BOOOOM!
Soon as the oxygen tank reached critical pressure, combined with the heat from the chakra-sensitive wall, the tal cylinder exploded with trendous force! Team Tango remained huddled together, heads down behind the near impenetrable desk, just hoping to stay alive after setting the tank off
Tai scread, struggling to hold on as the relentless vibrations caused his body to tremble. Rei intervened in response, holding both of his teammates, ensuring they didn't sway too much
"AAAAAAHHH CRAP!!!! I KNEW THIS WAS A BAD IDEA!!!!!"
"HOLD ON!!! DON'T MOVE NO MATTER WHAT!!!!"
CRACK!
"Hm?!"
"Uh-oh..."
The floor beneath them began to crumble at its center, eventually breaking completely. Causing the water, rubble, and Genin to fall towards unknown depths
{So the exit really was under us...!} "Stick your landing carefully, don't fall on your heads!" Rei was the first to gather his bearings
"R-Right!"
"Okay!"
Tai and Suzu followed his example
TAK! TAK!
Despite the unorthodox, if not outright wild ans, the team managed to land safely on solid ground...albeit sowhat ungracefully. Each of them taking a mont to sit down and catch their breath after the dangerous ordeal
While the boys were checking for any injuries, Suzu looked upwards, only to discover the room they blew up was one of many suspended above them. Like chandelier lamps hanging from a ceiling, moving in a "sliding puzzle" fashion
"What in the world...?!"
"If I were to guess, I'd say they're controlling each one with Doton1Earth Style. It must be how the door disappeared when this part of the test began" Suzu spelled out the sight to Tai
"So that's why we didn't run into any of the teams that went ahead of us! Talk about elaborate...now what do we do? The ssage said we'd pass after escaping right? Does this an...we're finished?"
Rei was the first the stand up "Probably, but the exams have already proven to be annoying enough as it is, let's not get our hopes up too-?!"
POOF!
Without warning, a cloud of smoke erupted in front of the Genin, prompting the three to prepare for a fight
{Damn it,
and my stupid mouth! I don't recognize this chakra...} "Stay on your toes!"
"..."
"...Huh? Are you...?"
A single individual erged from the smoke, dressed in Iwagakure shinobi attire, unfamiliar to all them, even Rei. An appearance putting him in his early-to-mid twenties, he had thick and burly features, dark-colored eyes, and a bald head covered by his shinobi headband worn as a bandana
"I am Chōseki, one of the many sub-proctors for this exam"
"..."
"Um..."
The blunt Iwa-nin known as Chōseki rely stood tall frowning with his arms folded, making the team uncomfortable with his sour look and rude deanor. He clearly lacked any positive feelings for these ninja from a foreign country
Nevertheless, he proceeded with his duties...
"In case you're still wondering, you've successfully passed this first exam"
"Alright!" Tai jumped in exhilaration
"Just like that?" Rei was still skeptical
"Yes. The fact you escaped the room reveals you've understood what you needed to from the first half"
"Ah! The questions on...!"
{Now I get it. The written test's true purpose was providing hints on escaping, but not just that...} Rei realized
"The goal of this was to find two distinct qualities within those worthy of becoming Chunin; the first was to gauge your ability to gather information from even the faintest of clues. The written part held hints towards solving the problem you faced in the room above you"
"Okay... What about the second?"
"To test your mindset through even the most dire of circumstances. How you conduct yourself in hostile situations can determine whether or not you succeed or fail a mission. This type of split-second decision-making the three of you implented to escape is what Chunin do on a daily basis!" Chōseki's voice abruptly went stern as he lectured the team
"While I can't deny the pressure got to
a bit...our team goes through this kind of crap regularly. There's no denying it...we've definitely been cursed by soone" Tai muttered under his breath
Rei heaved a sigh of relief "At least we passed, that's all I really care about"
"And intact too. They certainly didn't make it easy with that strange room" Suzu began to relax
Observing their positive outlook on recent events, Chōseki's mouth went upwards, giving them a grin filled with nothing but foul intent
"I'll tell you sothing else. The truth is, the material of the room only works against chakra adhesion. Ninjutsu could've gotten you outta there easy"
"?!"
"Wha--but the warning clearly told us we weren't allowed to use Ninjutsu!" Tai protested with this treatnt
"Wrong. I believe the ssage said using it was, ill-advised" Chōseki continued smiling at them in a mocking fashion
Upon learning this, Tai ranted in hi s thoughts {You an to tell
we could've blasted through at any ti?! These twisted jerks are so irritating!}
Rei and Suzu were seemingly no better, annoyed with this revelation, and Chōseki's pompous attitude didn't make it better. They had just risked their lives to get out no more than a few minutes ago
And now this Iwa-nin was blatantly smiling in front of them, clearly satisfied with the looks of fatigue on their faces
"Had you not let fear, or uncertainty of the unknown slow you down, you could've easily blasted through the floor. Others already realized this, and broke out, though not many"
{I really want to punch this guy...} Rei seriously considered doing it
BOOM!
"!"
"Eh?!
Another room had burst, and with it, a Genin squad. Understanding he wasted too much ti making fun of them, Chōseki delivered his final words before departing to address the next team
"Take what you've experienced today and learn from it. Or don't, whether you little Kumo shits live or die, I could honestly care less. The exit is that way, your teacher should be waiting, now get out!"
??????
The genin remained where they were, as the frowned at the sub proctor leaving to address other squad
"You call that a lesson? What a shitty one"
"Let's hope we never see that bastard agai--hey! Suzu!"
"This is the type of behavior you should expect when coming to a foreign nation during these tis. Just ignore it and focus on the task at hand" Not wanting to stay any longer, Suzu went on ahead to exit
Tai and Rei quickly followed behind, entering a hallway of stairs that lead upwards. Only now did they realize the reason for the building's initial miniscule look, for the crucial facilities were placed underground
After a few minutes of walking, the group arrived at another door. Going through, they found themselves inside another waiting room. Several teams who completed the exam before them were conversing with their respective Jonin captains
"Do you see Tango-sensei? Cause I don't"
"I can sense his chakra, he's right outside the building. Co on, lets get out of here"
CREAK!
Rei was more the eager to leave, but after exiting the room, they waltzed down the hallway only to et so familiar faces...
"Uh?! This chakra is-?!"
"Rei? What's wrong?"
"It can't be...!"
...unpleasant faces
"LOOK WHO IT IS! Long ti no see, ya f*ckin' brats!" an abrasive voice addressed them from the left
"No way...how are you guys here?!"
To their dismay, it was none other than the infamous criminals, the "Konjiki Twins" who t their eyes! Including Rei, the trio were at a loss for words, flabbergasted at the sudden surprise. Tai even wondered if he was hallucinating
But the twins weren't alone, accompanied by their leader Kajūra. The group which caused them so much trouble in the past, the "Ishi Terrorists
Reviews
All reviews (0)