Kaelen was sitting on a branch of a tree when he smelled a very strong scent. Curious, he went to see where the smell was coming from. He noticed a small hut near the tree. As he approached the hut, a flash of lightning lit up the sky—and suddenly, someone struck him on the neck.
When Kaelen woke up, he found himself inside the hut. He shouted, and a voice replied, "Don't shout in here."
It was the man whose scent Kaelen had followed.
Kaelen asked, "Who are you?"
But the man replied, "Who are you? You're in my house."
"Oh, sorry," Kaelen said. "Are you a ninja? Why are you asking me questions?"
"Because your scent is the strongest I've ever smelled. Are you a ninja?"
"First answer me—why am I here?" Kaelen asked.
"I brought you here," the man said.
Kaelen sighed. "I couldn't find an S-rank ninja to train me. All my hard work feels wasted."
The man smirked. "What if I train you?"
"Are you joking?" Kaelen asked. "Then you must be an S-rank ninja!"
"Yeah, I am," the man replied.
Kaelen's eyes lit up. "Can you please train me?"
"Not so easily," the man said. "You must pass my test. For the last 20 years, no one has passed it."
Kaelen was a little afraid, but this was his only chance to become a ninja.
"I'm ready," he said with determination.
"What's your name?" Kaelen asked.
"First finish the test—then I'll tell you."
The man explained the task. "You'll follow a route marked on this map. There are hidden traps in the forest. You must return here before sunset."
The test began.
Kaelen ran with all his might. As he dashed between the trees, traps began to spring around him. Suddenly, he tripped—and a shuriken hit his leg. It started bleeding heavily.
He heard animals nearby and, limping, made his way to a nearby cave. There, he managed to stop the bleeding. But he was weak now—he had lost a lot of blood.
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