Chapter 56
This was bad. Shisui couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was all of this just a waste of time, or false hope? He gave his all, he tried his best, and yet he still failed. But wasn't that just part of being a shinobi? Failure always followed them, and all they could do was accept it.
"Let's return," Maki said. She was also disappointed by the answer they got, as it meant they couldn't save her teammates. And her voice was more defeated than displeased. "Do you need any help?"
"Yes, please," Shisui had exhausted himself. He had no energy anymore, and after using genjutsu in his condition, he could barely even see anymore.
They had managed to find the one who gave him the poison. Shisui even used genjutsu to get the truth: there was no antidote. It was something that would only wear off on its own. As Maki supported him on her shoulder, Shisui couldn't stop thinking about what he should do next.
Stabbing her wouldn't be too difficult. Inflicting an injury on her would mean that the Suna team would be disqualified, giving a better chance to Iruka and Yamato. But Shisui knew they didn't need that kind of help. He would only make an enemy for nothing.
This wasn't him, and he didn't think even the Third would want him to become someone who would backstab others when their use ran out. He didn't want to live in this kind of world.
Still, he couldn't deny that this was the lowest he had ever been. And those thoughts wouldn't leave his head. He always believed there was something he could do. But this test showed that sometimes there isn't anything you can do—except put your faith in your comrades.
"Yo," Yamato greeted them from within the crumbling building, sitting on top of the Kuma girl who had attacked them.
Only now did Shisui realize the state of the surroundings. At least a fourth of the genin were fighting at some point, and various places were destroyed. It looked like a battlefield. The hunt for the antidote—and the hunt for each other—had brought so much destruction. And they were only genin.
It made him realize how horrible a real war must be. If this was just a replication, he certainly didn't want to see a real war. And yet, what could he do about it? If only he could make others think the way he did—make them stop their malice for each other—maybe then he could prevent anything like this from happening. But he didn't think he would ever be able to.
"Bring the girl with us," Shisui said. "With this, they should realize they messed up by picking us as their targets. Hopefully, they'll keep away from us from now on."
"So, did you find the antidote?"
"No. There isn't one," Maki replied.
"Because there wasn't any need for it," Shisui realized that everything the Third did had meaning behind it. "We were lied to. Even though I can't be certain, I think I know what's happening."
Shisui suspected the Third wanted to show everyone what a real war was like—leaving behind comrades, looking for hope even when there was none, fighting each other senselessly. It wasn't a test but a lesson—to teach them not to pursue this meaningless thing called war and instead move on.
And if he was right, that meant none of them were being tested, and none were going to fail truly. One would only fail if they didn't learn from this and still pursued their selfish desire for conflict. Meaning, that only those like that Kuma girl, who is too injured to go on by herself, would fail, while others could move on.
"If you say so." Yamato was always easygoing; he didn't question anything, but Shisui suspected he was smarter than he let on and understood much more than one could expect. "Damn, she's heavy. Are all girls this heavy?"
"Oh, shut it." Maki took it as a jab at her. "It's not like your friend here is a joy to carry around either."
Shisui could only smile apologetically at Yamato's crass words as he threw the Kuma girl over his shoulder. Though Shisui quickly realized Yamato struggled not because of the kunoichi's weight, but because of his wounds. He only tried to hide it behind his words.
Damn it. If Yamato hadn't been forced to conceal his Wood Release, he wouldn't be struggling this much. Though he tried to hide it, Shisui noticed the cuts and burns on his arms. And he clearly couldn't put much weight on his right leg—it was probably twisted.
But they needed to carry the girl to her team. Shisui knew how important this exam was for them and how humiliating it would be for everyone to see them deliver their defeated teammate. They wouldn't be able to do anything but thank them. This was also part of the war, and he had to take part in it, for the sake of his village.
…
As the final hour approached before the end of the first test, eyes hidden from everyone spied on the genin. She wasn't the only one. They all waited, watching, ready to lead the survivors into the second test. The real test—the one that would push them to their limits.
She couldn't believe how pathetic these little kids were. Especially how smug some were—resting and waiting for the test to end without a worry—while their comrades glared at them with hatred.
The whole hall was filled with tension. If most weren't too sick to move, an all-out fight would've already broken out. But no one dared. Those who still looked strong stayed vigilant, only protecting their own, never striking first. Only waiting. And those who decided to abandon everything didn't care.
To her, it was a pathetic sight. And Anko couldn't believe she was the same age as them. At least she could be proud of her village's genin. Seeing Yamato, beaten black and blue, limping toward the Kuma team to return their unconscious blonde teammate made her giddy.
The shock on the silver-haired girl's face was worth every second she had to wait. And seeing Yamato only smile and walk back to his teammates made her proud. They might think the girl lost because she held back, but they had no idea how much Yamato had to hold back. She was one of the few who knew he was trained personally by the Third Hokage.
She would give him a night of rest just for that. It was too bad she wasn't responsible for the Kuma team. Those bitches walked into her village like they were the baddest of the bitches. Anko really wanted to mess them up—but the Hokage's orders were clear, and she would follow them no matter what.
She couldn't mess up her new position. The Third gave her a new life, new comrades, and new friends who didn't care where she came from—or who her sensei once was. All they cared about was her skills, loyalty, and obedience. And she would prove they were right to trust her.
"Rabbit," Anko turned to the Cat, who had just rushed over. "New orders from Hokage-sama. Do not hold back. Make their lives a living hell. And he made sure everyone got the message—no genin is to be spared."
"Understood."
That was different. Usually, the Third was kind. For him to issue such an order meant something had caught his attention. Something serious. Maybe someone infiltrated the exams. Someone who thought could escape the Third's eyes. And now he has to use any method to flush them out.
But it wasn't her place to speculate. She had her orders, and she could only feel sorry for the genin unfortunate enough to get paired with her. It was really too bad as she like her genin and wouldn't have minded going easy on them. Well, it was just their luck that they could blame.
'Oh, that's a surprise.'
Either Shisui was the most reckless genin of them all, or he realized something. Before the Yamanaka head could explain what was happening, Shisui, with Iruka and Yamato, walked past him and waited for the final hour. Even if it was a bit early, the Yamanaka head probably realized this was the best time to speak.
"Soon you will realize that you are feeling better," Yamanaka said, gathering everyone's attention. "There is nothing more to it. I lied about the poison's lasting effects. This test wasn't designed to eliminate you, but to test your trust in your comrades. Some of your teammates are still looking for a cure to help you. And you are here, waiting, trusting them to return. But it isn't needed. There is no cure. The poison was created to last less than a day. Everyone can pass the first test and continue."
"What do you mean?"
Anko couldn't help but smile at the terrified faces of those who had abandoned their teammates. She was sure those bastards would pay for their actions—and not by her hand, but by their teammates'. Well, it was their village's fault for fostering such an uncooperative environment.
"Just as I said, soon those who were sick will feel better. And as long as they still wish to, they may pass. We have no obligation to answer your questions or clarify your concerns. In less than an hour, the test will end."
It was all part of the test for the Yamanaka to turn a cold shoulder to them. For them to feel uncomfortable. After all, they all must realize this wasn't their home. And the first mistake they made was thinking that Konoha owed them something.
Well, Anko didn't care much anyway. She only waited for her time to do her job. Still, she noticed how carefully Yamanka analyzed every genin. He wasn't the head of the Intelligence Division for nothing. He probably already memorized a few faces and information about them to present to the Third and keep an eye on them at a later time.
"What is this pathetic sight before my eyes?" And there, the second proctor entered. "All I see are little pups who think they're ready to run with the big dogs. Pathetic. Anyway, I am Tsume Inuzuka, and I'll be overseeing the second test. The test of survival."
"Survival?" a genin from Ame asked.
"Shut your trap, kid," Tsume snapped. "You pathetic bunch—leaving behind your teammates—you think you're tough enough to handle everything on your own, huh?"
"Heh," to Anko's surprise, the genin didn't back down. "I am, bitch. I don't need your pathetic sort to tell me anything. My teammates and I aren't here to play games. We're here to show how stuck-up you all from the Great Five Nations are. We came to crush you. Betraying—and even killing—each other is just part of being a shinobi."
"Huh? You talk big for a pup. But if you want me to listen, you'll have to prove you're worth hearing. Anyway, as I said before this pup started yapping—the next test is survival. Only sixteen of you will pass. You'll enter the Forty-Fourth Training Grounds. You'll spend the next five days there—or until only sixteen of you remain. You can do anything. And if you want to surrender, you'll be given a red flare. Just light it, and someone will come and disqualify you. And since this little pup is so tough, he won't need one, right?"
"Heh, of course not."
Anko wondered how much he would regret that decision. The fool hadn't realized it yet, but he just made himself the biggest target. And he had no one to rely on. If he didn't have the strength to face the consequences of his words, he might be killed.
A.N. A day early, because I will be too busy and will not be able to post tomorrow.
As always, thanks for reading and supporting me, so I can continue writing without any concerns, and if you want more, up to 7 more chapters and 28 chapters in total with all my other stories, you can support me on pa treon. com \ ironwolf852.