章 38: The Second Exam
The room went silent as everyone processed Anko's warning. The second exam was turning out to be even more dangerous than the first.
During the first test, Morino Ibiki had tested their mental endurance. Failure there only meant disqualification. But here, in the second test, failure might mean death. The atmosphere became heavy, weighing on everyone's minds.
Lee studied the consent form in his hands. It was clear now—within the "Forest of Death," the strong could eliminate the weak without consequence. This was an intense survival test where anything could happen.
"Alright, is everyone finished reading?" Anko's voice broke the silence. She clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. "Now, I'll explain the rules of the exam and give you an overview of the training area."
"This is the 44th training ground," Anko began. "It's a massive circle, surrounded by 44 locked gates. Inside, there are rivers, forests, and at its center, a tall tower. From the tower to the gates is a distance of about 10 kilometers. This area is where your test will take place."
"The objective?" she continued with a sly grin, holding up two scrolls. "It's a competition for these—The Scroll of Heaven and The Scroll of Earth."
"Scrolls?" Naruto looked puzzled.
"Yes." Anko nodded. "Each team will have one scroll—either Heaven or Earth. There are 26 teams here, so 13 will carry the Heaven Scroll, and 13 will have the Earth Scroll. Your mission is to obtain the scroll you're missing. You'll need both scrolls to pass."
"Then, how do we qualify?" Sasuke asked, his eyes narrowing.
"To pass," Anko explained, "your team must bring both scrolls—Heaven and Earth—to the tower in the center of the forest, all within a five-day limit."
"Five days?!" someone exclaimed in disbelief. "What if we run out of food?"
"That's your problem," Anko said with a smirk. "The forest is full of food sources... as well as dangerous animals, poisonous insects, and, yes, even man-eating beasts. Just be careful not to end up as their next meal."
Lee listened, realizing that this exam wasn't just a test of skill but a brutal survival game. It was designed to make teams compete and potentially fight each other for scrolls. The competition was ruthless—half of the teams would be eliminated by design. But the true challenge lay in the possibility of facing multiple teams or even being hunted by others who already had both scrolls.
"The Forest of Death is a harsh place, and we expect casualties," Anko said bluntly.
"Can we back out halfway?" Shikamaru asked, looking uneasy.
"Absolutely not," Anko replied coldly. "Once you're in, you're in. You must stay in the forest for the entire five days."
Shikamaru sighed. "Troublesome."
Anko continued, "There are two main ways to fail. First, if your team fails to bring both scrolls to the tower by the end of the five days. Second, if any team member dies or can no longer continue."
Naruto raised his hand, curious. "What happens if we open the scroll early?"
Anko gave a mischievous grin. "If you're curious, try it and see."
Everyone fell silent, understanding that peeking at the scrolls was a dangerous move.
"Once you become Chūnin, you'll deal with classified documents. This rule is to see if you're trustworthy. Now, each team will go to the hut nearby to exchange your consent forms for a scroll and choose an entry gate."
"Finally," Anko added, her expression serious, "one last piece of advice: try not to die."
The gravity of her words weighed on the group. The goal wasn't just passing the exam—it was making it out of the forest alive.
"This reminds me of my early training days," Lee muttered to himself, glancing at the dense, ominous forest. He had once risked his life for training, but this felt even more intense. Here, there were not only dangerous animals but also ruthless ninjas, ready to ambush him.
For the first time in a while, Lee felt a rush of excitement.
At 2 p.m., the teams were lined up at their assigned entrances around the forest.
Entrance #41
"Lee, are you ready?" Neji asked, giving him a challenging look. "Once we're inside, we'll face tough enemies from all sides."
"Enemies, huh?" Lee replied calmly. "Honestly, I'm more interested in fighting you than them."
"Plenty of time for that later," Neji replied. "For now, we should work together to pass."
"Agreed," Lee nodded.
Entrance #20
"Finally, our chance to complete our mission," whispered one of the Sound ninjas, who resembled a turtle in appearance.
Entrance #6
"The forest is scary enough," Kankuro muttered to himself, glancing nervously at Gaara. "But being trapped in there with Gaara for five days is even scarier."
Entrance #15
"Let's target the rookies first," one ninja said.
The woman with the long tongue smiled darkly. "Looks like I'll finally get to let loose."
週次パワーステータス
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