Kuroda was glad that the torch had reached Kyo and not fallen past him to the bottom. He could tell that some people didn't seem all that happy with what he'd done, thinking he was just showing off or might give away their position. He didn't care, he wasn't going to leave a fellow nin to fumble around in the dark of that pit. At least with the torch Kyo would be able to see what was down there.<br/><br/>As the wind blew through the trees, Kuroda's head snapped up and he looked around. Something in the air didn't feel quite right. That's when he heard the sounds of the wooden creatures springing to life. He looked at them, eyes wide. "What the hell are these things?" When he'd heard about where the chunin exam was to take place, he went around to the older members of the Uchiha clan to press them for information, figure out what he was dealing with. No one was willing to tell him much. Just that he would see for himself, and, if he was ready to become a chunin, survive whatever the forest had in store.<br/><br/>He saw one of the creatures leaping towards him, and was about to jump out of the way when he felt a pair of wooden arms grab him from behind. Fortunately, he was able to use a substitution jutsu with another one of those wood things just as he was about to be stabbed. While the three wooden creatures were confused about what had happened, Kuroda was standing upside down on a large branch above them, held there by his chakra. His hands flashed through a familiar set of seals, and he took a deep breath.<br/><br/><em>Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!</em><br/><br/>Since he used more chakra than he did to make the torch, the fireball was considerably bigger. It roared towards the ground, and the three wooden creatures looked up just in time for it to collide with them. After impact with the ground, the three figures were left burning in the smoldering crater. As Kuroda looked down, waiting to see if his jutsu had done the trick, he couldn't help but wonder if the forest was seeking retribution for him snapping off that branch...