𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 𝐓𝐎 𝐁𝐀𝐂𝐊 | 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐮𝐭𝐨 [HEAVY EDITING]

𝟐𝟎 | 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐨𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐚

The second Sakura comes into mine, Sasuke's and Naruto's vision from the front of the Academy, my body coincidentally starts aching. Maybe it's from last nights' skirmish. I'm too sore to tell, or care.

"Good morning, Sakura," I greet as she comes up to us. "You're a bit late today, huh?"

"U-Uh, right," and she laughs apologetically. "Sorry, guys." Very briefly, I catch a strange expression on her face before it'd melted away. It only reminds me of the question I'd wanted to ask them all since yesterday. Had that strange Ninja attacked them, too? Did he have accomplices helping him out? He'd disappeared after I'd done what I'd done – were they clones? Had it only been me that was attacked? Or were the other participants of the exam involved, too?

"G-Good morning, Sasuke," Sakura says, and from in between his bangs, he looks to her and offers a single nod.

Finally all back together, we make our way into the Academy, moving slowly up the staircase until we finally reach our floor. I'd yawned, nearly tripping from having an unwilling consciousness, but I manage to stay on my feet, though just barely.

Up ahead of us, a large group of what I guess are the other Genin stand near the door we're supposed to enter. They're talking amongst themselves, staring nervously to the door, leaning into each other and whispering question that don't seem to be getting answers. Then, there's the crack of someone's knuckles connecting with another person's body, followed by a loud grunt, several gasps of worry, and something heavy falling to the ground.

"You're taking the Chūnin Exams but you can't even get past us?" a voice says.

"Why don't you give up now before you get hurt?" a second suggests.

"Yeah, I think I hear your mommy callin' ya!"

We make an attempt to push our way to the front, but the crowd is too dense, too crowded to get through without having to exert much effort.

"Please let us through!" a girl calls. "We're supposed to go in there." The same sounds repeat themselves. Sasuke reaches forward and grabs one of the Genin out of the way, making a path.

"Do you think it's a joke?" Two male Ninja, who I can only assume are the ones who've been speaking, stand in front of the door we're supposed to get through. "Chūnin are qualified to lead missions. The lives of your squad members are in your hands; you better be tough enough to take the heat, 'cause delicate little girls don't belong here."

"You won't pass anyway, so why don't you go home and play with your dolls?" the others adds.

"Real nice speech," Sasuke says with a scoff. "Now both of you, step aside and let me through." He steps forward, only a few feet away from getting in their faces. "And while you're at is, reverse the Genjutsu. We can see through your illusion, anyway." I blink, surprised. "We're going to the third floor."