NGL My head is killing me, haven't been putting in my best these days.
[ JINICHI WATARU ]
[ DAY THREE, AFTERNOON. ]
The Forest of Death remained a cesspool of danger and despair for young shinobi, and a hunting ground for seasoned killers. Venomous insects hid within the trees, wild beasts roamed the grounds, and man-eating fauna waited in the bushes alongside sadistic enemy shinobi.
Amidst the chaos, the three members of Team 13 moved through the forest as a blur of motion. Their hair was disheveled, and their clothes were ragged and worn from the relentless trials of the past three days. Yet, despite the exhaustion, their eyes burned with pure determination.
Having just left their makeshift campsite, they were finally venturing toward their target—and this time, they intended to reach it.
High above, a colossal tower punched through the forest skyline, effortlessly dwarfing the massive, ancient trees surrounding it. Its visage grew steadily larger with every single leap.
Having grown accustomed to traversing the treacherous terrain, a sense of familiarity now came with the ease of their movements. By staying under the radar, they had managed to avoid close-combat encounters entirely.
They'd had a few close calls, of course, but by evading wild beasts to conserve stamina and retreating from unnecessary fights, they had survived. Now, the tower was finally in their sights—and with it, their ticket to the next stage.
Kisuke led the formation, holding the front. Aoi and Jinichi flanked him, riding half a step behind his shoulders. Their pace never slowed as they approached their destination, though the sheer length of the journey had left some of them incredibly impatient.
Ugghhhh… when are we finally going to get there?!
Jinichi landed on a thick branch, chakra surging through his legs before he launched himself forward again.
"Just how much longer do we have to do this, Kisuke?!" he whined, cutting through the air.
"It won't be much longer! At this rate, we'll be there in about ten minutes!" Kisuke retorted from the front.
"You better not be lying, Kisuke!" Aoi chimed in, frustration evident in her tone.
"I wouldn't do such a thing!" Kisuke replied coolly.
Finally, we'll be able to rest! Jinichi thought to himself happily.
...
...…
....
Bursting through the dense upper canopy, Team 13 finally reached their destination.
Kisuke skidded to a halt. A small smile graced his face, but his eyes remained razor-sharp, darting across the clearing to scan for any suspicious activity while his hands stayed hidden inside his kimono sleeves. Aoi landed right behind him, her guard completely up as her green eyes glared warily at the structure.
Jinichi just stared ahead in pure awe.
'No, calling it a building is wrong. This looks like a fortress.'
Before them loomed the central tower, a towering monolith cutting through the sky far above the treeline. The exterior was painted a stark, blood-red, shielded by layered wooden roofing that gave it an imposing, traditional look.
Across its sprawling concrete facade, massive iron pipes snaked between the balcony levels, disappearing into the upper floors like giant metal vines.
Without wasting anytime, the team moved.
Their guards never dropping.
…..
Ripping the paper seal off of the double doors, Kisuke pushed them open.
Creak
the door hinges whined from the action.
They all looked at each other and nodded before going in.
Walking inside the tower, their shoulders visibly relaxed the tension weighing on them dissipating after crossing the border.
Walking further inside, they were greeted by a banner, with a poem inscribed on it with ink.
And it read;
If qualities of Heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom and knowledge to take your mind higher.
If Earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body in the fields and prepare to attack.
When both Heaven and Earth are opened together, the path of peril will revert to the righteous path forever.
This '_' is the secret way... that guides us on from this place today.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Jinichi voiced out loud.
"I don't know. But there's a missing word there; it's the only clue we have now." Kisuke replied his brows knitting together in concentration.
"Well, I'm going to go rest my back on the wall over there. I'm tired as hell. Call me if you need anything." Jinichi pointed toward the far side of the room, already moving without waiting for a response.
He slid down against the cold concrete. Crossing his arms and leaning his head back, he let himself relax as much as possible, his eyelids growing heavy before he finally dozed off.
[ TEN MINUTES LATER ]
"Wake up, sleepyhead," Aoi said lightly, flicking his forehead.
Jinichi's eyelids fluttered before he fully opened them. Groaning slightly, he pushed himself up from the ground and walked over to his teammates, who were now each holding a scroll. Aoi held the Earth scroll tightly in her hand, while Kisuke gripped the Heaven scroll.
"If what I'm thinking is correct, opening these scrolls simultaneously is what fills in that missing word. It will likely summon a proctor to guide us from here," Kisuke explained, nodding to Aoi.
Together, they unrolled the parchment.
Fsssh!
Fsssh!
Sudden plumes of white smoke erupted from the unrolled paper.
"Move back!" Kisuke commanded, his eyes widening as he leaped backward.
Aoi and Jinichi did the same, their focus never leaving the scrolls.
[*POOF* ]
A plume of smoke burst from the scrolls, kicking up dust and at the center was a woman appeared.
She was wearing the standard Konoha flak jacket, over her shinobi attire. Her hair was matte-black, styled like a mullet which dropped all the way to the center of her back.
Her eyes were emerald green, which were slightly covered by the loose bangs of her, that flowed freely on her face. Although she looked to be in her late thirties faint lines creased her face and judging by the scowl on her face, Jinichi had a few thoughts as to why.
Although there was a familiarity in the face Jinichi couldn't quite put his finger on yet.
'It couldn't be right…?' Jinichi thought to himself in suspicion.
Glancing towards Aoi, he noticed a few noticeable character traits between the Chunin and his teammate.
' Black hair? Check!
Green eyes? Check!
Resting b**h face? Check!'
he saw Aoi staring back at the Chunin with a blank expression on her face, although her fists were clenched.
The Chunin's gaze glossed over each of us; much to our discomfort, her focus lasting on Aoi a second longer, her eyes softening for a second before the intensity in them returned.
The proctor reached into her pocket and pulled out a pocket watch; she stared at it for a bit as if confirming something then nodded
"Three days, thirteen hours and four minutes.
Well done, you've passed the second stage of the Chunin exams." She said matter of factly.
"Heh. Nice." Jinichi replied in a satisfied tone. Aoi and Kisuke didn't reply, but simply nodded.
His inner voice responded differently to the Chunin's statement.
'LETS GOOO!!!!!'
The proctor glanced at him for a brief moment her scowl deepening.
'How can I have already made her mad from my statement alone??!
What? People can't celebrate surviving a forest that literally has "death" in its name??'
"Now," The Chunin turned towards the banner.
"I'm sure you have been wondering what this poem means?"
They all nodded.
"The poem is what you would call a motto for Chunin's, made by the Hokage himself."
She paused for a moment, letting the weight of her words settle.
"Heaven signifies mental fortitude, wisdom and knowledge. While earth signifies physical stamina, strength and conditioning."
She turned back to face them; her gaze focused on their forms.
"It is simply stating that it is your duty as shinobi, to turn your weaknesses to strengths."
She paused for a moment.
"If you lack heaven, simply acquire knowledge," She stated as she glanced at Jinichi.
'For some reason I feel insulted.' Jinichi thought awkwardly.
"If you lack earth, strengthen your physical body." She stated while looking at Kisuke.
"Both of these qualities are necessary for shinobi.
The point of this exam was to test the examinee's basic abilities and see if they had the necessary skills to become a Chunin." She said her tone calm.
Then her expression turned serious, raising the tension in the room.
"The rank of Chunin is that of a captain; which comes with the responsibility of protecting the lives of your subordinates, whilst completing the mission objective.
Knowledge. Strength. Wisdom. These are all necessary for one to effectively do their duties as a captain of a squad. Keep that in mind."
She paused her expression softening slightly.
"Once again, congratulations. Further down you will meet a proctor that will guide you to a temporary living quarters with rations. Once the five days are up you will be summoned." She nodded before turning around and exiting the room.
Clink!
Leaving us alone with ourselves once more.
Jinichi turned to Aoi who was staring at the door the Chunin left through. Sensing his gaze Aoi turned to face him, a small frown growing on her face.
Jinichi gestured at the door with his head, hinting at her to explain the resemblance.
Aoi clicked her tongue and turned away, refusing to acknowledge his silent question.
Not letting it go, Jinichi sidestepped, walking towards her to get in front of her. The moment his face entered her field of vision, she sharply turned her head away again.
He stepped into her path a second time, coming face-to-face with her again, completely intending to figure out the truth behind the striking resemblance. She looked away once more, her jaw tightening as she stared doggedly at the concrete floor.
Jinichi ducked his head down into her line of sight.
"Come on, Aoi. She's got your exact—"
"Drop it, Jinichi," Aoi hissed, her voice low but sharp as she turned her entire body away from him this time.
Jinichi didn't budge. He circled around her like an annoying fly, planting his feet firmly right where she was looking.
"I'm just saying! The hair, the eyes, the fact that she looks like she brushes her teeth with lemon juice—that's the only reason would frown so much! Is she your—"
"I said, shut up!" Aoi finally snapped. She whipped her head around, her emerald eyes flashing with real heat as she glared directly into his face. Her fists trembled slightly at her sides.
"She's, my mom! There!! are you happy now?!"
Jinichi flinched, not expecting Aoi to respond in such anger.
"…."
"Sorry, I shouldn't have done that." Jinichi muttered.
Aoi just turned away from him her hands clenched.
Kisuke who had been silent for a while spoke up.
"….Let's just go get some rest." He said while walking towards the door.