Let It Burn: Life [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 14

Mai didn't waste any time. She raced into the forest and into the thick branches. Once securely hidden, the teen paused to listen carefully. The forest was very quiet, and the Chuunin didn't like that one bit. With a hand sign and the flick of a wrist the traps were set. The Be Fong hid the scroll in a secure location now that she wasn't under the watchful eyes of the others. While the Proctor said that fighting amongst one another and the gathering of another scroll wasn't the objective, the Chuunin didn't put it past someone to try and be cocky. Once ready, the Leaf Ninja moved out.

Half a day passed before Mai saw anyone. She stopped in order to watch as they passed ten feet in front of her position through the trees. Something scurried away in the bushes, which gave the only indication of an ambush. Four ANBU Ninjas lunged from the treetops. Their attack startled the boy as he was slammed into the ground. Holding a kunai to his throat, they threatened his life, and ordered that he give away the location of the scroll. He cried out when a large gash appeared on the skin.

"Take it from him by force then," a man ordered from behind the mask.

The packs on him were ripped away. All the contents dumped out till the ANBU Ninjas found the desired item.

"Thanks," the woman on his back said. "It was nice chatting with you. You're done in the exam. Your best bet is to get to the tower before that wound of yours bleeds out. We won't meet again."

All were gone in a flash in search of another victim.

Mai had hoped that the Proctor had only been bluffing that there were in fact ANBU level ninjas in the forest. To merely keep the candidates on their toes. They were only Chuunin... that boy didn't stand a chance against one. Four, was suicidal. Caution had just been heightened to a new level.

She could've left him, let the struggling ninja bleed out to save himself the trouble. There was no way he could recover from something like this. But Mai didn't, playing with the Chakra Strings and dragged the boy into the bush with her. Before a strangled yelp reached his lips, the Chuunin clasped a hand over his mouth tightly.

"Hold still," she ordered.

His body falling limp instantly at the fact that she wasn't an ANBU Ninja that came to finish the job. Chakra pulsed through the free palm as Mai pressed it tightly to the bleeding wound. The Chuunin managed to staunch it within seconds. He struggled a bit from the pain that followed, but as it faded away, he relaxed a little more.

There was only so much the Be Fong could do without depleting her levels. An angry red and pink half-closed wound was present on the skin. But at least for the time being, he'd make it to the tower.

"You'll live," she said. Mai opened the canteen filled with water and held it out to him. "Drink it."

He shakily sat up from the blood loss and gingerly drank the water. He didn't want to be rude and use it all up.

"T-T-Thank you," he spoke.

"You shouldn't be thanking me. I considered leaving you there so I didn't waste time or precious chakra levels. You're careless, and lack observational skills."

"Oh... But still... You didn't leave me for dead." A beat of silence passed between them. "What changed your mind?"

A hand moved towards one of her short shorts. "Do you want me to cut it back open for you?"

"Er, no, sorry I asked..." The two lapsed into silence again. "So... Where's your scroll?"

Mai cocked an eyebrow. How bold of him to ask such a question from the state he was in. After her assistance. Maybe she should've just left him...