FOREST OF DEATH: 48 HOURS TO GO
Hikari narrowed her eyes at the map filled with arrows and small, tight letters that Ino, Sasuke, and Neji had created. Together, they had managed to pierce a cohesive, chronological order of the state of the forest. Team Gai had spent the morning scouting, and everyone was listening to the summary.
"Team 8 and a team from Sound are at the tower," Ino explained. "With us, that means 5 teams have 10 scrolls. Neji and I can't see Orochimaru, Team Glasses, one of the teams from Suna, nor two of the teams from Rain. If Orochimaru destroyed his scroll, that means 11 scrolls for 14 teams."
"What about Konoha's?" She asked. There had been 11 teams from their village. What was the state of the unaccounted six? "How are they faring?"
Neji cleared his throat. "The team from Sound that attacked you, Hikari-san, went after the other Sound team. We found animals gathered around the... remains."
Hikari swallowed hard. Kakashi-sensei had warned them of the danger, but she hadn't really thought teams would seek to kill. She had never thought teams would kill people from their own village.
"My team and I warned a nearby Konoha team of them." Neji went on. "It seemed they passed the message along. We later encountered another team from Konoha without their scroll but alive. They gave it up."
Hikari breathed out in relief. She was glad Konoha had maintained their loyalty enough to warn one another.
"That was the third day," Ino waved off. "The second day, two teams of Rain crashed into one another and a team from Suna. Rain teamed up against Suna, and then they fought each other."
"They were the ones we met," Sasuke added. "The ones with the umbrellas and the others with the breathers."
Ino nodded. "We were on the move, so I don't know who won. But after that Breathers fought a Konoha team. And then the teams from Rain fought again. We think Umbrellas has a full set, and the others none."
So, one team dead, four teams without a single scroll, and two with a full set.
"Yesterday, my team and I spent the day tracking the second team from Grass to make sure there were no other complications," Neji took over. Hikari nodded, understanding the meaning. They had wanted to make sure there were no other missing nin disguised as genin.
"They were brutal," Tenten intervened from the first time. "We were too late to help the Konoha teams they fought, but we escorted both to one of the entries. There's no one outside to open the gates, but they should be safer than closer to the tower."
They were together and out of the way, Hikari noted. Unless someone was specifically out for their blood, they'd be fine.
"Why two?" Chouji asked.
"The first team didn't have the scroll they were looking for."
Hikari counted it out. One more team with a full set and an extra, and two teams with none and injured.
"And the last two teams from Konoha?"
"One encountered the Sand team that Rain fought. They managed to win, but there was no scroll to claim."
"As far as we know, the last Konoha team hasn't seen combat," Ino shrugged.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru grumbled. Everyone turned to look at him. "It's most likely that there's less than eleven scrolls outside of us and the tower. I'm guessing nine. And they're in the hands of 5 teams, with 3 having full sets."
Forty-four hours, thirty-three desperate genin, one tower.
"We should move now," Shikamaru declared.
"I admire your Youthful Enthusiasm! I, too, believe that the time for action has come, and we must meet it!"
"Everyone will be heading there, Lee," Tenten intervened. "I don't think we should go."
"And then what?" Sasuke scoffed. "We need to get there in time. The more we linger, the more time they have to prepare a trap."
"We are nine, dattebayo! We can take any teams!"
Tenten remained unconvinced, and Neji had his arms crossed.
Shikamaru sighed tiredly, resigned explaining himself. "Two injured teams, two teams that have fought once, and five teams that have engaged twice or more. Only two teams are still fresh, and they are from Konoha."
Hikari could see it now. The more they waited, the more other teams would start to take notice of one another. Once they realized how exclusive the scrolls had become, things could get ugly. They could even team up against them. But, at the tower, the only threat was Sand. Team 8 wasn't likely to attack them. The tower had just become a safe haven.
"We need to move while they are still tired and disorganized," she spoke up. Sasuke was right. The more time passed, the more elaborate the attacks could become. "Like Naruto-kun said, we are nine. No one will want to take us on. Not while they think there are still other options."
But once those imaginary options disappeared, it would be open season.
FOREST OF DEATH: 47 HOURS TO GO
Once the genin were once again invisible to the cameras, Hatake Kakashi shuffled his papers. He had to account for the three-dimensional elasticity of the curse mark. Body, spirit, and energy. The first set of marks would deform the mark from its rest position, forcing it to adapt into a new equilibrium. If he wanted to contain it on the off chance that he couldn't remove it all, then he had to estimate the new equilibrium it'd reach. And he still had to figure out how much chakra he could force into his method.
He glanced up at the ceiling. He didn't know how successful the first mark would be.
Maybe he could assume the tensors were symmetric. He had enough control to surround the mark completely before drawing in. He narrowed his eye, glaring at the harsh lights. There had to be a simpler way. The variation conditions for the first mark were the admissibility conditions for the second. Which meant he could solve the equation without constructing the tensors. He didn't need to know the exact mechanics. He just had to minimize the potential energy left in the mark. He turned back to his paper. That sounded right. He'd hope for zero but account for anything.
He paused and made himself consider it again because there could be no room for errors. The splitting of the function space into orthogonal sub spaces lead to spaces that only depended on finite parameters, so the problem was reduced to a minimization problem. Yes, he was right. And that was a problem he'd already set boundaries for. Then the buckling force had to be such that...
FOREST OF DEATH: 45 HOURS TO GO
Nara Shikamaru startled as Naruto, at the head of their group, threw a kunai. Hikari and Sasuke were already flanking the blond, having overtaken Ino and Neji, the next line. He faced the threat, reprimanding himself for turning towards Naruto instead of it in the first place. His shoulders relaxed. It was just a centipede the size of three adults. A now dead giant centipede.
Sasuke and Hikari slid back in front and diagonal to him, regaining their position as third line and widest part of their diamond. Then there was Tenten, him, and Chouji. Finally, Lee guarded their backs.
"If that kunai didn't work," Hikari commented, "I was going to suggest dipping the next one in saliva."
The corners of his mouth tipped up. "I thought the Omukade lived in the mountains."
Her shoulders went up and down. "I wouldn't be surprised to find one here."
"As long as it's not a Kamikiri," Ino called out from in front of them.
Hikari smiled wide. "Of course. Better a man-eater than a hair-cutter."
"Well, you said it: it's a man-eater. It wouldn't target me," Ino sniffed. "But I do have the loveliest hair of us, so..."
"Oh, I don't know, Ino-chan," Tenten added from beside him. "I think Neji's is your competition."
Ino cut a glance at the Hyuga walking next to her, but he was studiously pretending he couldn't hear them. She scoffed. "Please. Hikari's is just as long, and I'll bet it's softer. It's even softer than mine!" she bragged.
"Oh no," his best friend argued. "His is a darker and richer shade. Like dark bistre."
"Bistre?" Tenten asked.
"It's a brown pigment, used for ink paintings. You've most likely seen them. The tones can range from yellowish up to almost black."
They continued in silence for a couple of minutes.
"Naruto! Stop!" Sasuke ordered.
Naruto froze with his foot in the air. He started to overbalance. Ino and Neji grabbed him and hauled him back.
"What is it, teme?! I don't see anyone!"
Neji activated his byakugan and scanned the trees. It seemed Naruto's assessment was correct because he didn't say anything.
"Trip wire," Sasuke stated.
Shikamaru squinted. In front of Naruto was some overturned dirt. He couldn't see the wire himself. He made a slow full turn, taking in the trees. "There," he pointed to the hidden kunai. "The trap is set to shoot at whoever sets it off. Non-lethal, but painful. Most likely an alert. Let's step over it without setting it off. Naruto, can you send some of your clones ahead?"
"Shadow clone jutsu!"
Five Narutos materialized and immediately ran off ahead in a rough cone, deftly avoiding the wire.
Shikamaru nodded his head to Sasuke briefly. Spotting that without his Sharingan active was impressive. "Let's tighten the formation and keep moving." It should be less than an hour now, even at walking pace.
The trek continued, with them sidestepping several more traps with Naruto's clones' help.
"We're taking too long." Hikari complained half an hour later, a whiny undertone entering her voice. "I could swear our path is interminable."
Shikamaru tensed from his slouch. An endless path. A circle. Genjutsu.
"Naruto, call back your clones and make more," he called out orders. "Lee, go. Everyone else, tighten up."
Chouji and Tenten flanked him, facing back. Neji took a defensive position next to Ino, byakugan active. Hikari and Sasuke shifted forward so they could protect Ino and Neji and listen to their directions.
Naruto had formed a defensive circle of clones, with Lee at one end and himself on the other.
"We are surrounded," Tenten let them know.
As if that was their cue, dozens of shinobi clad in black let themselves be seen.
"Regular clones," Neji told them.
"Are we?" one of them said, thrusting a double-edged kunai at him.
Lee hit the clone. Instead of puffing like a Shadow clone, or Lee going completely over them like a basic clone, the figure melted around the hit and reformed.
Neji knocked the projectile off balance with a gentle fist strike, and it sunk into the ground.
"Looks real to me," Tenten commented tersely.
"The weapons are," Neji replied. "The clones are genjutsu. The real ones are moving around us to throw."
"Where to, Neji?" Lee asked.
"Wait," Shikamaru intervened. "Naruto, Tenten, keep the clones at bay. Neji, you have Sasuke, Hikari, and Lee to go after the real ones. Ino, Chouji and I will cover you."
"My clones are better than yours, dattebayo! We'll prove it!" The Narutos cried before charging forward.
Neji directed his squad to the trees.
Tenten smirked and pulled out a weapons scroll. Ino took her previous spot.
"Ninja art: Mind Transfer Jutsu!" she cried, pointing at a bird. Shikamaru caught her body.
They needed to know which teams were waiting to launch their own attack. After that, Shikamaru would know the board, and he'd move his pieces.
FOREST OF DEATH: 42 HOURS TO GO
Shikamaru slouched as they walked to the tower's door with his team's name on it. They'd made it. They'd had to fend off three teams after the one from Rain, but they'd made it. Maybe now the exam would stop being such a drag.
FOREST OF DEATH: 30 HOURS TO GO
Nara Shikaku peered into the interrogation room at Yakushi Kabuto before turning back to Inochi. His friend's face was grim.
"He almost got away."
"How?"
"I sent in Yori. Kabuto killed him and faked his own death. Then he used the Art of Dead Soul to manipulate Yori -" he cut off at his subordinate's name.
"Kabuto stilled his own heartbeat and used Yori's body to open the door without raising the alarm," Shikaku ventured. Inoichi nodded. "And then he switched?"
"He surgically altered Yori's face to his, left him in the room, and strolled out in a henge."
"Who caught him?"
"Ibiki. He's been even more paranoid than usual. And..."
"And his pride was damaged because two genin managed to see through a spy before he did," Shikaku finished.
"We're putting Kabuto in maximum security and isolation."
"Will you interrogate his teammates first?"
"Them and Kenta."
Shikaku nodded before grasping his friend's forearm. "My condolences. Yori was a good shinobi and man. Do you want me to inform his next of kin?"
Inoichi shook his head. "I'll do it. They deserve to hear it from me."
He nodded and mentally changed his plans to be ready to drink with his friend after his visit.
FOREST OF DEATH: 29 HOURS TO GO
Hikari turned when Naruto called Sasuke's and her names.
"Yes?"
He looked uncomfortable, shifting his weight before squaring his shoulders. Was he going to apologize to them? Talk about what he'd overheard her say?
"I think there's something off. It was harder to make clones. Than usual."
Oh. They were going to keep on ignoring the awkward silence. If that was the way he wanted to play it, then fine. That was fine. She was fed up, but she could be professional. She'd known saying anything would be wasting words, so she wasn't too disappointed. It was fine.
"Did you get more tired? Maybe it's because you did so many?" she suggested, trying to think back on the fight. Naruto had spammed them, overwhelming their opponents and giving them an edge.
"No."
"Then harder how, dobe?"
"Doing five was harder than doing many. It was like when we first started training."
Chakra control. Naruto could now control exactly how many clones he wanted, one or fifty. Why the set back? She frowned. Some of the encounter with Orochimaru had been odd, and not only because of his ressemblance to a snake. She was certain she remembered Naruto having red eyes and sharpened canines. Until Orochimaru's purple flames struck him. Flames that hadn't done any damage. Any visible damage.
"Do you remember how Orochimaru knocked you out?"
"He hit me. In the stomach."
"Yes, but it was with a technique with purple glow. It destroyed your body art but didn't seem to do any other damage."
"My what?"
"Your tattoo." She put a hand on her stomach and drew a spiral.
Naruto froze, blue eyes widening. "I don't have a tattoo, dattebayo!"
"If you say so," she said, making sure her face remained smooth. Why was he lying about something so simple? "But maybe the purple thing did something. Do either of you remember what he called the technique?"
Naruto shook his head.
"Five-Pronged Seal," Sasuke said, arms crossed.
She had no idea what it was meant to do. Five pronged seal. She didn't know anything about fuinjutsu, except that it was used for summoning techniques, space-time ninjutsu, and carrying weapons. Nothing had been summoned, nothing had traveled, and Naruto did not store any weapons on him. Five prongs, five forks, five paths. Was it alluding to the five basic nature transformations? The Shadow clones were Yang, not an elemental jutsu.
"I don't know enough to even guess at what it does," she said. "You should tell Kakashi-sensei as soon as you can. I think we're done with the fighting part of this exam. All that's left to do is wait it out."
FOREST OF DEATH: 24 HOURS LEFT
Hatake Kakashi shoved his beloved Icha Icha in front of his face so no one would bother him. He had already memorized the direction the Akimichi chunin had helpfully supplied to him.
He walked as he worked on where to place the technique. It would be helpful to know how Sasuke's chakra system was holding up. Chakra networks under the influence of an external force became unstable until other force was applied to force it back into shape. It was how genjutsu was dispelled. Kakashi's technique had to work with Sasuke's weakened pathways to nullify Orochimaru's addition. Too much force would harm them. Too little would do nothing to the curse mark.
He drummed his fingers lazily on the back of his book. He'd have to determine the amount with Sasuke in front of him.
Assuming he could replicate Hikari's method and be recognized as an ally, all that was left was to figure out at what tenketsu point he should apply the technique to. Close to the neck would keep treatment localized, but it might be too aggressive. Too far and it would disperse. He needed an in between that would give a chance for Sasuke's network to acclimate to his chakra without it losing potency.
The chimes in the store jingled as he pushed open the door.
"Welcome to Rhythm & Dance," a bored man called from behind the counter without looking up. "the best shop to meet all your rhythmic gymnastic needs."
Kakashi approached the shelf holding the ribbons. He couldn't see any identifiers. He approached the counter, putting away his book. "Can you point out the ribbons made of satin?"
The man sighed but looked up. His eyes went wide. "Shinobi-san! We only carry rayon, which is synthetic satin, so any of them will do. Is it for yourself or someone else?"
"My student."
"What's their age?"
"Twelve."
"You'll want the ones on the third shelve, then. Five meters."
Kakashi blinked. "I need six."
"No, no. That's professional length, fourteen and above. For twelve, you want five meters."
He eye-smiled. "Six meters."
"Of course! Of course! Fourth shelf from the ground up."
He inspected them. They weren't like Hikari's usual ones, which faded in and out of colors or had some patterns. All of them were solids. He picked three and put them on the counter.
The man rang his items and called out the fares.
Kakashi paid, put out by the fact that he could have invited five people to dinner at a nice restaurant with that amount of money. He shrugged and made his way back to more familiar streets. He still needed to grab basic weapons, exploding tags, and smoke bombs. Sasuke could use some ninja wire even if he couldn't add fire. Regular satin for Hikari. A new jacket for Naruto.
There were too many competitors still, which meant some preliminary rounds would take place. He'd make sure his genin were as prepared as he could make them.
FOREST OF DEATH: 20 HOURS LEFT
"Hatake-san."
"Yes, Akimichi-kun?"
"There's a boy circling the Academy."
He straightened fully. "One of the visitors?"
"Ah, no. Not a threat, a civilian. He's been here for about half an hour. He talks himself into entering the grounds and then retreats and starts again."
"Maa, maa. A nervous client, is it?"
"I don't think so, Hatake-san. He's wearing a braid."
Kakashi blinked and then blinked again. He pointed slowly towards himself.
The Akimichi chunin nodded.
He sighed and went off to look for Hikari's clan member.
He purposefully made his steps noisy as he approached the tree the boy was hiding behind. "Kyokuba-dan-san?"
A blond head shot out of the side of the tree, hair almost white in the sunny day and braided back into a thin tail.
When brown eyes registered him, a figure slowly emerged carrying a satchel. It was a boy about his genins' age, maybe a bit shorter.
"Hatake-sensei," he greeted, looking in his general direction but not making any attempts at eye contact.
"Yo." Kakashi slouched further and looked at the tree as if it were fascinating.
The figure relaxed a bit now that he wasn't being stared at. "Jiro." Kakashi cocked his head. "I mean, I'm Jiro, Hatake-sensei."
"How can I help you, Jiro-kun?"
"No," he took a step back, eyes falling to his feet and hands twisting. "I mean, I... to you. Other way."
"Ah," Kakashi wondered if summoning Pakkun would make the civilian more or less ready to bolt. "I'd be pleased to have your help, then."
"Not you, you, but you. Hikari-chan's your student, so maybe you?"
"You're here to help Hikari," Kakashi untangled.
"Yes," the blond head bobbed up and down. He took a step towards him. "Mai-senpai told me that Toru-kun told her that Aoi-san's cousin saw you in Rhythm & Dance. I brought some stuff? If they're needed."
"I got some ribbons," Kakashi offered, wondering who Aoi's cousin was and if every kyokuba-dan member was taking notice of him. "Hers were destroyed."
"Some? Not just one? Because we usually have backups. For if one knots," the last sentence ended higher but didn't quite make it into a question.
"Three."
Kakashi watched as the boy put the satchel down a dug through it.
Jiro extended to him a handle. "Plastic. Sorry. I know she uses metal? But she only has one, so, if she needs another, she can use my spare one?"
He attempted to pull back the apparatus.
Kakashi's hand shot out to grab it. "I appreciate it. I don't know if the handle she has got damaged."
Jiro shot him, or well, his vest, a small smile. "Good. And these," he extended a closed fist facing down. Kakashi obligingly held his with his palm facing up. A couple of small metal rings with cord got deposited. "It's to attach the ribbon to the handle?"
"Ah. Thank you," he hadn't thought of that.
"Ribbon winder?" He pulled out a small cylinder. Kakashi had never seen one before.
"She doesn't use one."
It went back into the satchel and Jiro leaned back, putting his weight on his heels.
"Thank you, Jiro-kun," Kakashi eye-smiled.
"Welcome. I mean, you're welcome, Hatake-sensei. Um... if you go down the store and turn right and then left, there's another. Yua's Flair. We go there, and Yua-san's niece knows what we regularly buy. She could help you? She's nice, I promise. And Yua's son goes to the capital's design school. So we prefer to support the shop? And they have prettier designs because of him, too."
Kakashi nodded. "That's good to know."
"I'm uh..." he pointed behind him. "Bye? And good luck?"
Kakashi nodded and waved goodbye. The boy mirrored him before turning and dashing off.
FOREST OF DEATH: 14 HOURS LEFT
The lines thickened and spread. They lifted themselves from skin and became snakes. The snakes grew and grew and grew until they were monstrous, deformed giants. They flicked their tongues out to taste the air. Their tongues lengthened and became other snakes. The biggest snakes devoured the smaller ones, which trashed their tails in agony as they were consumed.
Hikari sat up, heartbeat racing, even as the nightmare faded from memory. She looked around. Sasuke was sleeping on one of the couches they'd dragged into their room. She glanced at the clock. It was still some hours before the sun came out.
She laid down and tried to go back to sleep.
FOREST OF DEATH: 8 HOURS LEFT
Hatake Kakashi stood with his hands on his pockets. On one side was his commander and on the other Asuma, Kurenai, and Gai. Chunin and toubetsku jounin filled the rest of the space.
"There are seven teams at the Tower, four of them Konoha. Well done, jounin, in nominating your teams. They've done Konoha proud," the Sandaime expelled a puff of smoke. "The third exam's proctor will be Hayate. For now, let's listen to Anko, the current proctor."
"Twenty one genin is an unprecedented amount," Anko said.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. It was an almost impossible amount. Kenta's team had a complete set when they'd been taken by the Anbu squad. With Orochimaru's, that made three scrolls absolute. Nine teams, maximum, could complete the task. Seven of them managing it was more improbable. It had been an unusual exam. First, his own team had held one fifth of the scrolls in the first two days. And they had given up the ones they didn't need. Second, the team from Grass had been strong enough to go after teams one after the other. Third, the three-team alliance hadn't turned on one another. Finally, most teams had been strong enough to hold on to complete sets.
"For the first time in five years, we will conduct preliminary matches," she said.
"Neither the team from Sound nor the one from Grass have low-chunin or genin skills," Shikaku pointed out lazily. "Should they be allowed to continue?"
"Ah," the Saindaime inhaled from his pipe. "We don't have justification to draw them out. It is common for villages to send chunin level shinobi as genin. You know this, Shikaku."
The Nara head hummed.
"We will continue with the exams as planned," the Hokage concluded.
The T&I division shifted minutely. They had all been in favor of getting the Konoha teams that Grass had injured to medical. Inoichi, particularly, had also wanted Sound to be brought in for questioning. The Sandaime had refused the second but allowed the first request. Any talk of cancelling the exams had been shot down with prejudice. It seemed like most of the division wasn't happy with the decision.
Kakashi slouched further. From what he had seen, no one liked how the Hokage was going about this exam.
"Chunin, I need seven of you to take the instructions to the genin," Anko took over.
Iruka stepped forward. "I want to be the one to greet Team 7. I know their strengths and weaknesses better than anyone else."
"Fine. If you're so interested, then - "
"Maa, maa, I'm hurt, Iruka-sensei," Kakashi put a hand on top of his chest.
The Academy teacher turned. "Kakashi."
"I believe we've had this conversation before. They're my students now." He turned to Anko, "I'll take care of my team."
"You can't. You're a jounin and their sensei."
"There are extenuating circumstances. I'll take care of my team."
"My Eternal Rival is correct!" Gai boomed. "We should congratulate our students on their Most Youthful Achievement ourselves!"
Kurenai stepped forward. "I'll take Team 8."
"And I Team 10," Asuma said.
Anko turned to the Hokage.
"Allowed," he said with narrowed eyes. Kakashi stood his ground. He wouldn't abandon his team again, or let them walk into matches without ammunition. "Contact Sand's and Grass's sensei."
FOREST OF DEATH: 30 MINUTES LEFT
Hikari inhaled deeply. As she exhaled, she bent so her torso touched her legs.
"What are you doing, dobe?"
She turned her head, holding the position. Naruto had his back to Sasuke and was clutching one of the scrolls.
"Ah, um," the blond rubbed the back of his head. "I was just wondering what was inside!"
Hikari relaxed. He wasn't starting any fights, or trying to spy on the team from Grass that had arrived today.
"We aren't supposed to open them."
"I thought there was secret stuff written on the scrolls, and that they would only make sense when you put both together. And that secret code was going to be our way into the tower! But we're already in the tower. So what do they have inside?"
She shifted into a split.
"Not our business," Sasuke said. "It's like with the courier missions we've run. You don't open the messages, deadlast!"
She shifted to her other split, facing them.
"Actually," she interrupted. "We were told not to open them, under any circumstance, until we got to the tower. We are at the tower, and I think that script," she pointed to the end of their room, "is missing something. It's talking about Yang, Yin, and balance."
Both of her teammates turned to the wall.
If qualities of heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher.
If earthy qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack.
When Heaven and Earth are opened together, the perilous path will become righteous forever.
This *blank* is the secret way that guides us from this place today.
"I think I've heard something similar once. That Heaven's energy flows down to Earth, Earth sends it back, and life is formed," Hikari continued. "Heaven, Earth, and Humanity. The scrolls and us. I think the missing piece is shinobi code, since that's what connects us to the scrolls and the tower. A way, people who walk it, and a place."
"Ha! Hear that, teme?! I'm right, dattebayo!"
"If we're meant to solve the riddle, then Hikari has already done it! What's the point of opening them, huh? What if you're wrong, and we get disqualified?"
"It says 'when Heaven and Earth are opened together'! Here's Heaven, here's Earth, let's open them!"
Hikari went into a middle split as they started to name-call.
"Maa, maa, are my little genin fighting? So uncute. Not you, Hikari," a hand patted her head, "I'm talking to those two."
Hikari glanced up so fast the room spun. She clutched Kakashi's arm to pull herself up and give him a hug.
Her face pressed against his stiff vest before she drew back to stand beside him.
"Kakashi," Sasuke nodded.
"I thought we still had time left, dattebayo!"
Kakashi draped an orange jacket over Naruto's face. "Hi, Naruto. I argued that since Hikari mostly figured out the point, you'd completed the Task. Sasuke, come closer."
Sasuke moved so he stood in front of sensei, tilting his head so the mark was visible.
Kakashi hummed as he peered closer. He put a hand on his other shoulder, "I'm going to need you and Hikari to tell me everything you remember from when Orochimaru inflicted the mark on you. Naruto, listen, but don't speak. Sasuke, how many times has it activated? Does it hurt when it's stagnant?"
"Two. No, but I can feel it all the time. Can you remove it?"
"Sensei has been working on how to get it off," Kakashi gently reassured him. "But I didn't see how it was placed, or know how it's affecting you. If you're willing to wait, I'd like to listen to how Hikari has managed to siphon off energy, talk to an expert who's arriving today, and tell you how the technique works before we do it. How does that sound?"
Sasuke crossed his arms. "But it'll come off."
"At least some at first," Kakashi eye smiled when Sasuke glared. He pulled out a scroll. Hikari and Naruto took a step closer to peer at it. Kakashi pointed to an inner structure. "This will draw out chakra that the mark stores. This one," he pointed to the outer one, "is to cage it, if there's any left, so it doesn't try to mix with your own. And to try again after seeing how much ground we gained."
"So you don't know if it'll work," Sasuke grumbled.
"No. Only one other person has survived what you did," he said. "And the seal used to contain hers is unsatisfactory. Orochimaru retains considerable control over the mark. That's not an option."
Hikari froze. She'd known it was bad, but the ignorance of how much had held a certain safety to it.
"But Sasuke," Kakashi locked eyes on her friend's. "Even if I have to study fuinjutsu extensively and create other methods, or set up a schedule to get all of it out and coordinate with medical, I'll do my best so your chakra remains your own. I promise."
Sasuke nodded and then looked away. "I thought I'd burnt him. But he was still alive, and his neck lengthened. He bit me. It hurt."
Kakashi looked at her. "We have little time, Hikari. I need to tell you some things. For now, just tell me what happened after that."
"Sasuke-kun was in instant, intense pain. Almost immediately after the bite, he collapsed and was limited to small movements. Although nonverbal, he answered my questions."
"Good. Both of you. Sasuke, it's not easy to force yourself to think in agony, much less be coherent. Hikari, great job on not panicking. Symptoms and treatment, please."
"No nausea, confusion, aftertaste, or numbness. I tried to restrict blood flow, but..." she gestured weakly. The neck was too close to the heart and too awkward to wrap to do any real help. She handed sensei her canteen, which he pocketed. "That has some of what Orochimaru put in. I... well... After he lost consciousness, I took a ribbon and tried to change my chakra so Sasuke-kun would accept it."
"How?"
"I... flavored it." That sounded dumb. "I drew out... accentuated?... the characteristics that resonate with Sasuke-kun."
"Be more specific, Hikari," Kakashi coached her. "What traits did you focus on?"
"Protection, heat, speed, pride, focus, ambition, determination, hard work, drive to learn, friendship, disdain for mediocrity, burst of movement, confidence," she listed. "Focusing on memories worked, too."
"Can you demonstrate?" he asked, handing her a ribbon.
She closed her eyes and concentrated.
When she next opened them, Kakashi had his Sharingan active and spinning wildly.
"Alright, you can stop now."
"So?" Sasuke crossed his arms.
"If you're not in pain, I'd prefer we wait a couple of hours. I want to make sure I can... flavor... my own chakra to yours. If that works out, do some minor adjustments and what I've mentioned."
"But we'll do it today."
Kakashi bobbed his head. "We can start as soon as our business here is over and the expert arrives."
"But! It's done, isn't it? We did it! You said we'd solved it!" Naruto exclaimed, waving his arms.
"Ah," Kakashi rubbed the nape of his neck. "I said Hikari had mostly solved it. It's supposed to be part of my job to explain Sandaime-sama's instructions."
Hikari scrunched up her nose. Those were supposed to be directions? It wasn't an enlightening or inspiring message. It didn't even rhyme or have an aesthetically pleasing structure.
"They're instructions?!" Naruto echoed her sentiment.
"Yes. The missing word is 'chunin'." His tone turned harder. "I'll explain what being a chunin, what being a shinobi, means to each of you later."
This chunin is the secret way that guides us? That didn't fit well.
"Is your handle functional?" Kakashi addressed her.
"Yes," she gestured to it. It was bare and scratched but it hadn't bent.
Kakashi dropped something on her head. She reached up. It was a rhythmic ribbon! Her smile dimmed. She'd broken the rings when getting out the last one, which meant she had nothing to attach it with.
"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei, but -"
He handed her a connector.
"Oh! Thank you!" She set to put it together. "How did you know I used these ones? The metal swivel-and-hook are more common." The ribbon threads were more of a hassle to set, but they didn't get caught in the fabric, and they lasted longer.
"Ah. A nervous birdie gave it to me."
She blinked up, startled. Someone nervous and with knowledge of rhythmics? It wasn't a popular discipline, but Jiro didn't like talking to strangers. And how had he even known she'd need it? She opened her mouth and shut it. Kakashi-sensei's presence meant the tower had at least audio-feedback.
"I didn't know satin could be expensive," Kakashi added.
Hikari shrugged and relaxed. So Kakashi-sensei had bought the ribbon. Maybe he'd stumbled upon Jiro? Or someone had seen him.
"Now," he said to the three of them. "Pay attention. Too many of you passed. They need to disqualify thirteen of you."
Hikari swallowed. That was more than half.
"But we passed, dattebayo!"
"The tournament can't last more than a day, Naruto. You'll do a preliminary round."
"Now?" she asked.
"Yes. Roughly one genin from each team will fight twice so the numbers work out. Not you, Sasuke. I managed to argue that much. Naruto, Hikari, you need to be ready."
Hikari nodded heavily. It made sense. Better them than Sasuke. It's just... she had thought... it was supposed to be over. She was supposed to get a month before facing anyone.
"I can do it!" Sasuke said hotly.
"You'll have to fight without your chakra already," Kakashi shot down. "I'm not risking activating the mark and destabilizing your system. As it is, if it looks like it's spreading, I'll pull you out."
"Sasuke-kun," she said before Sasuke could argue. "You can play off using only taijutsu as competence. Like you don't even need ninjutsu to win, or you're saving it for the real tournament. It'll make a statement."
Sasuke sat back. "But Naruto and you..."
"We can handle it, dattebayo!"
Hikari smiled tightly. She wasn't so sure about herself. Neji, Lee, Tenten, the team from Sound that she'd faced... they were all stronger than her. The Team from Grass sounded brutal. Who was she kidding? She'd graduated less than half a year ago. She wasn't a genius like Shikamaru. She didn't have Ino's determination and range of jutsu. She couldn't compare to Naruto's brute force attacks or chakra stores. She didn't have a special jutsu or an advantage.
On top of that, she'd lost most of her weapons in the previous fights.
What did she really have? The Academy Three, a D-rank technique, poison, some shurikens, and a ribbon that glowed.
"Hikari."
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Most genin don't pass on their first try. Most teams aren't even nominated right out of the Academy. If it comes to giving up to avoid a serious injury or death, I'm ordering you to forfeit. That goes for the rest of you, too. Do you three understand?"
"Yes, Kakashi-sensei."
"Hn. Fine."
"I..."
Kakashi's eye narrowed. "Naruto, if you disobey this order, I'll send you back to the Academy."
"But, Kakashi-sensei!"
"I could recommend that you be stripped of your rank for disobeying your superior. Do you understand my order, Naruto?"
Naruto's eyes swam with tears. "I... yes..."
Hikari ignored the blond to count her supplies again. She froze. Her pouch was full. Kunai, shuriken, tightly rolled meters of satin, two spare apparatus, and smoke bombs of different colors at the bottom. How?
She glanced at her sensei and found him staring back. "You've come a long way from the Academy, Hikari. You demonstrated high-chunin intellect in the first exam and identified a threat to the village. You've shown your ability to remain calm, think on your feet, and adapt in a high-stress, high-stakes situation that you couldn't forsee. Most of all, you protected your teammates, carrying them for kilometers and not letting enemies find them. I'm proud."
She tilted to the side so she leaned on him and nodded. She could do this. She could.
MATCH 1: Huyga Neji vs. Rina
Hikari narrowed her eyes at the board. Neji was going up against the kunoichi from Grass.
"Yosh! How youthful for one of our team to be the first to represent The Will Of Fire!"
Tenten patted him on the back and reminded Lee that once the match started he could not interfere, and he couldn't talk to the fighters until the outcome had been determined, or he'd be disqualified.
"Good luck," Hikari said in a low voice as Neji passed her on the way to the stairs.
He nodded to her and then at Team 10 when they echoed the sentiment.
"You see, Kakashi," Maito Gai commented. "With my team here, yours is doomed. But don't worry! Youthful Growth can bloom from Great Disappointment!"
Hikari set her jaw and refused to look at the jounin.
"Don't you think so?" Maito prompted.
She glanced at them from the corner of her eyes.
Her sensei was slouching with his hands on his pockets. He turned to Maito. "Huh? Did you say something?"
Hikari stifled a smile at Maito's disappointment and turned her attention to the arena.
"Begin!" Hayate ordered.
Neji rushed forward, closing the distance. The kunoichi jumped backwards, not willing to give up her space. She flew through a small set of signs and fire ghosts rushed at Neji. He twisted left and right, avoiding them. They exploded upon touching ground, scattering sparks and small flames everywhere. But Neji was relentless, and good at dodging. His clothes got a little singed, but he was steadily gaining ground.
The kunoichi tried to turn into a circle so she wouldn't be caged against the wall but couldn't. She had to focus too much on making swarms of fire spirits. Neji finally breached the distance and, from there, it was over. In a series of quick, brutal strikes, she was gasping in pain and incapable of movement.
"Do you yield?" Hayate asked her. The match ended when one of the fighter forfeited or when they were unconscious.
She tried to get up but couldn't. Neji struck her once again, and she fell to the floor.
The proctor coughed. "Winner: Hyuga Neji."
Neji made his way up the stairs as medics entered the arena with a stretcher. She gave him a small smile as he passed her.
"Neji-nii-san," was whispered. Hikari turned to look. Beyond Team Gai was Team 10, and Hinata stood there, bracing herself as she extended a small container to her clan member. "It's burn salve. I- I- I haven't gotten to- to- burns yet."
He paused in front of the blue-haired kunoichi.
Hikari noticed that Kurenai-sensei was watching the interaction carefully.
"Hinata-sama," Neji acknowledged her.
Hinata ducked her head but kept her arm extended straight ahead.
Neji didn't move to grab it, even though Hikari could see his forearms were red and tender. She narrowed her eyes. She didn't know anything of their relationship, but refusing medical treatment was stupid. More so when they didn't know if Neji would fight again. She didn't know him well, but he hadn't struck her as either dumb or reckless.
The standstill stretched, and Akamaru started to growl.
Neji regarded Hinata for a long time before taking the jar.
MATCH 2: Kankuro of Suna vs. Yamanaka Ino
She reached over Shikamaru to grab Ino's wrist.
He leaned back to make place so she could look at Ino in the eyes.
"What is it, Hikari?"
"Be careful. Look at how he's dressed. Even if he's not trained by Wind's kyokuba-dan, he identifies with Theater."
"I'll be fine," Ino said gently.
She talked faster, trying to tell her everything that could be relevant. "If he's from bunraku influence, he'll stick to a script he's already written. If it's kabuki, he'll be comfortable improvising. In both, ventriloquism can be used. In both, the puppets should be seen while the artist is hidden from the audience." That's why they wore black. The puppeteer could also find it funny since ninja were often depicted in black on theater.
"Hika-"
"Assume nothing. Not even that he only has one puppet. Ex-councellor Chiyo and her sensei could hold ten." She didn't know if The Kazekage's son was being trained by one of the Honored Siblings, but it was possible. If so, Chiyo could have handed down some of Chikamatsu Monzaemon's legacy.
Ino smiled and tossed her hair off her shoulders. "One or ten, I'll be ready."
She let go of the wrist. "Don't let him set the stage. Good luck."
Ino jumped down into the arena. Kankuro put down his puppet next to him.
"Go!"
Ino rushed forward. When the puppeteer let her approach, she slowed down.
"Scared?" he taunted.
Ino ignored him to throw a couple of senbon, forcing him to step away from his puppet.
The bandaged heap clattered to the floor.
She frowned and rushed him again, closing the distance. Kankuro retreated, ducking under her attacks. His movements seemed incomplete somehow to Hikari. Maybe he was bad at close combat?
Ino drew out a kunai and swiped up at him. Kankuro leaped backwards, clearing some distance and launching a couple of his own kunai. Ino caught the first one and sent it back to knock the other off course.
They continued with Ino trying to engage in close combat and Kankuro sending projectiles her way. Ino was slower than Hikari remembered, and a kunai sliced a section of her hair off. The strands fluttered down and spread across the floor. From then on, Ino seemed more cautious, retreating. Hikari tensed. She was drawing back towards the puppet, which hadn't been used. Was the puppet master hoping he wouldn't need it? Puppeteers were famous for wanting to maintain the puppets' mystery. Was he keeping it for the tournament? Hikari frowned. Why was Ino dragging her feet? Oh. Oh. She smiled. Of course. You couldn't fool a sensor.
Ino sped up and forward, way faster than she'd demonstrated in the match. The hit connected and a wooden crack sounded. Ino was already turning. The hair spread across the ground glowed blue as she put chakra on it. The bulge on the floor twitched before stilling. Ino panted but drew her hands up, having immobilized the hidden puppeteer.
She settled into her family's seal.
But a chakra strand made itself visible, reaching from the heap to behind Ino. The puppet masquerading as Kankuro twitched. Ino dropped the trap she'd built out of her hair and started to move out of the way, but a compartment on the puppet snapped open. A cloud spread towards her. She went down to her knees, coughing.
Hikari sucked in a breath as Kankuro got out of the bandages and strode over to Ino. Her friend was now breathing shallowly.
Her mind raced. What if Ino couldn't speak to forfeit, but she wasn't unconscious? Would the proctor let the match continue? How could she help? What did she know?
Kankuto fought as a shinobi first, artist second. He hadn't been trained by Wind's kyokuba-dan. She didn't even think he'd been trained by Lady Chiyo. She'd been as much of a shinobi as an artist. She swallowed. If he wasn't going to stop on his own, she'd make him. She looked back at Ino, focusing on her hands. The purple nail polish was turning black. She tightened her jaw. She wasn't failing her friends again. The match's outcome was certain, but if they chose to disqualify her, so be it.
"Asuma-sensei, I think that's curare. Let me talk?"
Her eyes rested on Asuma until he nodded. Curare was a deadly paralyzing agent. It was known to affect the diagram, leading to asphyxiation in high doses.
"I see now why you don't wear red upon your skin," she made sure her voice echoed clearly across the room. It was a wild guess. Purple could be for nobility, and not just a substitute for red, which represented justice. But the design he'd drawn on his face called to mind a sujiguma, a hero's makeup. They were typically red. Kankuro of Suna was not a hero. He was not a symbol for justice. And he knew it.
The Suna genin turned, face contorted into a rictus. "Shut up! You don't know what you're talking about!"
"Don't I?" she turned her head, showing him her profile.
The puppeteer took a step back when he saw her braids. "Fire's kyokuba-dan does not involve itself with shinobi."
"Things change," Hikari stated simply. "Wind is Konoha's ally, twice over. Has that changed, too?"
Silence reigned over the room. Kankuro had beaten Ino. Any additional move couldn't be excused. It'd be a declaration of intent. An injustice in the face of their written alliance.
"What's your name and art?" Kankuro demanded.
She didn't answer, keeping her hands folded one over the other on the railing.
"Kankuro!" The Sand kunoichi hissed. "Stop it! Kyokuba-dan-san does not owe us anything, much less truth."
"She does if she wants me to stop," Kankuro shot back, but he was stepping away from Ino.
Hikari was done. "You have come into our lands, threatened one of our children, let someone apologize for your actions without offering reparation, and almost spit on Fire's entente. And I, daughter of Fire, owe something to you, shinobi of Wind?"
Kankuro now looked uncomfortable, but he tried to soldier on. "An equal exchange, then. Tell me your name and art, and I will give you this," He took a vial from one of his puppet's compartments and held it out so the light caught on its depths. It was a murky horrible color.
"And that is?"
"Two doses of antidote in exchange for knowing who broke centuries of traditions."
Hikari narrowed her eyes. It was a good gesture. His actions had proven that Konoha wasn't safe from him. He was putting Ino's health in her hands instead of his and giving her something valuable if she ever faced him. Still... as soon as she said her name, he'd know her art. "In exchange for my name, you will declare the match finished without further injury to Yamanaka Ino. You will also hand over to the proctor everything that is needed for Yamanaka Ino's full recovery, including information. Then, I will name my art, and you will toss to me a dose of antidote for your deadliest poison. Do we have a deal?"
Kankuro's face contorted again, but he said, "Deal." He fetched another vial. Hikari almost breathed out in relief. If that poison wasn't his deadliest, it could mean that it wasn't a high dose. Ino could be alright if the antidote was administered soon.
"I am Sakasu Hikari."
The Suna jounin-sensei froze. The blonde kunoichi sucked in a breath.
Kankuro looked shamed as he addresed Hayate. Hikari didn't sneer at him, but it was a close thing. "The match is finished. Here is the antidote. Konoha's kunoichi should recover fully within two days if she hydrates properly and rests."
Hayate nodded. "Winner: Kankuro of Suna."
Asuma leaped down onto the arena. The medics swarmed in, getting the antidote from Hayate, administering it, and carrying her out. Ino's sensei followed them.
"You're of Movement, aren't you?" Kankuro questioned.
Hikari confirmed, and Kankuro tossed over a vial. She caught and used a sleight of hand to hide it.
He turned to Hayate. "Let us pit Movement against Theater."
She kept her face relaxed. That'd be fine. At least this genin wasn't likely to kill her.
The Hokage took that moment to cough. She felt Kakashi tense next to her. "The combatants are randomly assigned, young Kakuro-kun. You must wait to see if your names are called." He gestured to the board, which had begun to select names.
Hikari sighed in relief. They hadn't disqualified her. She'd have to pull off a good performance, though, now that the Kazekage's children were watching her.