𝙇𝘼𝙑𝙀𝙉𝘿𝙀𝙍. | 𝗡𝗔𝗥𝗨𝗧𝗢

XX

THE next day had quickly arrived, much to Riki's disappointment, meaning the Chunin exams would continue. All the applicants that had passed yesterday's test were standing in front of the site where the second exam would be held.

Riki stood beside her own team and Team 10, looking at it with dismay. It certainly did not look nice at all, and if that's what she would be walking into for the second phase, then she was regretting not failing the first test. The forest that was lined with big fences and gates didn't exactly look lovely in her eyes.

"That forest is giving me the heebie-jeebies," Ino confessed.

"I mean, it doesn't exactly look nice," Riki said, grimacing as she saw a large centipede emerge from behind a tree within the forest. It's black scales glistening beneath the sunlight. "And that thing there is not cute at all."

"That looks like it tastes nice," Choji said, referring to the centipede.

"No it doesn't, Choji, that's dangerous! Totally dangerous!" Ino told him.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Riki mumbled.

"Man, this is looking like a drag," Shikamaru muttered, sighing for the nth time.

"It will be a drag," the proctor, Anko Mitarashi said. "This place is called the Forest of Death, and soon you'll find out why."

Nauro huffed, stuck out his bum and mocked Anko. His teammates watched him, unsurprised. "'This place is called the Forest of Death, and soon you'll find out why.' You ain't gonna scare me, believe it! I can handle anything!"

"Looks like we got ourselves a tough guy," Anko said, smiling slightly. She pulled out a kunai knife and threw it at Naruto so it would cut his cheek slightly. Anko disappeared from her earlier spot and reappeared behind Naruto.

"You can totally handle this, can't you?" Anko asked rhetorically, grabbing his cheek as she spoke from behind him. Naruto was speechless. "Tough guys like you tend to leave their blood all over this forest."

Anko quickly pulled another kunai from her sleeve and held it to the Grass Ninja who had snuck up on her. The kunai that Anko had thrown Naruto was in the Grass Ninjas mouth. Naruto looked over his shoulder, terrified by the scene as he eyed the two 'women' behind him.

"I was just returning your knife," the Grass Ninja said, referring to the kunai that was wrapped around its tongue.

"Why thank you, Grass Ninja. You know, I only really recommend you to stand so close to me if you want your life to come to a premature end," Anko said, taking the knife from the Grass Ninja's tongue. Everyone stood around them watched them, somewhat grossed out.

"My pardon," it said, its tongue returning back into its mouth. "The sight of blood excited me. I meant you no harm."

"These guys are creepy," Sakura muttered under breath.

"I hate to agree with forehead, but you're right," Ino said, eyeing the Grass Ninja.

"Looks like everyone's quick tempered today. This is gonna be fun," Anko said to herself.

Riki looked between the proctor and Naruto, slightly uncomfortable. The proctor definitely wasn't okay in the head. And neither was that Grass Ninja, though with that tongue that long she was sure they wasn't exactly physically okay either.

"Before we start the test, I have something to give out to you," Anko said, pulling out a bunch of papers as she walked back to her previous position. "Just a simple consent form. Before the test, all of you are going to have to read over this form and sign it."