"The Greatest Idea Ever"
By Quick-n-Popular
Disclaimer: "Naruto" and its characters do nor belong to me.
A/N: Again, thanks to all who have reviewed or have marked this story as one of their favorites. You guys rock.
Chapter Six: The Viper in the Forest
The first test of the Chuunin Exam was underway and already Naruto was at his wit's end. He now having to deal with one of those things he hated doing, which was the focus of the first part of the exam: A test. Apparently they, the Chuunin hopefuls, were tasked with answering these questions and if they were caught enough times cheating, they were to be thrown out of the exams. Hinata, aware of his plight of being the worst test-taker of their graduating class, tried to stealthily show him her answer sheet in hopes of him being able to pass.
However, Naruto would have felt guilty if her offer to help him landed her in trouble, so he politely refused. Thus, he tried to wrack his brain on what he could do instead. Time passed with no available answer and soon the proctor for this first test of the exams, Ibiki, told the large group that those who were left are given the choice of answering a tenth question. Should they get it wrong, they would be forbidden from entering any exam to promote them from Genin to Chuunin for life.
Cries of outrage and nervous denial echoed throughout the room before Ibiki released some killing intent and everyone settled.
"Tough luck, brats. This is now how things are. So, what are your answers?" He growled, menacingly.
One by one exam hopefuls gave in and quit. Naruto, from the corner of his eye noticed Hinata about to raise her hand in defeat, so he stopped it by slamming his hands against the table awarding him with the looks of everyone in the room.
"Something you want to say, brat?" Ibki growled again.
Naruto nodded and stood up before shouting, "Yeah! Screw you and screw your test! Even if I get this answer wrong, I'll still find someway to get up on top! I'll be the strongest Genin ever, Believe it! So do your worst!"
By the time Naruto had sat back down the rest of the room's gloom and despair got dispelled and an aura of defiance was building up. Ibiki watched them, internally chuckling to himself.
'And just like that, their fear is gone. He really is THEIR son, isn't he...'
"Are you all certain? It's not too late to change your minds." Seeing no giving in by the examinees and deciding enough was enough he announced that they all had passed the first part of the exam. A moment later, after explanations behind the purpose of the test, the window next to podium shattered and a black bundle came in before unfurling and a crudely written message within was nailed to the board behind Ibiki with kunai.
"Alright, Maggots, Anko is here and it's time to get you're worthless asses in gear!"
A woman with spiky purple hair in a ponytail, mesh shirt, a brown trench coat jacket, and an orange skirt was standing in front of the banner and was looking disappointed in the lack of reaction to her theatrical entrance.
"You're early, Anko, and this set up was highly unnecessary." Ibiki sighed.
Anko scoffed before turning to him, "What about you? There's more here than what you planned on. You're losing your touch, old-timer."
Ibiki shrugged but Anko was soon grinning wickedly.
"Ah well, no matter. More lambs for the slaughter then!"
A number of the Chuunin hopefuls paled and some cringed at the utter joy in the woman's voice.
"Now follow me you maggots!"
Later, the contingent of Genin with their teams were now at a fenced in area with an otherworldly dense jungle behind it. Warning signs were posted on all the fences. There was a large clamor behind the teens before the woman, Anko Mitarashi gave out her instructions.
"Welcome to the Forest of Death Training Grounds!" She crowed loudly. She then held up two scrolls, a brown one with the kanji for "earth", and a sky blue one with the kanji for "heaven".
"Your objective: to obtain the second scroll to the one we give you, from a different group and then make your way to the tower in the end of the forest."
"How much time are we given?" A Genin from Kumo asked.
"Three days." Anko replied.
A murmur went throughout the crowd at this information and Chouji Akamichi cried out, "What about food?!"
Anko shrugged, "Well, you do have teammates, don't you?" She grinned by the horrified expression on the young Akamichi, "Damn, you're a gullible lot. The forest has everything you need to survive on and things you need to SURVIVE from!"
"How can we get the other scrolls?" A Genin from Ame asked.
"Can we kill the other teams?" Gaara asked darkly.
Anko's swagger dropped a bit as she answered, "It's allowed but not encouraged. Now, enough of this chit-chat, get your asses into the lines and get your scrolls. The second exam starts in one hour."
Sasuke brought Sakura and Naruto over to him and told them of his idea to have a certain riddle to help identify who was who, as ANYONE here could perform the henge and infiltrate them in order to get a scroll.
"What's the riddle?" Sakura asked.
"How about, "The forests of Konoha sure have changed." The correct response being: "Yeah, but at least the owls are still around"." He told them.
While Sakura nodded understandingly, Naruto squinted as he tried to put the answer into his memory which wasn't the best.
"You got it, Dobe?" Sasuke asked exasperatedly.
"Of course, you jerk."
Unbeknownst to Naruto and his team, they were being observed by some of the other Genin groups. Gaara and the Suna group were looking at them while the red headed boy looked between the blond haired teen and his black haired teammate.
A Kusa Genin was standing outside of his group eyeing Sasuke like a hungry predator.
The female member of the Oto Genin group was eyeing Sakura in contempt.
Finally, there was Team Gai. While Neji was looking over his gear with Tenten, the Kunoichi noticed that Rock Lee was not with them and found him looking over at Naruto's team, particularly at Sasuke Uchiha.
"Lee?" She called out to him.
Lee blinked but looked back to her as she walked up to him. "Yes, Tenten?"
"What's got you so interested?" She nodded towards Team Kakashi and waited as Lee soon turned back and stared at the Uchiha again.
"I want to prove that hard work can beat natural talent. Neji doesn't believe me, so I want to prove myself against Uchiha-san." He then grinned a bright smile, imitating their exuberant sensei and gave a thumbs up, "You'll help me, won't you, Tenten?"
The bun-haired teen sighed but didn't answer. Instead she too looked at the fresh Genin team and at Naruto who was scowling at his male teammate for something he had said. She smiled as she recalled the bravado the blond teen showed in the first exam and how it had entirely turned things around on the examiners. She doubted highly that he knew what he caused in doing so but it was a relief to her that Naruto's start of this exam didn't end there.
Tenten remembered the promise the two had made the other day and how she had offhandedly remarked that the two of them might be facing each other in these exams.
'We just might.' Tenten thought and a smile crept upon her face.
Soon after collecting their scroll the gates were soon opened and the Chuunin hopefuls' mad dash into dense foliage started.
Team Kakashi's travel in the Forest of Death Training Grounds started, surprisingly, with little to no trouble. However, two hours later they found some dead Genin groups from the other villages strewn about the area.
Alarmed, Sasuke made to make a warning to his teammates when they felt a large, violent, gust of wind coming at them from the side and then it plucked Naruto off of his feet and sent hurtling off into a direction into the forest.
Naruto, flying through the air like a rag doll, heard a loud audible hiss of a very large snake ahead of him. Turning his head, he saw the giant purple serpent open it's jaw wide, intending on swallowing him whole.
"Shit!"
Naruto quickly bit his thumb and spread his blood on his blade, changing it to its nodachi form. Then, just as the snake lunged forward to make a meal out of him, Naruto slashed at the snake's jaw, catching it on the side and cutting deep into it's side, causing it to hiss in pain. Finally on the ground and having his barrings back, Naruto continued his assault on the reptile until the thing became a bloody, quivering, mess. Then, with a loud "puff", the snake disappeared into a cloud of smoke.
Breathing heavily, Naruto waited for the snake's reappearance and when it didn't heaved a sigh of relief, which was soon lost as he heard a girl's scream in the forest. It was Sakura's.
Running as fast as his feet could carry him, he knew he needed something more in order to get there faster. His desperation caused the Kyuubi's chakra flow from his seal and into his body causing his speed to increase rapidly. He soon came upon where he had been with his team earlier and heard Sakura's terrified sobbing in another direction. Upon arrival, he found Sasuke clutching at an area between his neck and shoulder, and looking extremely pale. Sakura was nearby shaking fearfully with a kunai in her hand, looking at the person standing almost ten feet away from the two of them.
It was a tall man who had pale white skin and eyes slitted like a snake. He chuckled as he tuned to Naruto as the Genin arrived and put himself between the mystery man and his teammates.
"So...The Jinchuriki has come. I thought my summons would have finished you by now. How interesting…"
Naruto, ignoring the man at first called out to his male teammate, "Oi, Sasuke, you still in there ?"
Sasuke was panting in weak gasps and made no reply. Sakura was no better, so Naruto knew it was up to him to keep his team alive.
Casting his favorite Jutsu, twenty kage bunshins appeared armed with the swords by their sides. All of them, including the original, drew their blades and got into the formation that Hayate had taught Naruto to use against a strong opponent.
The man grinned nastily, as he said, "You seem to be under the delusion that you can come out of this alive. I have time on my side but not an infinite amount. So let me CUT you short."
Opening his jaw, a snake slithered out of his mouth, opened its mouth and the hilt of a sword appeared. He pulled it out and the snake went back into his body. The sword was jade in color and had a thin double edge to it looking like a Jian blade.
Naruto, feeling revolted by how the man drew HIS blade, focused and had his shadow clones Attack the man with Hayate's technique, "Dance of the Crescent Moon", making his Shadow Clones leave confusing afterimages as they attack the man. Naruto also entered the fray, but was soon alerted as his clones memories bombarded his head and he could see that this man was not put on guard by the blond haired teen's attack. One by one Naruto's shadow clones were cut down. The defenses and techniques Hayate and Tenten had taught Naruto just barely managed to get the clones out of harm's way before their opponent skewered them left and right.
Naruto was out of clones and the mysterious assailant soon appeared in front of him and made a diagonal slash at the boy who barely got his own sword up to block the attack which threw him several feet away before shakily getting back into a stance.
However, despite the advantage, the man was looking quizzically at the boy's weapon.
"Strange...Here's a weapon that the Kusanagi can't cut...Curious…"
Then, using the Shunshin technique, he disappeared and reappeared in front of Naruto again and struck out causing Naruto's sword to come flying from his hands and away from him. Naruto cried out in pain as the man stabbed his sword into Naruto's leg and then twisted the blade.
The man grinned evilly before he heard Sakura's words.
"P-Please….s-stop!"
The Kunoichi had managed to gain the strength to stand and was offering their "Earth" scroll in shaking hands.
The man chuckled, "Do you really think I want that, you stupid girl?" He then looked to Sasuke who was still breathing shallowly and had dropped to his knees. "Perhaps, there's something you might be useful for. Killing the two of you might actually make the last loyal Uchiha reach new bounds."
Pulling out the Kusanagi out of Naruto's leg, he then began to stalk towards Sakura as she looked on in terror.
While the Kyuubi was healing the gaping hole in his leg, Naruto frantically tried to think of something to help Sakura as the man was getting closer to her. The blond teen's eyes found his sword lodged in the ground almost ten feet away. Then, without really thinking about it, he tossed out a string of chakra from his finger, caught the hilt of his sword, and yanked it to him, just as the man was pulling his arm back to strike at Sakura. Naruto launched himself forward, pushed Sakura out of the way as the Kusanagi then cut into Naruto's shoulder. Before the man could react, Naruto flooded his sword with chakra, causing the sword to burst into flames. Naruto swiped the weapon at the man's arm that was holding the Kusanagi and went through the limb like a hot knife through butter.
The man grunted as he backed away, seemingly infuriated at this change and his damage. His eyes narrowed at the blond but soon looked out, distractedly, at another different direction.
"My former apprentice is coming along with the Anbu." He then smirked as he looked at the Genin trio, "Luck favors you three, apparently. I shall take my leave, but remember this boy, the next time we meet I will make sure you feel death quickly. Tell Sasuke-kun that Orochimaru will be eager to see what he can do in the future. Goodbye."
The man then disappeared entirely. Naruto waited until he knew they weren't in danger anymore before getting back to his feet. Pulling the kusanagi blade out of his shoulder, he shuddered as he saw the man's hand and skin sink down to the ground before it turned to ash.
Looking at the fearsome weapon, he remembered what Tenten had told him about taking away weapons enemies left behind as a way to ensure their being less of a threat. Taking a spare scroll, he sealed the weapon away and reattached the scroll to his sash before looking to his teammates.
Going over to Sasuke, he could see the boy had finally passed out after whatever that man did to him, finally wore him out.
Thanking kami for the Uchiha's resilience, he turned to his female teammate and found her still rooted to the spot, body quivering.
"Sakura-chan, are you alright?" He asked but she gave no response. He went up to her and gently shook her until she came to her senses and looked at him as if she was seeing him returned to them after a long time.
"N-Naruto! Where did t-that person go? He b-bit Sasuke-kun and...Sasuke-kun!" Her eyes went to the collapsed teen and she found her strength as she ran to the boy checking him over worriedly.
Naruto felt a twinge of hurt at her not asking if HE was okay but begrudgingly accepted this as one of the things Sakura wasn't going to do for him.
Surprisingly, he saw the second scroll, the "heaven" scroll, that they were needing among the items of the dead Genin group that was closest to them.
Naruto, assisting Sakura, lifted Sasuke up and the two of them carried the boy to an open area near the tower they were supposed to go to.
Naruto, while standing guard looked worriedly at his male teammate who showed no signs of coming out of whatever that man, Orochimaru, had done to him. There seemed to be a black seal on his neck where he had been bitten. Several times, Naruto and Sakura watched as the black mark seemed to be seeping out and spreading over Sasuke's face and body only to retreat again.
Neither Naruto or Sakura knew what was happening but they both agreed that the best course of action was to get Sasuke some help.
On the second day of the exam, the three found the entrance of the tower and appeared at its center where they realized they were needed to open the scrolls they obtained which resulted in summoning Iruka-sensei who congratulated the three on completing the second part of the exam.
However, upon seeing their state and seeing Sasuke's condition he ushered them inside and took Sasuke from them to be handed over to a member of the medical ninja division.
Being told that they could rest for the time being, Naruto slumped on the floor while Sakura did the same.
Naruto wondered idly how Tenten was faring as a smile appeared on his face when he recalled their promise to one another.
To be continued….
A/N II: Another chapter for the books. I know I skipped a lot of material that happened in The Forest of Death but I assure you that there's a reason behind it. Please review if you can and I will be working to get chapter seven rolling as fast as I can. Thanks for reading!
Q-n-P