I feel much better since last chapter. I think I'll start handling things myself from now on instead of trying to please others. Though I still want you opinions, I think that now I won't take them all as seriously as I used to.
In this Chapter there will be references to fan clubs, characters in which you may guess or not, and truths you never knew about certain characters.
As Naruto reveals himself to others, they all wonder just how much about him has changed to go with his new appearance. While they find out that some things are the same, they are more shocked at just how far some changes have gone. But, unknown to all of them is that Naruto doesn't care what they think…
Chapter 7: Big Bad Wolf or Harmless Puppy? You Decide!
Hinata was in a world of pain one second, and the next she felt… balance. She didn't know how else to describe it, but it felt truly wonderful all the same. She felt as though her confidence had boosted and her insecurities were quelled. The only thing that could possibly make things better was-
"Hmm… Naruto…" Hinata moaned out as she awoke.
"Yes, Hinata Hyuga…" a voice answered back.
Now by her being Hinata Hyuga, the greatest of all Naruto-stalkers, and undisputed Queen of the Naruto fan club, she had heard that voice so many times before. Though 98% of those times were from her recording of when he was sick that one time and had greeted her in a moaning voice. Yeah, when she had hit puberty it was the greatest thing ever for her…
Wait, Naruto? Her hot, sexy, now somewhat cooler Naruto!
"Naruto!" Hinata popped up in bed, only to settle back when a pain in her chest caused her to start coughing.
"You shouldn't move so fast, Hinata Hyuga. Though I've healed your major injuries, even I am not a God. You have only just been healed, and as such need time for the lesser wounds to clear themselves away; least your body's own healing process be hindered." the voice said again as she recognized it, but not the tone nor speech patterns.
"N-Naruto, is that really y-you? I can't see anything." Hinata said, having a mini-panic attack since when she opened her eyes she still saw darkness.
"I have bandaged your eyes to keep them from being hurt by the light, Hinata Hyuga. From my former experience in dealing with the eyes of Bird demons, they become rather sensitive to light after I have subjected them to my perfect aura." Naruto said in a perfectly calm manner.
"Oh… N-Naruto, what happened? The last thing I remember was y-you trying to kill N-Neji… Y-you didn't hurt him, d-did you?" Hinata asked after a moment as Naruto flexed his hand.
"I should have for what he's done to you. From all my memories you have been nothing but a kind person to all. A bit shy, timid, and even weird at times, but kind-hearted and loving all the same. You remind me of another woman from another time, and I don't see how you could have become a shinobi with your pure soul." Naruto said unabashedly as Hinata hung her head.
"… I wanted to prove others wrong… They all told me I was worthless-"
"Excuse, Hinata Hyuga-"
"Just Hinata, Naruto. You and I have known each other for years." Hinata as Naruto coughed into his hand like a nobleman.
"Thank you, but we don't really know each other that much. We've barely spoken on ten occasions before these Exams, and such. Anyways, I did not mean to make it sound like you were worthless, but merely that a person such as yourself could find better paths to pursue than this detestable line of work." Naruto said diplomatically.
"W-well, I have always wanted to be a… h-healer or housewife…" Hinata said with a heavy blush, "to you, Naruto…" she thought as Naruto raised a brow at her blush. Was there an ailment that he didn't cure in her or something?
"Then so be it, or rather be it so. The healing profession is a much better field than that of a assassin of the night. Though ninja these days are little more than day-brawlers with fancy moves." Naruto said as Hinata was confused with is ideology about the ninja line of work.
"Umm… if so, then why did you become one, N-Naruto?" Hinata asked quietly as Naruto wanted to smack himself.
"I had an abrupt case of stupidity…" Naruto said deadpan as Hinata sweat-dropped.
"Anyways… Hinata, I'm merely saying that I would hate to see one as… pure as you stain your hands with unworthy blood. Like that of your pitiful cousin for example." Naruto said, finishing with gritted teeth.
"N-Naruto, I know what he did was wrong, but you must understand his reasons." Hinata said, her voice gaining in confidence to defend her cousin. Naruto raised a brow at just how noble and kind she could be, but pushed aside his pride in her to be indifferent.
"Then tell me, Hinata." Naruto said, almost whispering it in her ear as her legs felt weak. Just how close was he to her? It was a good thing she was in the bed, or else she would have fallen to the ground from his breath on her ear.
"It all started-"
"Naruto Uzumaki, you are needed for your match against Kiba Inuzuka." a Jonin ninja said as Naruto glanced back at the man. He huffed as he stood from the side of Hinata's bed.
"Fine, I shall deal with the pest." Naruto said, walking like a hungry predator on the prowl.
"Wait, Naruto!" Hinata nearly yelled as Naruto stopped coolly. He couldn't really remember a time when her voice had been raised to anyone.
"Yes, Hinata?" Naruto said calmly as Hinata turned to where his soft voice was coming from.
"Please, if you must, and I know you've changed somehow, but please don't kill Kiba." Hinata said quietly, yet firmly as she clutched at her covers. Naruto raised a brow as he turned back to her.
"Why not, besides the fact that he's your teammate." Naruto said, even though he hadn't planned on killing Kiba anyway.
"Because he's my friend…" Hinata said as Naruto wanted to scold her for her naivety, but decided it was cute enough for her to keep.
"Fine, I shall merely defeat him, and that will be all." Naruto said, walking away as inata sighed in relief.
"What's happened to you, Naruto?" Hinata asked as Naruto kept walking further away from her, but what she didn't know was that Naruto could still hear her.
"I'm finally complete, my purest Sunflower." Naruto said as Hinata gasped, but blushed crimson at his words.
She knew he and Ino had some form of secret relationship, but he had just called her his sunflower. And just any sunflower, but his purest! Hell yes, take that Lady Snowstorm of Kumo! Mistress Wallflower of Konoha was finally a part of his Foxiness's Lover Girls!
Naruto smirked as he heard Hinata's giggles and whispers from the hall he walked. He had no clue who this "Lady Snowstorm" was, why he was apparently "his Foxiness", or what the "Lover Girls" were, but he liked the idea of Hinata being his. Only he deserved someone so pure and gentle. He was a Sesshomaru after all, and only wanted the best.
And what he wanted, he took by force even in the battlefield of Love he was a Killing Perfection.
"Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha, please come to the arena floor." Hayate said after a short coughing fit.
Naruto, who they had been waiting on, calmly walked from the hall onto the arena floor and stood before Hayate. Kiba had already been in place as he puffed out his chest. This would be all too easy with Naruto "the Village Idiot" Uzumaki as his opponent.
"Yahoo! Looks like were getting an easy win, eh Akamaru!" Kiba shouted enthusiastically to the puppy in his jacket, though if he had actually looked down at his pup he would have seen the look of fear on the young dog's face.
"Naruto, I want you to be careful. I know you are stronger then you used to be, but Kiba-" Kakashi was advising, but when Naruto glanced up at him with those piercing cold eyes his voice died in his throat.
"Sorry Kakashi, but your student is going to lose here. There is no way he can beat Kiba." Kurenai said smugly as Kakashi glanced at her. He believed in Naruto, and knew the boy with undying determination would pull off a win somehow. Hell, even if the kid didn't have any jutsu at all and no chakra, Naruto wouldn't give up until either he was dead or had won, and with the boy's luck he wouldn't die any time soon.
"I don't know, Kurenai. Naruto may just surprise you yet." Kakashi said as he put his book away.
On the other side of the arena the Sound ninja were speaking amongst each other.
"I've seen the kid's grades. He'd be lucky to fight his way out of an invisible box." Dosu said as Kin looked at Naruto more deeply.
"I don't know, Dosu. He's made it this far, and wasn't with his team when we tried to kill the Uchiha. Plus, I can't really feel his chakra. I feel a different source of power within him. Almost like You-Know-Who's mark…" Kin said as Dosu's lone eye widened a bit.
"We shall see…" Dosu said as he kept getting the feeling he wouldn't live past today.
As Kiba and Naruto looked at each other, Kiba smirked broadly as set Akamaru down.
"I don't know why you look so solemn Naruto. Just give up already before you embarrass yourself. Ya know I'll just end this in one blow!" Kiba said as Naruto scoffed and flexed his hand, cracking the knuckles and bones in it.
"Your arrogance knows no bounds, Kiba Inuzuka. Simply because we are friends does not mean this shall be an easy battle for you, or that you can possibly hope to defeat me. If you so much as manage to get me on one knee I'll be amazed, but know this; you will try and fail to defeat me." Naruto said, as the change in his behavior became noticeable to all, putting everyone on edge.
"That little idiot. I told him not to fight him. I told him he could get killed." Koga hissed under his breath as Tsume gave a sad look in her eyes.
"When will we speak with him?" Tsume asked as Koga glanced at her and sighed.
"I don't know. He threatened death to anyone that entered the Hyuga girl's room, so who knows. Perhaps after this tournament." Koga said with a scratch of his head.
"What will you do now, my Lord? You say he is friend, but the boy taunts you just like that arrogant half-breed Inuyasha." Jaken thought as Fu and Hoki were leaning over the rails to get a good view of the fight.
"Now we'll finally see the power of our new Lord and Master." Hoki thought.
"I hope he has enough strength to save our village…" Fu thought as she rubbed at her stomach subconsciously.
"The battle between Kiba Inuzuka and Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha is about to be underway… Begin!" The sickly proctor said as he waved the start of the match. Kiba immediately got down on all fours, shouting out his jutsu as Akamaru steeled his nerves to protect his foolish master.
"Ninja Art: Beast Mimicry!"
Naruto merely stood calmly with a raised brow as Kiba became even more feral then usual. He wasted no time in rushing at Naruto. Kiba quickly closed the space between them as he raised a clawed hand high, bringing it down at Naruto, who dodged to the side and moved away. Kiba dropped to the ground as Akamaru jumped to his side. Kiba shot out at Naruto as Naruto evaded all his attacks.
"You leave yourself too open when you attack, Kiba. It's foolhardy to believe that any of these blows can catch a superior foe." Naruto said simply dodging as he watched each of Kiba's attacks sail past him.
"Now Akamaru!" Kiba shouted as the young puppy appeared behind Naruto with it's paws reared back. Naruto shot it a glance before he backhanded it away from himself, sending the dog flying as it flipped through the air and landed upright. Kiba jumped back from his attacks and at Akamaru's side as the dog shook off it's dizziness.
"You okay, buddy." Kiba said as Akamaru barked in response, though Naruto's eyebrow rose when he found he could understand the dog.
"Well now, that's new." Naruto muttered to himself as Kiba glared at him.
"Naruto, that wasn't cool what you did to Akamaru." Kiba gritted out as he glared.
"Cool or not, this is a ninja exam, meaning that not everything will be "cool". Next time, don't have your dog rush someone from behind while you act as a distraction." Naruto said calmly as all the seasoned ninja in the room nodded subconsciously.
"That's it, you're going down hard!" Kiba yelled as he pulled out a pill and flicked it to Akamaru, who jumped up and swallowed it whole. Naruto raised a brow as he could feel the dog's energy output increase dramatically. He saw that Kiba had swallowed a pill of his own. The power boost the boy got was nothing to sniff at if one was an average ninja…
But then again, Naruto he wasn't average and he was no longer a ninja…
"Ready Akamaru!" Kiba said as the dog's very fur turned dull red. Naruto's eyebrow was getting some major exercise as he raised it once more at the sudden change. He also noticed that Kiba gained a wild look in his eyes.
"I see… you've raised the level of this match. Well then, allow me to do the same." Naruto said as his demonic energy began to whirl about him.
Every eye widened at the sudden cold, damp, darkness that seemed to settle over the arena as Naruto outstretched one of his hands. Out of either his palm or sleeve came an acidic-looking whip of energy that Naruto began to twirl about him in a deadly way of grace.
"Now then, Kiba Inuzuka, feel the sting of my… Whip of Light." Naruto said as he flicked his wrist, the whip of energy shooting toward Kiba as if it were an arrow instead. Kiba dodged it barely due to his enhanced speed as it impaled the very spot he once stood with no resistance to the concrete floor. Kiba looked at it as Naruto pulled it back, making it whirl about him again.
In the rafters above, Sakura turned to Kakashi as she saw Naruto create the whip.
"Kakashi-sensei, what is that jutsu? I don't remember Naruto ever using it before." Sakura said as Kakashi actually blinked in his confusion.
"I… don't know, Sakura. I've never seen it before…" Kakashi said, much to the amazement of all who knew him and who had heard those words leave his mouth.
"A jutsu that even Kakashi doesn't know? Where has this kid bee hidin' it?" Asuma joked in astonishment as Anko stared at the thing in complete shock.
"Him…?" Anko said as she watched Kiba and Akamaru dodge lash after lash of Naruto's whip.
"When did you create this technique, Naruto?" Hiruzen asked himself as he smoked his pipe.
"… Whoa, just like the legends…" Ginza whispered out in awe as Hana and her parents were stunned as well.
"To think… that kid is him… Unreal…" Tsume muttered as Koga nodded.
Back down in the battle, Naruto was smirking lightly as he made Kiba dance like a puppet on strings. He hated to admit it, but he liked making one of his only friends look like a complete idiot while faced with possible death, even though he hadn't made the whip strong enough to kill or even cut. That first display had merely been to scare Kiba for all those cracks he used to make.
Kiba finally jumped far back as Naruto's whip hit the spot he was at with a cracking sound. He was finally out of the whip's range and had a breather.
"What the hell was that, moron? When did you learn that jutsu?" Kiba shouted out as he knew getting Naruto talking would give him enough time to recover.
What he didn't know was that Naruto wasn't even trying.
"I created it myself long before today, yet I had only just remembered it during my time in the Forest of Death. I have since remembered much…" Naruto said as he dissolved the whip and held out his left hand, the nails of which became claws.
"No more, deadlast! You should have finished it when you had the chance! Now, Akamaru!" Kiba said as his dog nodded while barking in agreement.
Akamaru jumped atop Kiba's back as their chakra seemed to pool together. Naruto raised his brow as Kiba placed his hands in a hand-sign.
"Ninja Art: Beast Mimicry! Man-Beast Clones!"
Kiba and Akamaru were engulfed in a plume of smoke as Naruto watched them. When the smoke cleared both of them were one and the same. He raised a brow, but felt a dull pain in his eyebrow as he realized just how much he had been doing that during the match.
"Hmm… Interesting, you seemed to have found a semblance of balance within each other and have evened out your power to be equal to one another." Naruto said as he readied himself for any new tricks they could have.
"No more!" Kiba yelled as he and Akamaru charged in fast. Naruto's eyes widened slightly as he saw their speed increase. E jumped over Akamaru's claw swipe, and forced himself to spin midair as he kicked away Kiba's own claw swipe. He landed just as both were again upon him, grabbing both their arms as he spun, throwing them toward the wall which they recovered before landing on.
Kiba and Akamaru took off in two different directions as they tried to catch Naruto off-guard, and even though Naruto wasn't trying, if he kept playing with them at the current level it would be more difficult than he had first thought. Akamaru sailed over his head as Kiba ran past him, but then something landed at his feet exploding into smoke.
"What the…? Smoke bombs?" Naruto said aloud as he glanced through the smoke, seeing Kiba and Akamaru rejoin each other as they ran at the smoke cloud.
"Now we've got you!" Kiba shouted as he and his transformed pup began to spin like miniature cyclones.
"Man-Beast Ultimate Taijutsu! Fang Over Fang!"
"What the…?" Naruto said before he evaded one of the two, and took to the air.
"You fell for it!" Kiba yelled as he came at Naruto from behind, hitting him with the grinding force of his own body.
Naruto was pushed back as he broke off from Kiba and fell toward the ground, landing…
…on one knee!
When the smoke cleared away, Kiba was smirking widely as he stood brimming with confidence.
"Ha! I knew you were still a deadlast moron, Naruto! And what was that crap you were talking about earlier; something about not getting you on one knee? But don't worry, this is just the beginning!" Kiba shouted as Naruto's face was hid within the shadow of his hair.
Suddenly the cold, damp, dark feeling was back tenfold as Naruto raised his head slowly. His pride wounded, and his fury unleashed he glared icily at Kiba while baring his teeth now turned fangs. Koga, Hiruzen, and many others felt the change immediately as Naruto's demonic aura became tangible around him in the form of purple flames. Gaara and Fu were shaking frantically while Anko felt incredibly good for some reason. Even Koga and the other three Inuzuka were being deeply affected by Naruto's cold fury, almost ready to kneel before him in submission to his power.
Kiba was worst of all as he felt it all being aimed at him. He felt like a pup going against the prime alpha of a pack. His knees shook and his breath caught in his throat as the cold glare washed over him and sent chills down his spine. Akamaru had taken a protective step in front of Kiba, though it was on a shaking leg in which he did.
"I see now that taking you lightly was a mistake I should have never made." Naruto said in little more than a chilling whisper which seemed to echo out around the room, "I should have dealt with you quickly and moved on. I was wrong, but I will not make the same mistake twice. Now I shall show you true power, and end this match quickly before you become too full of yourself." Naruto finished as his aura whirled around him like a tornado, blocking everyone's view of him.
When his aura finally died away, gasps were heard and every single person was wide-eyed at what stood in Naruto's place.
He wore a kimono-top, mostly white with an orange chrysanthemum flower crest at the collar and sleeves, showing that he was of royal birth. His pants, the Sashinuki Hakama, a type of traditional flowing pants, were gathered at the ankles making a "ballooning" effect. His footwear consisted of flat pointed ankle-high boots, instead of his blue shinobi-sandals from moments ago. The right side of his collar featured the crest of some form of clan.
Over Naruto's left shoulder was a long, thick, and yet soft-looking blond fur that seemed to flow from him with grace and majesty. At Naruto's right hip were two swords. One looked peaceful and calming in it's design, while the other looked as if with one swing it would end someone's life.
Naruto's closed eyes snapped open to reveal that they hadn't changed in their appearance (yet their chilling factor wasn't accounted for) as he moved his silky blond hair behind his ear.
"Now, Kiba Inuzuka, gaze upon me, and know that you will be cut down by this Sesshomaru." Naruto said as he flexed a clawed hand, cracking the bones in it as Kiba gulped.
"Kiba, give up! Don't do this!" Tsume yelled down to her son, not caring if it brought shame to her so long as her child was safe.
"It's him!" the Genin from both Konoha and Sound said aloud as their Jonin looked at them.
"Huh?" Kurenai said, only blinking when she realized that Anko had said it too.
"It's him Nai-chan! He's the one!" Anko said like an excited child while Kurenai tried to process that the man Anko had told her about was the deadlast Uzumaki.
"What do you mean by "him", Shikamaru?" Asuma asked as he and his fellow male Jonin-sensei exchanged looks.
"He's the one that beat Sasuke with one blow in the forest. He also scared the crap out of us just by standing there… Oh, and he kidnapped Sakura and Sasuke." Shikamaru said before he added the kidnapping in as an afterthought.
"So… Naruto kidnapped his teammates only to bring them back?" Asuma asked, having heard the story before as Kakashi shrugged, knowing something was up, but also knowing that when Naruto was involved; something was always up.
"The brat is the samurai! Oh thank goodness! For a second there, I thought I was gonna die! Ha!" Dosu said in humor as Kin's body still shook from the feeling of Naruto's aura on her. It felt so good…
"I'm not giving in to you! You may have changed, and gotten more powerful, but you're still a deadlast!" Kiba yelled as Naruto raised a brow, his foreboding presence gone as he gazed at Kiba like the boy had said the stupidest thing in the world.
"You do realize how incredibly stupid that sounds, not to mention contradictive." Naruto said as Kiba gave a war cry and charged at him, knocking Akamaru aside in the process.
"Well now, you've got guts…" Naruto said as he readied himself, "Let's see them, shall we?"
Kiba and Naruto's hands met each other as they clashed for a brief second… right before Kiba was thrown across the room by Naruto's new strength. It wasn't over yet however as Naruto blurred from his spot and kicked Kiba into the air. Naruto, wanting to show off a bit, turned into a ball of light and sailed over Kiba before turning back into himself and backhanding Kiba back down to the ground where he landed with a thud. Naruto landed lightly in front of Kiba as he raised his hand to finish the boy that had dared to wound his pride. He raised his hand high as it took on a toxic green glow.
Right as he was about to bring it down, a blur shot past him and skidded to a stop in front of Kiba. It had been Akamaru, standing defensively over Kiba's form which struggled to look up at what was happening. Naruto raised a brow at the protectiveness the young pup was showing, even in the face of… well, his face!
"Move, pup, before you join him." Naruto said, his voice stern as Akamaru shook his still transformed head.
"Would you truly wish to die protecting this filth when faced with myself? I can tell by the overwhelming fear in your eyes you know who I am." Naruto said as Akamaru nodded to both his question and statement.
"G-get away, A-Akamaru… He'll k-kill you too… R-run…" Kiba said as he struggled to try and get up, failing every time.
Naruto, for his part, was a little touched by the loyalty Akamaru had for Kiba, and the bond the two shared. It warmed his heart to see such a close relationship between a boy and his dog. Luckily, that heart-felt moment was just long enough for Naruto to remember that he had promised not to kill Kiba, and he was always one to keep his word; now more than ever since his own pride and dedication was combined with that of Sesshomaru's.
Naruto lowered his hand and the green glowing stopped as he turned away from both the dog and Kiba.
"I shall show compassion. Even this Sesshomaru is not without such a fragile thing. Thank Akamaru and Hinata Hyuga for your life, Kiba Inuzuka, because it for their companion for you that you still draw breath in this world." Naruto said as he began walking away. Right when he had Kiba felt the tension melt and fainted as Akamaru picked him up.
"Since Akamaru was a tool and Kiba the ninja, the match goes to Naruto Uzumaki. Winner, Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha." Hayate said as Hiruzen stroked his beard while he smoked his pipe.
"Hmm, I don't remember any of the Uzumaki nor Namikaze being like this. The only clan I can think of would be the Inuzuka, but I'm sure they would have told me of something like this. So the question begs; what happened to you in that forest Naruto to change you so drastically?" Hiruzen thought as he blew out a sigh of smoke. Asuma did the same while every eye in the place was on the walking form of Naruto Sesshomaru Uzumaki.
"Anko, don't do anything rash." Kurenai advised as Anko scoffed at her, but nodded all the same.
"That goes to all of you as well. Naruto's changed quite a bit, and not just appearance wise either. I'm sure that feeling of dread and death was wafting off of him. Just be respectful and don't do anything that might get you all killed." Asuma said loud enough for the others to hear as the Jonin-sensei agreed with him.
"Kakashi-sensei, what do with do when he gets up here?" Sakura asked as Kakashi glanced at her.
"He's still Naruto, Sakura. Somewhere inside the Naruto we know stopped him from killing Kiba and Akamaru in cold blood. Just be good, and we'll all sort this out later." Kakashi said as Sakura nodded worriedly. She felt a part of her temper flare when she remembered that it was apparently Naruto that had backhanded Sasuke into that tree, but suppressed the anger as best she could until everything was taken care of.
Naruto, now staying in his true form, walked up the stairs to the high area as each of his steps echoed in the silence. He pasted each of the Konoha teams and his own as he walked back to his spot. Jaken, who had watched his Lord come toward him bowed, as did Fu and Hoki while Naruto passed each of them without a glance and settled into his lean against the wall.
"Gaara, are you alright?" Temari asked as she saw that refused to look over at the Uzumaki boy, and was starting to sweat lightly.
"F-fine…" Gaara managed as his sand burst from his gourd just as a light had engulfed him. Before anyone could react to the sudden light, Gaara's sand formed a ball around him as his siblings and sensei were forced to move away.
"Whoa… What the hell was that?" Kankuro asked as he stared at Gaara's sand dome.
"I'm… not exactly sure… I've never seen him glow light before." Baki said as Temari nodded.
It wasn't long before the dome broke apart and revealed Gaara looking like himself as he re-crossed his arms. He still looked anywhere but Naruto, and seemed to fidget every now and then whenever his gaze even passed the transformed boy.
Hayate coughed a bit as everyone turned back to him for the next match, while the medics were carrying off Kiba.
"Alright then, the ninth match is to be underway." Hayate said as the randomizer began it's process.
"Jaken, what match did I miss?" Naruto asked as the others were focused on the screen while periodically glancing at him.
"Oh, umm… I believe it was the Nara boy against that Kin girl. She was knocked unconscious for a moment, but then woke up saying something about a "damnable wallflower" getting his Foxiness." Jaken said as Naruto nearly coughed up at hearing that.
Could this Kin girl be one of the "Lover Girls" that Hinata had talked about, or was she just one of the girls trying to be a "Lover Girl"? He definitely wanted to find out.
"Oh look, my Lord. The screen has chosen." Jaken said as Naruto gazed up at the screen.
"The ninth match, Rock Lee of Konoha versus Gaara of the Desert from Suna. Will both participants come down please." Hayate said through coughs as Gaara appeared on the arena floor in a swirl of sand. Lee made a show of flipping down to his place as Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
The match was the best Naruto had watched yet. It was epic to say the least, and Naruto was on edge for every second of it. First Gaara with his sand, then Rock Lee one-upped him by taking off some really heavy weights that even Naruto wasn't sure he could lift. Lee then went into showing everyone his remarkable Taijutsu abilities, but barely managed to scratch Gaara, learning that Gaara had been keeping up a sand armor all the while. Rock Lee then used his Hidden Lotus technique to break through Gaara's sand armor, but it had been at the expense of great pain and injury to himself.
Naruto had thought it was over at that point, but then Lee when even further to prove he was a good a ninja as any. Lee had opened the Eight Inner Gates! Naruto, after overhearing Kakashi and Gai's explanation to Sakura and the others about them, was awestruck at the level of power they possessed. True, even with all eight gates opened they would only barely be able to compare to his true power, but it was still amazing (for both Naruto and his Sesshomaru-self) to see that normal humans like Lee could gain such power through hard work. If he was comparing things correctly, then the eight gates would have been enough to take down even Inuyasha for good! Lee his power to full effect, and the result being that his strength was multiplied immensely for a short time, but it also severely injured him though Gaara was badly beaten by then. When Gaara was falling, in Lee's final attempt at victory during his use of the Fifth Gate of Closing, the sand-user had dispersed his gourd into sand as a cushion to break his fall. Naruto was even more on edge when all of them saw Gaara use his Sand Coffin technique to crush Rock Lee's left arm and leg while the boy was trying to fight on.
That was the point where Naruto got pissed.
Might Guy jumped down to defend his student, Rock Lee, just as the sand moved in to kill the boy. He used his bare hands to disperse the sand away from his pupil while Gaara still lay on the ground.
"That's enough!" Gai said, a serious look on his face like none other. Even Gaara was slightly frightened by the fury that Gai had as he lay on the ground watching the man defend his student.
Gaara's look of shock was replaced by one of anger as he thought over his own childhood. Why should this boy be saved when no one saved him? Why did he deserve life when no one wanted him to live? Gaara's sand lashed out even more as it towered over Gai and Lee like a tsunami.
That was, before it was cut down by a green lash of light.
Every eye turned to where Naruto was, still holding his Whip of Light as he gazed coldly at Gaara and the scene before him. He had moved to the side of the arena floor as soon as he had seen Gai move in.
To Naruto, it was alright to kill vermin such as pitiful humans, but Rock Lee was not like other humans and their pathetic kind. He wasn't weak like them, and he didn't gripe about his life. No, the boy had pushed himself to the brink in order to prove that he could hang with the best of them. In Naruto's (and Sesshomaru's) book, that took balls, and that gained Naruto's respect and admiration.
Besides, it didn't hurt that he was amused by the thought of a fight against Lee later on in life…
"Enough… this battle is over…" Naruto said calmly, though the edge in his voice wasn't lost on anyone. Gaara's eyes locked in on his as Gaara head lowered onto the floor in submission.
Naruto walked across the arena and picked up Lee as the medics and Gai stepped back. Naruto scanned Lee's body with four of his five senses as he assessed the damage done to the boy.
"His muscles are torn, his heart rate is almost nonexistent, and his blood is flooding his body. It would be a miracle for even my power to heal him back to perfect-" Naruto thought, but was shocked at what was happening with Lee.
The unconscious boy had grabbed his arm… and stood on his own as he settled into his taijutsu stance! Naruto couldn't believe what he was seeing. He thought that he had the guts to never give up, but here was Rock Lee still wanting to prove himself even subconsciously. Naruto smiled as he stepped away from Lee for all to see, even if their faces were beyond shock and awe just as his had been.
"Your student is very noble Maito Gai. He is a credit to your skills and abilities as a teacher." Naruto said quietly as Gai moved to stand next to him and watch Lee.
"Thank you… for both your kind words and your help, Naruto. I only hope that my recklessness in trying to help Lee hasn't cost the boy his dream…" Gai said solemnly as Naruto, being just as tall as Gai now, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Naruto took Lee and shouldered the boy as he turned back to Gai.
"I'll see to it that he's better than before. You're a great teacher if he's like this even now. Don't disrespect his dreams by thinking something as this will stop him. I'll do all within my power to see him fight once more." Naruto said as he walked off with Lee atop his shoulder while the medics followed after him.
As soon as they got to a free room, Naruto began using his demonic aura to heal what injuries he could on Lee. The boy's heart rate began to go back to normal, but Naruto could still feel that it wasn't enough. He poured even more of his aura into the boy in an attempt to balance out the boy's own inner aura and hit… a block?
"What is this? It feels as though something deep inside him won't allow me in. Well then… a test is in order." Naruto thought as he narrowed his eyes and glanced back at the medic-ninja.
"Leave." Naruto commanded as the medics stuttered out nonsense, but when Naruto's power increased to the point of purple flames erupting from him, they fled the room as fast as they could.
Naruto gritted his teeth as he felt the block hold up to his perfect aura, and engulfed Lee's entire body in his flaming aura. He felt the block weaken somewhat under his pressure, but knew that he still needed more.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to this… but it must!" Naruto thought as he closed his eyes, accessing even more of his demonic power.
Naruto's eyes snapped open to reveal that the whites of his eyes had become blood-shot red and his irises themselves had turned a darker blue while his pupils became slits. His teeth turned to fangs and his whisker marks seemed to broaden. He unleashed a primal howl at the sheer amount of power he was encasing Rock Lee in as he felt the block grow weaker and weaker with each passing second. Finally he gave one good push of his power as the block completely shattered and Lee's aura core mixed with Naruto's demonic aura to create Lee's own balance.
Outside in the arena where the tenth match was taking place, Choji and Dosu (the two fighters), and everyone else was frozen under the pressure of a far off power. It was like trying to stand in the presence of Death itself. Like bowing before Kami, or being on the opposite of the swords of Carnage and Mayhem.
This level of power was just… unreal! And just as soon as it had come, it had gone even faster.
Naruto stopped his power as he rasped out for breath. He wasn't used to unleashing that much demonic aura yet with his body, because just like demonic chakra; it took time to get used to. He bent over hands on his knees as he gazed over at Lee's sleeping form on the scarred and burnt bed. The boy looked healthier than before, and was breathing easy. Naruto sighed in relief when he realized that he couldn't smell anymore fresh blood coming from Lee. Naruto looked closely at the boy to be sure he was completely healed before he turned away, and walked out of the now burnt-black room.
"What was the block or barrier on the boy's core. It wasn't something a ninja would or even could do. It felt far too… demonic for the pitiful vermin around this place. If memory serves me right, it felt like one of the Primate demon blocks from my first childhood when Father was still with Mother. Yet… hadn't they all been wiped out back then?" Naruto thought as he rubbed his chin.
"It seems that my time during these Exams is only leaving me with more questions than answers…" Naruto said quietly to himself as he reentered the arena.
Hayate coughed as he and the others watched Naruto walk into the spacious room. The match had just ended and while Asuma was picking up Choji, Hayate had wanted everyone's attention.
"Now, seeing as we had a double-knockout from our fourth match, Naruto may choice not to fight his second match, but if he does; his opponent will be picked at random." Hayate said as Naruto just kept walking toward the center.
"I'm fine with fighting, just choose already." Naruto said impatiently as many people who had known him sighed and thought the same thing.
"Some things never change no matter how much you want them to…"
The randomizer worked as Naruto gazed up at it in disinterest. Since Hinata and Ino were out, he could basically rip apart however was left. That Sand village girl seemed like a worthy opponent, not to mention cute as well. If it was Neji, Naruto would kill him and tell Hinata he died by accident. If it was Sasuke, then he'd embarrass the boy for being a thief of Lee's hard work. If it was Shino… well then he just might give up.
Those bugs really did creep him out just that much.
If his foe was Gaara he wasn't really sure what he'd do. Gaara seemed to have changed now that he thought about it. Gaara's scent had altered since he had hid inside that sand dome, and Gaara still refused to meet his gaze completely.
Naruto glanced about at all the winners so far just as the randomizer was slowing. Sasuke (who wasn't there), Shino (who creeped him out), Kankuro (who would die from using those soulless puppets), Temari (who he liked since she glared at him when he looked up at her, even despite her evident fear of him), Shikamaru (who might actually win against him by using his brain), Neji (who would die; simple as that), Gaara (who looked just as fearfully of fighting him as Temari did), and Dosu (whose bandages were getting drenched in his own sweat).
Naruto's smirk turned into a grin as he gazed from the giant screen to his opponent; Dosu Kinta. The mummified boy gulped as he considered quitting an option, but couldn't find it in himself to quit when it looked as if he would die all the same what with the way Naruto was looking at him). Dosu turned to Kin as he nodded to her.
"Kin, I have something to tell you before I die." Dosu said as Kin listened.
"Zaku and I used to steal your panties and I was the one that spied on you in the shower. I'm not sorry for what I did, but I just thought that you'd like to know the truth before I was killed." Dosu said as he brushed pass her and walked down the stairs.
"If you live through your ass-kicking, I'll kill you!" Kin shouted in fury as they had all said it was Suigetsu that had done all that stuff. She had gone a week without showering because she was so afraid that Suigetsu would be the water she showered with, already knowing that he had done it to other girls back in Sound.
"The time has come for other final match: Dosu Kinta of Oto versus Naruto Uzumaki of Konoha." Hayate said with practiced ease as he mental played funeral bells for the weird boy from Sound.
Dosu shuffled down in his weird and hunched fashion until he was standing opposite his opponent, the one man he had never wanted to cross paths with again in his life. Hell, he would have taken Orochimaru over this man that literally reeked of slaughter and destruction. As Hayate began the match, Dosu took a deep breath and prepared himself. He wasn't going to simply die here without a fight, and he wasn't going out like Zaku either. He watched Naruto for a weak point, analyzing him to find even one flaw in him. His physical analysis came up to nothing since everything he could think of was proved wrong in Naruto's fight with Kiba, so he went for the mental warfare tactics instead.
"So… Now I get the chance to finish what I started in the forest with your teammates before Sasuke went… berserk and then you arrived. I'll crush you and play a sweet melody at your death." Dosu said as he mental applauded himself for showing such courage in the face of death by poking the sleeping lion… or wolf… or dog… whatever the hell he was!
"Oh, big talk for such small vermin." Naruto replied as Dosu growled at him. Sure he was gonna die, but the guy didn't have to be insulting about it!
Dosu charged straight at Naruto, figuring he had the upper hand since Naruto most likely didn't know about his gauntlet. Naruto simply danced around the boy's strikes as he felt his acute hearing and inner ear being damaged by whatever technique the bandaged boy was using.
Meanwhile in the balcony people were having different reactions to that short battle of words.
"Yeah, go Naruto! Take him down for me!" Choji yelled as Asuma chuckled.
"Kick his ass, Naruto!" Ino cheered as Shikamaru raised a brow at her.
"Why so cheerful, Ino? Naruto's not doing this for Choji." Shikamaru said, watching her closely as she flinched and looked at him with a nervous chuckle. comrade
"Oh, you know… camaraderie and all that good stuff…" Ino said as Shikamaru looked unconvinced.
"Uh huh, whatever you say…" Shikamaru replied lazily as Ino berated herself for thinking Shikamaru was actually lazier than he was smart.
Back in the arena, Dosu attacks hadn't connected at all, and the desired effect of causing internal harm didn't look to be happening against Naruto. Dosu jumped back as Naruto brought up his hand, striking at the spot the boy had been.
The game of cat and mouse was always so fun when you were the cat…
"This match won't be much longer. You'll be falling over yourself in no time." Dosu said with conviction as he held up his gauntlet arm and aimed it at Naruto.
"Is that so? Then come and try." Naruto replied while looking at the mummified Sound Genin with a disinterested gaze.
"You'll see! Now bow to the might of Sound!" Dosu said as Naruto watched the boy's chakra swirling and rippling out in what appeared to be sound waves. Naruto watched as they seemed to flow from the gauntlet and race toward him.
"Vibrating Sound Drill!"
Naruto held up a hand as his Whip of Light came flowing out. He spun in place with the grace of a dancer as he used the motion to disrupt the vibrations in the air.
"Trying to dance now won't help you!" Dosu yelled as he readied his bracer for another attack.
"Vibrating Sound Drill!"
Dosu fired off another burst of sound at Naruto, thinking that the blond would succumb to his attack if he increased the power. Naruto's speed merely picked up even more as he became a blur of colors. Before Dosu could even say or do anything else, Naruto's whip lashed out at him, cutting off his gauntlet arm and his right leg. Naruto stopped his spinning as Dosu fell to the ground, howling in pain as he clutched at his missing limbs.
"You're just a one-trick pony… pathetic. I'll show you that I have more than just this whip to kill with. I'll even give you an quick death with the same technique I had almost killed Kiba with." Naruto said as he walked up to Dosu bleeding form. The on-lookers were stunned into silence as Naruto's booted-footsteps echoed in their silence. His hand began to glow a toxic green just like before as he readied it to kill the terrified Sound ninja.
"I told you that if we ever cross paths again, that you would die; and I am a man of my word if nothing else. Now then, allow me to give you a swift trip to the Netherworld. Toxic Flower Claw…" Naruto said as he outstretched his hand in front of Dosu screaming face. The poison from his claws shot out in a blast of toxic energy that dissolved Dosu completely, even his bones. All that was left of the boy from Sound was a darkened spot on the arena floor where Naruto's attack had ended.
Many of the ninja couldn't believe the kill in which they had just witnessed. They had seen people burned to death, or even cut into pieces, but here was a kill so brutal, and yet so clean, that they couldn't make up their minds on whether to be horrified or glad that the boy's death had been so quick.
Naruto flexed his hand as he muttered to himself about how the kill "wasn't up to par". Hayate seemed to get over his shock as he declared Naruto the winner of the match. Hiruzen merely watched Naruto walk off back to his spot with a sigh as only now did he realize just how much Naruto had grown-up and changed in the Forest of Death.
Naruto walked pass Kin, who was still wide-eyed from watching her teammate die. He stopped just pass her as he glanced back at her over his shoulder.
"Meet me later today. You are mine, and Orochimaru no longer has any claim over you." Naruto said quietly as Kin went stiff from his voice.
She was his? While it thoroughly terrified her to be his, some part of her core-being enjoyed the idea of being owned by this demon of a man. She didn't speak, however, or give any sign that she had heard him at all, but she knew that if she didn't meet with him, then he'd probably kill her… Not to mention the fact that she was actually curious as to what he would do with her…
She meant to her!
"Kakashi… I can't believe your kid just k-killed his opponent. I mean, don't get me wrong; in this line of work that's great and all… but to do it… with such efficiency and grace…" Kurenai said, slightly afraid to even speak about what she had just seen before her in fear that she might be next.
"I know…" Kakashi said, trailing off as he too was a little frightful of what he had just witnessed. The fact that his Sharingan was out and he had memorized it didn't help him deal with his fear at all. He pulled his headband back down over his eye as Naruto moved pass him.
Sakura, on the other hand, couldn't believe (much less comprehend) what she had just seen with her own eyes. Her teammate had just killed his opponent in the coldest fashion she had ever seen without so much as batting an eyelash at it. In the back of her mind, she knew that even Sasuke couldn't have managed such a thing in one go. After seeing that level of pure killing perfection, something inside Sakura's mind cracked. The smart part of her realized there would come a time when she would be forced to taking the lives of others, but she didn't know that it could be done so… perfectly. No blood, no remains, and scarring the minds of all that witnessed it for the rest of their lives. It was then, that for the first real time in her life, she questioned if she really wanted to be a shinobi and if she did; would she survive her career as one.
Many others had watched the kill with a detached fascination and awe as the spot the boy had died at was still smoking.
In Anko's case, she had a gleam of interest and lust in her eyes as she followed the walk of the young self-proclaimed Eastern Lord. Watching someone get killed was always fun, but Naruto had just made it look like a true art form! She licked her lips seductively as she thought of all the ways Naruto could kill Orochimaru, and found that she was really enjoying just staring at the perfect-looking boy and imagining him striking down her bastard ex-Sensei.
Asuma glanced at Anko along with Kurenai, and a shudder ran down both their spines. Kurenai knew that her friend was interested in Naruto now that he was revealed to be the one that saved her from Orochimaru, but the boy was nearly half her age. True, he did look, act, and speak like a full-grown man, but that didn't make him one… right?
It wasn't until the smoking patch of dead Genin was washed down and cleared that all the winners were called to line-up in front of the Third Hokage. With exception of Sasuke, seven of the eight winners stood for the actual finals.
"Now then, with the ranks thinned out a bit it's time to draw lots for the actual finals of the Chunin Exams." Hiruzen began as Anko walked up to them with a box, "Each of you will draw a slip of paper from this box. Whatever number is on your sheet is how we determine who will be fighting who."
They waited for each of them to pull out a piece of paper, and once they all had one Hiruzen asked them to call out their numbers.
"Five." Shino stated in monotone as he handed in his slip.
"Four." Gaara said as he crumbled his up and tossed it behind him where it hit his sensei, Baki. Baki grumbled as he moved behind Temari where he knew he wouldn't get hit.
"Seven." Temari said, mentally breathing a sigh of relief that she and Gaara couldn't possibly be matched up, but still dreading if Naruto was her first opponent. She crumbled her slip up and tossed it behind her as it hit Baki, who muttered curses as he moved behind the lazy Nara.
"Troublesome… Eight…" Shikamaru said lazily as he too tossed his. Baki moved behind his now favorite student Kankuro, where he was safe.
"Six." Kankuro, who in his delight of not being paired with Gaara, threw his piece of paper at Baki like confetti.
"Oh son of a banshee…" Baki grumbled as he moved behind the Hyuga brat. The Hyuga clan was far to dignified to throw things.
"Two" Neji said, but looked down at his slip of paper and saw it was filthy. He tossed it behind him as Baki stared at him in shock. He stomped behind Naruto as he was sure that the boy would kill him before hitting him with paper balls like all the others.
"Apartment 3A in Building C on Takashi Drive… Wait, what?" Naruto said calmly, before actually looking down to see what was written on the paper. It was an apartment number and such in Anko's handwriting. The only reason he knew it was Anko's handwriting was because of the little drawing of her laying on the paper naked with a snake covering her private parts.
"What the- Anko!" Kurenai yelled as Anko stuck her tongue out at her friend. Many of the females blushed (even Ino, though the glare she was throwing Anko was nothing to sniff at) while the males were mentally killing Naruto for landing someone as sexy as Anko.
Baki proudly opened his hands to catch the paper as his tongue hang out his mouth while he panted like a dog in heat. Naruto looked back down at the paper before pocketing it for later tonight; after Ino stopped yelling and beating him so he could actually go.
"Umm… Number One... as to be expected…" Naruto said as everyone was looking at him. Since it wasn't a fight or something that was to be expected, he found all the attention a little disconcerting.
"And that makes young Sasuke Uchiha number Three. These are the match-ups for the finals. Unless something happens within the time frame that is cause for us to alter the roster, those here are who you will be fighting. See you all in a month's time, and train well during it." Hiruzen said as he turned to walk off when a few of the genin voiced their complaints: mainly Kankuro.
"Hold on! What do you mean a month? I thought we would be fighting now." Kankuro said as the elderly Hokage turned back to answer him.
"Ahh yes, I almost forgot… The point of the month is to use this time to improve your skills, and reflect on the skills that your future opponents have displayed here today. In addition, we hold the finals in a months time because the Daimyo of each country, and other important dignitaries come to view the skill and might of villages shinobi. It's a chance to scout for which ninja villages will be suited to the missions they are called on to performed. Lastly, it's to see who among you have the best chance to survive the challenges of being a Chunin. Now rest up, and prepare to give us all a show to look forward to." Sarutobi said, signaling that they were finished as people began to slowly file out of the tower.
Naruto stepped out of the tower first, looking out into the very forest in which he had gained his new lease on life. He would return to this forest someday and claim it as his own, but for now he ad other conquests in mind.
The first, his lovely Ino, second the mighty Anko, and then the timid Hinata, and finally the elusive Temari…
Oh and Kin too, but she was already caught in his trap; much like all the other women on his list.
Oh yeah, he had enough hunts and "stamina training partners" to last him a month.
It was always good to be a Sesshomaru…
