(Welcome to my next installment readers. I hope you enjoy the start of the next arc at this point in the series of Naruto.)
The next day at the same time and place, Azmuth was teaching Naruto some tips on how to use his starting ten aliens to the best of his and their advantages. Because Naruto was noted there wasn't a squad meeting today he was able to get a lot more training done in using the aliens.
After finishing the last of the ten aliens, Naruto looked to Azmuth as the Galvan pulled out a small cube, "Azmuth, what's that?"
"This, Naruto, will allow me to help further your hand to hand combat training or taijutsu if you will." Azmuth began as he activated it and suddenly the small alien was piloting a Galvanic Mechamorph like armor.
"Whoa! What is that?" Naruto gasped in shock.
"This was my father's Mechamorph Armor he left to me." Azmuth explained from inside the armor.
"Your dad?"
"That's correct. This armor functions like a regular Mechamorph, but can also be used for up close combat."
"Cool." Naruto admitted.
"Yes. Anyway, I will further your taijutsu training while using this."
"All right then. Let's get started." Naruto said eagerly.
"I thought you'd never ask." Azmuth answered smugly, as he started blasting at Naruto, who was jumping around.
"Hey, this is supposed to be taijutsu training!" he protested.
"Yes, for you," Azmuth answered, "you must avoid my long ranger attacks and combat me from up close... Without using the Omnitrix."
"Azmuth, you can be very evil!" Naruto growled.
"First time I've been called that."
And so Naruto was forced to combat Azmuth's Mechamorph Armor while avoiding the blasts. When he got up close he was using whatever beginners Taijutsu Kakashi had been teaching him and his team. He managed to land some blows, but the armor was too strong by his mere Taijutsu.
Eventually Naruto had worn himself out from so much fighting, as Azmuth powered down his armor, "Not a bad first run, but could still use some improving."
"I won't deny it." Naruto panted.
"Well, we'll stop for today, Naruto."
"Thanks." he laid back to rest.
After getting enough rest, Naruto was walking with Azmuth poking out of Naruto's pants pocket. The boy was wondering what to do now, until he heard the cry of some kids, "Huh?" he followed the trail, before coming around a corner and saw Konohamaru Sarutobi; the grandson of the Sandaime, and with him were two other kids his age.
Konohamaru was currently being lifted off the ground by a boy in a black outfit and wore face paint, and carried something on his back all wrapped up. Next to him was a girl with four pigtails and carried a huge fan on her back.
'Konohamaru,' Naruto thought in worry before going to put a stop to it, "HEY!"
The group looked seeing Naruto approach, as Konohamaru called, "Aniki!"
"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Naruto demanded out of the older boy.
"This kid ran into me, so I'm teaching him some manners." the boy in black answered.
"If you know what's good for you you'll let him go right now." Naruto warned him.
"And if I don't?" the older boy challenged Naruto.
"Then I'll be the one teaching you some manners."
"A challenge is it?" the boy asked with a smirk.
The girl spoke up, "Kankuro, for crying out loud, knock it off before he shows up!"
"Don't worry, Temari, we got all the time." the boy named Kankuro answered.
"I'm warning you!" Naruto said firmly, as he was feeling tempted to use the Omnitrix, until another voice called out.
"Enough of this!"
The group looked up seeing a red haired boy who had dark rings around his eyes and had a gourd on his back was standing on a tree branch.
"Gaara." the two gasped.
"Kankuro, put the child down." the boy named Gaara ordered the other.
"But, Gaara, the kid ran into..."
"Put him down and shut up! Unless you want me to kill you?!" he threatened him.
Kankuro trembled, while Naruto thought, 'His tone, he serious.'
Azmuth looked up from the pocket, and thought to himself, 'This boy definitely has a bad look in his eyes, and not just the insomnia.'
Kankuro released Konohamaru who went back over to Naruto and the other two kids. Gaara jumped from the tree and landed before the other two before facing Naruto, "I apologize for the grief my brother has brought upon you. He is a shame to our village." he looked back at Kankuro who looked ashamed.
"Never mind that," Naruto answered, while noticing their headbands, "You're all from Suna. Aren't you three a long ways from your village?"
"We're here for the Chunin Exams." The girl Temari said, as she showed him her passport.
"I see. And what're your names?" Naruto requested.
"I'm Temari, this is Kankuro, and this is..." Gaara cut her off.
"Sabaku no Gaara, and you are?"
"Naruto Uzumaki."
Gaara nodded, "I hope to see you again, Naruto Uzumaki."
"Uh, thanks?" he answered unsurely, as the three walked off.
As Gaara walked away, he thought, 'I can feel it in me. He and I are one and the same. Except I am stronger.'
Naruto thought to himself as well, 'No joke about it. I can feel something inside him just like me.'
He snapped out of it when he felt a tug on his pants. He looked seeing Konohamaru, who spoke, "Aniki, that was great the way you stared him in the eyes."
"Thanks, but I didn't do much." Naruto admitted.
"Still, you came and were willing to fight for me! You're cool!"
"Oh, Konohamaru." Naruto chuckled.
"Is this the guy you spoke of Konohamaru?" the boy asked.
"That's right. Aniki, these are my pals Udon and Moegi."
"Hi." Udon greeted him.
"Nice to meet you." the girl Moegi greeted.
"Nice to meet you guys. Glad to see Konohamaru has his own posse."
"I love your clothes by the way, Aniki." Konohamaru marveled.
"Thanks. Well, it's been fun seeing you all, but I really should get going. Maybe I'll see you all around?"
"That'd be great." Konohamaru said.
"Catch you all later." Naruto said, as he walked on.
As Naruto got out of reach of the kids, Azmuth crawled out of the pocket and up to Naruto's shoulder, "I knew you were planning on using the Omnitrix to fight that boy."
"Hey, I didn't, remember?" Naruto reminded him.
"You're lucky that Gaara boy stopped that squabble before you did use it," Azmuth said, "I don't want you using the Omnitrix on others for petty reasons even if he was planning to hit that boy."
"So when can I use it for real?" Naruto asked impatiently.
"When you fully mastered all the abilities of your ten aliens, and when I say you can." Azmuth answered firmly, while Naruto decided to let it go. He did so just in time to bump right into another boy with dark skin, short white hair, and was carrying a sword on his back. Azmuth who fell off Naruto's shoulder quickly hid behind the boy's leg.
"Oh, I really gotta stop doing this." Naruto groaned.
"Oh, man, sorry about bumping you," the boy began, "I didn't hurt you did I?"
"No, I'm fine." Naruto answered.
"You won't tell anyone I did that will you?" he asked, "If you do then who knows what kind of trouble I'll get into for bumping a resident of this village, and what shame I'll bring to my own."
'This guy totally paranoid.' Naruto thought.
"Omoi, you are so clumsy!" a voice scolded him.
Naruto saw it came from a girl also with dark skin and red hair, who also carried a sword on her back, "Sorry, Karui." the boy Omoi apologized.
"Enough with your apologies," the girl known as Karui said, before looking at Naruto, "And you."
"Me?" Naruto asked.
"Yeah, do you bump into others for the hell of it, or are you just plain rude?"
"Hey, I am not..."
"What's going on here?" another voice called, as they three saw another girl approach.
Naruto saw she had blonde hair that was short, but her most noticeable feature was her bust. Naruto thought, 'Wow, that size is bigger than my sexy jutsu appearance.'
The new girl spoke to Karui, "Karui, were you causing trouble again?"
Karui spoke, "No, Samui, I was just... uh... he bumped Omoi!" she pointed at Naruto accusingly.
"But it was my fault!" Omoi added.
"Don't cover for this stranger!" Karui chided him, while Samui shook her head with a sigh.
Naruto thought, 'These two are like an old married couple.' he saw the blonde haired girl approach him, until she stood before him.
"I'm sorry my two teammates annoyed you with their antics." she apologized stoically.
"Uh, it's no problem." he answered, while trying very hard not to look downward at her.
"My name is Samui, and these are my teammates Karui and Omoi. We come from the village Kumo, as you can see." she motioned to their Kumo headbands.
"Yes I can," Naruto answered, "Are you here for the Chunin exams too?"
"We are," she answered, "Now then, could you tell us your name?"
"Naruto Uzumaki." he answered, and noticed Samui hold out her hand to him.
"A pleasure to meet you, Naruto Uzumaki."
Naruto looked at her hand, and didn't want to appear rude to guests from outside the village and shook it, "Pleasure's all mine." he answered.
They released their grip, as Samui turned to her team, "Come on, Bee-sensei's waiting for us." her two teammates nodded, as they followed her, before Samui turned around, and spoke, "It was nice meeting you."
"Uh, likewise." he answered, wondering if she meant that in her stoic tone.
When they were gone, Azmuth climbed back up onto Naruto's shoulder, "Well, there's another one for your list of run ins."
"I know. Two teams from two different villages here for the Chunin Exams." Naruto said.
"I've read your village and Suna are supposed to be allies, but Konoha and Kumo have some past issues mostly involving bloodlines." Azmuth explained.
"That is something we've learned in history class at the academy," Naruto admitted, "Well, better head back." he said as he hurried back to his apartment.
At his apartment, Naruto was looking up at his ceiling deep in thought, while Azmuth was busy looking at some stuff from inside his pod, "Hey, Azmuth?"
"Yes?" he looked over.
"I'm not sure if you noticed, but Gaara seemed to have some air around him that got me tensed up." Naruto explained.
"I could also feel strange around him myself. As if the very threat he was giving to that Kankuro boy seemed directed at everyone around him." Azmuth replied.
"I know. I think he and I have something in common."
"Oh, and what do you think that is?" Azmuth challenged him.
"Like he's got something inside him just like I do," Naruto explained, before noticing Azmuth shifting his eyes away from his direction, "He does doesn't he?"
"If you think so." Azmuth answered.
"Azmuth, don't play mind games with me." Naruto called him out.
"Who's playing?" the Galvan asked, as Naruto only groaned before plopping back down on his bed.
Later that night, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai were taking their leave from the administration building, "I can't believe we were actually able to get our genin into the Chunin Exams." Kurenai said in surprise.
"Well, it's like Kakashi told Iruka, he managed to make chunin when he was six years younger than our rookies were, and we made Chunin at their current ages as well." Asuma reminded her.
"Yes, but Iruka's worry and Guy's warning does have me thinking if we made the right choice." Kurenai said in doubt.
"We all recommended them because we believed they were more than ready, Kurenai," Kakashi reminded her, "You just need to keep telling yourself that."
"Right." Kurenai replied, with her faith renewed.
"So, how has your team been, Kakashi?" Asuma asked curiously.
"Well, same old same old."
"Id that all?" Kurenai asked, while raising a brow.
"Well, Naruto has started changing his wardrobe." the two other Jonin were confused at his answer, wondering if that was seriously all he had to say, but remembered he's always been vague.
(And there's the chapter. Naruto got to learning how to use the aliens powers and got to meet two ninja teams from two different villages. He will soon find out he'll be seeing them again real soon. I'll see you all next time.)