Thanks for the review! Regarding your issues here are my answers. As seen in the last chapter, naruto is seen with cups of ramen even in the hokage office, thus its safe to say he still has a ramen addiction (but in time i will make him more mature, in time) sakura, well same as above, in time the changes will come. As for hinata i agree that she has become more confident, but in the last movie, she is still seen stuttering and hesitating at times (the scarf scene, sorry for spoilers) But nevertheless thanks for the review. I will take note of it in my future writings.

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Chapter 3: Exams are coming

Konoha Training Ground

The sound of clashing kunai's and shurikens filled the air. "Again!" Naruto shouted. For the seventh time, Naruto dashed at lightning speed towards Shikamaru.

Doesn't he ever get tired? Shikamaru grumbled in his mind. "Chouji! Ino! Formation delta!" Shikamaru shouted.

Both of them nodded and started to split up, Chouji to the right and Ino to the left while Shikamaru stood where he is.

"Baika no Jutsu!" Chouji doubled in size and started to rain gigantic fists on Naruto. Naruto dodged left and right before stopping abruptly against his own will. He knew he had played right into the trio's trap. He forced a turned to look at a smirking Shikamaru.

"Kage mane no Jutsu... success.." Shikamaru announced proudly. Chouji's attack forced Naruto to dodge right into Shikamaru's shadow.

Ino knew that was her cue. Holding her hand out in an O shape, she shouted "Mind Confusion Technique!" Naruto, still held in Shikamaru's shadow possession went limp.

Shikamaru loosened his hold on Naruto and slowly walked towards him. All of a sudden, the Naruto that was lying motionless on the ground disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a block of wood.

"A substi.." before Shikamaru could finish, he felt a strong wind from the back.

"Rasengan!" Naruto shouted. Before the jutsu connected Naruto stopped in his tracks and smiled, "I win.."

Shikamaru chuckled, "Are you sure?" He pointed to the ground. Naruto looked down only to realise his shadow was one step away from Shikamaru's chakra infused Shadow possession dagger imbeded on the ground.

"One more step and you will be in my control.." Shikamaru said.

Naruto gritted his teeth. "Again!"

"Hey enough! You may not need a break but we sure do!" Ino grumbled.

"I agree, and besides, why are you using only your basic techniques? You could have easily overpowered all of us if you tapped into the Kyubi's chakra" Shikamaru commented.

"I do not want to rely too much on the kyubi.. besides if I use it too much.. its only gives others more chances to find a weakness to exploit. I'm saving it as a trump card in desperate situations." Naruto answered. "Furthermore my new arm seemed to have powered up all the attacks I used with my right hand."

Shikamaru acknowledged Naruto's concern. Naruto's rasengan used to be blue. But ever since he got a new arm from hashirama's cells, the shodaime's sage chakra resonated with naruto's sage chakra, producing an orange rasengan.

"I see.. so you are experimenting the extent of the strength of the new rasengan?" Chouji asked.

Naruto nodded, "But it's not enough. I need to work on my strategic thinking, which is why I sought help from the three of you. I want to learn to think ahead like Shikamaru does.."

"The feeling is mutual, we need your help too to improve our teamwork. I heard we get to choose whether or not we want to work as a team or individually. Our fathers worked as a team before, I intend to carry on their legacy as Ino-Shika-Chou." Shikamaru said while Ino and Chouji nodded in unison.

The Ino-Shika-Chou teamwork has been unrivalled in Konoha for generations. Tradition dictates that the previous generation will pass on the strategies to the next as their strength increases. But due to the unexpected death of Shikaku and Inoichi, the burden falls on Shikamaru to generate new strategies, being the smartest one in the trio.

"Well I guess we have enough rest now.. ready for another round?" Naruto suggested.

Ngh.. troublesome.. "Alright fine fine.." Shikamaru scratched his head and readied his Kunai. "Bring it!"

"ARGHHHHH!" Naruto hollered as he charged at the trio again.

Hyugga Training Courtyard

"Hakke Kushō!(Eight Trigrams: Air Palm)" with a giant thrust of her palm Hinata successfully broke a training dummy in half.

"Good, now stand further!" Hiashi commanded.

"Yes!" Hinata replied as she took a giant leap back. A servant replaced the destroyed dummy with a new one. This time the distance was doubled. "Hakke Kushō!" The training dummy was sent flying into the wall but the effect was significantly less powerful than the previous.

Hinata's eyes showed some disappointment. "I can never compare to Neji nii-san.." she muttered.

"Hinata, you need to focus your chakra onto your palm if you want to improve."

"I can't.." Hinata replied.

Hiashi looked at Hinata and thought for awhile. He stepped up to the courtyard and stood infront of Hinata. Suddenly he adopted a fighting stance.

"Father?" Hinata was shocked. Her father never personally sparred with her. She only sparred with Neji and Hanabi but never with her father during training.

"Fight me Hinata, show me how strong you have become." Hiashi asserted firmly.

"But I'm not strong enou.." before completing her sentence Hiashi charged forward. "Juken! (Gentle fist)" he struck Hinata in the abdomen, causing her to lose her balance and falling over.

"This is the only way for you to push yourself. How do you intend to protect the clan and the ones you love if you do not go over your limits! Come at me! Hinata!" Hiashi shouted.

Hinata had a flashback to the war. After Neji's death, her resolve to protect Naruto and the alliance pushed her to achieve the 64 palms. But ever since then she has never been able to do it again.

Hinata adopted her stance, she knew this was a test she had to go through. As the future head of the Hyuuga clan.

"Byakugan!" Hinata activated her byakugan. During training, it was a sign that she was about to get serious. Smiling, Hiashi activated his as well.

Hinata dashed towards her father and leapt into the air. "Hakke Kusho!" Hinata thrust her palm out and cracked the air in front of her. But Hiashi easily deflected the attack.

"Hakke Kusho!" Hiashi countered with the same technique. At the same distance, Hinata was sent flying away. There was an obvious difference in the power of both air palms.

Hinata crashed into the ground, creating a crater where she landed. I need to be faster.. Hinata thought, struggling to stand up. She knew Naruto would not give up in a situation like this.

She dashed forward again. "Gentle step: Twin Lion Fist!" Her chakra emitted from her hands and took a shape of two lion heads. She threw a straight punch at Hiashi which got easily deflected. She followed up with a left hook. Hiashi dodged it and went for a low sweep kick. Hinata leapt up into the air and over Hiashi. She dodged two air palms and landed behind Hiashi. He is in range! "Hakke Rokujūyon Shō! (Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms)" Hinata burst out with a barrage of strikes. Hiashi, at the speed of light turned around and started deflecting all of her attacks.

Hinata was taken aback. She couldn't land a single strike! She wanted to take that step forward to achieve the 64 palms, but.. she couldn't. Hiashi deflected her last strike and struck her with his Gentle fist. Hinata fell back and laid defeated.

Hiashi walked up to his daughter, "Hinata, you achieved the 64 palms before. But since the war ended, you have been slowly losing your confidence again. Confidence is the key for you to take that final step to achieve the 64 palms." Hiashi said.

"I knew the technique inside out, which is why I was able to deflect it. I wanted to see how confident you are in yourself when faced with a setback. Never let a minor failure strike you down. You are a Hyuuga, have the confidence to take your fate into your own hands. That's what Neji believed even till his last breath."

Hinata remained silent for awhile. Suddenly a smile appeared across her face. "Thank you father, I will not give up. I will work hard for the Jounnin exam and I promise you that I will make you proud and bring pride to the Hyuuga name. I am Hyuuga Hinata and I never go back on my word.. that's my nindo."

Hiashi felt a vibe from Hinata he had been looking for, confidence. That's my girl.. Feeling proud of his daughter, he tidied his unreveled shirt and returned to his quarters.

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Ok so this is my first attempt at writing out a fighting sequence.. its honestly harder than i thought! Pls review it and suggest the rooms for improvement. As it is now i can only come up with such amateur fight scenes. But i wont give up! Will keep trying to improve and make this fanfic much more interesting. Till then peace!

BOW CHIKA BOW WOW!