When they finally looked around their surrounding they found themselves surrounded by trees everywhere.
The sky was hidden by the branches only leaving few light into the clearing to illuminate it.
The trees were massive towering like collosal monsters. Each branchs vibrant with energy.
That is when they noticed something, they were no longer in the village but instead they were in the outskirts of Konoha and within its forest.
Seeing this Shintoki only grew more cautious.
They have likely ended in the area where the monster resided so caution was paramount.
After warning Anko to not drop her guard they kept moving in to continue their search.
After walking away from the tunnel Anko saw something.
"Look Shintoki there is a hole inside a tree. Maybe it's where the monster lives."
At that Shintoki nodded grimly.
"Well let's check it but we will need to rely on your use of shadow clone."
"OK," at that Anko created a clone to check the hole in the tree.
Once there the clone didn't find the beast but she noticed that the hole in the tree was kinda too small meaning the culprit they were after is not some giant.
When the clone dispelled Anko breathed a sign of relief.
She then told Shintoki about what she had found.
That is when something started to grab Anko.
It lifted Anko and launched her in the air. But there was no visible form.
"What the hell? Drop me now."
But instead it launched Anko in the air.
Seeing this Shintoki took action; he created a water clone to engage the bear while he rescued Anko so she could land softly.
While they were engaging the beast.
"What was that?" said one of the shinobi searching for the thief.
"Let's go look," said another.
Then they left to signal to the others shinobi before departing to the area the explosion happened.
After destroying the clone it turned invisible and left.
Shintoki checked if Anko was right.
After making sure she was ok he turned his attention back to the bear.
With his Ketsuryugan's ability to detect chakra and see through illusion he could see the chakra form of the bear that had not left the clearing.
The beast, still cloaked in its invisibility, saw dango on the floor and quickly moved to take it.
Seeing the dango being lifted Shintoki instantly attacked.
"Not so fast thief," said Shintoki before shooting at the monster and punching it.
The dango fell when Anko was lifted and now it had revealed itself to be useful now having created the opportunity for Shintoki to take the monster by surprise.
The cloak around the beast dispersed revealing an appearance of an imposing brown bear.
That is when Shintoki and Anko finally revealed themselves.
Shintoki eye grew serious and he even readied his kunai.
The bear looked around and released a loud cry..
That is when several shuriken were sent flying toward the bear forcing it to dodge but no matter which attack was thrown at it, it was unharmed.
Several shinobi surrounded the bear.
"So that Bear is the thief—that was causing trouble."
"Quick we have to capture it."
"Everyone with me."
Then they flashed through many hand signs.
Others sent waves of shurikens and kunai but it was all in vain.
At best it caused the bear negligible damage.
It underwent a transformation and grew much bigger. Its attacks way faster and could also turn invisible.
The Bear that grew suddenly strong, his body growing crimson and his eye bloodshot, its strength that was already above chunin grew further..
It then flashed before the chunin who launched kunai at it earlier and sent him flying with a punch shocking the remaining shinobi and Shintoki.
"It can enhance its strength with chakra but looking closely it's not some simple enhancement but a transformation instead.
Although it doesn't look like it's complete."
The shinobi seeing the now transformed Bear their eyes were wide with fear.
Just looking at it they feel a deep sense of unease.
The bear then overpowered the shinobi who surrounded him and was about to charge Anko and Shintoki again when Tsume arrived.
Tsume now stood in front of everyone.
"A bear? So that is the thief we were searching." Seeing the fearsome monster Tsume already has her theory.
Since it lived near Konoha, it's possible that it is a mutant bear from the Forest of Death. But one this dangerous?
This is the first time Tsume runs into one.
After all while the forest's beasts were dangerous they weren't this strong otherwise no one would start the chunin exam here in the first place since none of the participants would stand a chance unless they are all far above the chunin strength required for the exam.
The bear then charged at Tsume.
But Tsume repelled an attack and hit the bear forcing it back.
Then frustrated the bear turned invisible.
But Tsume can still feel its scent and fight it to some instant. The bear was incredibly robust so no matter how much attack Tsume landed she couldn't put it down.
Plus having to protect her people only made it harder.
She sent it flying through the forest with a Gatsuga.
In one moment of carelessness she was about to get hit by the bear when Shintoki interfered sending it flying.
Shintoki quickly got in front of Anko and prepared his technique.
When bear suddenly got to Shintoki's position a powerful stream of water hit it pushing the bear back.
Not wanting to take further risk, Shintoki chose to go all out.
With a quick shunshin he got in front of the bear his Ketsuryugan activated with the chakra flowing in his weapon stronger than before he intercepted the attack of the bear then with one look his eye met the bear's cold gaze.
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