Ch 48

"This is the location for the second phase of the exam, it's the 44th battle training grounds. But we call it, The Forest of Death." Anko explained. 

I looked at all these huge freaking trees in curiosity, this will be fun. 

"This whole place just completely creeps me out," I heard Sakura from in front of me. 

"It should. They call it the forest of death and you're about to soon find out why," another person who likes to scare kids. But you know who is impervious to those kinda people...

You guessed it! 

"Do your worst! You're not about to scare me away! I can handle anything!" Naruto enthusiastically yelled. 

Love this guy so much. 

"So, it looks like we got ourselves a tough guy..." I sighed as Anko smiled. That was not the smile of someone with good intentions. 

Anko got a hidden Kunai from her sleeve and threw it, cutting Naruto on his cheek. The kunai even cut a bit of Orochimaru's hair before it- 

Orochimaru! 

What is he doing here? I thought he was just going to sneak in, not become a participant. 

Is my memory wrong? 

Did I forget? 

I glared at him in annoyance, but he just smiled. Anko then appeared behind Naruto, causing him to tense up. 

"You tough enough to handle this? You're not afraid are you?" Anko mocked. She grasped his cheek, which was now bleeding due to the cut. 

"Tough guys like you usually leave their blood all over this forest," she let the blood hit her finger before she turned around to the oncoming attack she thought was going to happen. But only a tongue offering her kunai was there, gross. 

"I was just returning your kunai," came the female voice I never want Orochimaru to speak in again. 

"Why thank you, Grass ninja." They had a stare down in silence, Anko only smirked wider at the deadly air around them. 

"You know, I really only recommend you stand this close behind me...If you wish to reach a premature end." Anko took her kunai and Orochimaru out his tongue back in his mouth, thankfully. 

"No... I just get excited when I see red blood. Plus you cut my precious hair, I couldn't help it. I meant you no harm." 

Bullshit. 

Orochimaru chuckled before turning around and walked to me, " likewise," Anko said. 

"Was that necessary?" I whispered. "I take good care of my hair, she was being rude," Orochimaru rolled his eyes. 

Diva. 

I saw Naruto trying to make his tongue longer, and while it was cute. The fact he was trying to copy Orochimaru completely killed it for me. Don't do that Naruto, Orochimaru is a bad influence. 

"Seems like everyone here today is quick-tempered. There must be something in the air." 

Bloodlust you sadist. 

"This is gonna be fun," Anko smirked. I sighed, I might die from all these crazy people. 

"Now, before we begin this test, I have something to hand out to you all," she took out papers. 

"Just a standard consent form, for the test all of you are going to have to read over this form and then sign it." 

Makes sense. 

"What for?" Naruto asked. 

I chuckled, maybe I should help him. 

"Some of you may not come back from this test, and I have to get consent for that risk. Otherwise it would be my responsibility." Anko laughed like we weren't fighting for our lives. There was a silence as everyone felt the weight of how real this is. I saw Orochimaru lick his lips as he glanced at Sasuke. 

I sighed, "keep that up and everyone will feel your bloodlust." He narrowed his eyes at me, "I'm not some amateur to make such a meaningless mistake." I chuckled, not answering him. 

"Now, I'll explain what you'll be doing on this test," she handed the papers to Naruto, "pass these out." Naruto did so. 

"The first thing you need to know is that it will tax everyone on your survival skills," who would've guessed. 

"First, I'll give you all a description of the terrain on the practice field, the 44th battle training zone has 44 locked entrance gates. There are rivers and a forest inside, in the centre is a locked tower located 10 km from each gate. It's in this confined area that you'll undergo the survival test. The test consists of... 'an anything goes battle' to get your hands on these scrolls." 

Heaven and earth scrolls, love it. 

"Both of them?" Kabuto asked. "Yes, you'll be fighting to get both the heaven scroll and an earth scroll." 

Silence. 

Only shattered by the sound of bugs and animals. 

"Altogether 27 teams will be taking part in this test, so half of those teams I'll be going after the heavens scroll, and the other half will be trying to get the Earth scroll. I'll hand over one kind of scroll to each team and that's what you'll be fighting for." 

Sheesh. 

"Ok, so how do we pass the test," Sasuke questioned. And what a good question it was. "Your entire squad must bring both the heaven and earth scroll to the tower," Anko explained. 

"That means at the very best half of us will fail. More if not every team is able to get both the scrolls," Sakura stated. 

"No one ever said it would be easy. Ohh, and one more thing. The test has a time limit, you must finish it in 5 days." 5 days is a long time. 

"5 days out there!" Ino screamed. "What are we supposed to do for food?" Choji panicked a little. 

Already got that handled. 

"Just look around, the forest is full of things to eat. There's plenty to feed all of you," she's leaving out something important. 

"Ya but, that's not all the forest has plenty of. There are man eating beasts and poisonous plants in there," Kabuto informed. There we go, that's what I was waiting for. 

"Aw man!" Choji is sad. "Quiet down, this is why they call it survival though," Ino stopped complaining. 

"That means, with these circumstances there's no way half the teams will pass the test," Neji is on guard. 

"With the days getting longer, the nights getting shorter, so we will have less time to sleep, and less time to recover. It is a challenge indeed," Rock Lee is up to the challenge. 

"Completely surrounded by enemies, there won't be time to rest, we'll have to keep a constant watch," Sasuke is analyzing the situation. 

"Right, this test will also measure endurance behind enemy lines. This is designed to be a gruelling test, and I'm sure some of you won't be up to the challenge," Anko knows this is the chunin exam. She wants to make sure only the best make it through. 

"So um, let's say I'm in an exam, can we quit?" Good question, Shikamaru is asking the good questions. 

"Of course not, in the middle of a battle you can't say sorry I quit, while I guess you could but it's probably gonna get you killed," Anko is amused. "Oh just great, this is gonna be a drag." Shikamaru isn't amused. 

"There are also some ways you could get disqualified, first, those that don't make it to the tower with both scrolls within the time limit. Second, those who lose a teammate, or those who have a teammate killed. But most important none of you, absolutely none of you may look at the contents of the scrolls until you reach the tower," good to know. 

"What if it just happened to flap open and you just read it," Naruto asked. 

"Let me just put it to you this way, young man. You. Don't. Want. To. Know." Anko just loves scaring Naruto. 

"There are times when a ninja will be asked to carry secret documents. The scroll is to test your integrity. OK we're done. Each team take your consent forms and exchange them over there for your scrolls," Anko pointed to where we should go. 

Oh this is gonna be good.

"That's it for the explanation. Exchange the three forms for your scroll. Then choose a gate and get ready for the start. Final word of advice, don't die."

A/n The forest of death starts next chapter! Enjoy~