บท 18: The Chunin Exam [4]
After 30 minutes....
Naruto and team took their scroll from the place they were instructed and got ready In front of the door.... The other genins did the same.
"The 2nd test of Chunin exam.... Starts...now... " As Anko announced all the gates of the forest opened up.
"Let's give our best. " Naruto commented.
Sasuke nodded at Naruto and Sakura said "I'll try my best to support you two."
"That'll be good enough. " Naruto said as they enter the forest.
Naruto told his team about the dark chakra he was sensing during Anko was explaining the rules to them.
"We should stick together and stay at high alert as I'm getting dark chakra nearby, that can't be good.... and yeah we need to find the heaven scroll or I should say steal it from someone.... we've the earth scroll ."
Sakura and Sasuke both nodded.
As they started walking , Naruto stopped suddenly "Hey ! I'm sensing a strong chakra nearby , someone is coming our way." Naruto said.
"Our way ? Already ?" Sakura said in surprise.
"Are you sure ?" Sasuke asked.
"Yes , Very much sure."
"Than let me fight him or her ." Sasuke said.
Naruto just nodded."The chakra Is strong and stronger than Kakashi-sensei."
"Stronger than Kakashi-sensei ?" Sakura asked in astonishment.
Naruto nodded.
"Let's fight together than." Sasuke said.
"I'll try my best to help." Sakura said .
Naruto nodded in agreement
"Stretch your hand quickly. " Naruto said looking at Sasuke and Sakura.
Sasuke was going to question, but looking at Naruto's serious face he did as Naruto said.
Naruto marked their wrist with his personal markings.
"What's these for Naruto ?" Sakura asked.
"Will Tell you later." Naruto said.
"Ok , I've a plan." Naruto said as he created 10 Shadow clones in no moment and all the shadow clone scattered in different directions.
"What's the plan ?" Sakura asked to Naruto.
"Well, these Shadow clones I've created will spy throughout the forest as much as possible & whenever any enemy is coming towards us, the shadow clone will let me know, that's the plan." Naruto explained.
Both Sasuke & Sakura nodded in understanding.
As they Continued walking ....
In a distance one of the shadow clones
"Wind Technique: Major Rupture!" A young Naruto duplicate hurled all his chakra into the technique to strike the approaching genin ninja.
A woman responded with a grin, crafting a single-hand seal and announcing, "Wind Technique: Major Rupture!"
An alternate Naruto copy, observing the battle to gather as much information about the adversary as possible, grimaced at the scene. This foe was indeed challenging, managing to execute the Wind Technique: Major Rupture with just a single hand seal.
With a puff, the clone discharged the technique to alert the genuine Naruto to the unfolding situation.
When the two techniques clashed, shockwaves of wind slashes and whirls scattered across the forest.
...
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura paused on a tree branch, their gaze fixated on the source of the shockwave. Naruto, having been forewarned, chuckled dryly, "This is bad... That woman is formidable..."
"What's the issue?" Sasuke queried, his senses heightened.
"Well... that man just performed a C-rank jutsu single-handedly, one-handed seal and all. The wind shockwaves were a result of a duel between a clone of mine and that woman..."
Sasuke, pale but alert, noticed Naruto signal something subtly with his hand. Anticipating Naruto's unspoken command, Sasuke, positioned in front of Naruto, employed the [Body Flicker], swiftly relocating behind Naruto and towards the bushes. [Fire Style: Great Fireball!] "Fuuu!!!!"
"Aghhhhhhhhh!" A cry of agony resonated from the bush as a ninja attempted to retreat, but was halted by a voice from behind.
"Where do you think you're going?"
It was Naruto, grinning with a [Wind Style: Chakra Blade] in his grip, his blade slicing through the neck of the approaching genin ninja. *slash* The ninja's head severed from his body.
Sasuke shot Naruto a disgruntled look for stealing his kill, only to see Naruto chuckle, "Stay alert. He's approaching."
Sasuke nodded, following Naruto's line of sight.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three ninjas materialized atop the opposing tree, the woman in the center laughing chillingly, "Impressive reconnaissance, young one."
Naruto retorted, "I appreciate the compliment."
Without wasting time, Naruto wielded the [Wind Style: Great Breakthrough] "Haa!" Sasuke, on high alert, mirrored Naruto's hand seal, launching [Fire Style: Great Fireball] "Fuuu!"
Their combined jutsus, rivaling the power of an A-rank jutsu, morphed into a fiery tunnel, scorching the earth like a horizontal cyclone aimed at the three opposing ninjas.
The two ninjas flanking the woman promptly formed hand seals as well [Earth Style: Earth Wall]. The earth shook and two earthen walls emerged, bracing against the incoming attack.
Crash! Shhhhhhhhh!
The fiery tunnel, a product of Naruto and Sasuke's combined jutsu, pierced through the Earth Wall. However, the three ninjas had enough time to evade due to the temporary barrier.
"Did we hit them?" Sasuke inquired.
"Why'd you have to jinx it...." Naruto sighed, his eyes widening as he laughed dryly, relaying information from his clone observing from afar, "No. They are highly skilled ninjas. The time they bought with the earth wall was ample for them to escape."
"Tsk!" Sasuke clicked his tongue in frustration.
Meanwhile, Sakura, sounding disheartened, admitted, "I'm sorry, I can't assist in the combat..."
Naruto chuckled, reassuring Sakura, "Don't fret, Sakura-chan. Not all ninjas are fighters. This isn't your forte. For now, let us handle the fight, and you can tend to us if we manage to survive. We'll be utterly exhausted, given my assessment of those three ninjas' abilities."
Sasuke nodded, agreeing with Naruto's statement.
Sakura fortified her resolve and responded emphatically, "Yes! I'll give it my all!"
Team 7 stood in tree branches seeing the three ninjas Infront of them , who were still behind the Earth wall.
"Do you have any plans ?" Naruto asked Sasuke.
Sasuke declined, "we don't know much about the opponent to make a real plan at this moment." Sasuke said.
"Yeah, but one thing is pretty much clear they are not genin ninjas, cause performing a C-rank Jutsu with one hand means he is at least a jonin and even possible that he's above jounin level." Naruto said as he continued analyzing his opponents.
Suddenly they heard a clapping sound and looked at the direction it was from and saw the lady who they were talking about walked out from behind the Earth wall.
The lady stopped clapping hands and looked at the 3 genins standing in front of her "well.. well.... Well.... It's a pleasure to meet you all.... I see someone is really good analyzing his opponent , I'm intrigued..."
Naruto and Sasuke propelled themselves using a tree as leverage, speeding towards the woman armed with a kunai.
She merely flashed them a smile that sent shivers down their spines as she too leaped up, adhering to a tree on the wall. Leaning back slightly, she bit her thumb, formed hand seals, and touched the tree's surface, summoning a snake.
With a puff of smoke, seal marks emerged from the tree, and a snake darted out at incredible speed towards Naruto. As it hissed, Sasuke shrieked in horror - they couldn't evade while in mid-air. "Naruto!"
Naruto, however, remained composed, staring at the incoming snake. The woman, who was riding the snake, was puzzled as she detected neither panic nor fear from him.
Before the snake could reach Naruto, he vanished into thin air, only to reappear behind Sasuke. "Relax, did you forget about the seal I placed on you?"
Sasuke grunted in acknowledgment, having indeed forgotten about it.
"Flying Thunder God Jutsu? Blonde hair... So you're his son? You're even more gifted than your father..." The woman expressed her surprise.
Naruto stared at the woman solemnly, puzzled about how she was familiar with the jutsu and his father. He summoned three Genin clones, "Who are you?" As he questioned, the clones completed their seals and performed their jutsus.
The woman merely chuckled maniacally, ignoring his question. Meanwhile, the clones finished their seals and executed their jutsus.
[Wind Style: Spreading Wind] The air was filled with wind chakra, with Naruto at the center, forming hand seals [Wind Style: Wind Dragon!]
[Note : Naruto learned this technique from the Land of wave mission when Zabuza preformed it against Kakashi , though Zabuza used this technique with water style but Naruto adjusted it with his wind style]
The wind generated around them coalesced into a dragon form. The wind dragon roared, and the woman's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Remarkable! He created a jutsu equivalent to an S-rank at his age?"
Sasuke stared at Naruto's wind dragon in disbelief, 'He's become more proficient!'
The wind dragon slithered into the air and charged at the woman, intending to consume her. She allowed her summoned snake to collide with the wind dragon.
As she neared the wind dragon, she realized its power was greater than she anticipated. She leaped away from her snake, eager to witness the aftermath of the jutsu.
The snake, ravaged by the wind dragon, was peppered with cuts as if attacked by a thousand needles. The summoned creature vanished, but the wind dragon was not done yet.
Naruto poured more chakra into the wind dragon, enhancing its size and form. The woman fighting against him now wore a serious expression as she observed the wind dragon. "This is bad, I can't dodge. I have to use that jutsu... That kid's jutsu is already causing a stir... so I have no choice but to use that jutsu even if it alerts the village ninjas."
"Dodge this!" Naruto directed the dragon to charge at the woman.
The wind dragon absorbed the surrounding wind, and Naruto's clones vanished, flying in the woman's direction.
[Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!] The woman used this jutsu to propel herself away from the dragon, forming hand seals.
[Summoning: Five-Layer Rashomon]
The earth shook as gates burst forth, pushing trees aside. Five gates materialized in succession, designed to defend against the wind dragon.
Roar!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The wind dragon tore through the fifth gate and struck the woman, but its power had significantly weakened after penetrating all the gates.
Panting heavily, Naruto collapsed to the ground. Sasuke quickly caught him and offered his arm for support. "Are you alright?" he asked.
Naruto with a dry laugh "I'm good , but I'll need some rest... Give me 10-20 minutes, I'm feeling tired after using that much chakra....." As Naruto said all the shadow clones he made disappeared in a puff of smoke and returning the leftover chakras with them.
Sasuke nodded and placed Naruto beside a tree and Naruto .
"Even my limitless technique has its limits I guess... " Naruto thought as he closed his eyes...
Sakura ran to Naruto and Sasuke "Is Naruto okay ?" She asked in worried tone.
"Yeah I'm good , Just a little rest is all I need." Naruto said with a slight lower tone.
"He just consumed much chakra so he is tired that's it." Sasuke added.
"Sakura exhaled, a sense of relief washing over her. "That was close..." she murmured.
The woman they had been facing, her face grotesquely distorted as if wearing a mask, had been a formidable adversary. And she wasn't just any woman, but one whose features bore an eerie resemblance to a snake.
"I've used up a significant amount of chakra," the snake-like woman muttered, her eyes darting towards the resting Uchiha boy. "I should mark him before that boy is back up again."
She moved swiftly towards their group.
Sasuke, his Sharingan still activated, noticed her. "Sakura, look after Naruto," he instructed.
"But why?" Sakura asked, a puzzled expression on her face.
"He's returned," Sasuke replied, his tone grave.
All the while Naruto went for a nap.
Sakura nodded, placing Naruto gently on the ground and pulling out a [Barrier Scroll]. "Activate!" she commanded.
A shield of chakra formed around her and Naruto, providing them defense against any external threats.
"Hmm... A barrier seal?" the snake-like woman observed. "Your team sure is full of surprises. But I'm short on time, so I'll mark you now." Her body transformed into a snake and lunged at Sasuke.
"Mark? Who do you think you're marking?" Sasuke retorted, his body glowing with electricity. He thrust out his arm, sending a bolt of lightning towards the snake-like woman.
Zap!
"Argh!" The woman recoiled in pain, her body taking more damage than she had anticipated from this formidable team. "So, you're also no pushover huh..."
Sasuke smirked, blood trickling from his mouth, an indication of his internal injuries. "I won't always be second best."
"Maybe... but your technique won't hold up much longer.." the woman countered, attempting to stall for time as her chakra replenished.
Sasuke vanished, reappearing beside her in an instant. "Don't try to buy time. I'd risk my life to eliminate you if I have to!"
The woman attempted to evade, but Sasuke's swift kick to her chin sent her skyward.
"Ugh!"
Leaping into the air, Sasuke delivered a powerful drop kick, sending the woman crashing to the ground.
"Ah!" Blood spattered from her mouth as she writhed in pain.
Sasuke coughed, blood staining his lips. His jutsu was still in progress, taking a greater toll on his body than he'd anticipated.
Two ninja materialized beside the fallen woman, concern etched on their faces. "Are you alright, Orochimaru-sama?" they asked, helping her up.
"I'm fine," Orochimaru rasped, her voice strained. "We need to retreat. The Jounins are headed this way. I can't take on all of them in my current state."
Her comrades nodded, assisting Orochimaru to her feet.
Orochimaru glanced back at Sasuke, a sinister grin tugging at her lips. "You truly are Itachi's brother. So powerful, even at such a young age."
"Wait!" Sasuke's voice was strained, his jutsu still in effect.
"Until next time," she replied, vanishing with her companions.
Sasuke deactivated his jutsu, still coughing. Sakura rushed to his side. "Are you alright, Sasuke-kun?!" she asked, worry creasing her forehead.
"I'll be fine..." Sasuke reassured her as he lost consciousness. "Just hold on.... for sometime Naruto should be backup soon." Sasuke said as he lost consciousness.
[Drop power stone else Orochimaru's snake face will be haunting you in your dreams , vote is much appreciated and add to your library if you wanna continue reading....]
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