"Junior-San, keep an eye out, watch our movements and those around us. Shizuka-san, keep an eye out for enemies moving from either side. I will handle and support either of you at any moment," Kaza declared, his voice loud as the group moved quickly.
He knew they could fight against any of the other genin in the forest. The fight would be about stamina and the ability to set up ideal fights as much as anything else. Kaza moved quickly, staying in the middle of the group and letting Junior set the pace of movement.
He knew this was what Anko-sensei had been preparing them for, getting them ready for this challenge. This was the real test of their abilities and their growth as a team. They would pass this challenge together or they would fail apart. He smiled as he looked at Junior; he had gotten so strong, as had Shizuka. He trusted them, and they trusted him, and that meant the world to the young man.
Kaza's words echo through the forest, a rallying cry for his teammates as they navigate the treacherous terrain. The teal haired teenager was in the lead as he looked over at his shoulder for a moment. To his right was Junior, the silver haired swordsman moved in sync with him and a bit farther back to his left was Shizuka, the green haired small kunoichi moved carefully, but with purpose as she kept a bit back of both Kaza and Junior. Shizuka focused her senses, listening intently for the sound of approaching enemies. Her eyes flicker to the sides, searching for any signs of movement in the dense underbrush. As the trio moves deeper into the Forest of Death, the air grows thick with tension. The trees tower above them, casting ominous shadows on the forest floor. Junior's gaze sweeps the area, his senses heightened. He spots a flicker of movement to his right and swiftly draws his sword, ready to face the threat.
"Shizuka, keep an eye out for people from our left. Junior, I've got your back if needed," Kaza declares loudly as he notices the movement, trusting Junior as the vanguard of their forces. Junior's eyes narrow as he spots the source of the movement - a group of three Genin from Amegakure. They're armed with water-based jutsu and look prepared for a fight. Junior shifts his stance, readying himself for combat.
Shizuka nods, focusing her senses on their left flank. Junior, with his swift and agile movements, charges forward towards the Ame-genin. His sword gleams in the dappled sunlight that filters through the forest canopy, a deadly promise of retribution. The Ame-genin respond in kind, forming a wall of water before them.
Junior darts around from the left side, launching an attack on the three Amegakure ninja, their masks hiding their faces. At the same time, Kaza moves just as swiftly from the left side, the two of them launching their attacks simultaneously. Junior executes a quick straight thrust of his blade at one Ame ninja, while Kaza aims a flying downward kick at the chest of another, hoping to use their speed to strike swiftly before the others can adapt and adjust to the attack.
As Junior's sword slices through the water wall, the leader of the Ame-genin swiftly forms a wide water shield to deflect the attack. However, Kaza's kick lands squarely on the chest of the second Ame-genin, sending them sprawling to the ground. The fallen Ame-genin struggles to get back up, coughing and sputtering as they try to regain their composure. The leader of the Ame-genin narrows their eyes, clearly frustrated at the success of Kaza and Junior's initial attacks.
Kaza follows up as he moves in fast as he finishes his foe quickly before turning to help Junior and engage quickly with the other fight. He quick strike is blocked by the fighter in front of himself as he ends up in a back and forth while Junior prepares a counter to the water shield as he coats his blade in wind element chakra to cut through the water defense.
With fierce determination in his eyes, Kaza quickly finishes off the Ame-genin he was fighting, leaving them unconscious on the forest floor. Without wasting any time, he turns his attention to Junior's battle and rushes over to help.
As Kaza approaches, Junior has just coated his blade in wind chakra and is preparing to strike the water shield. The Ame-genin leader, sensing the incoming attack, quickly moves to the side and attempts to dodge the slash. However, Junior's aim is true, and the wind-charged blade slices through the water shield, leaving the leader exposed.
Kaza takes advantage of this opening and launches a swift series of strikes at the leader, pressing the advantage and forcing them onto the defensive. Junior finishes off the leader with a combo and takes their scroll before turning to find Shizuka.
Shizuka, keeping her senses attuned to the left, notices a faint rustling in the bushes. She readies her vine techniques, focusing her chakra. She prepared when suddenly a figure came right at her brandishing a kunai as the male aimed to strike down Shizuka.
As the threat came at her, Shizuka didn't panic at all as the she pressed his hands to the ground and shot her vines up at the figure. The vines quickly disabled the attacker by wrapping around his waist, then wrist pulling his hand behind his back forcing him to drop his kunai. At that moment, the figure knew that they had messed up and the brown-haired enemy ninja knew he was finished for this exam. He just had to hope his teammates could support him.
"Junior, it seems Shizuka's got herself into a real scuffle too," Kaza remarked, swiftly moving in the direction he anticipated the attack would come from, the other two members of the Kusagakure genin team. Junior moved to provide direct support to Shizuka.
As Kaza dashed through the underbrush, he spotted two figures emerging from the foliage, each wielding a kunai. Quickly assessing the situation, he decided to utilize his Light Release techniques to momentarily blind them. Forming a hand seal, he released a burst of radiant light in their direction with his Solar Flare technique.
The sudden burst of blinding light from Kaza's Solar Flare filled the area, causing the two Kusagakure Genin to shield their eyes and stumble back. The radiant light illuminated the surrounding forest, creating a temporary barrier between Kaza and the two attackers. Following up with a series of quick attacks, Kaza used a combination of taijutsu maneuvers to even the odds swiftly between himself and the Kusagakure ninja.
Kaza's precise aim and taijutsu skills showed true as he delivered a devastating blow to the first Kusagakure foe, sending them sprawling onto the ground. He quickly pivoted, delivering a series of strikes that incapacitated the second Kusagakure ninja. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Kaza glanced back at Shizuka and Junior's progress. He saw that they had successfully overpowered their opponents and obtained a second scroll from the team, bringing their total to three scrolls.
"Let's head towards the center. With three scrolls, our odds are high of having both, but if we encounter one more foe, let's take the chance. If not, let's focus on success and getting through this forest. Good work so far, you two," Kaza said, taking point while Junior positioned himself in the middle and Shizuka covered the rear. With plenty of outdoor experience, Kaza was adept at spotting traps and setting his own, a skill he possessed in abundance.
As Kaza led the way, his keen eyes surveyed the surroundings, scanning for potential dangers. The dense foliage and dim lighting of the forest made it a perfect hiding spot for traps and enemies alike. He deftly avoided a hidden pitfall, gesturing for Shizuka and Junior to follow suit.
As they proceeded, the forest grew denser, and tension thickened the air. Suddenly, Junior's eyes widened as he spotted something alarming up ahead. "Trap!" he shouted, pointing to a tripwire connected to a series of sharp, wooden spikes. Kaza nodded in agreement, quickly assessing the situation and formulating a plan to disarm the trap. He motioned for Shizuka and Junior to stay back, indicating that he would handle it.
Approaching the trap cautiously, Kaza focused on the tripwire. Taking a deep breath, he readied himself to disarm it. With a swift and steady hand, he carefully lifted the wire, ensuring not to disturb it. His heart raced as he held his breath, waiting for any signs of danger.
After what felt like an eternity, Kaza successfully disarmed the trap, letting out a sigh of relief. He turned back to Shizuka and Junior, giving them a small nod to indicate that it was safe to proceed. The three of them continued on their way, their guard still up as they navigated through the treacherous forest.
As they journey deeper into the forest, Kaza conceives an idea to secure a fourth scroll for safety. He plans to set up a double trap, one fake and one real, with the real one triggered by the disarming of the fake. Signaling to Shizuka and Junior, he instructs them to wait while he sets up the trap. Choosing a spot where the path narrows, Kaza begins to work, utilizing his skill with rope and hunting to craft a convincing decoy trap.
Carefully tying a complex knot, Kaza secures the rope to a sturdy tree trunk. He then conceals the real trap with leaves and branches, making it nearly indistinguishable from the forest floor. Satisfied with his handiwork, Kaza signals for Shizuka and Junior to continue on, keeping his new trap a secret for the time being.
As they wait for the ambush of another genin team, the trio finds hiding spots to observe from, ready to cover each other if the trap fails or to seize the scroll if it succeeds. Tension fills the air as they listen to the sounds of approaching genin teams, their voices and footsteps growing louder with each passing moment.
Junior tightens his grip on his sword, while Shizuka reaches for her pouch of exploding tags, poised for action. Kaza, maintaining his calm demeanor, focuses his senses, listening intently for any signs of the approaching team. Soon, they spot a group of three genin cautiously making their way down the narrow path. With a subtle hand signal, Kaza initiates the trap, and soon the sound of the fake trap triggers the real one, ensnaring one of the genin.
Amidst the chaos, Shizuka throws an exploding tag towards the remaining genin, creating a distraction. Taking advantage of the confusion, Junior charges forward, swiftly dispatching the remaining enemies. With the fourth scroll secured, the team wastes no time and swiftly makes their way out of the forest, wary of lingering threats. Guided by Junior's keen senses, they navigate the terrain with speed and stealth, determined to reach the tower and complete their mission.
Kaza slows to a stop, his eyes scanning the area ahead for any signs of the other Konoha team. He ponders Junior's words, his fingers tapping against the strap of his backpack. After a moment of thought, he turns to his teammates, a determined look in his eyes.
"There is one more team between us and our destination, seems like a Konohagakure team," Junior comments, looking over at his teammates. He was good either way, but he would leave this matter up to Kaza and Shizuka. If they passed this point, then getting to the tower would be easy for them.
"We'll take them out," Kaza declares confidently. "Shizuka, you're up first this time. Attack with vines under them. We want to force them to surrender, not to hurt them. Junior, keep an eye out for other attackers. I will move in and finish this by using my taijutsu to deal with any that are still a challenge. Let's get this last scroll and finish up."
Shizuka nods, her green hair bouncing as she readies herself. She quietly calls out, "Vine release, vine capture jutsu." A moment later, vines burst forth from the ground, wrapping themselves around the unsuspecting Konoha team's ankles. The three Genin of the other Konoha team stumble, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the vines. They quickly try to free themselves, but the vines are strong and unyielding.
Kaza takes this opportunity to move in, his agile form darting between the trees with surprising speed. As he approaches the pinned team, he notices that one of the Genin is trying to wriggle free from the vines and draw a weapon. Kaza swiftly closes the distance between them, his taijutsu training taking over. With a swift kick, he strikes the Genin's hand, forcing him to drop the weapon. The Genin winces in pain, but Kaza doesn't let up, using his speed and agility to keep the Genin off balance. Meanwhile, Junior scans the surrounding area, his sharp eyes piercing through the shadows.
"Give up?" Kaza asks firmly to the group of Genin. The Konoha Genin team on the receiving end of Shizuka's jutsu glares back at Kaza, but the pinned Genin seems to realize the futility of their situation. After a tense moment, the Genin reluctantly nods and signals their surrender. Kaza takes the scroll but leaves them be. "The vines will release you in a couple of minutes. Can't have you following us," he says before rejoining the others of his team as they high-tail it to the tower. They were done with this part of the exam. Soon the three were at the tower, with the second exam in the rearview mirror for them.