The gates of the Forest of Death loomed before them, black iron bars stretching high into the misty air, vines curling around the aged metal like the grasping fingers of something long forgotten. The dense trees beyond were suffocatingly thick, their canopies blotting out most of the light. Shadows moved unnaturally, branches swaying even when the wind was still.
Naruto practically vibrated with excitement. "Oh man, this is it! A real survival challenge! This is gonna be awesome!"
Sasuke stood rigid, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. His Sharingan had awakened—albeit for the most humiliating reason possible—but the memory of his near-defeat by Rock Lee still lingered. He refused to be caught off guard again.
Sakura wasn't as enthusiastic. She eyed the towering trees with suspicion, gripping the strap of her kunai pouch a little tighter.
Raven, standing slightly apart from them, smirked but remained silent, her violet eyes flicking between the gathered genin. She wasn't focused on the scenery. She was tracking movements, listening to conversations, gauging the energy of the teams surrounding them. She knew what was coming. Orochimaru was already here, his presence slithering through the air like an uncoiling serpent. It wouldn't be long now.
The tense atmosphere was shattered by the sudden arrival of a kunai, whistling through the air and embedding itself into a genin's shoulder. The poor boy yelped in pain, staggering back, his teammates scrambling to support him.
The entire crowd turned as one to see Anko Mitarashi striding forward, her purple trench coat billowing behind her, a twisted grin stretching across her face. "Oh? Did that hurt?" she asked mockingly, licking her lips as she surveyed the gathered genin like a predator watching prey. "Well, get used to it. If you can't handle a little wound, you won't last five minutes in this test."
The wounded genin whimpered as Anko yanked the kunai free, ignoring his pained gasp. She turned to the rest of the competitors, her grin widening. "Welcome to the second phase of the Chūnin Exams—the survival test."
Naruto gulped. "S-survival?"
Anko's eyes gleamed. "That's right, brat. This forest is home to poisonous creatures, man-eating plants, and genin just as desperate as you to pass. You'll be fighting, starving, bleeding, and if you're unlucky… dying."
A heavy silence followed.
Raven, arms crossed, observed Anko carefully. This was Orochimaru's former apprentice. The woman wore her brutality like a badge of honor, but Raven could see the cracks beneath it. The way her fingers twitched, the too-wide grin—it was all a mask. Raven understood masks better than anyone.
"Each team will receive a scroll," Anko continued, pulling out two large sets of parchment. "One is a Heaven Scroll, the other is an Earth Scroll. Your goal is to collect one of each and make it to the central tower within five days. Fail to do so… and you fail the exam."
Murmurs spread through the group. The tension tightened further.
Anko clapped her hands. "Now, let's distribute your scrolls and get this bloodbath started!"
As the teams received their scrolls, Raven's mind whirred. She knew what was coming. Orochimaru was already watching, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. He wanted Sasuke. The curse mark was inevitable.
She could stop it.
But she wouldn't.
Not yet.
Intervening now meant altering too much—changing too many fates before they were ready. Sasuke's fall was necessary. Naruto's rise was necessary. Gaara's redemption, Hinata's defiance, Sakura's growth… all of it had to happen in sequence.
Her hands twitched at her sides. The urge to step in, to change things, was suffocating.
Beyond the iron gates of the Forest, hidden in the trees, a squad of Hyuga guards watched anxiously. Hiashi Hyuga had sent them to monitor Hinata, convinced she was too weak to survive.
"She's heading into the forest," one guard whispered, clutching his Byakugan-activated temples. "We have to stay close."
"We need to remain unseen," another hissed. "If she finds out we're watching, she'll—"
A sudden chill spread through the area. The air thickened, breath visible in the unnaturally cold mist.
"She's gone."
The guards blinked. Hinata was no longer in their line of sight.
"She used Ice Release to blind our vision," one of them realized in horror.
A gust of wind kicked up, and a small whisper drifted through the air. "Leave me alone."
The temperature dropped further.
The guards scrambled to flee, crashing through the trees like panicked animals, cursing as they realized they'd lost her again.
Somewhere in Konoha, Hiashi Hyuga threw his teacup across the room.
Naruto clenched the Heaven Scroll in his hand, practically bouncing with excitement. "Alright, guys! This is our chance! We gotta grab an Earth Scroll and get to the tower in no time!"
Sasuke, still recovering from his Homework Sharingan awakening, scoffed. "It's not that simple, dobe. Other teams will be trying to kill us for these."
Sakura inhaled slowly. "So we have to be smart."
Raven tilted her head. "Or we could just steal all the scrolls and let the problem solve itself."
Sasuke glared. "We're not doing that."
Raven smirked. "Fine, fine. But don't say I didn't warn you when we get ambushed."
Naruto grinned. "Doesn't matter. We'll take down anyone who gets in our way!"
Raven stared at him for a moment longer than necessary, then turned toward the trees. And that's why you're going to win, Naruto.
The gates creaked open, revealing the dark maw of the Forest of Death.
A single crow flew overhead, its cry cutting through the silence like a warning.
Raven felt the shift in the air as they stepped inside. The shadows stretched longer. The scent of damp earth and distant blood clung to the wind.
The real exam had begun.
And the predator was already watching.
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