Chapter 14: The Second Exam Begins!

Naruto woke up early the next morning to a bare apartment. After having Karin over last night, It felt silent and empty, all the cheer and exuberance gone. Once they finished up with their visit to the Hokage; he'd taken her back here and they'd spent the rest of the day talking. Once it got late enough, they ended up making some simple stir fry before she said she had to go back to her hotel room. He was sad to see her go, but she assured him it was the last time she'd ever be staying with that team.

Naruto: So are you taking the exam tomorrow?

He asked as he'd walked her down the road.

Karin: No, I won't let myself be used by them every again. They can fail for all I care.

Naruto remembered being surprised by her fierce words before remembering how ferocious seventeen year old Karin had been. Then he'd smiled.

Karin: Well, good night Naruto.

she said, offering him a shy smile. She turned to walk into her hotel, but at the last second turned around and flung her arms around him in a big hug. Naruto, too shocked to respond, just stumbled back in surprise.

"Thank you," Karin whispered into his ear, tears slipping down her cheeks onto his shoulder. "Thank you for finding me."

Silently, dumbly, he'd slid his arms up around to encircle her as well. Then they had just stood there in the empty street, holding each other.

Eventually she'd had to go inside, but it was clear she didn't want to go. Naruto had just smiled and told her to find him after the second exam. That was... if he made it out of the second exam. He didn't say the last part, but he was thinking it.

Now it was morning though, and he had a lot of preparation to do.

Outside the sun had barely brushed over the horizon, sky still a dull dusty gray above him. On the floor around him were piles of shuriken, kunai, traps, explosion seals, ninja wire, and various other things he would need for the fight later that day. He'd even bought some storage seals from Tenten's parents shop and was stuffing them full of supplies.

He knew Sakura was bringing her big medi-kit, as agreed upon earlier, and that Sasuke would be bringing his own arsenal as well. It was Naruto's job to pack all the tools for the traps, as well as food since they didn't know how long they would be in the forest for. Ration bars should suffice.

Once he'd finished packing, he made his way out of his apartment and into the streets of Konoha. It was still early, so there was little to no one on the streets. The people that were there though shot him nasty looks, often times accompanied with sneers. He tried his best to ignore it but... well, it didn't matter. He was still the hero of Konoha, even if they didn't know it.

Training ground 44 was still fairly empty by the time he made it there. They'd been told to meet there at eight AM by Anko. It was almost seven now.

"Naruto! Over here!" Someone called out. Looking over towards the perimeter fence, Naruto saw Sakura waving him over, standing next to a bored looking Sasuke. She was decked out in her full medic attire, med pack resting just over her waist on her back and hair tie's ready for if she needed put it up. Sasuke on the other hand was dressed the same except for a new chokutō strapped to his waist. He had mentioned a few days ago that if they were going to face off against Orochimaru that they'd need to pull all the stops, hence the sword.

Naruto: Morning.

Sasuke: You got all the stuff?

Naruto: Yeah (nodded).

Naruto: You?

The Uchiha nodded as well.

Sakura: Great, You both know the plan?

The two boys nodded again.

Naruto: Subdue, but don't kill, right?

Sasuke: Yeah.

Sakura: Ok, great, And remember, he thinks we're genin. He won't come at us at full strength. Not at first. We need to take advantage of that.

She put hard emphasis on the last sentence, green eyes piercing into theirs to make sure they understood. Both Naruto and Sasuke gave serious nods, understanding the weight of the situation.

Sakura: Alright.... And just remember to stick to the plan. We have to do this right, or else we're screwed.

Naruto:You can say that again.

Sakura could only grimace in response.

The team slipped into silence after that, unable to think about anything else because of their nerves. What they were about to try was the equivalent of an A-rank mission. Possibly S-rank. They'd done those before of course, or what worked as an equivalents of one; but this one was different. This one was personal.

Sometime later, one of the genin teams started to make a ruckus, drawing the attention of all the other teams.

"That bitch!" A boy cried, frustration clear in his voice. "First she fucks off after the test yesterday, now she doesn't show up?"

Naruto leaning forward where he was sitting to peer around Sasuke so as to get a better view of the shouting boy. It was the Kusa genin from yesterday. The one on Karin's team.

"If she doesn't get here in ten minutes, I'm gonna kill her."

Sakura: Aren't those Karin's teammates?

Naruto nodded, continuing to watch them freak out.

Sakura: They can't go on without a third team member, Did Karin say she wasn't coming?

Naruto: Yeah, She said she wouldn't be used by them ever again.

Sakura frowned, clearly not understanding what she'd meant by that.

Sakura: Well... As long as she's okay, I guess that's all that matters.

Naruto smiled to himself.

Naruto: I get the feeling we're gonna be seeing her around here a lot more, ya know.

Sakura could only look at him in confusion while Sasuke was burying his face in his knees.

Sometime later, there was a comotion up at the front near the gate, and someone shouted out over the crowd.

"Welcome to the stage for the second test; training ground 44," a voice called out. All three members of team 7 looked up to see Anko Mitarashi standing in front of the assembled genin. "Also known as 'the forest of death'."

The other teams around them all shivered uncomfortably while team 7 just looked on in ambivalence.

Anko: You'll soon find out why it's called the 'forest of death'.

Sasuke just barely suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, while Sakura bit her cheek to keep from laughing. It was such a pathetic scare tactic she was surprised all the other genin were falling for it. Sure it was a dangerous forest, but if you were worthy of being a shinobi it was fine. And besides, they survived five days in it as actual genin before. It would be such a breeze this time.

Anko: Now, before we start the second test, There's something I have to pass out.

She whipped out a large stack of papers.

Anko: You must sign these agreement forms.

The surrounding genin began mumbling in confusion. Anko went on to explain, cheerful smile already plastered on her face.

Anko: There will be deaths in this one, And if I don't have you sign these, it'll be my responsibility.

Then she had the audacity to blush, as if it were something hilarious to her.

Now the assembled genin were really freaking out. Naruto could see one team visibly sweating, while Sasuke spotted one that was sharing nervous glancing with their teammates. Anko went on to explain the test before handing out the liability forms. She explained how each team needed a heaven and earth scroll before they could reach the tower in the center, and to not open their scrolls before they do so, or they would face terrible consequences.

Like getting knocked out is that horrible, Naruto thought with a roll of his eyes, remembering what said consequences were. He'd been knocked out plenty of times. It wasn't anything special.

Once she'd finished her spiel, team 7 went and exchanged their liability forms for an earth scroll and went and took their places at one of the gates. Karin's old team was turned away before they could even turn in their forms. They needed three after all, and they were only two. Naruto watched with sick satisfaction as the two screaming boys were thrown out.

So long, assholes, he thought, wicked grin his by his jacket collar.

Eventually they made their way to their gate and waited for the test to begin. Once the gate opened, there plan was a go.

For such a place of its moniker, the forest of death was oddly quiet. The trees above them were still, no wind moving through them to rustle the leaves or branches. The animal life around them was also silent, with barely a rustle to go off of to show that they still existed. It was as if the forest could sense something evil lurking among it's undergrowth, sickening and twisted.

Orochimaru.

Sasuke: Can you sense him yet?

Sasuke asked, looking up from one of the traps he was rigging. So far they had rigged about a square mile in total, but still had a bit to go. Naruto, who was standing further away tending to his own trap just shook his head.

Naruto: No clones have popped yet, So he's not in the two mile perimeter.

He'd set up a dozen or so clones interspersed around their team in a two mile perimeter with the instructions to pop upon spotting the snake sannin. The memories would rush back to Naruto who would alert the team, giving them an approximate time table for when the sannin would arrive. But so far though, nothing.

Sasuke: Are you sure they haven't just missed him?

Naruto: I think it'd be a little hard to miss that much killing intent.

he deadpanned, giving the Uchiha the most unimpressed look.

Sasuke: Says the guy who couldn't even sense that Ame genin.

he replied dryly, referencing the Ame shinobi that had managed to sneak up on them earlier. He'd gotten a solid hit in on Naruto before the blond had turned right back around and creamed him. It was thoroughly embarrassing for the savior of Konoha, but he didn't let his teammates see how much it bothered him. Sasuke, however, didn't seem to have been fooled.

Sakura: Both of you, stop it!

Sakura called out from a branch above them. She was glaring down at them with jaded eyes, fists curled tightly around a length of ninja wire.

Sakura: You're bickering like genin.

Naruto: We are genin.

Sasuke: Don't lump me in with you.

Naruto: But it's true-...

Pop.

Naruto froze.

It was his clone.

Memories rushed into Naruto's head. A Kusa genin running through the woods, malice leaking off them like the scent of decay. Two miles out to the north east; moving fast.

Both Sakura and Sasuke noticed their teammates sudden change in posture as he straightened up suddenly, eyes staring into the distance.

Sakura: Naruto?

Sakura asked, jumping down to his branch.

Sakura: Is it...?

Naruto: He's here, Orochimaru's here.

Their mission had officially begun.