Silent Flag Seizure in the Forest of Death

"Got it!"

Naruto's shout came from behind the trees. He pulled the red flag from a hollow, hoisting the stone securing its pole onto his shoulder as well.

Kiba had just rushed to the bottom of the slope when Akamaru lunged at Naruto.

"Leave the flag!"

"You think I'll stand still and let you bite me again?"

Naruto threw out two Shadow Clones. His real body hugged the flag and rolled down the slope. After dodging Akamaru, he raised the flag toward the observation post.

A third column of green smoke rose above the treetops.

Neji's Byakugan turned toward the distance. After confirming that the team flag had left the stronghold, he planted his left palm against the ground and prepared to rise again.

"It's not over yet."

"Your white strip is already in my hand."

Chiba lifted his foot and stepped on the mud beside Neji. The force from his sole flipped over Neji's body just as he had pushed himself up.

With his right arm numb, Neji had no time to adjust. His shoulder and back scraped along the slope as he rolled several times before crashing beside an exposed tree root.

"Team flag seized. Member eliminated."

Chiba tossed the pale violet strip of cloth toward the observation post, then turned and headed toward Naruto.

Neji sat in the mud, still unable to raise his right hand.

"Senju Chiba."

"Can't accept losing?"

"Next time, I won't touch your poison."

"Next time, I'll use something else."

Neji watched that retreating figure, the corner of his lips lifting slightly.

Losing to a trap hidden behind six Gentle Fist strikes was not shameful.

What had truly been embarrassing was that he had not realized Chiba had made himself part of the bait until his white strip was taken.

Kiba charged up from the bottom of the slope, reaching for the team flag on Naruto's shoulder.

Hinata stepped in front of him first, her palm wind knocking aside Kiba's wrist.

"Kiba, the flag has already been taken."

"We can still take it back before the smoke rises!"

Kiba sidestepped around her while Akamaru pounced at Naruto from the other side.

"Shikamaru!"

Naruto tossed the flag into the air, then covered his head and dove into the grass.

A slender shadow crossed the ground, binding Akamaru first before following the shadow beneath the dog's paws to connect with Kiba's feet.

Kiba remained in a charging stance, but his knees could no longer take another step.

"You again?"

"I had barely arrived when you stepped right into it yourself."

Shikamaru raised his arm, and Kiba raised both hands as well, catching the falling red team flag perfectly.

"Hey, why is the flag in my hands?"

"Because you're holding it for us. Saves effort."

"Release the Shadow Technique, and I'll fight you one-on-one!"

"Ask Akamaru first whether he wants to stand here with you."

With his front legs bound by the shadow, Akamaru could only lie beside Kiba's feet and growl softly.

Rock Lee chased out of the woods. The instant he stepped into the clearing, Chiba had already blocked his path.

"You want to take it too?"

"My teammates have not all been eliminated. Of course I cannot give up!"

Rock Lee lowered his body. The power gathering in his legs pressed the nearby blades of grass outward.

"Chiba, please take this strike!"

"The match is over!"

Iruka's voice rang out from the observation post. Several instructors dropped into the field at once, while a recall signal sounded from the training ground entrance.

Rock Lee's fist stopped in front of Chiba. His shoes dragged long tracks through the mud.

"Just a little more."

"You were too slow."

"Next time, I'll be faster!"

Chiba took the red team flag from Kiba's hands, then accepted the green flag Shikamaru handed over.

The moment the two flags were placed together, the instructors at the observation post recorded the result.

Tenten had already been brought aside. When she saw Kiba still holding his hands up, her expression immediately darkened.

"You two chased Naruto for so long that you didn't even leave anyone to guard your own flag?"

Unable to move, Kiba could only shout back.

"Who knew that guy could make so many solid clones!"

Naruto crawled out of the grass and walked up to Kiba, patting his chest.

"That's called skill. You couldn't even tell which one was the real me!"

"If Chiba's vines hadn't left your scent behind, I would've bitten you long ago!"

"That was our team's tactic too. You lost!"

Shikamaru released the Shadow Technique. Kiba's arms immediately dropped, and Akamaru crawled back into his collar.

Iruka approached with the score sheet and checked Neji's numb right hand first.

"When will the toxin wear off?"

"Before dark."

Chiba took out a Sleep Vine flower bud, crushed it, and squeezed out its clear juice.

"Apply this to your wrist. It'll help flush out the toxin faster."

Neji did not reach for it.

"You expect me to use your antidote?"

"You can wait."

Iruka took the juice and applied it near the chakra points on Neji's wrist.

The numb fingers soon regained a little movement. Neji tried clenching his hand, then looked toward Chiba.

"You even prepared an antidote in advance."

"People cannot die in training."

"So there will be no fights to the death?"

"Enemies don't deserve that."

Hearing those words, Kiba stepped half a pace closer to Neji.

"His mouth has always been this annoying. Don't take him seriously."

"At least he won."

Neji stood and left the slope, his Byakugan already deactivated beneath his forehead protector.

The groups gradually returned to the gathering point. The students who had been discussing tactics fell quiet as they saw the two flags in Chiba's hands.

Sasuke looked first at Chiba's waist.

The white strip was intact. There was a Gentle Fist palm print on the right side of his clothes, yet his movements had not been affected.

"You beat Neji?"

"I took his white strip."

"I'm asking about the fight."

"The result is the same."

Sasuke's gaze shifted toward Neji in the distance.

"Next time, it'll be me."

"Keep your own flag first."

Ino turned at those words. Sasuke's group's blue flag had already been taken by another group, and Choji was missing one white strip from his waist as well.

"Isn't it because Naruto led everyone over to us?"

Naruto immediately jumped out.

"I never went looking for Sasuke! Kiba took the wrong route and led the other two groups over there!"

Shino pushed up his goggles.

"More precisely, the Wood Release scent you left behind confused Akamaru, indirectly changing several groups' routes."

"Did you hear that? That was part of the plan too."

After saying that, Naruto looked at Chiba, waiting for him to back him up.

"It wasn't."

"Can't you just go along with me once?"

"No."

Iruka tapped the score sheet, and the groups lined up again.

"Group Six seized Group Eight's team flag. All members retained their white strips, committed no prohibited attacks, and were the first to seize a flag."

A wave of discussion spread through the crowd.

"All of them stayed in?"

"Neji and Tenten both had their white strips taken."

"Did Naruto hold off Kiba and Rock Lee by himself?"

"Shikamaru guarded the flag and even controlled Tenten."

"Hinata also took back a white strip from beneath a kunai."

Naruto's back straightened more and more as he listened.

Iruka flipped over the score sheet, his gaze stopping on the top record.

"The medical examination confirms that no one in Group Six requires treatment."

"Overall score: Group Six, first place."

Naruto raised a fist.

"I told you we'd definitely come in first!"

Shikamaru put a hand behind his head.

"Before entering, you were still talking about going after Sasuke."

"That was before the tactic started."

Standing beside Chiba, Hinata quietly glanced at Neji.

Neji did not avoid her gaze. He only raised a hand and pointed to where she had stepped when taking the white strip earlier.

"Your last step was too slow. If Tenten had still been able to control her wire, you would have been eliminated."

"I'll improve."

"And after activating the Byakugan, don't only look ahead."

Hinata answered softly, her fingers loosening from her sleeve as well.

Iruka put away the score sheet and was about to announce dismissal when a ninja in Hokage Tower uniform crossed the iron gate and arrived before the gathering point.

"The Third Hokage has a message."

The students immediately fell silent.

The secretary swept his gaze over the two flags before finally looking at Chiba.

"Lord Hokage observed this entire training exercise through the Telescope Technique."

"Group Six's tactical records and combat footage will be sent to the Ninja Academy's research department and entered into the Hokage's direct training archives."

Kiba asked quietly.

"Lord Hokage even saw me being controlled by the Shadow Technique?"

Naruto covered his mouth, but his shoulders kept shaking.

"If you dare laugh, I'll have Akamaru bite your window tonight!"

The secretary ignored them and merely took out a notice bearing the Hokage's seal from his sleeve.

"Senju Chiba, Lord Hokage wishes to see you alone."

Chiba looked at the seal and knew that the real training had only just begun.