At the edge of the Valley of Spring on top of a large hill, They overlooked a large forest just outside the valley. The proctors used a building on top of the hilltop. Right outside, the passing teams were scattered about the area, conversing with themselves.
The top five teams from the previous test arrived at the hilltop. The paper they received now on all of their minds. Each team received a folded piece of paper with the same phrase at the top of the page.
"Rising to the top is no easy feat, but staying there is much more difficult."
Below the quoted phrase was an attached envelope with the following stated on it.
"DO NOT OPEN UNTIL INSTRUCTED, OR ELSE YOU AND YOUR TEAM WILL BE INSTANTLY DISQUALIFIED"
None were stupid or brave enough to test it, so the envelopes remained sealed.
Genma was inside the small building, going through various stacks of papers and twirling a senbon between his fingers. He was double-checking the numbers of the teams that passed the first test. At the start of the exams, 154 teams participated, with 56 teams failing, leaving 98 for this stage. Genma clicked his tongue at the number; he knew they should have made the first test more difficult, but what could he do now? In a worst-case scenario, the testing area would be slightly overcrowded.
"Hey Genma"
One of the Proctors appeared in the doorway
"Wassup?," asked Genmna
"Everybody's here. Are you ready?"
Genma sighed, got out of his chair, and placed his senbon back into his mouth.
"Yeah, let's go ahead and get this over with."
Gemma stepped out of the building to see the other proctors lining up. He positioned himself in front of them and whistled loudly, silencing the murmurs of conversation and getting the crowd's attention.
Genma then began to speak loudly.
"Congratulations to all of you for passing the first test. I'll now go over
the rules for this next test. This area on the other side of this hill will be the participation area for this test. The area limits for this test are the east and north shorelines and a large river to the south.
This test will be a battle royale style competition, where over two days, your goal will be to survive and fight; each of you will be given these; "
Genma presented a copper coin with a sun on it. "These copper coins represent one point, and every genin will start with one. Each team will start out with three points to begin the test. The more points you have, the better your chances of advancing to the next round."
Gemma then held up a smaller, bigger silver coin with a waterfall engraved on it;
"These silver coins are worth five points and will be placed at landmarks in the area,"
"What counts as landmarks" yelled a Genin
"Anything of note, caves, ruins, significant water sources, ancient trees, etc. They will also be well hidden, so just because you don't see it doesn't mean it won't be there."
Genma paused for a moment to wait for any other questions and continued.
"Killing is discouraged but not disallowed. We encourage each one of you to show mercy whenever possible. During the test, proctors will patrol the area; if you interfere with them, you will be disqualified. They will also escort disabled teams out of the area."
"What if we need a medic?"
"If you need more comprehensive medical attention than you can provide yourselves. I encourage you to find a proctor and have them escort the injured, but your team will be disqualified if you do so."
Genma continued
"The exam's final round will be a limited-capacity tournament; only the top seven teams will move on to the next round. By the end of the two-day cycle, your goal will be to return with as many points as possible to pass on to the next round. Of course, if your team loses all your coins and has zero points, you will be disqualified from the exam; if you leave the designated area, you will be disqualified."
"Now, before we head out to the starting areas, will the top five teams from the last round step
forward."
The five teams step forward to the front of the crowd.
"Okay, now all of you may open the envelope and remove its contents," Genma directed.
Sakura reached into her pouch and grabbed the envelope. She batted Naruto's hand away as he tried to rip it open.
She then carefully unsealed it, reached in, and took out a sizable gold coin slightly smaller than her palm; engraved on it was a portrait of Center Spring.
As Sakura examined the coin, Genma walked over.
"Mind if I borrow this for a minute?"
Sakura handed over the coin.
Genma held it up between his fingers.
"These gold coins are worth ten points. There are only five in this exam, and each is held by the top five teams from the last round."
The gazes of hundreds focused in on the genin up front.
"Now, there will be no fighting until the battleground starts. We'll call out your team names, and you will follow the proctors to the designated starting spots for your team. Once the alarm sounds, the test will begin."
The top five teams were escorted to their designated starting points first.
The proctor who escorted them led them a few minutes away and stopped near a post.
"The other teams should be in their starting positions soon. Until then, don't move from the clearing; otherwise, you will be disqualified. The alarm should sound soon; please do try to be safe." the proctor said before they left.
"Thanks again"
Over the course of the next few minutes, Team 7 discussed the strategy for the test. Suddenly a blaring alarm went off and they all looked at each other and set off into the forest.
Around a half hour into the second stage, Team 7 was gathered by a tree in a group discussion.
Suddenly, three Iwa shinobi jumped down,
Sakura Naruto and Sasuke stood their ground as they stared down their enemy.
"Hand over your coins, and we won't have to hurt you." demanded one of the genin
"Like hell we will!" yelled Naruto.
One of the Iwa genin nodded to the others, and they began channeling chakra into the earth in sync and performing a combination jutsu.
Earth Release: Earth Turning Palm
A massive portion of the ground in front of the Genin began to break apart and turn inward on itself, uprooting trees and shifting local geography.
As the dust cleared, the Iwa Genin began to examine the aftermath; in front of them were the battered bodies of Team 7 lying about the rubble of the uprooted earth. The Iwa Shinbi then began to celebrate their victory, but it was cut short as the bodies of Team 7 began to fade away.
Two Naruto jumped from the trees above and quickly began wrapping ninja wire around the group of Genin. They then both came together and tied it into a kunai and tossed it over to Sasuke, who caught the kunai and used
Lighting Release: Depth Charge
The lighting was conducted through the ninja wire as Sasuke channeled just enough to disable the Genin. Once they were knocked out, Sasuke stopped the jutsu, and Naruto and his clone began to wrap the ninja wire tighter and tie up the group.
Sakura emerged from the ground,
"I didn't sense any teams nearby, so we're good for now."
Sasuke nodded and went over to loot the shinobi; he first pocketed the three copper coins and nabbed a few shurikens and explosive tags.
"Good job, you two."
Sasuke complemented
Naruto and his clone pouted.
"Yeah, but this strategy is so boring; we just ran around in circles a bunch."
"That's the point, Naruto. This strategy is fast and effective and takes little effort to take down teams. We have a target on our backs, and we can't afford to stay in one place for too long, or we'll get swarmed." explained Sakura
"I know, but I actually want to fight." pouted Naruto
"You'll probably get your chance, but right now, we have to focus on passing this stage; if we want to secure a victory, taking down four or five teams today would put us in a decent position to pass," said Sasuke
"We aren't going to look for the silver thingies?" asked Naruto
Sasuke shook his head.
"We don't know the area, and we'll likely encounter multiple teams if we hunt for landmarks. I'm confident we can handle multiple teams simultaneously, but avoiding taking unnecessary risks is better."
"Fine, but I still don't like it," relented Naruto.
Several hours later
Team 7 was held up by a small creek, briefly resting.
Sasuke was counting the coins they had gathered.
Fifteen copper coins, including the ones they started with, plus their gold coin, gave them twenty-five points. Sasuke nodded, pleased. If they were to take down another three teams or so, they would certainly secure a spot in the top seven.
Interrupting Sasuke's thoughts was a shrill scream coming from the west. It sent shivers down each of their spines. Throughout the last few hours, they had heard fighting and yelling, but this one sounded like it was one of pure terror.
Naruto narrowed his eyes and looked over at his teammates
"We have to see what that was."
"Why, we can lay low for the rest of the day unless you want more fights?" said Sasuke
"Who cares about that, Sasuke? What if someone is hurt?" argued Sakura
"If someone is killing people, it isn't against the rules," said Sasuke
Another scream came from the same direction.
Naruto looked over to Sasuke, more determined.
"Who cares about the rules? If someone is about to die, then we have to help them."
Sakura nodded in agreement, and she and Naruto looked toward Sasuke in anticipation.
Sasuke sighed. "Fine, but we better hurry, or we'll be too late."
Team 7 sped off in the direction of the screams.
Kankuro was picking some dirt underneath his nails as the scene unfolded. He had seen Gaara brutalize and kill many times before. It used to make him expel his stomach out of fear and disgust. But, he had seen it so many times that he now felt nothing, as if he was watching a brutal scene in a film he had seen dozens of times.
He looked at Temari, who was looking away, trying to ignore everything happening. Lost in her own world, trying to pretend her younger brother wasn't a murderous psychopath.
Kankuro glanced up to see how far along Gaara had gotten in his deed; in front of them were two grass ninjas suspended in the sand above the ground, encased in Gaara's sand. Gaara was standing around a dozen feet away from the other team member, a red-haired girl with glasses on the ground near a tree, frozen out of fear.
Kankuro wished Gaara would hurry things up. He had learned over the years that the only thing that Gaara enjoyed more than killing was the fear of those he was about to kill. Hours earlier, he had encased the legs of a team and slowly raised the sand up their bodies until they were fully engulfed. The process took fifteen minutes, and the Genin were begging for their lives the entire time.
Gaara put his open palm above his head as if the gesture gave him power like a god who could smite anyone with a wave.
"Please, Karin, do something!" one of the grass genin begged before his mouth began to be covered with sand. The sand began fully encasing the two grasses, and Gaara began to close his palm.
Sand Burial
The sand compressed, and the sickening cracking of bone of flesh came from the sand. The sand released the bodies, and Karin saw the unrecognizable bodies of her teammates; she screamed again, her throat feeling like it was about to split open from the action.
She tried to pull herself backward but her back hit the tree, and her palms began to bleed from scraping against the wood.
Gaara looked down at Karin indifferently.
"You three disappointed mother, I will probably not remember your deaths past the hour."
Gaara pointed his palm toward Karin, and the bloody sand began to make its way toward her; she closed her eyes and put her hand on her head, awaiting her coming fate.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough
Karin felt a blast of wind in front of her and opened her eyes to see. The sand reaching her was blasted away, and three leaf ninjas stood before her.
The forest was quiet for several moments. Karin expected an expression of hatred and indifference from Gaara, but an unnerving grin came across his features instead.
Gaara looked Naruto straight into Naruto's eyes and began ranting nonsensically.
"Mother has been restless; so many people here who can prove my existence, but I can only look and not touch, or else Father would punish me, and since I entered this forest, it has been nothing but whelps and trash but to think one of you would come straight to me."
Sakura noticed that Gaara was talking directly to Naruto and asked
"What is he talking about?"
Naruto ignored her and stepped forward.
"Who cares about that? Why are you killing people when they've already given up."
"Because Mother asks me to do so, to prove that I exist."
"This guy is insane; you can't reason with him, Naruto," said Sasuke as he got lower into his fighting stance, prepared to engage.
Naruto brushed off Sasuke's words and continued to talk
"What does that even mean?"
"Strange that you don't; you're like me, aren't you? Mother told me; I can also feel it; you're a monster like me."
I'm not a monster
"LIES, I can smell it on you, and that means that others can too, and that's why they refuse to acknowledge you. That's why you hate like me; that's why you are one of the few who will be able to sate Mother and prove that I exist. "
The sand around Gaara began circling him like a whirlwind, getting more chaotic with his anger.
Temari and Kankuro were focused on the conversation; neither had seen Gaara so riled up in years.
"Naruto, what's happening," asked Sakura.
Sasuke also gave Naruto a look of confusion.
"Sorry guys, but I'll explain everything later."
Naruto looked Gaara dead in the eye. "I don't hate anyone. I used to, but not anymore."
"Why? Why do you not hate those who refused to acknowledge your existence? Why do you not hate those who hate you." Gaara asked
Naruto grinned and put his thumb into his chest.
"Because I'm Naruto Uzumaki, The Future Hokage of the Leaf, and damn the people who don't want me; they can step aside because I'm going straight to the top!
Karin's eyes widened as she looked at Naruto, shell-shocked at his clan name.
Gaara stopped and looked down at the ground; the long seconds of silence felt like eons as everyone stayed tense for a potential fight,
The sand around Gaara then slowly began to seep back into the gourd on his back.
Gaara then mumbled to himself
"Sorry, Mother, but if I kill him now, I won't be satisfied."
Gaara then looked up at Naruto.
"Do not take this as anything other than a delay of the inevitable. Once my thoughts are clear, I promise you by the time I leave, you will die by my hands."
Gaara then turned around and slowly began walking away
"You've given me a lot to think about, Uzumaki."
Gaara continued walking as he went past his siblings, who had their eyes wide and were shocked at Gaara's submission. Before they could think any further, they heard their brother's commanding voice from behind them.
"Kankuro, Temari, come now, or I will leave you behind."
Both of them got out of their trance and began to follow their brother
As the trio went out of sight, all of Team 7 let out the breath they were holding as the tension left their bodies. Naruto took a deep sigh.
"Well, at least that went well."
"What were you two talking about?" asked Sasuke
Naruto's anxiety returned as he realized he would have to reveal his secret to his teammates.
"We can talk about all of that later, but for now, we have to find a safe place to talk things through,
Sakura squatted down in front of Karin, who was staring straight forward as her mind struggled to process everything that happened.
"Are you okay? I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner to save your friends?" Sakura apologized
Karin looked up at her
"I almost died, I almost died, and now."
Karin's head did a sudden turn toward Naruto as her emotions caught up with her memories.
"What did you say your name was?"
Karin said as she gestured toward Naruto.
"Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage," said Naruto with his usual
excitement
Karin gasped as she took a quick intake of air
"Oh my god, this can't be happening," she said in disbelief
"What's wrong?" asked Sakura, concerned
Karin put her hand on her chest
"My name is Karin... Karin Uzumaki"
Team 10 tree-hopped to their next destination. The first thing they did was find an elevated point and look for potential landmarks in the area. They had procured one silver coin from a large fallen tree. They were hoping to gain another at the next destination Shikamaru decided on. As they traveled, Ino asked a question.
"Are you sure this is the best strategy"
Shikamaru nodded
"Finding these silver coins within the first few hours is key unless we want to fight one of the top five teams. The second day of the test will be the best time to fight; most teams will have more than the three coins they start with, and teams with a lot of coins will most likely feel some sort of fatigue."
Ino narrowed her eyes.
"And you didn't think to tell us that before you had us start running around looking for big rocks and trees."
"You didn't ask," Shikamaru dismissed
Ino turned to Choji
"Can you believe this bum? Why do we even listen to him."
Choji shrugged as he chewed on a field ration
"It's worked out so far."
"Wait," Shikarmu said from in front of them as he stopped on a branch. Ino and Choji caught up, and both their eyes went wide at the sight in front of them."
The area of the forest below was covered in blood, and six bodies were scattered around.
"Oh my god, what happened here."
"Looks like a stronger team came across two weaker teams fighting and finished both of them off," Shikamaru analyzed
Choji shook his head
"But why kill? It's so senseless."
Shikamaru then caught a glint out of the corner of his eye, and he began to focus on one of the bodies. He looked over the bodies' eyes and saw that two copper coins had been placed on them in an almost mock burial preparation.
Shikamaru's heart dropped in his chest, and he said
"Whoever did this wasn't a part of the exams."
Ino happened to turn and saw an object benign hurled toward them
"Guys, move!" the three of them jumped out of the tree; as soon as they leaped, a stranged-looking scythe attached to a wire split the branches where they were standing
The three of them stood back to back on the forest floor, looking for their adversary.
"Do you see anything"
"No, nothing."
The sound of metal scraping the ground made all of them turn as they spotted a figure coming through the brush, revealing himself,
A man who was dragging a scythe behind him, leaving a line in the dirt, appeared in front of them.
He pulled up his scythe and put it on his shoulder.
"Another set, huh? Looks like I'm lucky today," Hidan said as he smiled devilishly.
Hinata scanned through the woods with her Bykugan, looking for other teams.
"You see anything?" Kiba asked, as he was tossing up and down the coins they had gotten from other teams."
"No, nothing yet, I think we should move to a different area soon."
"That's probably the best course of action; staying stagnant can take away potential opportunities," stated Shino
Suddenly, a voice made all three of them jump.
"An Inuzuka, Aburame, and a Hygua, huh? That's one hell of a tracking squad."
The three of them turned to see a man casually leaning against a tree only a few feet behind them.
How the hell did he get so close unnoticed" asked Kiba
That's a great question," said Shino, his usual calm tone being shaken by the stranger's sudden appearance.
En ignored them as he got off of the tree and stretched his arms,
"I haven't managed to catch shit yet, but you three will be a good start."