We reached the entrance of Training Ground 44 just as the sun began its descent, casting a warm golden hue over everything. I stopped for a moment, my gaze fixed on the tall iron fence surrounding the forest. Even from afar, the undergrowth was dense, the trees towering and shadowed, leaning in on themselves as if concealing something that didn't want to be found.
There was something wrong with that forest. The kind of place that made your skin crawl, even in silence. Especially in silence. The air felt heavy, too still, like the forest itself was holding its breath. And without meaning to, my muscles tensed. My body already sensed what my mind hadn't yet accepted—something dangerous was waiting inside.
It was Natsu who pulled me out of it. Or maybe it was Jimei, who let out a sound of surprise as he spotted a few familiar faces up ahead.
"Look who's here!" he said, his voice caught between childhood excitement and simmering rivalry.
Standing by the gate was Hige's team. Tokuma, Natori, Hige and the little ninken. Natori looked up just as Jimei approached, a spark of determination lighting his face. With a faint tilt of his brow, Natori seemed to silently ask himself whether this was going to be annoying or just plain strange.
"Just so we're clear! Jimei said, pointing a dramatic finger, "I'm not losing Hiyomi-chan to you. No way."
Natori blinked once. Slowly. Then tilted his head, not even bothering to change his expression. "Alright."
"'Alright'? That's all you've got?"
"You seem motivated."
His tone was calm. Almost respectful. The sort of voice you'd use to congratulate someone for starting a ballet school in the middle of the desert—technically admirable, but deeply questionable.
Jimei puffed out his chest like a pigeon that believed it had just won a street fight. Given his usual behavior, that alone was progress.
Before I could laugh, Tokuma appeared as if conjured from shadow, his presence sharp and humorless. He grabbed Natsu by the arm—not roughly, but with a sense of urgency that said he wasn't asking.
"I need to talk to you."
Natsu frowned, confused, but didn't resist. The two of them stepped aside, and there was something in Tokuma's posture. Something heavy and uneasy that told me whatever it was, it wasn't simple.
I moved forward, ready to step in if I needed to. But before I could get far, someone slipped between me and the path.
"Yo, rival!"
Hige stood there with his usual smug grin, Komaru at his heels growling low like a tiny engine ready to explode. Without hesitation, Hige threw an arm around my shoulders, the picture of someone who had never heard the words "personal space."
"This time, me and Komaru are gonna beat you. Believe it."
I sighed. "You say that every time."
"And I keep believing it! Because if there's one thing more stubborn than me, it's my indomitable spirit."
"Indomitable like Komaru when he saw that squirrel?"
"Hey! That was an isolated incident!"
I watched Hige while he was speaking. And dude! That guy can speak a lot. There was something about him that was hard to ignore: the way he exaggerated everything, turning every moment into some kind of epic quest.
Half the time, he looked more like a kid playing ninja than an actual genin. Still... he is determined. It is hard not to respect that, even when he was absolutely insufferable.
"So get ready, Hoshino Kenshin! Because in the forest, no one's gonna save you from the destructive power of Inuzuka Hige and Komaru!"
Komaru barked, trying to sound fierce, but the bark ended in a sneeze. I almost smiled.
That was when a puff of smoke exploded from the platform near the gate. When it cleared, Genma was already there, that eternal senbon in his mouth, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else.
"Alright, listen up, future chuunin!" He began, his voice so disinterested it sounded like he was giving a weather report. "Welcome to Training Ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death."
The moment he said it, I saw the other genin react. What had sounded like a rumor was now real: that place really was called the Forest of Death. Even the cockiest among them seemed to swallow hard.
Me? I was fine. Just knowing there isn't any Uchiha on my team already gave me peace of mind.
Genma continued with the same energy as a man reading a soup recipe.
"This is the second stage of the exams. It's a survival test that lasts five days. Each team will receive one of two scrolls: Earth or Heaven. The objective is simple. Get both types of scrolls and reach the tower at the center of the forest before time runs out."
Hige raised his hand out of nowhere. "Can we beat up the others to take theirs?"
Genma sighed. "Yes."
Hige pumped a fist into the air. "YES!" Komaru barked in agreement.
Next to me, Tokuma let out a very audible sigh, crossing his arms and staring at Hige like someone who just found a raw steak in the middle of a library.
"Oh, and one more thing." Genma added, making no attempt to restore order. "Only teams with all three members alive will qualify."
Jimei, who had been surprisingly focused until then, nudged me with his elbow. "You've got the bandages ready, right, Kenshin?"
"You're gonna need more than bandages if you throw yourself at Hige again." I muttered, arms crossed. "Or if you keep pointing at Natori like you're challenging a bear."
"That was a warrior's declaration of love!" He shot back, offended. "You wouldn't understand the language of passion."
Natori yawned so discreetly I almost respected the effort. Almost.
Genma chewed slowly on the toothpick, then pointed to a chuunin who had just arrived, lugging a massive clipboard with papers flying everywhere.
"Before we hand out the scrolls, you'll need to fill out a liability form."
Murmurs began to ripple through the crowd.
"That's right!" Genma said. "You heard correctly. Konoha takes no responsibility for death, severe injury, psychological trauma, or accidental ingestion of poisonous berries you mistook for tropical fruit. Whatever happens inside the forest is your problem. Including being eaten alive."
He said it with such ridiculous casualness that the girl from Amegakure started visibly sweating. I heard laughter from a genin wearing a Sunagakure forehead protector. "Now that's what I call a motivational waiver."
"Oh, and if any of you are allergic to pollen or prone to anxiety in dark, humid environments, now's the time to speak up!" Genma added, twirling the senbon between his teeth. "Once you're in, no crying and no candles."
Jimei furrowed his brow as he read part of the form aloud. "I acknowledge that I may be attacked by wild animals, hostile shinobi, lethal traps, or subjected to advanced genjutsu capable of compromising my mental and emotional stability."
He glanced over at me. "Is there a box where I can check 'no thanks'?"
"Just sign it already!" I muttered, rolling my eyes as I scribbled my own name. "Or I'll fill it out for you and bump your age up to forty."
As everyone filled in their forms, some eagerly, others with shaky handwriting. A quiet tension began to build in the air.
"Your team's scrolls are in the tent to the left!" Genma continued. "Once you've picked them up, head to your assigned gate."
After the forms were collected by the exam staff, Genma spoke again.
"Oh, and one last thing. If you open the scroll before reaching the tower... immediate disqualification. Or worse."
A cold silence followed. Even the birds seemed to pause mid-song.
"Worse like... how?" I heard a girl from Kusagakure ask.
Genma looked at her for a second longer than necessary. Then he smiled. It might've seemed friendly—if that smile hadn't been so off.
"Trust me. You don't want to find out. I saw it happen once. Still wake up screaming sometimes."
Before heading toward the tent, I turned to Natori's team. After all, they were my former academy classmates. I was hoping they'd make it through this stage.
"Good luck!" I said, nodding at them.
Natori returned the gesture with a simple, "You too."
Jimei hesitated, then made a weird hand signal toward Hiyomi, who stood a little farther off with her own team—like he was trying to send a secret message just to her.
"You're gonna need more than luck."
"And you're gonna need a map to make it out alive!" Jimei muttered back, not with his usual arrogance, but something closer to nervous impulse than real bravado.
Natsu, meanwhile, seemed to be trading glances with Tokuma. Again. That same flicker of curiosity lit up in me. But then, she looked away and her eyes landed on me.
"Let's go!" she said.
We made our way to the tent on the left, where a bored-looking chuunin with deep bags under his eyes and a stack of forms greeted us with the laziest of nods.
"Names of the candidates?"
"Hoshino Kenshin, Kuroda Jimei, and Hyuuga Natsu!" I answered for all three of us.
He flipped through the papers quickly, found our registration, and pulled out a small sealed box with the Leaf's symbol carved into it.
"Heaven scroll." he muttered, handing it to Natsu, who took it with careful hands.
"Gate 19. Head there immediately. You'll enter once the signal is given."
We turned to leave the tent, but I stopped halfway through the exit, making both Jimei and Natsu pause and look at me, confused.
"Natsu-san. When we step outside... make sure to hand me the scroll where everyone else can see it."
Jimei raised an eyebrow. "Huh? Why? Shouldn't we keep that a secret? They might try to steal it!"
"Exactly!" I replied, turning my head back to them. "But think about it. If everyone knows which scroll we have, those who hold the same one will avoid us. That cuts half the competition out without us lifting a finger."
Natsu folded her arms, thoughtful. "And the ones with the other type… will come hunting."
I nodded, a slight smile forming. "Exactly. Instead of wandering the forest hoping to stumble across the right opponents... we become the target. We attract exactly who we need."
"That's insane!" Jimei muttered. "But… it's kind of brilliant."
Natsu let out a slow breath. "You've thought this through, haven't you?"
"Since the moment I saw how many teams entered. Someone's going to have to eliminate a lot of enemies to make it to the next round… I'd rather it be us."
Jimei shivered a bit but nodded. "Okay… just don't make me the bait, please."
"Of course not!" I said, flashing a small grin. "Bait only works when the fish is clever."
And then, without another word, we stepped out of the tent.
The sun had already begun its descent behind the treetops of the Forest of Death, casting long shadows across the ground streaked with fading gold. Every head turned toward us as we emerged.
In the middle of that taut silence, Natsu calmly walked two steps ahead, pulled the scroll from her pouch, and handed it to me for all to see.
"Here you go, Kenshin-kun!" she said aloud, her voice clear as crystal. "The Heaven Scroll."
A ripple of murmurs spread through the other teams. Some averted their gazes. Others stared more intently.
Perfect. That was exactly what I wanted.
I put the scroll on my weapon bag and began walking toward Gate 19.