Chapter 55: The Meaning of the Scroll
Both the reformed Team 8 and Aizen, as a solo participant, now possessed a complete set of Heaven and Earth scrolls. Their mission was perfectly accomplished. All that remained was to reach the central tower in the heart of the Forest of Death to officially pass the second exam.
"You know, Aizen, it's seriously impressive that you held onto both scrolls by yourself," Kiba said, giving a genuine thumbs-up. He added with a grimace, "If I were on my own, I'd have been taken out ages ago."
Aizen shook his head with a modest sigh. "If you three hadn't arrived when you did, I wouldn't have been able to keep them. I probably would have been eliminated. So, truly, thank you." He offered a gentle smile, his eyes sincere, perfectly selling his gratitude.
"You are too humble, Aizen," Shino stated, his voice firm. "We will always be members of Team 8. We are partners, and partners are to be trusted."
The four shared a look of mutual understanding and camaraderie before turning as one to continue their journey toward the tower.
The rest of their trek was uneventful. They encountered no significant resistance. The most powerful teams, like Gaara's, had already cleared the exam, leaving behind only those who had lost their scrolls or were hiding—none of whom posed a threat to the combined strength of the four Konoha genin.
After half an hour of steady travel, they reached their destination: the Tower.
It was a imposing structure, soaring seven stories into the sky. Its ancient, weathered stonework exuded a heavy, solemn atmosphere.
Seeing the tower, Kiba, Hinata, and Shino couldn't contain their excitement, letting out cheers of relief and triumph. Reaching this point meant they were safe; they had one foot already through the door to becoming chunin. All that remained was to excel in the third exam's preliminary and final rounds.
"This feeling is amazing!" Kiba exclaimed, his fighting spirit burning bright. "I hope we all make it to the very end! All four of us becoming chunin together!"
"Calm down, Kiba," Aizen said with a light chuckle, effectively steering the excitement toward the next step. "Let's open the scrolls together first."
"Right!"
The four nodded in unison, their anticipation building as they slowly unrolled their scrolls.
What they found inside, however, was not what they expected.
Whether it was the Heaven scroll or the Earth scroll, each one displayed a single, large kanji:
人 (Hito - Person)
The four members of Team 8 stared, completely baffled. According to Proctor Anko, weren't the scrolls supposed to contain Konoha's confidential information? Why was there just a single character meaning "Person"?
Just as they stood there in confused silence, the kanji on the scrolls began to glow with a soft light.
Poof!
A thick, white mist erupted from the scrolls, filling the immediate area. Within the mist, a humanoid figure began to take shape, its form hazy at first.
"You've done well, children," a clear, melodious voice rang out from the fog, a voice they heard almost every day. "To see you all here, safe and sound, means you've passed without any major issues."
A graceful figure stepped out of the dissipating mist. She had flawless skin, a beautiful face, and a curvaceous, well-proportioned figure that commanded attention.
It was Kurenai.
"Kurenai-sensei?!" Hinata, Kiba, and Shino gasped in unison. They had never imagined that the "person" written on the scroll would literally summon their sensei.
"The fact that you can see me here is proof that all four of you have successfully passed the second exam," Kurenai said, her expression warm as she looked over her students. "This experience in the Forest of Death has made your teamwork even more seamless than before."
She smiled proudly. "This is the very purpose of this exam. It forces you to experience survival in a desperate situation. The outside world is cruel and bloody, unlike the carefree days at the Ninja Academy. Only by relying on the strength of your partners can you hope to persevere." Her gaze swept over each of them. "Fortunately, you have lived up to my expectations and made it here. Therefore, I declare that you have officially passed the second exam!"
"Yosh!" The four of them cheered, their excitement bubbling over.
"However," Kurenai's tone turned serious, "the third exam is the final one. You must be prepared to push yourselves to your absolute limits."
"Don't worry, Kurenai-sensei!" Kiba declared, thumping his chest. "We're confident in our strength! We'll definitely make it all the way!"
The atmosphere around Team 8 was one of harmonious joy and shared triumph.
Elsewhere, in a secluded, shadowy corner of the forest, a very different scene was unfolding.
The three Sound ninja stood trembling before a tall, imposing figure, their hearts filled with a mixture of terror and worship.
"Well? Have you completed the task I assigned you?" The voice was cold, sibilant, and utterly merciless, like a snake slithering through dead leaves. It sent chills down their spines.
"My lord, the mission to gather intelligence on Aizen Sōsuke is complete," Zaku said, his voice trembling slightly as he pulled out a small card from his vest. "This is the ninja info card with all his details."
He held it out reverently.
The figure standing before them was a man of terrifying reputation and profound power.
The former Konoha Sannin, Orochimaru.