Chapter 28: My Warning
The liability form was a cynical joke, preventing Anko and the Leaf Village from being held accountable for any deaths.
Arthur signed it. His teammates, the two seasoned Genins who clearly thought less of him due to his age, mumbled something about staying together, a strategy he had no intention of following.
Teams were then distributed scrolls. The scroll his team received was a black one. Finally, his team was ushered towards their designated gate—Gate 30.
"Get ready!" Anko's voice yelled through the clearing. "Let the second stage of the Exams... begin!"
The sound of her voice was the starting pistol.
Arthur didn't waste a single breath. Ignoring the desperate shouts of his teammates to wait, he launched himself forward with a burst of speed, leaving them behind in a cloud of dust.
It wasn't about forming bonds or proving teamwork to his expendable companions—it was about confronting the true threat lurking within the forest.
As he hurtled through the undergrowth, he activated Tamashii. The dense foliage seemed to melt away, revealing a variety of chakra signatures within the forest.
Among them, he identified Orochimaru. Arthur wasn't going to leave the Sannin unchecked.
With one hand sign, he performed the transformation technique. His body took on the appearance of a middle-aged ninja with a weathered face and a scar running down his cheek.
He then cloaked himself in the familiar dark robes of the Sound Village, sporting the purple rope around his waist.