Chapter 109: Second Test.

-A few minutes ago-

The sun has risen, the day begins and all the participants gather in front of the Kazekage to get information about the next test of these chūnin examinations.

In front of everyone, Gaara appears wearing the clothes that the Kage of each village usually wear. He looks at everyone and squints his eyes as he notices that two people are missing among the participants.

'Sasuke...Naruto. I guess Toru is also missing. There is no information on Asahi Toru's whereabouts, but there are suspicions that he is in the organization known as Akatsuki. If this goes as planned, if Toru is part of Akatsuki, then he will appear and we can capture and interrogate him. However, I would like to think that Toru has not become an enemy of the world. For the time being, I'll continue as planned'.

Recently and as rumors say, a new member of the Akatsuki organization whose identity is unknown has appeared, or so Jiraiya was able to confirm thanks to his informant infiltrating that organization. Gaara has already been informed of this, it was Tsunade who gave him the necessary information. She wishes to catch Toru, after all she thinks that boy was framed for betraying the village. However, it is already too late to realize the truth, because no one knows what is hidden in the shadows.

Gaara sighed wearily. Being the Kage of Sunagakure was more stressful than it seemed, but this was necessary if he wanted to change everyone's mind about him as the Jinchūriki of the village.

With Toru and Sasuke as defectors from the same village, everything has become Chaos, especially with the return of Orochimaru who continues to hide like a bug and the reactivation of the Akatsuki organization. All this is only causing the world to slowly begin to crumble.

"Alright, everyone listen up" Stepping forward, Kankurō prepared to explain the next test. "The survival test, the second test, will take place right here. The field is bounded by the walls you can see. The test will last three days, two days less than two years ago. You will all have to sign this form before you start and take one of the scrolls. Basically it's the same as two years ago, only the place where the test takes place changes" Kankurō held up a sheet of paper with a bunch of written text.

Everyone understood what that contract was. It wasn't long before the chūnin of Suna started handing out the contract sheets. Everyone signed them without fail, Ino and Hinata had already signed that contract in the past and knew what was written there. The same goes for Sakura. So they just limited themselves to go to the tents set up near the Kazekage where they hand out the scrolls.

Team 11 of Konoha received the scroll of the land. With this, all that is needed is the sky scroll and to return to the base in the next three days.

"Kazekage-sama, don't you plan to say anything before the test begins?"

"Uh... yes. I'll say something before it starts. Thank you, Kankurō."

"You don't have to thank me. This is what you want... it's the path you've decided to take. I won't stand in your way, but if this doesn't go as we plan... You know what will happen, don't you? Our village needs a Kazekage, if we lose you to Akatsuki, it would be a disaster."

Suna and Konoha's plan, basically is to set a trap for Akatsuki so they will appear before them with the intention of kidnapping the Jinchūriki. Gaara was the one who decided to throw himself as bait so that the plan is carried out, but this is extremely dangerous considering that organization has people like Uchiha Itachi or Hoshigaki Kisame.

The only thing Gaara could do for the moment is to wait. If Toru is in Akatsuki, he will take it upon himself to fight him. If necessary, he will use the Bijū's tail to catch him.

'If Tsunade wants Toru back so badly, it's because this has gotten out of hand. Everything is getting more complicated as time goes by. Naruto right now is training to bring back those two, Toru and Sasuke. I think I'll make his job easier'

Taking a few steps forward, Gaara took off his Kazekage hat and looked at all the participants. Some girls shouted excitedly to see him. Those girls are also from Suna, they are fans of the red-haired boy who has a demon sealed inside him.

"Chūnin exams are always difficult," Gaara said. "You don't know what opponent you're going to meet. There's always someone stronger waiting, hiding in the shadows until the time is right. We are young, we need to learn. If you fail, you don't have to feel sad or defeated, learn from your mistakes and improve yourself. The past is just that, past, you don't have to care about something that happened in the past, walk towards the future and don't stop. Strengthen your body and mind, make friends on the road to the future. We are shinobi, for us the future is vague, however, we choose how to forge that vague future. That is all. I wish you luck, don't die on the way."

With that said, Gaara disappeared with his body turned to sand. The Suna girls screamed in excitement at the Kazekage's departure, the others put on a poker face at the last thing Gaara said. Then, all the teams were guided by a Suna shinobi to a specific place on top of the walls that delimited the field of the second test.

Hinata, Ino and Sakura were guided to the north end of the walls. There, the shinobi explained to them that in a few seconds an hourglass with a five-second countdown will appear in front of them. Once the countdown ends, the test begins and they will have to take to the battlefield. They will have three days, no more, no less. The test begins at noon and ends at noon in three days, if they fail to get the scroll until the time is up, they will be disqualified and will have to return to Konoha.

"Good. The time has come, this will be more complicated than last time. We have to stay calm. If we make a mistake, we'll be killed. We don't want that." Ino already had it all planned out, this was something she had been looking forward to for a long time. Being able to test her new abilities was strangely exciting, these abilities she will use to convince Toru to return to Konoha.

Hinata understood Ino, so she nodded her head and looked at the horizon where the battlefield seemed endless.

"So... Ino. Let's prove that we are students of the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade-sama."

"Yes... I trust you."

"Thank you."

As soon as the conversation ended, the hourglass appeared in front of them. It came out of the ground as if it had been created from the very dust. The hourglass immediately dropped the sand....

5...

4...

3...

Hinata stepped back and looked up at the sky. She thought of many things and then sighed. Her mind must be empty, with nothing but that man she loves. A fixed path, where only victory will be present.

2...

Ino clenches her fists. Her blood boils with excitement, but she is also nervous. This year Toru is not with them, but if she wants something like this to happen again, she must be strong and overcome adversity.

1...

Sakura also had her goal, she wants to reach it as much as possible. Although Ino is stronger than her, Sakura is determined to overcome her, her pride will not allow her to go back.

0...

The moment the sand disappeared, Hinata gave a big stop. She looked at the sky where the sun rises the highest and stretched out her hand trying to reach that gigantic star.

The star is Toru, she wants to reach the star. And to reach it, she must be strong, she must surpass herself.

"How conceited you are, Hinata."

Mimicking Hinata's actions, Sakura and Ino jumped. The three of them looked at each other as they fell and then....

Boom!

A large cloud of smoke formed after causing a small explosion a little further away from the site. A large wolf with black and white fur emerged from the smoke and let out some of its electric breath. Its eyes glowed crimson and its fangs appeared extremely razor sharp.

"Let's start with this. Fuyo, Suiren... for Shi no Tenshi-sama, let's make him proud of us."

"Yes, lady!"

The second test of the chūnin exams at last begins.

-Hours later-

Konoha Team 11 kept scanning the entire place in search of the scroll they needed, however, it didn't look like someone is going to appear to themselves out of nowhere with the scroll in their hands. All the other participants remain cautious. It is about three o'clock in the afternoon and this group of girls has not yet eaten lunch.

Ino kept an eye on the surroundings in case any group of ninjas showed up with intentions of taking the scroll. Well, that would be a miracle, but no one has shown themselves, they are all cautious after all.

"Maybe we should wait a bit. Let's find a place as a temporary base where we can hide from the sun. I didn't bring anything to moisturize my skin and if I spend too much time in the sun I'll roast like hamburger on the grill. I don't want that to happen, I must stay beautiful" The sun is a problem for Ino, or so she thinks.

Sakura on the other hand, doesn't mind getting a little tan in the sun unlike Ino, who has skin as white as snow. She still wonders how this girl manages to look so pale.

Still, worrying about appearance in this situation is something only Ino would do.

"We should keep looking. Sooner or later we'll run into another team. At least I won't rest for now. The test has just begun, if we sit and wait hiding in a hole, we may never find another team with the scroll."

Going to the head of the team, Hinata thought she could walk and search for a few more hours. It's only been three hours since the test started, sitting and resting when so little time has passed is ridiculous. Toru so far has never stopped to rest, that's what Hinata thinks, that's why she wants to follow that same path. To become stronger, faster and above all, smarter.

Depending on the decisions one makes during a battle, the balance will tip against or in favor. It all depends on the decisions. Hinata wants to take the hard way, but making sure not to get lost.

"Ha~ Hinata, you need to stop trying so hard. How many times have you fainted in this past month? Do you think Neji doesn't tell me anything you do? That horrible training..."

"I'm fine. My training isn't over yet."

Hinata looked determined to go through with it. Sakura understood this girl, but there was something that seemed strange to her. Ino feels worried about Hinata, but she has no right to reproach her for what she does, after all, in her training with Tsunade, Ino always tends to overexert herself.

They both seek the same thing, they will not rest until they get that something. Sakura has a similar goal, but she feels that she does not have enough courage as these girls to be on the verge of death during training.

'Hinata... I know it's hard for you. It is for me too. You've changed so much since that day... Where did that shy girl with low self-esteem go? I miss those moments together with you and Toru' Ino couldn't help but feel nostalgic. Hinata has changed too much. When it comes to fulfilling her one wish, Hinata is always serious and cold-hearted. She has changed, she has changed quite a lot.

"It's okay. We'll continue for a few more hours, is that okay with you, Hinata?"

"Yes... thank you..."

Hinata smiled slightly. This caused a smile to form on Ino's lips as well.

Although she always tries too hard, she tries not to be a burden to others, that's what hasn't changed about her. Although Hinata is no longer as shy as in the past, she still maintains something that only she can have.

-Two years ago -

Hanabi sighed wearily.

Hinata doesn't want to leave her room, no matter what she does, she's still locked in that place. Even Hiashi tried to get Hinata out of her room, obviously he didn't succeed.

"Hah!"

Hitting the training dummy, Hanabi tried to forget everything that was bothering her. Thinking too much about Toru and Hinata was making this girl feel headache.

"Ha~ What should I do? I can't stop thinking about it" She hit the dummy again with the palms of her hands and then ducked her head.

"Is your training going well, Hanabi-sama?"

Someone appeared out of nowhere, snapping Hanabi out of her thoughts right away.

The moment the voice was heard, Hanabi looked at the person who had just arrived. It was Neji, he had bandages on some parts of his body, but he looked quite healthy after the beating he took during Sasuke's rescue mission.

"Uh... Onii-sama. Training... uh... yeah, I'm fine!"

Ignoring Neji's strange kindness, Hanabi went back to beating the dummy. Neji kept watching her for a few seconds and then sighed.

"Toru was too strong. It was obvious that he wouldn't be caught so easily. I'm sure if I faced him neither of us would come out unscathed."

"Were you able to see Nii-san fight?" Hanabi stopped hitting the dummy and looked at the ground.

"Not quite, but I was able to see a bit of his power..." Neji looked up at the sky. It was sunny, a perfect day to be out training with his teammates. Birds were singing, flowers were blooming. Everything was strangely peaceful. Nothing changed after Toru and Sasuke defected from the village. "Hokage-sama I wonder about Toru's abilities..."

Hearing that, Hanabi immediately looked at Neji.

"I told him that I didn't know anything... I told him that Toru never revealed any of his tricks..."

He had promised Toru that he wouldn't talk about the Shigan, and he intends to keep that promise. Neji believes that Toru would be incapable of betraying them, as he also seemed bent on finding Sasuke. Sure, Toru couldn't see his own face, but that emotionless expression was enough for Neji, with that he could tell that, even though he was forced to be present in that mission, deep in his heart he wanted to catch Sasuke.

Neji has also known Toru for a long time, since they were both little kids. That child, little Toru... was incapable of betraying the people he loves, because he... has already been betrayed many times.

"I see..."

Hanabi felt that Neji was trying to apologize for his past attitude. That was working, Neji is changing since that day in the final test of the chūnin exams.

"Huh? Hinata-sama...?"

Neji's eyes widened slightly when he saw a girl he knew arrive. She was Hinata.

The look on that girl's face... it was different than usual.

"Onee-san..."

________

I am back from the dead!

Tonight I will post 6 chapters on my P atreon. Maybe it will be 7 or 8 depending on if I have enough inspiration to write. Whatever. I'm going to propose something to myself. I will try to post 6 to 10 chapters every weekend on P atreon. That way I'll have more content to post here on WebNovel as well.

Anyway. Have a nice day and have fun doing what you love most.