The next morning, following Kakashi's instructions, Team 7 met with the rest of the Chunin candidates who had passed the first stage of the exam at the outskirts of the village. Sakura gazed upon what she assumed to be an old training facility. It looked like a forest from a cheesy horror film, the trees twisted and tangled with each other. The whole area was surrounded by a huge wire fence with gates attached to it, locks and signs bearing caution of entry completed the daunting set up.
Three sentinels manned a desk off to the side of the first gate where their next proctor for the exam, Anko stood.
"Well looks like we all decided to show, this is the second location of the exam. The 44th battle training zone but it's mostly called the Forest of Death, and soon enough you guys will experience that for yourselves" Anko laughed with sadistic like pleasure.
Naruto snorted "They call it the forest of death and soon enough you'll find out why" he mocked, hands on his hips and shaking his backside back and forth in some sort of mimic dance.
Sakura and Sasuke exchanged shameful glances; this lady was sadistic enough without Naruto pushing her further.
"Well looks like we have a tough guy" Anko smiled and threw her kunai towards Naruto. The weapon rocketed past the blonde boy and sliced the long hair of a foreign ninja a few metres behind before landing blade first on the ground.
Before Naruto could even wipe at the blood dripping from the cut the kunai had made on his cheek, Anko was behind him. "You scared yet? Tough guys like you leave your blood all over this forest foor" she spoke in a sardonic voice.
Reaching a finger out to collect the blonde ninja's blood, Anko quickly drew out another kunai as she felt the presence of someone behind her. A long purple tongue fell from the mouth of the ninja in the straw hat whose hair had been cut by the blade. The tongue held Anko's previous kunai knife.
"I was, just returning your knife" The straw hat ninja spoke calmly despite the confronting position.
"Why thank you Grass Ninja, but I do recommended you only stand this close behind me if you want to die" Anko said, the corners of her mouth twitching up in amusement and took the knife back.
Quickly the long purple tongue was withdrawn back into the grass ninja's mouth. "My pardon, the sight of blood and your blade through my hair got me excited. No harm intended" chuckling the straw hat ninja returned to the back of the group.
"Seems like we're all a little quick tempered, this will be fun" Anko said to the group happily as Naruto attempted to imitate the Grass Ninja's tongue act.
"Right, before the test actually starts you all get one of these" Anko said, withdrawing sheets of paper from her coat pocket "Just a standard consent form, make sure you read before you sign"
"What exactly are we consenting to?" Sakura asked and Anko smiled.
"I can see I'm going to have to keep repeating myself. It's called the Forest of Death for a reason, some of you might not come back and you need to give consent to take that risk. If I didn't do that, I'd be responsible. Can you imagine that!?" Anko laughed as the candidates stared at her.
Sighing, Anko motioned to Naruto to pass out the consent forms before explaining what this portion of the exam would involve.
"You're going to be tested on your survival skills this time round" Anko began and Sakura looked up sharply, this is what Tsunade had been talking about.
"First let me explain the terrain you're working on. The 44th Battle Zone has 44 locked gate entrances. Rivers and a forest lie inside; the centre holds a locked tower which is located 10 kilometres from each gate. In here is where you'll take the survival test. The test is primarily an anything goes battle, to get your hands on both of these scrolls" Anko spoke holding up the scrolls in question.
"You'll be battling it out to get a Heaven scroll coloured white and an Earth scroll coloured navy blue. Because there are 26 teams all together, half of you will be after a Heaven scroll and the other half an Earth scroll. Each team will get one kind of scroll and you'll be fighting for the other kind" Anko finished.
"Okay, so how do we pass the exam?" Sasuke asked.
"Simple. Your squad must make it to the tower together and bring with them the Heaven and Earth scrolls.
"So what you're saying is at the very best half of us will fail or more if not every team can get both scrolls" Sakura observed.
"Hey, I didn't say it would be easy. Where's the fun in that? Also the exam has a time limit, you need to finish within five days" Anko said bluntly, tucking the scrolls into her coat.
"5 DAYS!" Ino exclaimed in shock.
"What are we supposed to do for food!?" Choji asked in horror, his stomach grumbling at the very thought.
"The forest has enough to feed you for years chubby boy. Just look around" Anko taunted, fed up with the outbursts of the rookies.
"Yeah, but it also has man-eating beasts and poisonous plants" Kabuto added.
"If we're completely surrounded by enemies, we won't have much chance to rest. We'll be required to keep a constant watch" Sakura thought out loud.
"Right you are. This is an endurance test as well to simulate what you will have to do as a Chunin if you ever get caught behind enemy lines. It's designed to be a gruelling test and I don't care what Ibiki says I know some of you won't be up to it" Anko said.
"So say mid-exam we're not feeling up to it? Can we quit?" Shikamaru asked, raising his hand lazily.
"No you can't, you wouldn't do that in battle would you? Oh sorry I quit. Well you could but you'd probably get killed" Anko replied cheerfully.
Shikamaru sighed and muttered something about it all being a drag, Choji had somehow procured yet another bag of potato chips and began wolfing them down.
"There are some ways you can get disqualified though. If all your team members can't make it to the tower with both scrolls after 5 days, if a team loses a member or if a member is unable to continue and last but most important. Not a single person can look at the contents of the scrolls before you reach the tower" Anko in a serious voice.
"The scroll once again is tools for the future, acting in place of say a secret document that a ninja may have to carry. Okay I'm done talking, each team take your consent forms and exchange them over there for your scrolls. Then each team pick a gate and we'll let you in" Anko instructed.
"And don't die, okay?"
Many of the teams chose to stick together after they had been dismissed. They read over the consent forms in hushed tones, glancing around every once in a while to see who was listening. They attempted to make plans, though what more preparation could be done until they were let in? Sakura thought it odd that Team 7 did not do the same, but Sasuke had walked away on his own clutching the consent form.
Neither Sakura or Naruto pushed it, and Naruto soon departed himself with a cheery wave. Observing that both her teammates were now seated somewhere outside the battle zone, Sakura too walked off in search of somewhere quite to go over the consent form.
Sasuke watched as the sentinels pulled a curtain closed across the desk where they were to go to hand in their consent forms. "I see how it is, we won't know what team has what scroll, or which of the team members has the scroll" Sighing Sasuke leant back, resting his head against the rock he was sitting behind.
Ibiki was right; stealing information is a matter of life and death. Everyone here is my enemy, Sasuke thought as he held the consent form tighter in his hand.
Sakura walked aimlessly, reading the paper in her hands. The words blurred and strung together. "Life or death" "Informing family and friends" "Participants own decision" "Hokage not responsible"
"HEY FOREHEAD!" Ino called out loudly, startling Sakura. The Yamanaka girl stomped towards her long-time rival angrily.
"What do you want Ino-pig? Can't you see I'm busy?" Sakura asked annoyed as she waved her consent form at Ino.
"Yeah you're busy alright, busy plotting to win Sasuke over. I can't believe you'd be so underhanded Forehead. But I guess when you're as ugly as you are you have to be sneaky" Ino snapped back.
"What the hell are you talking about Pig?" Sakura growled.
"I'm talking about your new little get up. With your combat boots and aloof uncaring attitude. You're not fooling me for a second! This whole thing is just an act to get Sasuke to fall in love with you!" Ino accused hotly.
"Wait what!" Sakura asked, fuming at the accusation. Why does it always come back to Sasuke!?
"Obviously you've figured out the secret. Sasuke likes cool and aloof girls like him, so you're trying to be one now. Pretending to focus on training and this exam but really you'll be all over him in there! You think just cause you're on the same team as him it's free game!" Ino yelled back.
"UGH! Get it through your stupid Pig head. I'm not a Sasuke fan-girl anymore. I was pathetic and delusional! He does like me and he never will! I'm doing this for myself now, it's not about winning him over or whatever so back off and leave me alone" Sakura spat maliciously.
"Yeah right like I'd believe that ever. You're still the same weak pathetic Sakura you've always been! I'm surprised they let your talentless self in here, you don't do anything" Ino argued.
"Psh I'm not weak, maybe I used to be but I'm not anymore! I don't care what you think Pig. And next time use what little brain you happen to have and figure out the answers to an exam yourself. Instead of using your stupid mind jutsu on me cause it won't work. Clearly you need to work on that!" Sakura snapped furiously at her long term rival.
"You're still weak to me Forehead girl! And I don't know why my jutsu didn't work on you. Maybe because your giant forehead blocked the way! But something is going on with you and I'm going to find out what it is! AND Sasuke is MINE so hands off loser!" Ino all but screamed.
Both girls turned on their heels and stormed off, fuming mad at each other. Shikamaru and Choji who had witnessed the altercation were left in shock. "We're lucky they didn't turn on us, man this is such a drag" Shikamaru huffed.
Stupid Ino-pig and her dumb obsession with Sasuke. Ugh she's so annoying, Sakura muttered angrily as she stomped back in the direction she had come.
"Sakura" Sasuke called out as he saw his female teammate approaching.
Hearing Sasuke's voice the pink haired girl stopped and looked for the Uchiha boy. Seeing him seated behind a rock, Sakura hesitantly approached and sat next to him keeping a safe distance between them.
"You ready for this?" Sasuke asked, not really knowing why he had called her over in the first place.
"I guess so. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little nervous though" Sakura replied, looking towards the forest.
"Yeah, I guess that proctor doesn't really help either huh?" Sasuke offered smirking, noticing Sakura's worried he had the sudden urge to lighten the mood.
"Yeah she's really something isn't she" Sakura quipped and chuckled slightly. She had noted Sasuke's attempt to lighten the mood and appreciated it.
"We're going to be okay. You know that right?" Sasuke ventured, unable to believe what he had just said. "Yah this girl" he thought to himself, annoyed at the uncontrollable reactions towards his teammate.
"Yeah, I know Sasuke. Thank you" Sakura said, turning to face him and smiled genuinely. Sasuke felt his lips curling upwards into a smirk.
Both teammates decided they might as well go and wait near the sentinels desk to exchange their forms. They emerged from behind the rock. Neither of the two was at all aware that their location could be hinting at something more than a friendly chat.
"I KNEW IT! FOREHEAD YOU'RE SUCH A LIAR!" Ino yelled, spying the two Team 7 members. Sakura rolled her eyes and Sasuke stuffed his hands in his pockets. The blonde girl was loud.
"Oh Sakura! How could you do this to our love! Why do you test my love for you! Why do you sneak off with the Uchiha brat?!" Rock Lee proclaimed loudly with great sadness.
Sakura, who had been glaring viciously at Ino, blushed at Lee's words. Sneak off with Sasuke? That wasn't what they were doing at all. Great, now Ino had her 'evidence' of Sakura's apparent interest in Sasuke still.
Ugh it wasn't even my fault, Sasuke called me over himself, Sakura thought as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.
Sasuke on the other hand shot his death glare at Lee, this guy again? Testing his love? There was none, Sakura didn't feel the least bit inclined towards the busy brow freak. And calling him a brat, Uchiha's were not brats. Sasuke's glare intensified.
Ino stared at Sakura accusingly, and was about to her open her mouth again but one of the sentinels drew back the curtains. "We're going to start exchanging the forms now. Please gather your teams together and wait in line" he announced.
Before Ino could snap at anyone or Lee give anymore unwanted declarations, Sakura had grabbed Sasuke by the wrist and pulled him away towards the exchange desk without a word of protest from the Uchiha boy. Ino's eyes narrowed as she watched her long term rival drag her childhood crush away.
"You're going to pay for this Sakura" Ino thought as she watched Team 7 enter the booth.
"Every team has been issued with a scroll! Teams need to pick a gate and stand in front of it; once the gates open the test is on!" Anko instructed.
"Oh yeah! We're going to kick ass at this survival thing! Hinata you need to be strong for this!" Kiba said as Team 8 gathered around the gate numbered 16.
"This test may cost us our lives which is beyond a drag, but we might as well go after Naruto first" Shikamaru said as he, Choji and Ino stood outside gate number 27.
Ino nodded in affirmation, weakling Sakura was going down. Choji paid no mind to both of them, but continuously checked his ninja pouch for the different foods he packed.
Naruto was all fired up and ready to go as Team 7 stood around gate 12. "Bring it on enemy ninja! We'll send it back twice as hard!" he declared throwing punches. Sakura and Sasuke nodded, they were ready.
Gate 20 was chosen by the Sound Ninja who wore matching smirks. "Finally we can carry out our orders in the open" the bandaged man declared.
Kankuro looked at Gaara, slightly worried as they stood outside gate 6. I have to watch out for other enemy ninja but Gaara might try to kill me himself, he thought.
"Gai-sensei! I will make you proud!" Lee declared as he and his team waited for gate 41 to be opened.
The sentinel standing in front of Team 7's gate turned and unlocked their entrance. At exactly 3:30 Anko looked up from her watch.
"Alright maggots look alive! The second part of the exam starts now!" she yelled and each of the entry points were flung open as the teams raced in.
"You know who we're looking for right?" The grass ninja with the straw hat asked. "Yeah those three brats, no problem" the teammates replied as the three ninja sped off into the forest.
"LET'S GO!" Naruto yelled as Team 7 also entered the Forest of Death.
After a few minutes screams echoed throughout the forest and Anko smirked in satisfaction that was the sound of the first team down. "Looks like the fun has begun"
Team 7 too had heard the screams, and Sakura's nerves were set on edge. "We need to keep focused" Sasuke said. Sakura nodded but Naruto simply laughed.
"Aww c'mon you guys! This is going to be a cake walk" Naruto said but fell silent almost immediately, he then quickly dashed to the nearest bush. "Uh excuse me a sec I gotta take a leak" he said and began to unzip his pants.
"Ugh. No you don't Naruto. I know we have to put up with a lot over these 5 days but having you pee in front of me is not one. Go behind that bush" Sakura said defiantly. Sasuke smirked as Naruto left.
It wasn't long before the blonde ninja re-appeared, completely satisfied with his trip to the bushes and proceeded to exclaim how he almost wrote his whole name. But before Sakura could begin to reprimand him she saw something and quickly backhanded him into the nearest tree.
"So you saw it too huh? Good" Sasuke asked and Sakura turned around to see he had already drawn his kunai. Drawing hers as well, both members of Team 7 faced off against Naruto.
"W-what the heck are you guys doing? It's me!" Naruto exclaimed, terrified.
"Psh yeah right. Now talk, what have you done with Naruto huh?" Sasuke demanded, holding his kunai up threateningly.
"What!? I am Naruto" Naruto yelled.
"If you're Naruto then how come the cut on your cheek is gone? I guess you didn't know he got one from that sadistic proctor before the exam began" Sakura said.
"And you have your shuriken holster on your left leg not your right. But the real Naruto is right handed. Your transformation skills are worse than Naruto's. Now who are you?" Sasuke echoed.
A huge puff of white smoke revealed the man who had transformed into Naruto. His hair stuck up in all directions, and his face was covered with a metal mask. "So you figured it out, big deal. I'm still going to take your scroll. Which one of you has it?"
Neither Sasuke nor Sakura spoke a word. "Fine, I guess we'll just find out won't we?" the impostor said, his words and breathing sounding labored through the metal mask on his mouth. With that he charged straight for the remaining members of Team 7.
Sasuke took action immediately; leaping into the air he performed a few quick hand signs. "Fire Style! Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" Hundreds of fireballs rained down upon the metal mask man but he managed to dodge each one. Both ninja lept into the air and their kunai knives scraped together generating sparks. They quickly broke away from each other.
The impostor ninja lept over a few tree branches, causing Sasuke to chase him down. That was until he spied Naruto.
"Hey can someone untie me?" Naruto called out loudly.
"Sakura! Naruto the idiot is tied up down here! Can you handle this while I finish this guy?" Sasuke called back.
Sakura nodded and quickly ran to where Naruto was lying tied down, she was a little disappointed that she didn't get a shot at the impostor but they had to do what was best for their team situation.
"Hey you better keep your mind on the fight!" The impostor called out to Sasuke who had been momentarily distracted by his teammates. The masked man threw several kunai which the Uchiha prodigy ducked under a tree branch to avoid.
Sakura who had finished untying Naruto noticed that one of the kunai near Sasuke had a piece of paper attached to it.
"SASUKE HEADS UP! PAPER BOMB!" Sakura yelled loudly as the bomb exploded sending Sasuke hurtling backwards.
Falling through the air towards the ground, Sasuke was quickly able to land safely however the masked man was behind him in an instant, kunai to his throat. "Looks like you fail this test!" The man said raising the kunai.
Sakura and Naruto quickly charged forward, Naruto throwing his kunai knife forward forcing the man to leap into the air. Sakura concentrated her chakra and surged upwards, following the masked man. Cocking her fist, the pink haired teen landed a hard punch to the enemy ninja's stomach.
Taking his as his cue, Sasuke took his kunai in hand and rammed it into the man. Sakura landed back on the ground and quickly put Naruto on the alert.
"We need to be careful! There could be others waiting to strike us at any moment!" she said and Naruto quickly drew another kunai, expectantly.
"I wish I had, I came alone so as not to arouse suspicion!" The man with the metal mask explained as he wrenched Sasuke's kunai out of his chest and quickly fled into the forest.
Landing on the ground, Sasuke looked at the rest of Team 7. "I think we need to have a team meeting don't you?" he asked monotone. Naruto nodded his head sheepishly.
That guy is gone for now but I wonder how long it'll be until we're attacked again? Sakura wondered as she followed her teammates out of the exposed area.