Graduating to Genin

I arrived at the Training Grounds, standing infront of my mentor-Takumi. I eyed my mentor and waved at him before saying, "Hello sensei. I have arrived here to take my Genin Exam, i trust you are aware of that?".

I walked foward, holding out my hand for a hand-shake. It had been very long since i had failed my last genin exams, and in order to become a shinobi, i would HAVE to pass this one.

I turned to face him, unsure of how this would unfold, and took his hand. "I hope you do well today, this will reflect well on you if you succeed. I trust the written portion of the exam went smoothly?"

I ask as I turn towards the others, setting up the final portion of the exam out in the middle of the training field. I shudder and think to myself, "If he get's past that, then he'll truly be a Genin.. these new exams.. glad I took my before this new system."

Out on the field, traps and walls are being placed and several other ninja are gearing up and entering the maze.

I nodded, reflecting on my written exam. Even though the questions were difficult, i had only gotten 2 questions wrong, which was good by my standards. Nodding, i said "Yes indeed, they went smoothly. I only hope the same will be said for this part of the exam, sensei."

I bowed and walked over to the others, entering the line of Academy students which had suddenly been formed. I stood still, waiting for my sensei to explain the rules.

I looked at my competition, wondering who the strong ones might possibly be. THEY would have the highest chance of survival.

"Welcome to the final part of your Genin examinations and congratulations; Those of you standing here have passed your written exams." I wave my hand over the academy students for emphasis.

"Now the hard part truly commences. You each will enter the maze behind me", Here i point to the maze which is nearly 600 meters wide and long. "We have lined this maze with all manor of traps and pitfalls, as well as some of last years chunin. Note though, the chunin are only there to set off some of the traps and to make sure no one is deathly injured. If you are you will be immediately evacuated and brought here for medical attention." I say, almost smiling at their faces, for the most part, pictures of dread. Now they may take this a little more seriously.

"Right then" I say pulling out a list, "who is first?" I read the first name and laugh. It takes me a minute to relax and get back into character. "You're up" I say pointing at my young friend. "Just enter through there and begin." I say point my thumb behind me. "Good luck."

I nodded, happy that i was the first one to enter the maze. As i stepped foward, i stopped, just barely behind my sensei-staring into the mase. "I SHALL pass" i said to myself and beleiving every word i said, for today i WOULD become a Genin, and i would not leave the maze until i had done well enough. "Good luck to you all" i said, looking at the other students who seemed abit frightened.

I entered the maze after a few steps, and after a few MORE steps, i could barely see the others behind me. It had begun-the TRUE test. I waited for something to happen.

"Kids gonna need every ounce of skill he's got", I though to myself, wondering if he'd make it. There are all manor of traps in there; explosive tags, pit-traps, log-falls, the chunin. Not to mention the maze itself, which is infuriatingly difficult to get through... Hope he makes it.

I stand waiting to either here the bell at the center, or a flare shoot up.

(the next few posts shall be from the perspective of chunin in the maze, important to note, the maze is set up like alleyways with stalls and such in them, providing and environment of a crowded city. Other parts have thick bamboo and some bushes.)

As i walked deeper and deeper into the mase-hoping not to get lost- i noticed a change. After about 5 minutes of walking, i arrived in what appeared to be an alleyway, and i saw a few stalls. "How strange this is" i mutter to myself, looking around for other people, but not finding anybody. I decided to exit the alley, only to come into a busy road-like area. As i walked more, i felt a tug at my leg. I looked down and, to my horror, i had just hit a wire. "Uh oh" i said, realising i had just activated a trap.

The doors of a pit opened up, revealing an uneven rock floor below. A chunin who had been monitoring him chuckled. "He'll never get through the maze like that.." He whispered shaking his head. "And Tak has such hope for him.."

The chunin walked along the wall and looked into the pit, and was surprised but what he saw.

Anticipating a trap, i managed to grab the edge of the trap door just before i fell into the pit. "That was indeed close" i said to myself, before hearing some footsteps from close by. I focused my chackra on my feet, allowing me to walk on the ceiling of the pit, a place were the Chunin couldn't see me. I heard him whisper something, although i could not quite make out what.

I quickly preformed handsigns and touched the ceiling, sinking into the ground.

Earth style-Hide like a mole jutsu

Now that i knew i was safe, i travelled in the ground for a few minutes until i could not hold my breath any longer. I came out from under the ground, finding myself in a sort of bamboo forest. "Where am i now?" i said to myself, "This is more like a village than a maze. Now, let us see if i can work out were to go."

A chunin further up had heard the trap trigger an now watched the student closely. "we are not to interfere" he thought to himself. "Only trigger certain traps and watch the students" He now sat observing from a Ramen House, where he wished this were a real Ramen House. "He's getting closer to the next stage, hope he makes it." The chunin thought wistfully, observing the fake grill with disinterest.

I suddenly found myself in the middle of several bamboo trees, and surrounding me were some bushes and shrubs. "This mase is quite interesting," i said to myself, looking around for any clues as to were i should go next, "it seems to be built to look like a village; not only does it have stalls and streets on the inside, but outside it looks just like the border's of Konoha. Quite interesting indeed."

I started moving, until i remembered the trap i nearly fell into earlier. It would probably be best to check for more traps, so i did excactly that: i picked up a stone and threw it a few metres foward. The moment it hit the ground, there was a large explosion. "Explosive tags," i said, covering my face from the dust, "I should have known-those are so vary common these days."

I decided it would be best if i travelled from above, as going underground might still trigger the explosives. Therefore, i jumped into a bamboo tree, focusing my chakra at my feet once again, and then i jumped to another, and then another.

"He's clever i'll give him that' Said the Chunin next to the trap activator, "let's see how he handles adversity. He activated the trap. from all around the would be Genin spears popped up from the floor and came back down in random order.

The spears shot up, and i was not prepared. One of them hit my shoulder and scarred it, but i managed to evade the others before i took any serious damage. "These traps," i said out loud, hoping that somebody may hear me, "Are very dangerous."

I jumped to the floor, realising that there were probably no more explosive tags. As i dropped down and looked into the horizen, i noticed something in the distance up ahead-the bell. I ran up to it, although being careful not to set off any traps. Once i arrived, i put my hand out to touch it, but stopped and sai, "This was too easy. Even if it was just to become genin, it was not difficult at all. There must be something else"

"Indeed their is." Said Takumi from behind him. However this wasn't takumi but a clone of takumi. "I have to say I'm impressed you made it this far", I said pulling out my bow and an arrow, a tag hung from it. "Now prove to me your worth being genin." I say, launching the arrow at him.

I turned to see the face of Takumi, my sensei. "Sens-" i could not finish as i saw the arrow fly towards my face. I ducked, barely being scratched by the arrow. I began to do handsigns before slamming my hands on the floor.

Earth Style-Flying Rock Knives

Instantly, 15 sharp stones shot out at Takumi and, as they did so, i said "I see, so i must battle you. Indeed, i have been waiting a long time for this oppertunity, sensei."

"Have you" The takumi clone said as the knives struck him, turning him to smoke. "Then you must be having a good day." He heard in unison as three others jump out, all firing arrows at him, all the arrows, explosive tagged.

As the arrows flew towards me, i countered them by throwing kunai, all of which met their targets. After doing so, i said, "Of course i am sensei. After all, this maze has been a very good experience for me, and i believe that the other soon-to-be Genin can say so aswell."

I jumped back, throwing 5 kunai at my sensei-which by now i had realized was not my sensei, but instead clone of my sensei, or rather, several clones. This would get difficult.

In order to be able to take on all 3 clones, i could only use 1 jutsu. I started doing handsings, before slamming my hands in the ground.

Earth Style-Earth Body

Then, a large portion of earth started to rise up like a spire. Then, it began to change shape into that of an armored knight wielding a sword. I began to loose consciusness, falling to the floor before waking up in the body of the knight.

"Now," i said, in a rather metallic and rusty voice, "It is time that i ended this!"

I jumped to the clones, swingin my large sword at one of them.

Chakra: 400/450

Two of the clones managed to dodge, but the third was not so lucky; cleaved in half he disappeared.
"Not a bad use of earth style jutsu... but can it stand up to my wind style?" They asked before pulling out arrows simultaneously and uttered "Wind style: Wind bolt jutsu" They both cried, using half their own chakara to launch the attack.

The arrows flied, coated with wind style chakara. They could punch through solid trees, however stone would prove a more difficult opponent.

Knowing that-although the earth body would be pierced by the arrows-i would feel no pain from the attack, i stood still and braced myself for the impact of the arrows. As the first 2 hit the body, leaving holes in it, i managed to grab them moments before they flew through it and hit my body.

As the next wave of arrows flew towards me, i swung my sword with such force that i shot a minature wave of wind that slowed the arrows down just before they hit the body. By doing so, i reduced the power of the arrows so that they did not destroy the body.

I took out the arrows from the body, picking up my sword after doing so, and got ready to attack.

Charging at the clones with the sword in my hand, i swung my sword several times at the clones, hoping to eliminate most of them with as little hits as possible.

Pulling out daggers infused with wind nature chakra the clones defended themselves, but the force from the blows of the sword caused them to disperse till none were left.

"Not bad" announced a chunin looking down from one of the walls. "I think we can give you a pass. However, don't let that go to your head. I think he was going easy on you" He said before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

I heard the voice of the chunin but i did not bother turning around- high-ranked ninja usually tend to disappear right after speaking, and that was excactly what this particular chunin did.

Sighing, i began to walk away, before realising i had been left in the middle of a mase full of traps, and that my sensei was probably sitting on a comfy chair, drinking and eating, having forgotten all about me AND-but then i sighed, and began walking towards the what i thought to be the exit.

Topic Finished