Chunin Exams (7)

Early the next morning, all the ninja who passed the exam arrived at Training Ground 44, the Forest of Death.

"This is the venue for the second exam, Training Ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death." Anko stood at the front and began to intimidate the group; indeed, the mere sight of this forest made one's skin crawl.

Shortly after, the Konohamaru trio suddenly ran over, claiming they were there to conduct interviews for the school newspaper. Anko granted everyone a ten-minute break to allow for the interviews.

Once the interviews concluded, the second exam could finally begin. "This place is called the Forest of Death, and you are about to experience it firsthand," Anko said with a smile.

"This is the Forest of Death, and we're about to experience it firsthand? No matter how you try to scare me, I'll be fine! I'm not afraid at all!" Naruto started up again.

"Is that so? You're quite spirited." Anko narrowed her eyes and smiled, then flicked a kunai from her sleeve toward Naruto's face. It was deflected in mid-air by another kunai, and both blades clattered to the ground.

"Let's get on with the exam. If you find such satisfaction in intimidating genin, perhaps you should find a different line of work," Yin Xiang said, looking at Anko with an expressionless face.

"Here is your kunai back." A person suddenly appeared behind Yin Xiang, wearing a long-haired wig and a conical hat. He extended a long tongue to pass the kunai from behind Yin Xiang to the front.

This presence... A chill ran down Yin Xiang's spine. When did this person get here? And this presence—it was the same as that Sound Ninja from a year ago. Yin Xiang took the kunai and looked back; it was the Grass Ninja that Orochimaru was impersonating.

So, that Sound Ninja from a year ago was actually Orochimaru?

After Yin Xiang took the kunai, Orochimaru left and headed toward the back.

Anko finally began to explain the rules. "Now, before the second exam begins, I'm going to hand these out." She pulled a stack of papers from her coat.

"These are consent forms. Anyone participating in the exam must sign here first," Anko said.

"Why?" Naruto asked curiously. It was just an exam; why did they need to sign a consent form?

"People might die during this. We must obtain prior consent regarding this point, otherwise, it would become my responsibility," Anko said with a grin.

"Now, for the explanation of the second exam. Simply put, you are going to be pushed to the limits of wilderness survival." As she spoke, Anko handed the consent forms to Naruto at the front, who began passing them back.

"First, let me explain the layout of this training ground." Anko took out a scroll and opened it, revealing a map of the Forest of Death.

"Training Ground 44 is a circular area surrounded by forty-four locked gates. It contains rivers and forests, with a tower in the center. It is about ten kilometers from the tower to the gates. Within this restricted area, you will undergo a wilderness survival project. The content is... well, anything can happen. It is a scroll-snatching battle."

Anko produced two scrolls, the Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth. "The Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth—this is a battle for these two scrolls. Of the twenty-seven teams that passed the first exam, half—thirteen teams—will take a Scroll of Heaven, while the other fourteen teams will take a Scroll of Earth."

"I will give each team one scroll. In short, you must steal them from each other."

"What are the requirements to pass?" Sasuke asked, looking at Anko.

"You must bring both the Heaven and Earth scrolls to the tower in the center as a three-person team," Anko replied.

"That means the thirteen teams that have their scrolls stolen—half the teams—will undoubtedly be eliminated," Sakura noted.

"But you must do it within the time limit. The second exam lasts for one hundred and twenty hours. You will be fighting for five full days."

"Five days?" Ino was shocked.

"What about food!?" Choji was also startled.

"You must be self-sufficient. The wilderness is a natural treasure trove; there are plenty of ingredients," Anko said, looking at Choji.

"However, man-eating beasts, as well as poisonous insects and plants, are everywhere," Kabuto added from the side.

"And thirty-nine people from thirteen teams passing is impossible to begin with," Neji remarked.

"The distance you have to travel will increase every day, and the time you have to recover will become shorter and shorter. It's truly severe," Rock Lee said with a smile, revealing his white teeth.

"Plus, the surroundings are full of enemies. You won't even be able to let your guard down to get a good night's sleep," Sasuke added.

"During the scroll battle, not only will people be injured, but there will certainly be those who give up because they cannot endure the severity of the wilderness survival project," Anko said.

"Um, can we quit halfway through?" Shikamaru asked, raising his hand.

"As a rule, quitting halfway is strictly prohibited. You will spend the five days in the forest, everyone."

"Just as I thought. What a drag," Shikamaru sighed.

"Now, as for the conditions for elimination: first, any team that fails to reach the tower with all three members and both the Heaven and Earth scrolls within the time limit; second, any team that loses a member or has a member unable to continue. Additionally, you must never look at the contents of the scrolls before reaching the tower."

"What happens if we look at them halfway through?" Naruto asked.

"Well, you'll have to imagine that for yourselves when the time comes," Anko said, enunciating every word.

"If you become Chunin, you will have the opportunity to access top-secret files. This is to see if you are worthy of trust. That is all for the explanation. Exchange your three consent forms for a scroll at the hut over there," Anko said, pointing to a nearby cabin.

"Then, decide which gate you will enter from, and everyone will depart together. Oh, one last piece of advice: don't die!" Anko sighed at the end.

Afterward, everyone went to exchange their forms for scrolls. When the official saw that Yin Xiang was alone, he hesitated for a moment, but after a nod from Anko, Yin Xiang was finally given a scroll.

However, once Yin Xiang received the scroll, he immediately used Wind Release to shred it. It was a Scroll of Earth.

"What is the meaning of this?" Anko asked, watching Yin Xiang's actions.

"Twenty-seven teams—it's unbalanced. If I destroy this Scroll of Earth, there will be thirteen Scrolls of Heaven and thirteen Scrolls of Earth left. I only need to take care of two teams," Yin Xiang said.

"Take care of two teams, eh? As expected of the Third Hokage's student, you certainly have a big mouth," Anko said with a smirk.

Once everyone had received their scrolls, at two o'clock, everyone followed the officials to their designated positions to depart simultaneously in thirty minutes. During this time, Yin Xiang did one thing: he placed a Flying Thunder God mark on a team of ninja.

Since Yin Xiang didn't have any scrolls, he would just grab one from a random team. As soon as the exam started, Yin Xiang would use the Flying Thunder God to appear beside them and end their exam right at the start.