"(Y/n)!" a high-pitched female voice called out as (Y/n) made her way to the location of Stage 2 of the Chunin Exams. She turned to see Tenten waving at her, accompanied by Lee and Neji.
"Oh, hello!" (Y/n) waved back with a smile. Lee inquired, "Are you on your way to the Stage 2 location?" (Y/n) nodded, confirming, "Yes." Tenten clasped her hands in excitement and exclaimed, "Perfect timing! We should go together."
"Come on, let's go!" Tenten grabbed (Y/n)'s wrist, and the four of them proceeded to head to the Stage 2 location.
Team Gai, accompanied by (Y/n), arrived at a massive forest, blocked by a gate with Anko positioned in front of it. (Y/n) quickly noticed Team 7 nearby and decided to approach them.
"Hello to y'all," she greeted. "(Y/n)," Sasuke mumbled, his attention directed towards her. The participants, including Team 7 and (Y/n), were fixated on the ominous forest beyond the gates.
"There's something kind of creepy about this place," Sakura shivered, expressing the uneasy feeling shared by many. "I agree," (Y/n) replied calmly, maintaining her composed demeanor. Naruto chimed in, "You sound calm saying that," noting the contrast between (Y/n)'s calmness and the unsettling atmosphere of the forest.
"This place is called the Forest of Death; you'll soon realize why," Anko announced, her tone carrying a weight of seriousness. However, Naruto, always one for a playful response, imitated Anko's words while doing a chicken dance.
"That kind of threat won't work on me one bit! I'm not scared!" Naruto declared confidently, his playful defiance drawing a few chuckles from (Y/n), thinking it's cute. Anko smiled in a sarcastic manner and responded, "Really? You've got a lot of energy." With a swift motion, she pulled out a kunai and threw it towards Naruto, purposely missing him. However, the sharp blade grazed his cheek, leaving a scratch that drew a trickle of blood.
Anko swiftly moved behind Naruto, her presence unsettling as she proclaimed, "A kid like you dies at the very beginning..." She reached out, lightly touching his face, and added, "Dappled with red blood, I like."
A long-haired girl approached from behind Anko, silently returning the kunai knife to her.
(Y/n) witnessed the exchange between Anko and the long-haired girl, feeling a growing sense of unease. Despite her knowledge of Sasuke's fate, she sensed that there was something more, an underlying threat lingering in the 2nd test.
"Oro...chimaru," (Y/n) muttered under her breath, the name carrying a weight of concern. Her chest rising up and down from anxiety, (Y/n) found a moment of concern from Neji. "Hey, you're breathing heavily. Are you gonna be okay?" Neji asked, his tone neutral and observant.
"Yes, I'm fine," she replied with a reassuring smile. Tenten, sensing something amiss, asked again, "Are you sure?" (Y/n) simply nodded, attempting to conceal the unease.
"You can do it, (Y/n)!" Lee cheered, injecting a dose of positivity into the situation. The encouragement lessened (Y/n)'s tension, and gradually, her breathing began to relax. "Thank you," she expressed her gratitude. Tenten held her hands and gave (Y/n) a supportive smile. "No problem," she reassured.
Anko walked back to the front gate of the Forest of Death. "Well, before we start the second exam, I have to pass this out to you!" Anko affirmed, pulling a stack of papers. "It's a consent form," she clarified. "Before you can take part in the test, you have to sign this," Anko explained.
"Why?" Naruto asked.
"From here on out, corpses are going to come out. I have to get your consent to that!" she disclosed with a hint of dark humor. "Or it'll be my responsibility," she added, her laughter echoing with an unsettling tone.
Anko handed out the consent form to the examinees, providing an explanation of what the second test would entail. As the participants received the forms, they learned that the upcoming test was a survival challenge.
Anko continued to explain the mechanics of the second test. The examinees were tasked with gathering Heaven and Earth Scrolls within a span of five days. The Forest of Death, once a mysterious and foreboding backdrop, now took on the role of a crucial arena where the participants would vie for these scrolls.
After detailing the mechanics of the second test, Anko provided the examinees with a brief moment to fill out the consent forms. In the hushed atmosphere of the Forest of Death, pens scratched against paper as each participant weighed the risks and challenges ahead, their decisions sealed within the inked words on the forms.
Seated alone in a corner near a rock, (Y/n) found a quiet spot to fill out her consent form. To her side, Sasuke joined her, each absorbed in the task of writing. As they focused on the paperwork, Sasuke's keen observation noted the closing curtains in the nearby booth where the examinees would obtain their scrolls.
"I see, so we won't know which scroll was given to each team, and we won't know which of the three people is carrying the scroll," Sasuke noted.
"If Ibiki-sensei was right, there will be life or death struggles for information in this test," (Y/n) replied.
Sasuke hinted, "That means..."
"Everyone is an enemy!" (Y/n) and Sasuke simultaneously exclaimed, their realization echoing the harsh reality of the survival test. "This is harsh!" (Y/n) complained. "Unlike you, I don't have a team, that's why I have no place to hide my scroll." The challenges of the survival test intensified for (Y/n), who, as a solo participant, faced the added difficulty of safeguarding her scroll without the protection and support of a team.
Amidst the gathering, a palpable air of determination hung thick. Sasuke's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "The resolve of everyone here is strong. That means that it might come to killing each other." (Y/n), equally aware of the potential for strife, weighed in with a measured tone, "There is possibility that we may fight each other."
Sasuke, his lips curling into a confident smirk, asserted, "And in that moment, I see the opportunity to finally surpass you."
A playful smile graced (Y/n)'s features as they countered, "We'll test that theory. Even with your Sharingan, you've got your own handicap." Sasuke's gaze bore into (Y/n), but his eyes softened. "You're doing great, (Y/n). I believe that you'll make it. And that's MY prediction for you"
Once the collective determination had solidified into inked signatures on the consent forms, a sense of shared purpose surged through the room. The examinees, each a vessel of potential and ambition, embarked towards the booths. The atmosphere crackled with a mix of nerves and excitement as they approached, eager to claim the scrolls that held the key to their destinies.
(Y/n) received her designated scroll, adorned with the ethereal label "Heaven." The weight of the parchment in her hands resonated with both significance and mystery. As the intricate details of the scroll unfurled, a quiet determination settled in (Y/n)'s gaze.
"I suppose I'll need to seek out the Earth scrolls," she mused, a flicker of anticipation lighting up her eyes.
The room, previously abuzz with individual contemplation, now echoed with Anko's authoritative proclamation. Her voice sliced through the air, commanding attention. "Teams who possess the scrolls, gather with your designated representative and proceed to the gate! We're set to commence in 30 minutes, simultaneously!"
The proctors turned the keys in the locks securing the gates to the ominous Forest of Death, and with a resounding clank, the barriers swung open. Anko's voice, charged with authority, pierced the air.
"We now start the second test of the Chunin Exam!" she declared. The examinees swiftly entered the Forest of Death, anticipation and tension hanging in the air as they stepped into the unknown.
(Y/n) first looked for a hidden spot in the Forest of Death where she could chill for five days while hunting for the Earth Scroll. She focused on finding a good spot where she wouldn't be easily seen. Water became her top priority, and only after that did she start thinking about food. Even though she'd been exploring the forest for three days, she hadn't come across anyone. This made her chances of finding the Earth Scroll seem pretty low. In this big forest, it felt like success was slipping away, pushing (Y/n) to adjust her plan if she wanted to come out on top.
Deciding to change her location, (Y/n) began to move to a different spot. However, in the midst of her relocation, a sudden ambush disrupted her plans. A ninja from the Sound Village launched an attack, hurling kunai in her direction, bringing her to an abrupt halt. "It's payback time. Don't you think?" he grunted, alluding to what (Y/n) had done to him on the first day of the exam.
(Y/n) smirked, readying herself for the impending confrontation. She was well aware that the Sound Ninja held the Earth Scroll, gearing up to face the challenge head-on. (Y/n) swiftly formed a series of hand signs, silently uttering, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu" in her mind. With a forceful exhale, a massive fireball erupted from her mouth, ascending into the air with intense heat and brilliance.
The Sound Ninja adeptly dodged the oncoming fireball, but (Y/n) wasted no time. Initiating her next move, she declared, "Ninjutsu: Soul Scroll." With precision, she hurled a chakra-infused kunai towards him, inflicting damage and slowing his movements as it found its mark.
"You nasty," he growled, gearing up for his next attack. Just as he was about to strike, (Y/n) readied herself for defense. However, before the blow could land, a substantial wall of sand materialized, shielding her from the impending attack.
(Y/n)'s eyes widened in recognition, realizing the source of the protective sand. Swiftly, the sand enveloped the Sound Ninja, and a familiar voice echoed, "Sand Coffin." The deadly jutsu claimed the Sound Ninja's life, putting an end to the confrontation.
(Y/n) spun toward the origin of the voice and laid eyes on Gaara. "Gaara!" she exclaimed in a mix of surprise, shock, and guilt, evident in both her tone and expression. Their eyes locked, and a profound silence settled between them. (Y/n) hadn't anticipated this unexpected reunion with Gaara, and the weight of guilt consumed her, rendering her speechless. She struggled to find the words to explain the situation, a sense of remorse echoing through her mind.