The third stage of the Chūnin Exam, nicknamed "Forest of Death."
Official designation: Team Survival Trial.
Rules: 32 examinees, 16 two-man cells, each carrying either Heaven or Earth scroll. Reach the central tower within 48 hours; hand in a matching pair to pass.
Scrolls may be stolen, combat allowed, deaths permitted.
—This time, a rift gate is quietly scheduled to open deep inside the forest.I Eve of Entry: β's InvitationThree hours before start, Konoha back-hills.
Moonlight flowed over Jack's compression-chamber pendant like liquid countdown while he checked gear alone.Tree shadows warped; black-robe β stepped out, voice echoing through crack-waves: "Meeting again, Sync No. 02. The forest is vast—care to cooperate?""Cooperate how?" Jack's fingers already hooked a tool pouch."Help me find 'Subject No. 03,' and I'll freeze your countdown at '6 years'—permanently." β raised a palm; an "♾️" symbol rotated like a dial.System alarm: 「High-risk temptation! Accept = main-branch shift, refuse = hostility locked」"I prefer setting my own clock." Jack's golden thread shot for β's throat— passed through after-image; β dissolved into crack-light, leaving only laughter: "Game starts—don't die too fast."II Team Assignment: Temporary AllianceOdd head-count forced examiners to reshuffle:Jack + Haruno Sakura (med) = Temporary Cell 16Sasuke + Naruto in another cell—mission: protect scroll & observe JackSakura whispered: "Sensors picked 'unknown energy' inside. Extra caution." Jack thought: readings = the walking bomb in my chest.III KM 30 · Rift Gate: Forest HeartbeatSix hours in, thunderstorm. Ground trembled; threads pointed north—3 km.He excused "recon," reached a swamp clearing: a ten-metre rift gate stood vertical, black torii fragments floating round the rim like a shredded shrine. Inside, dark-gold gears rotated, ticking in sync with his pocket-watch.System tag: 「Secondary Gate · A-class (illicit open) Controller: ??? Purpose: hunt high-sync subjects」"Hunt?" A chill ran down his neck. Golden tentacles shot out, wrapped a nearby bear—desiccated in seconds, soul dragged blue into the gate.IV Mid-battle: β's "Gift"β's voice echoed through rain: "Sample delivery—please sign."Tentacles split into six, redirecting at Sakura! Jack body-blocked—back torn, blood spattering water. The female whisper surged: "Blood… sacrifice… the gate hungers…"He bit his tongue, pain vs illusion, and stuffed tentacles back while sealing: "Sealing Art: Spiral Cage!" Threads wove a torii, compressed the gate to 1 m, forced shut.System: 「Secondary gate closed Reward: ①DP 200 ②Gate-compression EXP +30%
Side: mental contamination +3%, countdown -6 hours」Sakura arrived, saw golden motes floating, Jack's wound ghastly. "Hold still—first aid!" Her Mystical Palm glowed, sensing alien energy. "This isn't normal chakra damage…" Jack managed a smile: "Don't tell anyone, okay?" She hesitated, then nodded: "But you will tell the Hokage yourself."V Central Tower: Early ArrivalAfter shutting the gate, forest energy plummeted; sensors misread as "natural dissipation." Hour 18, Jack & Sakura reached the tower, handed in scrolls—first cell to pass. Applause erupted, mingled with whispers: "Space ninjutsu again?" "Who is that guy?"VI ANBU Interrogation: Black-Light TruthTower inner chamber, joint ANBU & Sealing Corps inquiry: "Monitor pillar blacked—explain." Jack recited pre-script: "Family wind + lightning combo, instant heat caused sensor error." Probe re-check: no rift residue. Warning: "Next time—forced disqualification."Leaving, his back was soaked—pendant had converged fluctuations 0.5s before probe, saving him but burning 12h life. The watch ticked: 「6 years 357 days 06 h」VII Epilogue: β's ScoreboardDeep night, dorm rooftop. β leaned against a chimney, juggling an "♾️" score-coin, watching a horse-race. "Second stage over, Sync No. 02,
you closed my gate,
yet locked yourself—
into a bigger cage."He flicked the coin; crack-light formed new numbers: 「03 Candidacy: 02↑ 01↓」Under moonlight Jack looked up, threads burning faintly in his chest. —The main exam hadn't started; he'd already lost a day of life for scars and a larger target.
But he'd confirmed β's ability: open A-class secondary gates at will, and deliver them as "gifts".
Next time the gift might not be a gate—but a death date.