Rain pattered against the windows of the tower, a gentle rhythm that belied the chaos of the Forest of Death outside.
The group moved slowly through the entrance hall, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. Sasuke led the way, Indra still on his back despite weak protests that he could walk.
Sayaka and Chinen followed closely, supporting each other despite their injuries. Behind them came Team 10, with Ino constantly glancing worriedly at Indra, while Shikamaru - walking with Choji next to him - analyzed their surroundings.
Sakura brought up the rear, helping a still-unconscious Naruto.
"There should be a room where we can show our scrolls," Sasuke stated, scanning the hallway ahead. His voice remained even, though the blood covering his clothes had begun to dry, flaking off with each step.
They found a suitable chamber shortly afterward - a simple, rectangular room with a large scroll hanging on the far wall. The inscription was cryptic:
"If qualities of Heaven are your desire, acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. If Earthly qualities are what you lack, train your body and prepare to attack."
"When Heaven and Earth are opened together, the perilous path becomes righteous forever. This... something... is the secret way that guides us from this place today."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Choji asked, munching nervously on his last bag of chips.
Shikamaru studied the inscription with narrowed eyes. "It's missing a word... looks deliberate."
"It's a riddle about the scrolls," Indra said weakly from Sasuke's back. The group turned to him as Sasuke carefully lowered him to sit against the wall. "Heaven represents the mind, Earth the body. We need to open both scrolls together."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You figured that out quickly."
"It's logical," Indra replied with a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed his exhaustion. "The missing word is probably 'person' or 'shinobi.' Someone who balances mental and physical strength becomes complete."
"Makes sense," Shikamaru nodded, impressed despite himself. "The Heaven scroll symbolizes mental abilities - intelligence, wisdom, strategy. The Earth scroll represents physical strength and endurance."
Ino looked between the two teams. "So we all open our scrolls at the same time?"
"Might as well," Sasuke agreed, retrieving Team 7's scrolls from his pouch while Shikamaru did the same for Team 10.
Sayaka, still standing protectively near Indra, produced their team's scrolls from her own pouch. "We're ready."
On Sasuke's count, all three teams broke the seals and unrolled their scrolls simultaneously. Smoke immediately began pouring from the parchment.
"Summoning jutsu! Drop the scrolls!" Shikamaru warned.
The genin complied just as three distinct popping sounds echoed through the chamber. When the smoke cleared, three chunin stood before them - Iruka, Izumo, and Kotetsu.
"Well," Iruka began with a smile that quickly faded as he took in their battered appearance. His eyes widened at the blood covering Sasuke and the obvious injuries on the others. "What in the world happened to all of you?"
"Long story," Sasuke replied curtly.
Iruka's concerned gaze moved from team to team, lingering particularly on Naruto's unconscious form and the strange marks visible on both Sasuke and Indra's necks. "You all need medical attention immediately."
"Are we the first to arrive?" Indra asked, attempting to stand but wincing as pain shot through his body.
"No," Kotetsu answered, moving to help support him. "Another arrived a few hours ago. They completed the exam in record time - less than two hours after it began."
Indra sighed, his expression a mixture of resignation and dark amusement. "Let me guess... it was Gaara's team."
"Yes," Izumo confirmed, looking surprised. "You know them?"
"We've met," Indra replied dryly.
Iruka clapped his hands once, bringing everyone's attention back to him. "Congratulations on passing the second exam, especially in your... condition. You've arrived on the first day, which is exceptional. You'll have four full days to rest before the exam concludes."
He gestured toward a hallway leading deeper into the tower. "There are medical facilities and rooms prepared for qualifying teams. Let's get you all treated first."
As they followed Iruka through the tower's winding corridors, the atmosphere remained tense.
Sasuke refused to leave Indra's side, his eyes constantly scanning for potential threats despite being in the relative safety of the tower.
They had just reached the medical wing when three jōnin instructors appeared - Kakashi, Asuma, and Yua - all wearing expressions of concern that deepened when they saw the state of their students.
"What happened?" Yua demanded, moving immediately to Indra's side and examining him.
"Orochimaru," Sasuke answered before anyone else could speak, his voice hard as steel.
The name sent a visible shock through the three jōnin. Kakashi's visible eye widened, Asuma's cigarette fell from his lips, and Yua's hand instinctively moved toward her weapon pouch.
"Inside," Kakashi ordered, his usual lazy demeanor completely gone. "Now."
The medical bay was sterile and bright, with several beds separated by curtains. Medical-nin worked efficiently, treating the various injuries while the jōnin instructors gathered in a corner, speaking in hushed tones.
Indra sat on the edge of a bed, his shirt removed as a medic examined the curse mark on his neck.
Sasuke occupied the next bed over, receiving similar treatment. Naruto had finally regained consciousness and was loudly complaining about missing all the action, while Sakura tried to explain what had happened.
"So you're saying the creepy snake guy attacked Indra too?" Naruto asked, his voice carrying across the room. "And gave them weird tattoos?"
"They're not tattoos, you idiot," Sasuke muttered, wincing as the medic probed the mark on his neck.
Shikamaru, who had been observing everything, finally spoke up. "Something doesn't add up. Why would one of the legendary Sannin attack genin during the Chunin Exams? What could he possibly gain?"
"Our eyes," Indra answered simply, his gaze meeting Sasuke's briefly. "The Sharingan is a prize many would kill for."
The conversation halted as the three jōnin approached, their expressions grave.
"We need to know exactly what happened," Kakashi said, pulling up a chair between Sasuke and Indra's beds. "Start from the beginning."
For the next hour, they recounted their encounters with Orochimaru.
Sasuke described how a woman with an impossibly long tongue had separated him from his team before revealing himself as Orochimaru and attacking.
The fight had been brief and one-sided, ending with the curse mark.
"He was testing me," Sasuke concluded. "Like I was some kind of experiment."
All eyes turned to Indra, who had been silent during Sasuke's account. After a moment, he began his own story - the devastating battle, his desperate attempts to protect his teammates, and finally, the curse mark.
"The one who attacked me was the original," Indra explained. "He did something... disturbing. When I managed to injure him, he shed his skin like a snake, emerging completely healed."
"Living Corpse Reincarnation," Kakashi murmured, his expression dark. "A forbidden technique."
"So the one who attacked Sasuke was a clone?" Asuma asked, stroking his beard thoughtfully.
Sasuke nodded. "It disappeared in smoke after biting me. Not like what Indra described."
Yua had been watching Indra closely throughout his account. "You fought an S-rank criminal and survived. That's... unprecedented for a genin."
"I got lucky," Indra replied, though his tone suggested he didn't believe in luck. "He was toying with me, testing my limits."
Kakashi exchanged glances with Asuma and Yua before addressing both Uchiha boys. "Those marks on your necks are called Curse Marks. They're dangerous - they provide power, but at a terrible cost. They corrupt the mind and chakra of the bearer."
"Another person in the village has one," Asuma added, lighting a fresh cigarette. "The only known survivor of Orochimaru's cursed seal experiments... until now."
"I know a sealing technique that can help contain it," Kakashi continued. "Two days from now, when you've recovered some strength, I can apply the Evil Sealing Method to both of you. It won't remove the curse, but it will give you some control over it."
Indra's expression hardened immediately. "No."
The blunt refusal caught everyone by surprise.
"Excuse me?" Kakashi asked, his visible eye narrowing.
"I've read about the Evil Sealing Method in the Uchiha library," Indra explained, his voice steady despite his weakened state.
"It hinders chakra control. I can't appear weak right now, not with what's at stake. I need to be at full strength for the final phase."
Sasuke frowned, but nodded in agreement. "I won't take the seal either. I can control it."
Shikamaru's sharp mind caught the implication in Indra's words. "What do you mean 'what's at stake'? You make it sound like there's more riding on this than just passing the Chunin Exam."
The question hung in the air as all eyes turned to Indra. Kakashi and Yua exchanged knowing glances before Yua sighed heavily.
"It's complicated," she began, crossing her arms. "During our first C-rank mission, which was reclassified as A-rank, we discovered that Sayaka is actually Tsukihana Sayaka, daughter of Lord Renjirō of the Tsukihana Clan - one of the Five Great Noble Houses of Fire Country."
Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion. "So what? That's good, right? Finding out you have a family?"
"Not when that family wants you dead," Yua replied grimly. "The assassination attempt we faced wasn't random.
Lord Renjirō had sent those missing-nin to eliminate his illegitimate daughter before she could potentially claim any family assets or reveal embarrassing secrets."
Gasps of shock echoed around the room. Sakura's hand flew to her mouth, while Naruto's expression transformed from confusion to outrage.
"Her own father tried to have her killed?!" Naruto shouted, jumping to his feet despite his injuries. "What kind of monster would do that to their own kid?!"
"The kind that values political power and family reputation above all else," Yua answered calmly. "It's not uncommon among the nobility."
"So what does this have to do with Indra?" Ino asked, her voice small as she glanced between him and Sayaka, who stood silently by his bedside.
"To protect Sayaka from future assassination attempts, Indra proposed a political marriage," Yua explained. "As a member of the Uchiha clan, his protection supersedes her father's authority over her. It was the only way to ensure her safety."
Sakura's eyes widened, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "You... proposed? But you're both so young!"
"Age matters little in political arrangements," Sayaka spoke for the first time, her voice soft but clear. "Many noble engagements are settled in infancy."
Ino's expression was complicated - surprise, disappointment, and something like determination flickering across her features in rapid succession.
"Lord Renjirō responded to Indra's proposal with a challenge," Yua continued. "'Prove your worth,' he wrote. We believe he wants Indra to demonstrate his strength and capability in the Chunin Exams before giving his approval."
"That's why I can't accept any sealing that might weaken me," Indra concluded. "I need to appear strong, uncompromising. Anything less would be seen as failure."
Silence fell over the room as everyone processed this information. Naruto, predictably, was the first to break it.
"That's so messed up! Making you fight just to save someone's life!" he exclaimed, his fists clenched. "If I ever meet this Lord Rengi-whatever, I'll give him a piece of my mind, believe it!"
"Renjirō," Shikamaru corrected absently, his mind clearly working through the implications. "And antagonizing one of the Five Great Noble Houses would be... problematic."
"I don't care!" Naruto insisted. "Nobody should treat their kids like that!"
Kakashi cleared his throat, bringing attention back to the immediate concern. "While I understand your reasoning, Indra, these curse marks are dangerous. Without proper sealing, they could overwhelm you during combat."
"I can handle it," Indra replied firmly. "I've already demonstrated some control over it during my fight with Orochimaru."
"Same here," Sasuke added, though with less conviction. The memory of his loss of control in the forest - the brutal way he'd dismembered the Sound ninja - still fresh in his mind. Deciding as well that he'll confront Indra about this marriage situation later.
How could he hide something so important from him - especially with him being his clan head and older brother (self-proclaimed)?
Kakashi looked like he wanted to argue further, but Yua placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let them try," she said quietly. "We'll be watching closely. If either shows signs of losing control, we can intervene."
After a moment's consideration, Kakashi nodded reluctantly. "Fine. But at the first sign of trouble, I'm applying that seal whether you like it or not."
The tension in the room gradually dissipated as medical-nin continued their work, applying bandages and administering medicines. Eventually, Asuma suggested they all get something to eat, leading the group to the tower's cafeteria.
The meal was a subdued affair, though Naruto's irrepressible energy helped lighten the mood somewhat.
He regaled everyone with exaggerated tales of his own heroics before being knocked unconscious, causing eye-rolls from Sasuke and small smiles from the others.
"So," Shikamaru said during a lull in conversation, his sharp eyes fixed on Indra. "What's your interest in this Gaara kid? You're not usually one to focus on others."
Indra paused mid-bite, considering his answer carefully. "He reminds me of... many things."
"That's pretty cryptic," Yua observed, studying her student with interest. "Care to elaborate?"
"Not particularly," Indra replied, returning to his meal.
His thoughts, however, were far from simple. Gaara represented everything Indra understood intellectually, after much thought while forming his own path within the world - the isolation of being different, the danger of losing control, the pain of authority turning against you.
The Kazekage, Gaara's own father, had sent assassins after his son just as Sayaka's father had done to her.
Most importantly, Gaara embodied the wrong way of Indra's desire - Being the Strongest.
Gaara as a child - aside from his father is the strongest in his village yet wasting that strength trying to prove his existence to others rather than pursuing his own goals.
Something Indra never intends to let happen. He won't be shaped by the world, he'll be the one to shape it.
But these were thoughts he kept to himself. Some truths were better left unspoken till one had the strength to back them up.
As the meal concluded, exhaustion finally caught up with the genin. They were shown to their quarters - simple but comfortable rooms where they could rest for the remaining days before the exam's conclusion.
Sasuke insisted on accompanying Indra to his room, despite the younger Uchiha's protests.
"I'm not a baby needing to be cared for," Indra muttered as they reached his door.
To his surprise, Sasuke poked him in the forehead - the same gesture Itachi had once used on him, before everything fell apart. "Maybe later you can prove that," Sasuke said, a rare, small smile gracing his features.
The gesture left Indra momentarily speechless. He watched Sasuke's retreating back, his hand unconsciously rising to touch the spot where his cousin's fingers had pressed against his skin.
Inside his room, Indra finally allowed himself to relax. The past twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of danger and revelation.
He had faced one of the most powerful shinobi in the world and survived. He had received a curse mark that both was a danger and a great source of power.
As sleep claimed him, one thought lingered in his mind: the game had changed, the stakes raised higher than he expected to where he was in the current timeline.
But he was still playing to win.
-------------------
In another part of the tower, Ino sat alone by a window, watching raindrops trace patterns on the glass.
Her thoughts were a jumble of emotions - concern for Indra, surprise at the revelation of his engagement, and a strange determination that had taken root in her heart.
"Can't sleep?" Sakura's voice came from behind her.
Ino turned to find her childhood friend - rival? - standing in the doorway, her pink hair loose around her shoulders.
"Just thinking," Ino replied, making room on the windowsill.
Sakura sat beside her, both girls watching the rain in silence for a moment.
"It's about Indra, isn't it?" Sakura finally asked. "The engagement..."
Ino nodded slowly. "I messed up, Sakura. I... Like I told you last time, I invaded his mind without permission, and now he barely looks at me. And then I find out he's practically engaged to Sayaka..."
"For political reasons," Sakura pointed out. "It's not like they're in love."
"Maybe not yet," Ino sighed. "But they're teammates. They face danger together. That creates bonds."
She turned to look directly at Sakura. "But that doesn't mean I'm giving up. I'm going to earn his forgiveness first. And then... well, men having multiple women isn't so unusual in our world, is it? Especially in great clans."
Sakura's eyes widened slightly. "Ino! You can't be serious!"
"Why not?" Ino challenged, a spark of her usual confidence returning. "The Uchiha clan needs to be rebuilt, doesn't it? And I'm from a respected clan myself. It makes perfect sense."
Sakura shook her head in disbelief, but a small smile played at her lips. "You never change, Ino-pig. Always so determined."
"That's right, Forehead," Ino replied, bumping Sakura's shoulder with her own. "And don't you forget it."
As the rain continued to fall outside, the two friends sat together, their rivalry momentarily set aside in the face of greater concerns.
The Chunin Exams had only just begun, and already the world seemed to be shifting beneath their feet.
Yet still this was only the beginning.
-----------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it.
I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)