Chapter 17: chunin exams IV

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Chapter 17

SHINSO KEN

I was still alert. Chakra circulating in the coils underneath my skin. I eyed my surrounding warily, even after Orochimaru had vanished. It was only after Hinata nodded at me, that I sheathed my sword. I turned to look at Sasuke and as he barely stood, his leg impaled by an earth spike. He was battered up. He recognized me as he nodded towards me, his shoulders relaxing. The tension leaving his body.

"Thank you," he muttered. I just nodded and started categorizing his injuries. A fractured arm and an impaled leg. I crouched on the ground to observe his injured leg.

"You are lucky, the spike missed the bone. We will just have to hope that it did not nick any major vessel." I said and then Shino appeared beside me. He laid both Naruto and Sakura on the ground. Both were unconscious.

"Are they fine?" Sasuke questioned my teammate.

"Both of them have a concussion. But Naruto Kun has this strange seal on his gut but seems fine otherwise." Shino said and Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief at that. Then Shino looked at me: "That person was not a regular genin, what should be our next step, should we try and contact the examiners?" he asked.

They did not know who the person that attacked them was. But of course, they would have their suspicions. Hinata joined us as well, she gazed at team seven's members, yet I noticed a significant loss of reaction upon seeing Naruto. Something to think about, I put it in the back of my head.

"We must leave this place immediately and find shelter. We can discuss everything after that." I spoke and looked toward Hinata. She nodded and activated her Byakugan and began observing the terrain. She closed her eyes and after a while spoke out.

"There is a small cave some way out east. It seems secure enough." I nodded at that.

"Shino and Hinata you should carry Naruto and Sakura to the cave, secure it and make some rudimentary traps. I will be right behind you with Sasuke." I ordered. Then I looked towards Sasuke and spoke.

"This position of the spike makes it difficult to take out. So, I am going to break it and then carry you to the wave with it and we can decide what to do after that." Sasuke nodded at that.

I should probably take some time to learn medical ninjutsu.

0000

In the cave, we had settled down. Though Sasuke had survived he still seemed haunted by the battle. Orochimaru was not an S-rank for nothing. He was one of the most feared shinobi of his generation. Yet, team seven had survived facing such a threat. Not many teams could boast about such a thing.

"So, who was that? Because I am sure that was not a genin?" Sasuke questioned me. I raised my brow at that.

"How are you sure that I know?" I asked teasingly. The earth spike was still in his leg. We had no way of knowing whether any vessel was damaged or not and we were not skilled enough to handle such a situation. I was going through various plans regarding that. If something were not done, there was a high chance Sasuke would lose his leg. But what could I do?

"Because of your eyes. A look of recognition passed through your face when you looked into his eyes. So, tell me who was he?" Sasuke questioned once more with a little heat in his voice. I just nodded at that. And after a while, I spoke.

"While I cannot be sure. I believe we have fought one of the rogue shinobi. The snake sanin, to be exact." His eyes widened at that. Words spluttered from his mouth.

"But what would he be doing here? Didn't he defect some years ago?" There was a slight fear in his voice. As there should be. The tales of the sanin and their strength and skill were a significant part of the history lesson. Sasuke had just learned that he was facing a person of such skill.

"I do not know. And I do not think we have the luxury to ponder over such a question." I said staring at his leg. He nodded his face going through a complex series of emotions. Shino and Hinata returned after they had assembled traps in the perimeter.

"Are you done?" I questioned as I started getting up. Both of them nodded and then Hinata looked worriedly toward Sasuke's leg.

"What are we going to do about it? The blood supply is compromised we have to hurry." She was worried for her classmate. I just smiled at her.

"Do not worry I have a plan. A plan to find my doctor." I said while grinning and I could see the moment my words registered as she smiled herself and shook her head at my solution.

0000

KARIN UZUMAKI

Karin Uzumaki was alone and scared. She was hiding behind a bush. Her teammates had been quite wroth with her and as soon as the exam had started, they had left with three other teams to attack Shinso-Kun. She prayed for the boy, who had helped her days ago. Even during the written test, he had helped her cheat. But the question was how did he know about her unique sensing technique?

Even people in Kusa were unaware of her secret so how did he know? She would have been warier of him, had she not sensed his chakra so deeply. While not a shining sun, his chakra held a unique hue to it. And he had never held any nefarious intent towards her. Though his chakra did brighten whenever he was with her.

Three shinobi appeared behind her. They were wearing headbands from Otogakure.

"Why can't we find them They were supposed to be near the explosion site." One of them shouted agitatedly.

"We will just have to keep looking, they could not have gone far." A feminine voice added.

"Wait," the last of them spoke. And a kunai whizzed past her head. THUNK. "It seems that we have a guest." He said in a thickened voice.

She had to run. So, she pushed the chakra into her legs and jumped across the field. But before she could take a second step her feet faltered, and she fell to the ground. Her ears were ringing. She tried to get up once more, but she could not. Tears formed in her eyes.

"What do we have here?" The boy with spiky hair said. As he grinned sinisterly at her.

"Zaku, we do not have time to waste. So be done with it." The girl in the back added and Karin could feel dread pooling in her gut. She tried to jump once more but a kunai impaled her leg stopping her in her tracks. Pain radiated through her injured limb and she grunted.

"Augh." She spluttered as she fell. The boy walked towards her slowly. As a predator approached his prey. He then spoke ominously,

"I am just gonna have some fun. All this searching has left me quite frustrated." These words were the last straw and Karin began to weep. She limped away, as she tried to get away from him. She could not give up. She had to be strong. The boy in question just tsked at that and jumped to her side. He then planted one of his legs on her gut. Making it impossible for her to move.

"What is the hurry little dove? I promise to make it short!" And he began laughing. She just closed her eyes, waiting for her death. Yet, the pain never came. A soft hum of words echoed in her ears.

'Lightning style: Stormcloud'

The only thing she heard next was a thud. She opened her eyes and saw the head of the Oto shinobi that was pinning her to the ground. Her sensory reception indicated a familiar chakra signature. She looked up and saw a familiar blue jacket blowing in the air. The back of the person had a scroll strapped to it. Tears welled up in her heart. She closed her eyes and her range expanded.

A storm assaulted her senses. It was like being at the center of a thunderous storm. He looked back at her and smiled slightly.

"It seems to me we are making a habit of it. Aren't we?" he asked lightly. She just nodded slightly. Tears gathering in her eyes. Still not believing her senses. He then looked straight once more. His eyes tightened as he spoke the ominous words.

"It seems to me, I am gonna have to intervene in your business. After all, I cannot let you injure my only doctor now can I."

And the ensuing battle was short as the two Oto-nin were no match for his speed and skill and were incapacitated permanently. After the battle, he had helped bandage her leg and was now cleaning the blood from her face. She had been in a daze for most of the time. Still rattled by her predicament. Then she remembered and asked him about his earlier words.

"You said you needed a doctor. Are you injured?" and she began inspecting him for injuries. He just laughed at her antics and spoke while his hands still cleaned the blood from her face.

"Haha! I am fine. It is just that my friend is injured. And in this test, I did not know any other med-nin besides you. So, I decided to come find you,"

She just nodded at that, her face must have distorted somewhat because he stopped and took her hands in his and spoke.

"You will not have to do that. We just need to take out a spike that has impaled his leg." Her words eased her worries. Then she remembered her team. And questioned him once more.

"My team, they. ." But he cut her off.

"Yes, they attacked me and . . ." he did not need to finish the sentence. She simply nodded her head in understanding. In their world, there was a cardinal rule 'Don't do unto others what you don't want to be done unto you.'

Some deep and twisted part of her was happy at their demise. Both of them were related to Zousi, the leader of the village. The man was responsible for her mother's death. But a part was also scared for she had failed in her purpose. She was to keep them alive, yet they were dead. And Zousi was not a forgiving man.

Shinso-Kun turned around and pointed at his back. "Hop on. We have to hurry. I will carry you to the cave." She was embarrassed but her leg was injured so she slowly got up and hopped on his back. And both of them were.

If there was a small red tint on her cheeks and a small smile on her lips. Well, perhaps you were just imagining things.

0000

HINATA HYUGA

She watched as the red-haired girl inspected Sasuke san's wound. After a while, she got up and addressed Shinso Kun.

"His vessels were spared. You will have to take it out carefully and apply pressure and tape it up. And then get it seen by a professional medic. I could help .." Her words were cut off as Shinso Kun spoke. His voice was firm and serious.

"No, this is enough. As for the payment. We will take you to the central tower." At this, the girl's eyes widened. And she shook her head at him. "No. NO. You do not have to do that. You have helped me enough. After you saved me from the sound ninja. You do not have to help me anymore."

Shinso Kun just shook his head at that, "I insist. Plus, those sound genin were hardly anything challenging. You must accept this as payment. I can assure you this is highly fair." The girl was still adamant until Shinso Kun showed her all the scrolls they had gathered. The girl's eyes widened at that. Seven scrolls, three heavens, and three earth scrolls. Four were enough for team seven and team eight. They had three on top of that. Suddenly Shinso Kun spoke out once more.

"AND IF YOU GUYS COME OUT I WILL GIVE ONE TO YOU!" He shouted looking at a bush. There was someone there. She activated her byakugan immediately, though when she observed the three people behind the bush she relaxed.

Team ten appeared from behind the bush. Shikamaru Kun seemed a little embarrassed at being found out. Ino San seemed was looking at all the gathered scrolls with a look of surprise.

"How do you have so many scrolls!" she questioned. Her voice was filled with surprise. Shinso Kun just gave her a large grin.

"It's a long story that will come at a cost." Shikamaru Kun narrowed his eyes at that.

"And what cost is that?" Shikamaru Kun asked. Shinso Kun grinned wildly at that. His next words shocked team ten.

"You will just have to help us carry team seven to the tower and for that small service, you will get a scroll and a riveting story. So, what do you say? Do we have a deal?" Shikamaru Kun shook his head at that and grinned at Shinso kun. But before he could say anything, Ino san spoke first.

"Deal."

And so all ten of them were off. Three teams from Konoha and a single kunoichi from Kusa. Moving through the forest at breakneck speed. Ten scrolls in hand. They had completed the seven-day exam in less than thirty-six hours. Well, this just means more time to rest before phase three of the exam.

0000

Well, phase two is over. Now we take a little break from all this fighting.

Man so many fights continuously, writing them was a hell of a task. But lest hope we can improve with phase three of the exam.

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