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Far from the battleground where Inoiki had just faced Orochimaru, he came to a stop on a sturdy tree branch. He gently set Team 7 down, his movements steady despite the strain he felt from the fight.
His eyes scanned the group briefly before he spoke. "This is as far as I can take you. From here, it's up to you to secure the scroll you need—be it Heaven or Earth—and qualify for the second round of the Chunin Exams." His voice was calm but carried a firmness that left no room for argument.
Sakura stepped forward, her hands trembling slightly from the lingering fear of their encounter. "Thank you, Inoiki," she said, her voice soft but earnest.
Sasuke, though stoic as ever, gave a curt nod. "Thanks," he said simply, his gaze briefly meeting Inoiki's.
Naruto, however, was far less composed. "Hey, wait a second!" he blurted out, his face scrunched in confusion. "What's going on? What just happened back there?"
Inoiki glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "They'll explain it to you," he replied, gesturing subtly toward Sasuke and Sakura. Without waiting for further questions, he turned away.
His body began to lift into the air, enveloped in a faint, sky-blue aura of Psychokinesis. The light shimmered as he floated higher, and in a blur of motion, he shot off toward the tower at the center of the Forest of Death.
The journey didn't take long, but each passing moment weighed heavily on Inoiki. His chakra reserves were dangerously low, and exhaustion gnawed at his body with every movement. By the time he reached the tower, his breaths were ragged, and his head felt heavy.
Landing in front of the imposing structure, he entered the designated room where participants were required to submit both the Heaven and Earth scrolls. The space was quiet, almost eerily so, as if the tower itself were holding its breath in anticipation.
As soon as he stepped inside, Inoiki's legs gave way, and he sank to the ground, his back resting against the cool wall. His chest heaved as he tried to steady his breathing. Finally, he let go of the Psychokinesis he had been using to sustain himself throughout the ordeal.
The shimmering, sky-blue light that had cloaked his body faded completely, leaving his surroundings dim. His hair, which had been floating unnaturally in the aura, settled back against his shoulders as if a heavy weight had been lifted.
For the first time in what felt like hours, Inoiki allowed himself to close his eyes, even if only for a moment. The exhaustion he had been holding at bay now enveloped him fully. But despite his fatigue, a faint smile tugged at his lips.
The first thing Inoiki did upon catching his breath was pull out the Heaven and Earth scrolls from his pouch. With shaky hands, he unsealed each one and carefully placed them on the ground. As the scrolls unfurled, their inscriptions glowed faintly, activating the summoning technique sealed within.
A sudden burst of smoke filled the room, billowing outward with a sharp hiss. From the cloud emerged Izumo, his figure materializing as the smoke began to dissipate.
Izumo wore a faint smile, his confidence in Inoiki evident. He had expected nothing less than success from the young shinobi. In fact, he had been prepared to greet Inoiki with a hearty laugh and congratulations, knowing full well that no Genin could pose a real threat to him.
But the sight before him wiped the smile from his face.
Izumo's expression turned to one of alarm as he saw Inoiki sitting slumped against the wall, his body battered and bruised, his exhaustion unmistakable. Without hesitation, Izumo rushed to his side, kneeling next to him with concern etched on his face.
"Inoiki! Are you alright?" Izumo asked anxiously, scanning his injuries. "How did you get this hurt? With your strength, this round of the Chunin Exams should've been a breeze for you! I even thought you'd be one of the first to arrive at the tower. When the Suna siblings got here ahead of you, I figured you were just taking your time, messing around like you usually do. But..." He paused, his voice dropping. "I never imagined I'd find you ."
Inoiki took a deep breath, his voice steady despite the pain. "I was attacked by Orochimaru," he said. "He was disguised as a Kusagakure ninja. At first, I thought he might be one of Orochimaru's subordinates, but..." He exhaled heavily, his eyes narrowing. "It was him. Orochimaru himself."
Izumo froze, his eyes wide with shock. "What?! Orochimaru?" he repeated, his voice laced with disbelief. "He's infiltrated the exams? He's mixed in with the candidates?"
Inoiki gave a small nod. "He's here," he confirmed. "And he's dangerous."
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