The second stage was held in the Forest of Death, northwest of Konoha.
Senju Tobirama had recently designated the areas as a training ground.
The craters and valleys left behind by Hashirama and Madara's legendary battle had created a natural arena, perfect for testing survival instincts.
Some areas were modified.
Others remained untouched.
The exam would take place in one of the untouched zones, home to poisonous beasts, insects, and hostile plant life.
A jonin in light purple combat armor appeared in a blur of shunshin.
"I am Shimura Nesuke, in charge of the second stage. This is a survival exam."
He held out a handful of medals in green, blue, purple, and black, each etched with the Konoha symbol.
"These represent 1, 2, 3, and 7 points respectively."
He flipped them to show the numbers.
Then he raised a Red Konoha Medal.
"These are worth 10 points. Each of you will be assigned one, numbered from 1 to 37."
The genin fell silent.
They understood.
The exam lasts three days. At the end, the top 10 genin will be selected. If you lose your red medal, you're disqualified."
He paused.
"Lastly, You'll be placed into random teams of three. Because there are 37 of you, two teams will only have two members."
"What! That's not fair!"
"Yeah, two-man teams are clearly at a disadvantage!"
"SILENCE!"
Shimura Nesuke's voice cut through the noise.
"Do you think enemies will be fair on the battlefield? Will they match your numbers out of courtesy? Nonsense! Luck and unfairness is part of being a ninja. Adapt. Turn disadvantages into advantages."
He gestured to a box with a narrow opening.
"Draw your lot. This will determine your team."
One by one, the genin stepped forward.
Thirteen teams were formed.
Shinichi drew his lot.
Team 13.
His lips slightly arched into a confident smirk.
His team was one of the two two-man cells.
"Perfect."
---
A 12-year-old kunoichi with long brown hair that brushed just below her shoulders approached Shinichi, holding the number 13 lot in her hand. Her brown eyes sparkled with energy. She wore a grey mesh shirt beneath a short-sleaved white kimono with the Senju emblem stitched proudly on her back. Her Konoha forehead protector sat neatly across her brow.
"Hello! Uchiha Shinichi, right? I'm Senju Kaya! I'm two years older than you, so you can call me Kaya-neechan! You're so cute! Why are all Uchiha so good-looking? Well, most of them. Not that bitch Uchiha Keiko!"
Shinichi inwardly winced.
'Are Senju always this energetic? Was the Second Hokage like this when he was young too?'
From experience, Shinichi had learned that most young Senju clansmen were full of enthusiasm. Not all, but certainly enough to make a pattern.
"Nice to meet you, Kaya-san. I'm Uchiha Shinichi. Please take good care of me."
"Heh~, so formal! That's cute too. Huhuhu. Well, take good care of me as well, Shin-kun!"
"…"
A proctor's voice rang out.
"Now that teams are assigned, you'll be guided to your starting points. Once you arrive, the second exam begins. Disperse. And good luck!"
***
Shinichi and Kaya stood atop one of the tallest trees in the Forest of Death, surveying the terrain.
"Let's introduce ourselves again," Kaya said. "I'm Senju Kaya. I specialize in taijutsu and can use water and earth release for both offense and defense."
"I'm Uchiha Shinichi. I'm proficient in shurikenjutsu and kenjutsu. I also use genjutsu, and fire and lightning style ninjutsu."
He didn't reveal everything.
Shinichi was confident that he could solo every genin in the exam, but there was no need to stand out. The title of "Uchiha Genius Child" was enough for now. Better to progress slowly, build connections, and avoid unnecessary attention.
"As expected of Uchiha Prince! I'll take the vanguard, and you can support me with long-range attacks!"
"…Uchiha Prince?"
Shinichi blinked, staring at her.
"Oh? You didn't know? You were a celebrity in the early Academy years! And since Senju has our Tsuna-Hime, you became the prince! It's a pity we weren't in the same grade. Or maybe not? If I was, I might not be here taking the Chunin Exam with you. Hmm…"
Kaya tilted her head and tapped her lips with her finger, imagining alternate timelines.
"…Let's forget the titles and focus on the task."
"Heh~~~~~ Okay~!"
"...."
****
For two days, Shinichi and Kaya moved through the forest, collecting medals.
Green medals were hidden in caves, high vantage points, and ideal ambush zones. Blue and purple metals were attached to beasts and insects. Difficult for a genin, but manageable for a coordinated team.
'Green medals mark strategic terrain. Blue and purple simulate above average genin-level threats. Then the black medals…'
Just as Shinichi was piecing together the pattern, Kaya signaled a halt.
Ahead, about one klick away, three genin lay tied and injured.
Shinichi scanned the area.
A chunin proctor sat on a branch above, a black medal hanging from his neck.
"They were defeated," Kaya whispered. "Do you think we have a chance?"
"We don't need to defeat him. Just snatch the medal and leave."
Kaya nodded.
"You're right! We just need the medal, not his life."
"…Life?"
"My dad says I'm already at chunin level! I could totally beat him!"
"…Let's ambush and take the medal. No need to waste energy."
Kaya sighed dramatically. But she recovered quickly.
"Heng. Fine. But if we succeed, you're taking me to Uchiha Gourmet for dinner! Make sure to invite Sakumo-san too!"
Her figures flickered away even before hearing Shinichi's response.
'I never agreed to that.'
Still, her energy was relentless.
'Shin-kun, Shin-chan… I've known her for two days.'
Shinichi shook his head.
'She's more extreme than any Senju I've met. I'd rather go solo. But we're being watched.'
Shinichi glanced at the distant shrub about 100 meters away as he guessed,
'A jonin-level chakra nearby. It seems every team is being evaluated by one. The next stage might not even exist.'
Shinichi quickly caught up with Kaya.
"Alright. I'll cast a genjutsu. Kaya-san, you grab the medal."
"Okay! But can you call me Kaya-chan? Or Kaya-nee?"
"Kaya-san."
"…Hing."
Shinichi activated his Sharingan and closed his distance, locking eyes with the proctor.
The genjutsu took hold.
Kaya dashed forward, snatching the medal, and returned with a grin.
Then they approached the unconscious genin.
"What do we do with them, Shin-kun?"
"…Take their medals. If they couldn't handle one proctor, they're not ready. Let them train and try again next time."
"Heh~ I see. Let's take their loot then!"
They collected the medals, untied the genin, and placed them in a safe location.
Shinichi glanced at the canopy above with a sigh.
Kaya was a competent kunoichi, but her energy drained him.
***
The sun filtered through the dense canopy, casting shifting shadows across the forest floor.
Shinichi and Kaya crouched behind a thicket of thorned vines, observing a clearing where Team 7 had set up camp.
Three genin. Three red medals. And a perimeter of traps – cleverly hidden, but not clever enough.
Shinichi's Sharingan flickered.
"They've layered tripwires with chakra-sensitive seals," he murmured. "Standard formation. We could bait them out with a clone and flank from the east."
Kaya didn't respond immediately.
Instead, she pulled out a small scroll and unfurled it, revealing a rough sketch of the terrain they'd passed earlier.
"I think we should wait," she said.
Shinichi raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
Kaya pointed to a narrow ravine about 200 meters west of the clearing.
"They're not just guarding their camp. They're funneling movement. That ravine is a choke point. If we approach from the east, we'll trigger their outer seal net. But if we wait until sunset, the wind shifts. The scent trail from their food cache will drift toward the ravine."
She looked up, eyes sharp.
"They'll send someone to investigate. That's when we strike – not the camp, but the scout. Divide and conquer. Isolate the scout, interrogate him. Then collapse the formation."
Shinichi blinked.
'She mapped the terrain, tracked wind patterns, and predicted movement.'
He stared at her for a moment longer.
"You planned this?"
Kaya grinned.
"I'm not just a loudmouth, you know. My dad's a strategist. I grew up watching him plan missions. I like puzzles."
Shinichi nodded slowly.
'Perhaps, I misjudged her. Her energy might be a facade camouflaging her edge.'
"Alright," he nodded. "Let's wait. You take the lead on this one."
Kaya's grin widened.
"Finally! Shin-kun is letting me be the boss!"
"Don't push it."
"Okay okay! Tactical commander Kaya reporting for duty!"
Shinichi allowed himself a small bitter smile.
'She's unpredictable. But she's sharp. Maybe this team isn't so bad after all.'
***
The wind shifted
Just as Kaya had predicted, the scent trail from Team 7's food cache drifted westward, toward the narrow ravine. The forest grew quieter, shadows stretching long across the underbrush.
Shinichi and Kaya crouched in silence, hidden beneath a thick veil of foliage. Kaya had already laid a thin line of tripwire across the ravine's edge, camouflaged with fallen leaves and chakra-dampening moss.
Shinichi's Sharingan flickered.
'movement ahead. One scout as predicted. He's cautious, but not cautious enough.'
The genin from Team 7 crept toward the ravine, kunai drawn, eyes scanning the terrain. He paused near the edge, right where Kaya had predicted.
A faint snap.
The tripwire triggered a small burst of smoke, not loud enough to alert the camp, but enough to disorient the scout.
Kaya flowed through.
Her footwork was precise, her chakra control tight. She struck the scout's wrist, disarming him, then swept his legs with a low kick. Before he hit the ground, she had already pinned him.
Shinichi emerged from the shadows.
The scout struggled, then froze as Shinichi's Sharingan locked onto his eyes.
"Where are the other two?" Shinichi asked.
"Still at camp," the scout muttered. "They're guarding the perimeter.'
Kaya leaned in.
"Thanks. Now sleep"
She tapped his neck with a pressure point strike. He slumped.
Shinichi stared at her.
'That was… efficient.'
Kaya turned, brushing a leaf from her shoulder.
"Now we collapse the formation. I'll circle east and trigger their seal net. You wait for the distraction, then grab the medals."
Shinichi hesitated.
"You planned all this?"
Kaya grinned.
"I told you. I like puzzles."
***
Minutes later.
A sudden burst of chakra flared from the eastern perimeter.
Team 7 scrambled, two genin rushing toward the disturbance.
Shinichi moved.
He bypassed the seals, slipped into the camp, and snatched their medals form their stash. By the time the genin returned, he was gone.
Back at the rendezvous point, Kaya was already waiting, arms crossed, smirking.
"Well?"
Shinichi handed her two Red Medals.
"You were right. That was clean."
Kaya winked.
"Of course I was. You're not the only prodigy in this forest, Shin-kun."
Shinichi looked at her.
'She's not just energetic. She's dangerous. In the best way.'
He nodded.
"Next time, you lead."
Kaya's eyes lit up.
"Finally! Tactical commander Kaya is officially promoted!"
Shinichi allowed himself a rare smile.
'This team might be unpredictable… but it works.'