The heavy canopy of the Forest of Death swallowed the morning light as Karui strolled through the undergrowth with her arms folded and a sly smile on her lips.
"Just grabbing the scrolls? That sounds too easy," she said, crimson eyes gleaming as she scanned the dense foliage.
"Then let's not overthink it," Neji replied, his pale Byakugan eyes already whirling to life. "First, we secure the scrolls."
Darui nodded lazily. "Works for me."
Neji's gaze pierced the surrounding woods, mapping every chakra signature within three kilometers. A faint glimmer caught his attention almost immediately.
"Target located. A Waterfall Village team, two kilometers left. Move."
Before the words fully left his mouth, Neji leapt into motion, a silver blur against the shadows. Darui and Karui exchanged a brief look—no need for discussion—and followed close behind.
---
The Watchers
High above, a soft shhhhhh of rapid movement rustled the branches. A dozen ANBU examiners raced across the forest, fanning out with precise efficiency. Among them were Aoba, Yamato, Yūgao, Hayate, and Anko, each wearing a mask and the practiced stillness of seasoned shinobi.
Their dual mission was clear: supervise the second stage of the Chunin Exams and prevent unexpected disasters. The candidates were all elites of the Five Great Nations; accidents could spiral into political chaos.
At another hidden entrance, three more masked figures darted from tree to tree. The lead scout landed silently on a mossy branch, checked his compass, and reported, "Current position, six o'clock. The Hidden Cloud team entered at ten."
The squad leader gave a curt nod. "When we locate Hyuga Neji, outside support will disable the surveillance seals. We'll have five minutes to finish the job."
All three Root operatives exchanged a chilling look and murmured in unison, "For Konoha."
---
Otogakure's Quiet Hunt
Elsewhere, the Otogakure team advanced. Gurenmaru pressed his palms together and summoned a sleek white snake that slithered onto his shoulder, tongue flicking in the air to catch a distant scent.
"Five o'clock," Gurenmaru murmured, narrowing his eyes.
That direction meant traversing nearly the entire forest to reach their target—Uchiha Itachi.
"Gurenmaru, what are we after?" the team's burly fighter asked.
"Quit asking. Keep moving," Gurenmaru said, tone flat. His detached attitude made his teammates uneasy. They knew Orochimaru rarely did anything without hidden motives; clearly this exam wasn't about simple promotion. With reluctant nods, they followed, subordinates more than equals.
---
The First Prey
A short distance away, a cautious Waterfall Village trio crept through the thickets. A sudden buzz of chakra cut the silence, and three silhouettes dropped onto a giant branch before them.
Neji stood at the center, Darui and Karui flanking him like silent predators.
Darui rested a hand on the hilt of his greatsword and said coolly, "Hand over your scrolls and walk away. Tell your village you ran into Kumogakure shinobi—they'll understand."
The Waterfall squad bristled. They were roughly Darui's age and didn't appreciate being dismissed as children.
"What if our scrolls match yours?" their leader challenged. "You'll waste chakra and risk becoming prey yourselves."
"It doesn't matter," Neji answered with a faint smile, one hand resting on his hip. "No one complains about too many scrolls. You wouldn't spare a weaker team, would you?"
"Don't underestimate us, Cloud ninja!" the leader barked.
Darui arched an eyebrow, shifting his weight as his hand tightened on his sword. But Neji moved first.
With a sharp vmmm, his chakra blade sang as it slid from its sheath. Neji dropped from the branch in a blur, appearing before the squad leader in an instant, blade poised across the young man's throat. A cold edge of killing intent radiated from him.
The Waterfall team swallowed hard, icy steel grazing their skin.
"This is how we Cloud ninjas do things," Neji said evenly. "Any problem with that?"
The lone female member quickly produced their scroll and tossed it over. "Take it. Just let our captain go."
Neji caught it smoothly and stepped back, the faintest smile on his lips. "Cooperation ends things faster. Maybe next time we'll work together again."
The Waterfall ninjas exchanged uneasy glances. Hopefully there won't be a next time.
Darui watched, speechless. He hadn't even drawn his weapon before it was over.
"Well," he said finally, "good luck to you too."
Neji's grin widened. Their prize was the Earth Scroll—exactly what they needed.
---
Eyes of the Examiners
Inside the monitoring room, Konoha's Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, exhaled smoke from his pipe as he observed the feed.
"Incredible swordsmanship," he said with admiration. "There's a shadow of the White Fang in that boy."
Yugito, representing the Cloud, smiled faintly. "Hokage-sama flatters him. Neji isn't quite the equal of the White Fang… yet."
Still, her pride was unmistakable, even as she hid a trace of discomfort at hearing Neji compared to a Konoha legend.
Before Hiruzen could respond, Utatane Koharu pointed at another screen.
"Look at the Otogakure team. They're not rushing to collect scrolls—perhaps they already have a specific target."
"Interesting," Hiruzen mused, eyes narrowing.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Fugaku watched his own son on another monitor and murmured, "Itachi, uphold the clan's honor. Sweep them all aside."
---
Mist and Sand
Far to the east, Mei Terumī wiped a smear of molten lava from the corner of her mouth, crimson eyes narrowing as her sensory teammate approached with a scroll.
"All gathered, Lady Mei."
"Too easy," she said with a small shrug.
Zabuza swung his massive blade, flicking blood from its edge.
"The opponents get stronger closer to the central tower," Mei reminded them. "As planned, we'll eliminate as many teams as possible along the way."
A sudden warning from the sensor broke the calm. "Two teams—six shinobi—closing fast."
Zabuza's grin sharpened. Mei's expression barely changed. "No attempt to hide their approach. They're hunting us."
Moments later, six Sunagakure genin emerged, led by a puppet master named Yura.
"Our sensor caught your chakra from afar," Yura said coldly. "Kirigakure, of course. How fitting."
Old hatred burned between the Mist and the Sand, dating back to the Third Great Ninja War when countless Suna shinobi—and even the famed Pakura—fell.
"Unfortunately for you," Yura continued, "the rules forbid killing surrendered opponents. Consider yourselves lucky."
Mei's sensor bristled. "Our young lady is the cherished student of Second Mizukage Gengetsu. You think she fears you?"
Yura's eyes narrowed with interest. "Gengetsu's disciple? Then this will be fun."
---
Unseen Threats
Back in the heart of the forest, Neji paused on a thick branch, Byakugan scanning once again. His vision stretched miles—and suddenly his pupils contracted.
Three chakra signatures approached rapidly, each masked and unmistakably jōnin-level. None belonged to any registered exam team.
Karui noticed his sudden stillness. "Neji, what is it?"
"We've drawn the attention of outsiders," he said, voice hard. "They're here for me."
Darui stepped protectively forward. "Konoha dares to meddle during an exam?"
"It's their territory," Neji answered calmly. "Morals won't stop them."
"Bastards," Darui hissed. "How many?"
Instead of replying, Neji produced both Heaven and Earth scrolls and handed them over. "Darui, take Karui and head for the central tower. I'll follow soon."
"No," Darui said firmly. "One reason I joined this exam was to guard you. If I leave you now, how will I explain to the Fourth Raikage?"
Neji's Byakugan glowed. "I value my life. I wouldn't stay if I weren't certain I could handle it."
Darui held his gaze for a long moment, then reluctantly nodded. "Fine. But we'll be waiting at the tower. Don't die."
Neji gave a faint smile. "Take care."
As Darui led a protesting Karui away, Neji veered east, chakra flaring. He soon sensed the three masked shinobi altering course to match his movement. Definitely not ordinary exam candidates.
---
The Ambush
He reached a narrow valley and stopped deliberately. Through the Byakugan, he watched the trio close in.
"They think they've cornered me," he murmured, lips curling into a cold smile.
Three figures appeared, each wearing the distinctive animal masks of Konoha's Root division. Their presence radiated silent menace.
"Any other teams nearby?" the leopard-masked leader asked.
"None," another replied. "Just him."
"He's only six," the third said with icy certainty. "Even if he spotted us, he can't escape. Perfect place to fulfill Lord Danzō's command."
Root operatives were trained to kill doubt and obey orders without hesitation. Intelligence suggested Neji might possess power equal to a special jōnin, perhaps more, but the trio did not flinch. They had faced death since childhood.
And they were three against one.
---
Blackout
With a sharp whistle, the three Root jōnin sprang forward, speed blurring the air. In the exam's monitoring room, a sudden hiss echoed, then every screen went dark.
Gasps rippled through the observers.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed as he rose to his feet. "An incident. Everyone stay calm."
An ANBU officer rushed in. "Hokage-sama, the surveillance network suffered a short circuit due to aging seals. Repairs underway—five minutes."
"Five minutes," Yugito repeated, frowning. "How convenient."
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, pipe forgotten as tension thickened. Outside, unseen by any watcher, the battle for Hyuga Neji's life was about to begin.
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