you behind," calls Ino as she follows her older brother. No stands up and brushes himself off, then scuttles after his siblings.
"So, what are we doing?" asks Shun, pulling his forehead protector tightly around his head and then tying the knot.
Rame Tsu puts the finishing touches on wrapping up Naoko's right arm and responds, "We go after the first team we meet."
"And we crush them!" adds Naoko as she slips on her black fingerless glove and clenches her fist. Satisfied that everything is in place she gives a nod of appreciation to her best friend.
"Good, that is just what I was thinking," comments Shun, with a confident smirk on his face as he stretches out his limbs. Rame Tsu slips the scroll they received from the sentinels into one of the slots on her brown pack and they head towards one of the open gates.
Over in another area the two remaining Snow Ninja teams are having a meeting. "So it is agreed that we will work together to take out some of the stronger teams and then head to the central tower," says one of the members.
"Who should we go after?" asks a Snow Ninja covered in grey fur.
"How about that Rain team that passed by a while ago? The little one looked weak, but the big guy with the two umbrellas and the girl looked pretty strong."
"We can go after them second," says a female, cloaked in white, "I want to go after that Leaf Ninja team that was so mouthy earlier. They were not just being cocky, I can tell. We need to take them out before we get to the next round."
The other Snow Ninja mumble in agreement and the two squads head over and take the two open gates surrounding Shun's Squad.
"It looks like everyone is in place," says Kenji to one of the sentinels, "Let's get this thing started!" He bangs a mallet against a large gong and the signal is heard around the area, the gates open, and everyone steps inside.
Team 3 starts slowly heading towards the tower. "Jando, you should take the lead," suggests Kuroda.
"Yeah, I can use my Byakugan to see if anyone tries to sneak up on us," says Jando, eager to move into the forward position and show off his skills.
"Exactly what I was thinking," responds Kuroda.
Jando takes a step forward when suddenly Kuroda steps behind him and swiftly chops him on the neck instantly knocking him unconscious.
Sakura is mildly surprised and asks, "Why did you do that?"
Kuroda responds, "I needed him to take a rest for a while. I am going to go on my own and get us a scroll. I will be back before he wakes up. Make sure to hide and stay safe until I get back."
Sakura starts to argue, "Wait, I want to come with you and prove myself!"
Kuroda walks up to her and places his hand on her cheek cutting her off and saying, "You will have plenty of time for that later, Sakura. We can't take Jando with us, and we can't leave him here alone. So you have to stay here and protect him from any enemies that may come by."
He steps back and disappears into the forest leaving her alone to watch over their companion.
Sakura sighs and drags Jando's unconscious body over to the base of a tree so he is not as exposed and she can start setting up defenses. Hisses, chirps, and noise from the various prey and predators of the forest keep up a constant stream of noises making the kunoichi keep her senses on high alert. "Hurry back Kuroda," she whispers, hoping that her time in this forest will be kept at the minimum.
Elsewhere Ichimaru and Team 10 have already set up a trap and are waiting for their targets to get caught in it. However the Rain Ninja approaching the area are well aware of the trap ahead.
"Why do I have to go first?" questions No as he scratches his orange hair.
"Because I said so," orders Rino menacingly, before pulling the hood of his grey rain coat over his head.
Ino steps in to explain, "Look, idiot, we need you to set off the traps and attract their attention while we go around and catch them by surprise."
"Oh, I get it," replies No, nodding his head; ignorant of being used as a pawn by his siblings.
"Good, now get going," commands Ino before she and Rino blend into the background.
No runs forward into the danger-riddled area and steps on a tripwire setting off the traps. A giant log swings down, but No manages to dodge by lying flat on the ground. Two large nets shoot out from opposite sides, but No leaps into the air just before they catch him. Then another giant log crashes down from above, but before it can crush the boy twists his body out of the way.
"Man, that was close," sighs No, wiping sweat from his brow. A shadow slips out of the forest and connects with No's.
"Nice job dodging, but not good enough," says Ichimaru as he reveals himself.
"Oh crap!" says No as he tries to run away, "What? I can't move!"
"That is because I caught you with my Shadow Paralysis Jutsu," explains Ichimaru, with a cocky grin, "You're not going anywhere."
"Good work, Ichimaru!" says Yui as she emerges from hiding along with Kenta.
Ichimaru senses that something is wrong thinking, "Wait, why is there only one enemy? Oh, shit!"
He realizes that they have been caught in a trap and cries out a quick warning, "Hide!"
Rino and Ino leap out and prevent Yui and Kenta from escaping. "Good work, No" says Ino.
"That is an interesting Jutsu you have there," comments Rino, "But it looks to me that you can't defend yourself while you have it activated."
Rino tosses one of the umbrellas on his back up into the air while performing hand signs. Then hundreds of needles start to shooting out of the umbrella right towards Ichimaru.
"Expansion Jutsu!" yells Kenta as his body expands into a giant ball. He starts spinning rapidly and shoots towards Ino.
She easily dodges, but Kenta bounces off a tree and then lands right in front of Ichimaru, shielding him from Rino's attack.
Ino tosses her own umbrella into the air, "You almost hit me! You shouldn't have done that!"
Her umbrella rotates rapidly and starts shooting out needles as she proclaims, "Rain of Needles!" The sharply tipped weapons fly at Kenta, but his own rotation is able to deflect them.
"You should never take your eyes off your enemies," taunts Yui, "Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!" She aims her attack at Rino.
"Good thinking, Yui. That guy seemed like the strongest one," thinks Ichimaru, still holding the youngest Rain ninja in place with his Jutsu.
However Yui is rejected into her own body. "What the?" she exclaims.
Rino's body collapses into a pool of water. A smirk appears on Ino's face while she continues her assault on Kenta.
"Yui, it is a water clone, watch out!" screams Ichimaru.
The real Rino appears behind her aiming a devastating kick at her left leg. Yui collapses onto the ground, screaming in agony, as the bone breaks.
Kenta shoots at Rino to catch him off guard, but Ino intercepts him and swings her umbrella like a bat, sending him into a tree. Ichimaru tries to manipulate the shadows and extend two more tendrils to catch Ino and Rino in his Jutsu, but his chakra runs out right before he reaches them.
"Hey, I can move again!" exclaims No.
"Looks like your chakra ran out," says Rino, "Too bad, you almost caught me."
"Time to finish you off," says Ino preparing to attack.
"Wait," says Ichimaru, reaching to his pack, "Here, take this and go."
Ichimaru tosses over his team's Heaven Scroll to the Rain Team.
Rino catches it and comments, "A heaven scroll, just what we needed."
"Wow, we are lucky," comments No, a wide grin spread across his face.
Ino suggests, "Let's finish them off, so they don't come back and hurt us later."
"Damn!" says Ichimaru reaching for a kunai and preparing to fight again.
"Let's just go," says No, "We don't need to waste our chakra on them. We already have their scroll, and with all the injuries they have there is no way they will finish."
"He does have a point," admits Ino, relaxing her stance.
Rino's umbrella floats down to the earth and he skillfully catches it and returns it to the place on his back. He shoves the newly gained scroll into his black pants and turns to leave. His siblings run over to follow him. Rino calls back, "If you do somehow pass this stage I look forward to facing that Jutsu of yours."
As soon as the Rain Ninja are out of sight Ichimaru rushes over to help his comrades.
Kuroda is moving quickly through the forest when he sees an open area. He decides that it is a good spot so he stops. "If my theory is correct they should be meeting up a mile or two from here," thinks Kuroda, "So this is the perfect spot." He takes out thirty of his special kunai that he specifically prepared for the exams. Then he sets about flinging them methodically all around the area; hitting the trees and the ground in an unusual pattern. When he is satisfied with his preparations he goes to the exact center of the area and just stands still and waits.
(That is the end of the chapter, what did you think? Ichimaru's team has lost their Heaven scroll and one member is severely injured, so what happens to them now? Will they be able to get out of the Forest alive? Also, Kuroda has left his other team members behind to go and confront the Hidden Rock Ninja charged with taking out Team 3. What does he have up his sleeve? As usual, if you want more information on my characters you can see their bios on my profile page. Be warned, there may be some spoilers. Also I'm in the process of getting pictures drawn for the characters, but I have no idea how long that will take. If you're interested in drawing and have a DA account then send me a Message. Enjoy the next chapter, and please review.)