Eight-Team Flag Snatch Begins in the Forest of Death

"Learn to hold back first."

Chiba's answer made Neji stop outside the door.

"I hope you can still say that after we enter the forest."

Three days later, eight teams of students gathered before the iron gates of Training Ground 44 at dawn, each with a strip of white cloth tied around their waist to represent their qualification.

Behind the gates stood dense woods. Though the instructors had cleared the outer area, training terrain such as swamps and steep slopes remained.

Iruka stood before the group, holding eight flags in different colors.

"Each team has four members. After entering, find a base first and secure your team's flag within half an incense stick's time."

"Once a flag is secured, it cannot be moved. Steal an enemy flag and defend it until training ends. Each flag counts as one point."

"If the white cloth around your waist is taken, you will be considered disqualified from combat. You must report to the nearest observation point and may not continue passing on information."

Naruto tugged at his white cloth.

"Can I hide it inside my clothes?"

"No."

"Then what if I tie on a few more layers?"

"Cheating means immediate removal."

Kiba patted Akamaru on the head.

"As long as no one touches it, it doesn't matter where it's tied."

Tenten checked her ninja tool pouch, then turned and asked.

"Can we use Explosive Tags and wire?"

"Training wire is allowed. Explosive Tags may only be the low-power versions issued by the instructors."

Rock Lee raised his hand.

"Can we use taijutsu at full strength?"

"Attacking the head or heart will be ruled a violation. Neji, you are also forbidden from using Gentle Fist to seal the acupuncture points near the heart."

Neji folded his arms and gave no response.

Iruka unfolded the roster.

"Team One: Uchiha Sasuke, Yamanaka Ino, Akimichi Choji, and Aburame Shino."

Naruto immediately shouted.

"Why is Sasuke's team full of secret technique clans?"

Choji opened a bag of chips.

"I only brought two bags, so don't expect me to share with you."

Ino looked at Sasuke, delight appearing on her face, only to realize that Sakura had been assigned to another team.

"Teacher, can't the teams really be changed?"

"No."

The roster continued until Team Six, when Chiba heard his own name.

"Senju Chiba, Naruto Uzumaki, Hinata Hyuga, and Nara Shikamaru."

Naruto threw both hands into the air.

"Great! Chiba's on my team! We'll definitely get first place this time!"

Shikamaru looked toward the forest beyond the iron gates, his shoulders already slumping.

"We have to steal flags and defend them too. Rules like this are the biggest hassle."

Hinata stepped beside Chiba, her fingers pinching the white cloth at her waist.

"I'll try not to hold everyone back."

Chiba looked over the three of them one by one.

Naruto's control was poor, and his actions easily went off plan, but his stamina and chakra far surpassed those of his peers. When cornered, he also had the Nine-Tails' power to support him.

Hinata lacked the will to take the initiative in attacking, but her Byakugan could see past forests and terrain. Any ambush would lose more than half its effectiveness before her.

Shikamaru was too lazy to move, but his mind could calculate several routes at once. His Shadow Imitation Technique was also suited for controlling flag thieves.

"The lineup is lousy, but usable."

Naruto's hand was still raised over his head.

"Who are you calling lousy?"

"You."

"I just said we'd definitely get first place with you on our team!"

"Then prove yourself right."

Shikamaru placed both hands behind his head.

"He meant the three of us. You don't need to claim it all for yourself."

"You're included too. Why aren't you angry at all?"

"Getting angry takes effort."

Hinata lifted her face.

"Have you already figured out how to divide the work, Chiba?"

"Let's see the last team first."

Iruka flipped to the end of the roster.

"Team Eight: Neji, Rock Lee, Tenten, and Inuzuka Kiba."

Kiba walked out of the group with Akamaru in his arms.

"Chiba, this isn't one-on-one this time. I'll pay you back for that punch from last time."

Rock Lee immediately took up a taijutsu stance.

"Chiba, I too look forward to fighting you! Please let me witness the youth of Senju taijutsu!"

Tenten grabbed his collar.

"Training hasn't even started. Don't challenge an entire team at the gate."

Neji looked past the others at Chiba.

"Don't let someone else take your white cloth first."

"You should keep your own flag safe first."

Iruka put away the roster and handed the green flag to Chiba.

"Each team will decide its own captain. Settle any disagreements before entering."

Naruto reached for the flag.

"I'll be captain! I'm best at charging ahead!"

Chiba lifted the flag higher.

"Where are the enemies?"

"We'll find them in the forest."

"Where will we put the base?"

"Find the biggest tree."

"Who guards the flag?"

"Of course, of course..."

Naruto turned to Shikamaru.

"You guard it."

Shikamaru could not even be bothered to raise his eyelids.

"I refuse."

Chiba put the flag into his backpack.

"I'll command. Hinata scouts. Shikamaru chooses the base and retreat routes. Naruto draws away pursuers."

"Why am I the bait?"

"You can run for a long time, and you make a lot of noise."

"Is that supposed to be praise?"

"Yes."

Naruto immediately puffed out his chest.

"Then can I lure them into a trap and turn back to steal their flag?"

"As long as you remember the way back."

"I'll definitely remember!"

Shikamaru looked at the map.

"If Naruto acts alone, he might go looking for Sasuke first."

Naruto had just opened his mouth to argue when his gaze drifted toward Team One.

Chiba raised a hand and smacked the back of his head.

"If you go looking for Sasuke without permission, I'll report your training results to Iruka."

"You're not even a teacher."

"I'll tell him you volunteered to write three extra control reports."

"That's too underhanded!"

Hinata covered her lips with her hand and let out a soft laugh.

The iron gates began to open. Each team received a simple map, and their entry positions were decided by drawing lots.

Chiba's team drew the southeast entrance. Nearby lay a low slope and a dried-up riverbed, suitable for hiding the flag but also easy to observe from higher ground.

Shikamaru crouched beside the map and drew three routes with a branch.

"Put the flag at the bend in the riverbed. It's low ground, so it won't be easy to spot from afar."

"If the enemy searches along the riverbed, they'll find it soon enough."

"So we leave footprints upstream and make them think we went north, then circle back from the rocky slope."

Chiba looked at Hinata.

"How long can you maintain the Byakugan?"

"Using it continuously drains too much chakra. If I observe in intervals, I can cover a large area of the surrounding forest."

"Check the high ground first, then underground and behind the trees. Tell me immediately if you encounter Neji."

Hinata nodded, placing a hand over her chest.

"I'll find him."

Chiba looked at Shikamaru again.

"You guard the flag?"

"The person guarding the flag is the easiest to surround."

"There are tree shadows in the riverbed. It suits your technique."

Shikamaru glanced at the sun's position.

"It'll work in the morning. Near noon, the cliff wall will block the light."

"We'll finish before noon."

"You've already made Team Eight the target?"

"Neji will come to us."

The signal to enter came from outside.

The four passed through the iron gates and entered the woods along the southeastern route. Hinata activated her Byakugan, while Naruto deliberately left messy footprints at a fork in the path.

Chiba reached the dried-up riverbed, planted the green flag beneath the cliff wall, then used thin roots to secure the soil and erased the traces of the four of them approaching the base.

Shikamaru leaned behind a rock, his shadow stretching outward along the riverbed.

"If Neji searches with the Byakugan, hiding the flag is meaningless."

"So we make him think coming straight for me is faster."

"You two have a match arranged, but the whole team is the one suffering for it."

Chiba took out a piece of green cloth and handed it to Naruto.

"Take this and run north. Show it whenever you meet someone, but don't let them actually take it."

Naruto tucked the cloth into his collar.

"Don't worry. I'll leave everyone behind!"

He had barely run out of the riverbed when Hinata raised a hand to stop Chiba.

Byakugan veins appeared at the corners of her eyes. Her gaze passed through layer after layer of trees and settled on another route rapidly approaching.

"Neji didn't go steal flags. He brought the other three and is following the footprints we left straight here."