Chapter 14 - Forest of Death

Training Ground 44 also known as the forest of death. Its Konoha's deadliest training ground reserved only for chunnins and ANBU. The forest itself contains various monster and other deadly animals from big spiders to gigantic bears and tigers.

The forest of death is the traditional place for second round of every chunnin exam done in the leaf. The chunnin exams are hosted in various countries and rotated. Every three years the chunnins happen in the leaf.

To everyone in Konoha the forest of death, as the name says, its hell and one place to don't come near. Obviously this doesn't apply to the crazy snake lady, also known as Anko, to her this place is her home away from home and the reason she is always in charge of the second round.

Of the original two hundreds applicants to the chunnin exams more than half were failed in the first task. Now we are currently at the entrance of the forest of death.

"Alright maggots welcome to my home, training ground 44 also known as the forest of... death" - Anko said a got the desired reactions from a few of the gennin which was fear as they should be. Even chunnin can't wander through the forest without getting hurt.

Anko spotted Naruto and noticed he wasn't affected and decided to play a little game. Anko threw a kunai that was going to slightly cut his cheek, however the kunai simply phased through Naruto and hit the ground.

Naruto got a worried look and very quickly in a panic began checking himself with his hands to see if he was in one piece. "Oh good...i'm not a ghost" - Naruto said and smirked when he saw everyone looks of disbelief.

Anko vanished in a blur and appeared behind Naruto with a kunai at his neck. "You seem confident. It kids like you who get killed first" - Anko said pressing her body against his back and licking his cheek.

Hinata's eyebrow twitched was about to juuken the bitch away from Naruto when she saw him smirking. Naruto dissolved into a bunch of black crows that flew away and started circling Anko. The crows flew towards her and quickly turned into shuriken heading to Anko.

"Genjutsu! KAI" - Anko thought and flared her chakra making the shuriken disappear. She looked around a found Naruto not far away smiling at her.

"Genjutsu, not bad brat" - She said "And you don't seem scared of the forest" - Anko stated.

"Meh, those things are nothing compared to the furball" - Naruto said and Anko snickered. He had to have balls to call the kyuubi furball.

"I told you I AM NOT A FURBALL" - Kurama yelled inside his mind.

"Actually you kind of are. You have fur and it's so soft and cuddly" - Naruto squealed in a fan girlish way. Kurama simply sweat dropped and cursed to kami why he had to end up in this vessel.

"Alright brats let me explain how this works. See these" - Anko said and showed everyone two scrolls she had on her hands. "These are the earth and heaven scrolls. Each team gets one. In order to pass this exam you must get the other and reach the tower which is located in the middle of the forest. You have five days" - Anko explained.

"What about food?" - Chouji asked panicking over the fact they would spend 5 days in a forest surrounded by monster.

"You can hunt if you didn't bring any supplies" - Anko said. "Also you need to sign these documents so that Konoha can't be blamed for your deaths" - she concluded and few shivered at the thought. "Oh yes there will be deaths. Just thinking about blood makes me jump for joy" - Anko said in a far too happy tone.

Anko proceeded to distribute the forms and once everyone had signed and got their scroll each team made its way to their respective gate.

## Gate 10 - 5 Minutes Before Start ##

"How shall we do this?" - Shino asked. They decided to define their plan before the exam began.

"How about we head straight to the tower. If we find any team we take them out otherwise we can set traps for them at the tower" - Naruto said and Shino and Hinata nodded.

"Shino do you think you can keep up and run for 10 miles?" - Naruto asked.

"It should be fine" - Shino replied.

"OK get set...3...2...1...GO" - Anko said over the speaker and team 8 jumped into action running through the gates and heading towards the tower.

"Kage Bushin no Jutsu" - Naruto said and appeared 15 clones. "Divide into 5 teams and scout ahead while one stays behind to make sure we have a backup plan in case we fall into a trap" - Naruto ordered and 4 groups of clones ran in the front and to the sides while one group would follow behind them.

"Hinata use your byakugan just to make sure no one bypasses my clones." - Naruto said and Hinata nodded activating her byakugan. Naruto also extended his senses and Shino used his bugs. Team 8 were, among other things, tracking experts so nothing came close to them without they knowing.

They ran through the woods until Naruto got a feedback from one of his clones. "Ame team one hundred meters ahead" - Naruto said and everyone approached with caution.

Team 8 stealthily approached the unsuspecting Ame team. Naruto and Hinata took a few senbon and with the precision of an surgeon they placed the three members into a death like state by hitting them in the neck with the senbon.

They reached the fallen Ame team and went through their bags until they found the earth scroll.

"Nice just the one we need. Let's go to the tower full speed. If you can't I'll carry you Shino" - Naruto said and Shino shook his head.

They were heading to the tower at full speed when team 8 sensed a massive chakra spike. "That is no gennin...and no jinchuuriki" - Naruto said and the team came to a stop looking to where it came from.

"I'm going to check it out. You guys go to the tower, you have my hirashin marker if you need help. Once i'm done I'll teleport to your location" - Naruto said.

"Why?" - Hinata asked.

"It might be one of ours that is in trouble" - Naruto replied and prepared to jump away.

"Be careful" - Hinata said a kissed his cheek "For luck" - she said.

"Don't worry" - Naruto replied and jumped into the woods. Seconds later he was gone. Hinata sighed and the rest of team 8 was heading to the tower.

Naruto was running towards the location of the chakra spike when he sensed two presences near him. He checked their chakra levels and found that one was around jonin while the other had kage levels reserves. He recognized the jonins chakra, it was Anko. However the other was unknown, he never felt that chakra anywhere in the leaf and there wasn't anyone in the village with that much amount of chakra except himself and the hokage.

Naruto approached them with extreme caution. He could hear them talk and Anko seemed angry and... scared. Anko scared was not a good thing.

"Ah Anko-chan how you've been?" - the other voice asked in a mocking tone.

"What are you doing here Orochimaru?" - Anko asked spitting his name.

"Orochimaru...shit" - Naruto thought as he continued to observe and jump in if necessary.

"I was just dropping off a gift to a promising gennin" - Orochimaru cryptically said.

"You didn't?" - Anko rhetorically asked.

"Why so mad Anko-chan? Didn't you like my gift?" - Orochimaru asked. Anko got enough of his, she drew a kunai and rushed him. Orochimaru place his hand in the tiger seal and activated her curse mark making her fall into the ground screaming in pain.

"You forget your place" - Orochimaru said. "Sen'eijashu (Hidden Snake Hands)" - Orochimaru said and extended his arm towards Anko sending a couple of snakes to bite her.

"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu (Phoenix Fire Technique)" - Naruto said and sent multiple small fireballs towards the snakes and destroyed them. Naruto jumped in between Orochimaru and Anko. He approached her and noticed she was clutching her neck. Naruto saw that in her neck was a strange mark that seemed to glow.

"Curse Mark" - Naruto thought.

"My my a little gennin came to her rescue. How cute..." - Orochimaru said in a mocking tone.

"Any ideas fox?" - Naruto asked.

"That snake must be here for some reason. Any real fight here would attract to much attention. Flare my chakra and try to hold him off" - Kurama suggested and Naruto flared the kyuubi's chakra high enough to draw attention to any anbu patrolling the area.

"Kyuubi brat?" - Orochimaru thought. "My my if it isn't the kyuubi brat, I guess I can play for a while." - Orochimaru said.

"Orochimaru, what are you doing here?" - Naruto asked trying to buy some time, snakes tend to be slippery.

"So you know me? I'm honored" - Orochimaru said chuckling. "I'm here to leave a small gift to the Uchiha" - he said.

"Gift? You call a damn curse seal a gift?" - Naruto asked getting mad.

"Stay focused kit. He isn't someone who you can play around" - Kurama said.

"Of course it's a gift. When he destroys the sound team I sent to kill him, he will realized the power that comes from it" - Orochimaru said.

"Sasuke. You bastard, you already did this to Anko and now Sasuke" - Naruto said and rushed towards Orochimaru and engaged in taijutsu.

"A little hot headed aren't you?" - Orochimaru asked. Naruto smirked and said "Katsu" and his clone exploded sending Orochimaru crashing into a tree.

"Now that was surprising" - Orochimaru said as he watched Naruto leave the bush he was hiding.

"What do want Sasuke for?" - Naruto asked.

"I simply whish his eyes" - Orochimaru said.

"The sharingan? Then it would be wise to hide mine. I don't want a pedophile after me" - Naruto thought and once again rushed him for a taijutsu battle. Orochimaru simply dodged every single attack Naruto did by bending his body to unnatural angles.

"Is this it?" - Orochimaru asked in a taunting tone.

"It's time for the big guns" - Naruto thought and took a whole different stance. He activated his ems and hide it, his face was completely emotionless with his cold blue eyes staring into Orochimaru.

"Katon: Karyudan no Jutsu (Fire Dragon Bullet)" - Naruto said and sent fire bullets to Orochimaru who simply dodged them all.

Naruto decided to use a wide range attack. He made a kage bushin and both said

" Katon: Ryuuka no Jutsu (Dragon Fire Technique)"

" Fuuton - Daitoppa (Great Breakthrough)"

The result was a big wide area of effect stream of fire that rushed Orochimaru and torched the surroundings area. Anko just watched in wonder. There were some jonin what couldn't even do these without passing out from chakra exhaustion.

The fire died down and Naruto watched Orochimaru as he slowly crumbled away until he poofed in smoke revealing it to be a kawarimi.

Naruto searched around and sensed Orochimaru just in time to jump away from a hand that shot out of the ground trying to catch him.

Orochimaru resurfaced and Naruto appeared behind him as well.

"Raikiri (Lightning Cutter)" - Naruto yelled as he rose from the ground a went to stab Orochimaru through the chest. Orochimaru didn't expect such a technique from a gennin and quickly got out of the way, however he wasn't fast enough and the Raikiri managed to chop his right arm off.

"This brat is dangerous, if I hadn't dodge he could have killed me" - Orochimaru thought as he observed Naruto who wasn't even showing signs of stopping.

"My my you are really something. It's a shame you can't be my next vessel" - Orochimaru said as he opened his mouth to inhuman proportions and spited out another Orochimaru leaving the skin of the old behind.

"What the fuck are you?" - Naruto asked getting a little disgusted as Orochimaru just spited himself from inside himself.

"It's been fun but I must go now, see you around" - Orochimaru said and sank into the ground. He decided to leave as he sensed two groups on anbu incoming.

Naruto turned to Anko who had an amazed look on. "You okay Anko?" - he asked.

"Holy shit brat that was amazing" - Anko yelled but quickly recoiled in pain just the Anbu dropped by accompanied by the Sandaime.

"Naruto-kun what happened?" - the hokage asked. He was wearing his full battle gear that primarily consisted of a full tight black body suit with metal shields in his arms and legs.

"Orochimaru is here and I think he activated Anko's curse mark." - Naruto said and the hokage's eyes widened.

"What is doing here?" - the hokage asked to himself but loud enough for Naruto to hear.

"He's after the sharingan of Sasuke. I believe he gave him the curse mark as well" - Naruto explained and the old man sighed. His prodigy of a student turned to be his greatest mistake.

"Take Anko to the hospital" - the hokage said and the Anbu vanished "Naruto do have the scrolls?" - he asked and Naruto nodded.

"But I'll go after Sasuke. Orochimaru sent a sound team to kill him" - Naruto said.

"Alright be careful. I already risked a good lot by interfering in the exams" - the hokage said and left the forest. Naruto made kage bushins and spread them through the forest as wide as he could so he could find Sasuke as quickly as possible.

Naruto ran through the forest as quickly as he could covering the area he could. One hour later he finally sensed Sakura's chakra signature. He could sense Sasuke's but he felt it was slightly different and weaker.

He arrived where Sakura was and noticed it was a mayhem going on. Sakura was on the ground with her hair cut in half and multiple kunai wounds. Lee was also there but he bleeding from his hears and a few bruises. Team 10 seemed to be trying to hold off the sound team but to no avail and finally Kiba who was in the ground apparently knocked out cold.

"Pathetic, all of you" - Dosu said smirking as he picked up kunai and made his way towards Sasuke to kill him, and no one could stop him. Naruto shunshined in front of him and quickly delivered a good kick to him that sent him into the ground.

Everyone was happy to see that someone had arrived to help, even if it was Naruto.

"Another one, these guys just keep coming" - Zaku said getting pissed off. Every time they tried to kill the Uchiha someone got in the way.

"Why don't you just leave, you are no match for me" - Naruto said smirking.

"I'll get that smile out of your face." - Dosu snickered and flexed his arm showing his gauntlet. "Melody Arm" - Dosu said as he channeled chakra to his arm.

Naruto who had his sharingan activated could see the sound waves filled with chakra. "That can't be good. Kamui" - Naruto thought. Dosu sensed as the waves traveled the air and hit Naruto only to do nothing.

Naruto waited a few seconds and noticed everyone was stopped and looking between him and Dosu. "Was that supposed to do something?" - Naruto asked inwardly smirking.

The rest of rookies that were 'awake' stared at the blonde. Lee was taken down with that jutsu and yet Naruto remained there as if nothing happened.

"That gauntlet must be defective, I'll deal with this" - Zaku said and stepped forward intending to end the battle in one attack.

" Zankuuha - Decapitating Air Waves" - Zaku said and channeling chakra through his arms he sent a gust of wind towards Naruto. Naruto stood in place and activated his kamui to let the attack pass through him. Zaku watched was the dust cloud started to disappear only to find Naruto in the same place.

"What a nice breeze" - Naruto said smirking. Zaku got mad and channeled as much chakra as he could through the pipes that ran deep beneath the skin.

" Zankyokukuuha - Extreme Decapitating Air Waves" - Zaku said and sent a powerful gust of wind towards the enemy. Naruto watched the gust come a noticed he had to take Sasuke and Kiba out of the way. He rushed towards them and activated his kamui to protect them as well.

Once the attack was over and the dust cloud set down Zaku smirked as he scanned the area he attacked only to find nothing. "I blew them to little bits" - Zaku said smirking with confidence.

"Raikiri". Zaku turned just in time to see a hand covered in lightning pierce through his chest and heart. Zaku gave a silent scream that didn't leave his mouth as he fell to the ground dead.

Dosu and Kin's eyes widened at seeing his teammate fall to the ground dead. The blonde kid was playing with them the whole time. The blonde had killed Zaku with one attack and they didn't even saw him move.

"If you give us the scroll you can leave peacefully" - Naruto said in a emotionless tone. The rookies just watched as Naruto effortlessly killed the shinobi they were having trouble with. Sakura was trembling with fear from both the sound team and the arrival of Naruto. He had just killed someone in cold blood. He pierced someone's chest with his own hand.

Dosu was trembling as he picked his scroll and left it in the ground and quickly left running along with his last teammate Kin.

"How nice of you to join us Neji" - Naruto said as he sensed the teammates of Lee arrived at the scene.

"What happened here? What did you do to Lee?" - Neji asked activating his byakugan and getting ready to attack until he got his answers.

Suddenly a blast of chakra was felt by everyone in the area. They all turned to see Sasuke slowly rising up with some sort of purple chakra swirling around him. His body was covered in some sort of black tattoo.

"Yes...with this power I'll kill him" - Sasuke said to no one. He could feel the power coursing through his body. A gift from Orochimaru. Sasuke looked around for someone to test his new powers in and quickly locked eyes with Naruto who was standing near a dead body.

"Naruto fight me, I want to test my new powers" - Naruto commanded and quickly rushed Naruto and engaged in a taijutsu battle.

"Sasuke-kun stop this" - Sakura said crying in the ground. This was all too much for her. She had to defend Sasuke and Kiba and got crushed. She watched as someone bit Sasuke in the neck and gave him some strange marking and she was watching Sasuke apparently out of control.

"I don't have time for this. I can't allow him to use this curse mark any longer" - Naruto thought. Naruto quickly outmaneuvered Sasuke and got behind trapping him with his arms.

"Neji do you mind?" - Naruto rhetorically asked. Neji smirked and got down from the tree. He arrived near the Uchiha, activated his byakugan and quickly knocked him out by closing a few key tenketsus.

Naruto sighed. "Now that everything is more calm let's leave this place. Everyone has their scrolls?" - Naruto asked and everyone nodded.

"OK. Everyone touch a part of me and let's leave" - Naruto said and they just stared at him. He wanted them to touch him.

"What do you mean touch you?" - Neji asked narrowing his eyes.

"Just place a hand on my shoulder or something like that. Neji pick up Lee. Sakura pick up Sasuke and Kiba" - Naruto said and everyone got ready around Naruto. They all vanished and in what seemed to be a instant they all dropped down near the tower where Hinata and Shino were sited waiting for Naruto.

"Jeez, teleporting so many with me really takes a good chunk of chakra." - Naruto thought as he regained his breath.

"Naruto" - Hinata said a rushed to check him "What happened?" - she asked.

"Team 7 got ambushed by Orochimaru" - He replied and she gasped.

"Naruto how did you bring us to the tower so fast?" -Tenten asked curiously.

Naruto started sweating, he didn't think much about it. It would be a mess if they found out already.

"It's a space-time technique like the summoning jutsu. I can teleport to Hinata" - Naruto explained hoping they would believe in him and not ask to many questions. She nodded and everyone entered the tower only to find an empty room.

"I think we should open the scrolls" - Hinata said and Naruto opened the scrolls.

He opened them and saw it was a summoning scroll. "Quick, toss them in the ground" - Naruto yelled as the scroll started to leak out smoke.

Both scrolls disappeared in the middle of the smoke. When it cleared there was a person standing in the middle of the room.

"Congratulation on passing the second round" - she said.

Team 8 looked up to see Kurenai standing in front of them.

"Sensei" - everyone said at the same time.

"Come on, let's get inside. You and the rest of leaf's teams were the second to arrive. Only the sand team is already here. You have four days to rest and get your strength back up" - Kurenai said and lead her team into the respective rooms where they would be staying,