Chapter 18: The Trial of the Forest
(Chunin Exam Phase Two Begins!)
The Forest of Death loomed before them, a vast, sprawling expanse of trees shrouded in mist and danger. Sasuke Uchiha stood beside his teammates, his iron sword sheathed at his side, his unseen iron armor clinging protectively to his body. His mind was razor-sharp, focused. The first test had been a mere formality—this was where the real Chunin Exams began.
Entering the Forest of Death
Anko Mitarashi stood before the gathered genin teams, a sly smirk on her face. "Welcome to the second phase of the Chunin Exams," she said, her voice dripping with amusement. "Your goal is simple—survive."
She held up two scrolls, one labeled Heaven, the other Earth. "Each team gets one scroll. Your job? Get the other one and make it to the central tower. Oh, and try not to die. Good luck!"
With that, the gates opened.
The second Team 7 stepped inside, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, scanning for any immediate threats. He had no plans to be caught off guard.
"Alright," he said, turning to Naruto and Sakura. "Our first priority is securing the second scroll. We don't engage unless necessary. Stealth and speed are key."
Naruto pouted. "Tch, you sound like a real leader, bastard."
Sakura rolled her eyes. "For once, I agree with Sasuke-kun. Let's move quickly and carefully."
Sasuke nodded. "Let's go."
The Hunt Begins
Moving swiftly through the forest, Sasuke took point. His system had mapped a small portion of the terrain, but most of it remained unknown. His Iron Sword was ready in case of an ambush.
Minutes turned into an hour. The tension in the air was thick.
Then—
ROAAAARRR!
A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the forest.
Sasuke's Sharingan caught movement ahead—a red-haired girl being chased by a massive bear.
Karin.
Sasuke moved before his teammates could react. With a single leap, he landed between Karin and the beast, his iron sword flashing.
SLASH!
The sword cut deep into the bear's side, but it was still standing. Snarling, the beast swiped at him. Sasuke sidestepped, slamming a Fireball Jutsu into its face.
BOOM!
The flames engulfed the bear, and with one final slash, Sasuke ended it.
Karin stared in shock. "You… you saved me?"
Sasuke glanced at her, then at her team hiding in the bushes. "You should be more careful," he said simply before turning away.
Karin's face turned red as she watched him leave.
Karin still blushing asked" what's your name?"
Sasuke without looking back spoke" Uchiha Sasuke"
[ System- Hidden quest Complete
Reward-??? ( Hidden) ]
Battle Against the Sound Genin
Night fell quickly, and Team 7 found a hiding spot to rest. But peace didn't last long.
A deafening BOOM shook the trees.
"AMBUSH!" Sasuke yelled as three figures leaped out of the shadows.
Dosu, Zaku, and Kin—the Sound Genin.
"You must be Uchiha Sasuke," Dosu sneered. "Lord Orochimaru has taken an interest in you."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Is that so?"
Zaku smirked. "Too bad you won't live to find out why!"
With a flick of his wrist, he blasted a wave of sound toward Team 7.
Sasuke reacted instantly, drawing his Iron Sword and slashing the air—a shockwave of pure force cut through the attack.
"What the hell?!" Zaku shouted.
"Naruto, Sakura! Stay back!" Sasuke ordered.
Zaku launched another attack, but this time, Sasuke countered with Great Fireball Jutsu. The explosion sent Zaku crashing into a tree.
Dosu lunged, aiming his melody arm at Sasuke. The sound waves hit him—but his Iron Armor absorbed most of the damage.
Sasuke smirked. "That won't work on me."
He struck with iron sword Dosu and knocking him unconscious.
Kin, now terrified, tried to retreat—only to be knocked out by a surprise attack from Naruto.
DING!
> Battle Won!
Rewards: 500 EXP, Sound Genin Scroll (Earth)
Sasuke picked up the scroll and smirked. "We got what we came for. Let's move."
The Orochimaru Encounter
The forest grew eerily silent as they neared the tower.
Then, a sinister presence descended upon them.
Sasuke's Sharingan flared in warning.
A gust of wind blew through the trees—then a huge snake lunged at them.
"SCATTER!" Sasuke shouted.
Naruto was swallowed whole. Sakura screamed.
Sasuke didn't hesitate—he rushed forward, driving his Iron Sword straight through the snake's skull. It burst into pixels, revealing a pale, golden-eyed man in its place.
Orochimaru.
Sasuke felt an overwhelming pressure. This was unlike any opponent before.
"You're even more impressive than I expected," Orochimaru purred. "Let's see if you live up to your potential."
BOOM! Orochimaru attacked. Sasuke barely dodged, countering with a Fireball Jutsu—Orochimaru moved too fast, completely dodging it.
Sasuke switched tactics, using his Inventory.
He pulled out an Exploding Tag Kunai and threw it at Orochimaru's feet.
BOOM!
The explosion rocked the area, but Orochimaru emerged unscathed.
"You'll need more than that," he chuckled.
Sasuke charged in with his Iron Sword, clashing against Orochimaru's kunai. Sparks flew as they exchanged blows at blinding speeds.
Then, Orochimaru's hand stretched unnaturally, wrapping around Sasuke.
"Let's mark you, shall we?"
Pain.
Unbearable pain shot through Sasuke's neck as the Curse Mark was burned into his skin.
His vision blurred. His body trembled.
Orochimaru leaned in. "Grow stronger, Sasuke. Seek me out when you desire true power."
Then, he vanished.
Sasuke collapsed, gasping for breath.
DING!
> System Error! Warning: Unknown Curse Detected!
Sasuke barely heard it. His body felt like it was on fire.
Naruto and Sakura rushed to his side, panicked.
"Sasuke! What happened?!"
He barely managed a smirk.
"We made it… to the tower."
Darkness took him.
To Be Continued…