𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐨 [HEAVY EDITING]

𝟐𝟑 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐬: 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞

There are twenty-eight teams in all, including us. With Miss Anko's explanation, we must collect the other of the two scrolls we're supposed to have in order to cross the finish line. We'll be starting off with one of them, either a heaven scroll, or an earth scroll. They'll be evenly distributed amongst the teams, meaning that if we ended up being given a heaven scroll, then we'd just have to find a team that has the earth scroll, fight them, and take it from them.

Which, naturally, is easier said than done.

The Forest of Death is surrounded by the same fence we'd been standing before earlier. There are forty-four entrance gates that contain it, and the inhabitants living inside it is probably one of the main reasons why the fence exists. It's a little ironic how I was just talking about giant snakes to Konohamaru and the others... a real funny story.

Besides whatever other creatures living inside this place exists, the massive trees and wide river pose problems of their own, I'm sure. I really don't want to have to think about them yet. Even worse, if we're to fight some of the others, they're all equipped with their own skillsets and techniques. What I'm worried about though... is just how nasty some of them will be. That one Sound Shinobi and that technique he used on me... I don't want to have to encounter that again.

I'm at least a little confident in my own skills as a Shinobi-in-training. Being only a Genin, I knew that there'd be a lot of things I had no idea about, but then these other Shinobi show up for an examination that actually seems really dangerous, and they look completely prepared for it. Me, I am an expert in Taijutsu. I can perform a C-rank Fire Ninjutsu. I can break D-rank and C-rank Genjutsu. What I know of medicinal herbs is limited, but still helpful for the most important things. But is it enough compared to the others? Is it enough to last me and my team five days in this place?

"I... I can do this," I tell myself as quietly as possible. The piece of paper in my hand suffers at my tight grip. "There's no need to worry. We can win. We'll become Chūnin. We will."

"Well, with that mindset, you'll definitely become Chūnin!" I'm quick to jump at how close the voice had been, and spin around to discover it'd only been familiar because it's Miss Anko.

"I-I—""You just have to keep acting confident, even though you're shaking like a wet dog, right?" she says.

"I-I'm not—""Ah, but there's no need to worry. It's like you said! You'll definitely become Chūnin." And she walks away, leaving me dizzy with my unspoken words.

"What the heck was that about?" Sakura asks, coming over to stand closer by.

"Miss Anko overheard me giving myself a little pep talk," I explain, my voice cracking and tongue dry. "I know she was only antagonizing me because she wants the number of participants to go down with this exam, anyway, but still... It was really unnecessary."

"That sounded a lot ruder to do just for that reason, though... Are you okay?"

"It... feels like I will be," I answer. "At least I have to be, for this, and for you guys. I have to be strong."