A Growing Affection

Chapter 65: Jonin Trials, Day 3

"It  looks like gibberish," the Chunin noted with a yawn, "but given your  attempts at flattery, I assume you think it is encoded."

Jiraiya nodded.

"And  have you considered that this might be a trap?" the lazy shinobi asked  the Sannin, "That Orochimaru wrote this message to trick you, or even  just to mess with you?"

"We have," the toad summoner admitted, "In  fact, the Hokage is certain of that fact. But I convinced her we should  at least decode the message before we discard it. It took a bit of a  guilt trip, but I talked her into letting me have you help figure out  what this says."

"I don't suppose I have a say in the matter," Shikamaru sighed.

"Not since you promised to keep this a secret."

"Well then, we might as well get to work," the apathetic young man began to look more carefully at the string of characters.

"Well, well, well," Anko Mitarashi smirked as Hinata Hyuga entered  the small clearing, "the first victim of the day, right on time."

"Anko," Hinata inclined her head politely.

"Alright,  maggot, here's how this works," the Jonin started pointedly, "To test  you stealth and tracking skills, we're gonna play the old classic, Hide  and Seek."

The proctor picked up the bizarre looking helmet sitting on the ground beside her.

"This  blocks all visual, auditory, and olfactory stimuli," Mitarashi  explained, "Even your vaunted Byakugan. I'll be creating three Shadow  Clones, one to watch you and two to hide with me. After ten minutes, the  clone here will take the helmet off you, and dissipate to let me know  you are coming. Then you have seventy-five minutes to find the three of  me. To be fair, I will be leaving a few traces for you to follow. Then,  if you pass the first part, we'll switch places for the second part.  While you're hiding, if at least one of your copies can avoid capture,  you'll pass the test. And you don't have to leave a trail for me. You  better do your best to stay hidden."

"Oh, and other than Jutsu to  enhance your senses, no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu are allowed," Anko paused  for a second and then added for good measure, "Or Taijutsu or Weapons  Jutsu for that matter. The same will go for me."

"What about traps?" Hinata prompted, remembering Kakashi's tests.

"So  long as you don't cheat and use a Jutsu to set them up, go to town,"  Anko shrugged, "I'd say your time would be better spent other ways, but  if you think it will help... Anything else?"

"No," Hinata shook her head.

"Good," the serpent summoner handed her the hood, and then split in four.

"Ten  minutes starts once you tighten the strap," Anko told her, and one of  the clones moved to stand next to Hinata. The younger Kunoichi nodded.

"Good  luck," Mitarashi offered condescendingly, as the Hyuga heiress lowered  the helm into place. True to the description, the aspirant could no  longer see or hear, and could only smell the dull metallic tang of the  mask. She activated her Kekkei Genkai, and then went to the advanced  form, but she was still blind. Hinata had to take a deep breath and  force herself to relax; being unable to see was a new experience and an  unsettling one. Though she slept in total darkness like most of her  clan, and had consented to be blindfolded in the past, this was the  first time she had been in a situation where she could not regain her  sight if she wanted to. She tried counting to keep track of the time,  but the feeling of her anxious heartbeat interfered, and she could not  tell if she was counting too fast or too slow.