Welcome back. Enjoy!

Naruto awoke with a groan. He sat up and winced as pain shot through his chest.

"Relax Naruto; you took a Kunai to the chest. Just go slow."

Naruto did as the voice said. Moving more slowly he managed to sit up.

"That's better." The voice said gently.

Naruto looked around for the source of the voice.

"Up here."

Looking up, Naruto saw the same silver haired Genin from before standing on a branch of a tree.

"It's Kabuto right?"

"That's right" The silver haired teen said.

Kabuto was scraping some blue moss of the tree into a small jar. Naruto saw the other members of his team unconscious laying around a small fire.

"What happened?" Naruto asked. The last thing he remembered was blacking out while fighting the sound guys.

"I happened to come along right when you just got stabbed." Kabuto explained as he put the jar away. "I used some sleep bombs and knocked out everyone there then disposed of the sound team."

"You killed them?"

Kabuto chuckled, "No I used my chakra scalpel to cut the tendons in their ankles. It'll take a few weeks to heal unless one of them has some medical skills."

"Your charka scalpel?" Naruto asked as he began to massage his healed wound.

In response Kabuto held out his left hand which then proceeded to glow with Chakra.

"This is the chakra scalpel, it's a Medical Ninjutsu. It can be used like a normal scalpel but it is more precise. It can actually make cuts inside the body without damaging the outside skin."

Naruto was impressed to say the least, "And you used that against the Sound team?"

Kabuto grinned, "Yep, they'll be feeling the pain but won't have any visible wound."

Naruto liked the thought of such a Jutsu.

"Do you think you could teach me that Jutsu?" Naruto asked.

Kabuto seemed to consider it for a moment. "Well…" he added some other items to the jar of moss before shaking it; turning it into blue goo like liquid.

He jumped down and tossed the jar to Naruto.

"Not now, it'll take time to teach you. Maybe if you get out of this forest alive I'll consider it."

Naruto grinned and held up the jar, "And this?"

"Poison, it'll induce nausea and dizziness. Consider it a gift from a fellow leaf ninja."

Kabuto began walking away from them. Before he left Naruto shouted out,

"Thanks for the help Kabuto-Senpai!"

Kabuto waved his hand before vanishing into the trees.

XxX

Team Seven had recovered and were making their way to the tower; they had managed to get a pair of scrolls from a team of Cloud ninja.

Sasuke froze mid track.

"Huh? Why'd you stop Teme?"

Sasuke said nothing, preferring instead to activate his Sharingan.

"Sasuke what's wrong?" Sakura asked.

Sasuke glanced at her, "We're in a Genjutsu. I'd say we've been in one for a while now."

Naruto cursed and drew a kunai; Sasuke and Sakura followed suit.

They heard a chuckle come from the area around them. It was distorted and seemed to be coming from all directions.

"Well it looks like the little ones have found us." A distorted voice said.

"It's doesn't matter, they'll all be dead soon anyway." A second voice also distorted replied.

Naruto frowned, the voices sounded like they were being filtered through some kind of device. He recalled seeing some ninja from the rain and mist wearing water breathers. Could it be the same people? Naruto was interrupted from his musing by the sound of a Kunai that came flying near his head. He dropped to the ground and threw a handful of shuriken where the Kunai came from.

Sasuke finished stringing some handseals together before inhaling. "Fire Style: Phoenix Fire Jutsu!" Sasuke spat out several fireballs into the surrounding forest.

Naruto grinned, "Smoke them out!"

Sasuke nodded with a smirk before spitting out a few dozen more fireballs.

Naruto summoned 20 clones who began to run into the burning forest in search of the enemy Ninja.

They waited for a few minutes before Naruto's clones returned carrying some bodies. The first body was of a female rain ninja whose body was peppered with the shuriken Naruto threw. The second body was burnt beyond recognition.

Naruto looked over at Sasuke, noticing that he had cringed at the sight of the body.

Naruto placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "They challenged us first. You shouldn't feel bad for killing them."

Sasuke nodded, "I know that but-"

"No buts man, it's kill or be killed out there. If you hadn't killed them then we would be dead right now."

Sakura spoke up "Naruto how can you be so casual about killing?"

Naruto looked over at her, "Were ninja killing is something we have to do." He picked up a kunai, "Our tools are made to kill and wound. A kunai only has one purpose, to kill." He picked up a shuriken "Shuriken only have the purpose to wound and kill."

He looked into her eyes, "We are ninja, our only purpose is to empower our nation. Killing those who stand against us is part of that duty. If you can't accept that, then maybe you aren't suited to being a ninja. Besides everyone has their own way of dealing with killing."

Sasuke spoke up, "What's yours?"

A small smile grew on Naruto's face, "I figure, every time someone dies and it's not me, my chances of survival go up; simple as that."

Their conversation was cut short as another clone brought out a third body; this one was of a male who was only passed out. Naruto noticed that he was wearing a filter mask; he stripped that off him and put it on himself.

"Suit me?" He asked his voice sounding distorted from the filter.

Sasuke just shook his head; Naruto turned back to the body and began searching through the pockets.

He pocketed a few kunai and senbon needles. In the back pouch he found an earth scroll.

"Hey what scroll do we have?"

"Heaven."

Naruto grinned, "Looks like we're done here. Come on, let's move."

They nodded and began heading off.

XxX

Team seven managed to get to the tower without incident. Upon arriving they opened the scrolls and were met by a happy Iruka who congratulated them for getting through the forest. After a day of rest they were moved to an underground arena.

"Congratulations to all of you who have made it this far, you are all worthy of wearing those headbands." The third Hokage stood on the top of the balcony as he addressed the Genin.

"You have all brought your villages much honour; but the second test is not over yet. This year has been privileged to have many skilled Genin. To put it simply, the number of ninja who have made it this far is too high."

A sickly looking leaf Ninja appeared beside him and said something to the Hokage who then nodded.

"The final exam will be spectated by various lords and officials who have taken time out of their busy schedules to see the best Genin compete. They don't have the time to see so many of you fight, so we are going to host a preliminary round."

"When?" A female rock ninja asked.

The Hokage smiled, "Now."

A few cries of protest rang out.

The Hokage raised his hand for silence, "Ninja must be like water, able to adapt to the path that lies before them." He spoke, reciting the words of the second Hokage.

"On a mission you may find yourself tired and weak but still needing to fight. Those who are able to reach into their reserves and keep fighting will excel. Consider this a test of your will. Now Hayate will explain the rules of the test to you."

The sick Jonin from before stood up, "Thank you Hokage-Sama"

He coughed a few times before speaking.

"This will be the preliminary round before the third test. As Lord Hokage said the spectators are busy people and only have time to watch the best of the best. You will face each other in one on one fights. Victory will be achieved when your opponent submits or is un-able to continue."

A screen lit up behind him displaying all the genins names. The screen began shifting the names around at random.

"Your opponents will be picked at random; you could fight any other Genin here; including your teammates. From this point on the exam will be purely individual."

The board had chosen two names. Kabuto Yakushi verses Kin Tsuchi.

"Could all but the two chosen ninja please leave the field." Hayate announced.

Naruto passed Kabuto on his way out, "Good luck Kabuto-Sempai."

Kabuto smiled and just waved back.

Kin was glaring at Kabuto.

"I'm going to make you pay for what you did leaf scum." She spat at him.

Kabuto smirked back at her, "I'm surprised you managed to crawl to the tower. I underestimated you."

Hayate raised his arm, "Fight!"

Kin threw several Senbon immediately, Kabuto responded just as fast, diving out of the way. He let a sinister smirk grow on his face as he activated his chakra scalpels. Kin jumped backwards throwing more senbon as she did.

Kabuto simply let the needles hit him. Kin smirked, "This match is over, the poison on those needles will make short work of you."

Kabuto cleared his throat before spitting out some blue liquid. Kin's smug look turned to one of horror. "B-but that's the poison!"

Kabuto grinned, "Never try to poison a medic-nin."

What followed next could only be described as a slaughter. Kin who was a Genjutsu user had no counter for Kabuto's fast Taijutsu combined with his chakra scalpels.

He flew through some hand seals before disappearing underground; a second later he burst up behind Kin cutting her Achilles tendon as he did. She fell to her knees in pain.

Kabuto took the opportunity to jab her in the shoulders, leaving her arms hanging as dead weight.

"Proctor, the fight is over. She is now unable to use any of her limbs, I'm afraid."

Naruto stood in the stands with the other leaf Genin.

He was impressed with how efficiently the chakra scalpels worked against the sound nin.

'He disabled her body so easily… I need to learn that.'

His thoughts were interrupted by the screen showing the next two names.

Choji Akamichi verses Kiba Inuzuka.

The two leaf Genin made their way down to the arena. Ino and Shikamaru wished a nervous Choji good luck. Kiba just walked confidently into the ring.

The proctor raised his arm and shouted "Fight!"

Choji jumped right into an academy Taijutsu stance, kunai ready in his left hand. Kiba stretched his arms out wide, "Hey tubby, free shot." He taunted smirking as he said it.

Choji flew though some hand seals before his body expanded and his head tucked into his chest. "Human Boulder!" He began spinning towards Kiba, who in response simply jumped over him allowing Choji to harmlessly pass beneath him.

Choji hit the wall on the other side of the arena and rebounded back towards Kiba for a second try.

"Is that the best you can do fatty? Come on Akamaru!" The dog barked and jumped on Kiba's head. "Fang over Fang!" The pair dashed towards Choji spinning piercing the human boulder. Choji was sent flying back into the arena wall. Kiba stood up laughing.

"Oh man this too easy. I suppose that's what happens when you have a blond bimbo and a lazy fool as teammates. Let's finish this Akamaru! Ultimate Fang over Fang!" The pair dashed towards the dusty cloud where the defenceless Choji laid.

Yes it's a cliff hanger, U Mad Bro?

Anyway I've chosen the pairings, had a big mental debate over it. Came to my descion while I was playing Soul Caliber 5 - Maxi is my man! Crave it up with that dude.

If you want to know the pairings you can PM me, or take a guess in a review, if you get it right I'll respond with a smiley face if wrong then you get a frowny face :(

Note there is more than one pairing so if you get multiple right then I'll send you a winky face. That's like some V.I.P stuff right there.

If you wanna suggest a pairing you can do so in a PM, you might manage to change my mind, doubt it though.

Also I want feedback on the fights, my first time doing proper fight scenes. What'd yo think?

One Love - Lancelot.