I own not a right to either Warhammer or Naruto, this story is meant for entertainment purposes, so please do not sue me. Or maim. Or anything in between.

Trooper0007: Refer to chapter three to four. Draw your own conclusion and see if you are vindicated.

Note: There are bound to be made up justsus. Please do not complain.

Assassin

Chapter 10: Continuing life

Konoha, Augest fourth

In a way he was both proud of this as he was ashamed. Part of him still wished Team Seven was unaltered.

He condemned his brother to the life of civilian for the good of the village, or at least for the good of his fellow shinobi. He, nor anyone else experienced to such a life, was not surprised that Sasuke was as accepting to his punishment as a innocent man was accepting to a crime of murder. They had to restrain the boy and place him under watch after the sealing was done, and Sasuke was freed from Itacho's genjustu at long last to find his new place in life.

The pride however was not in Sasuke's perceived unjustified wrong against him, it was from the fact that it was three months since that day and the Chunin exams were fast approaching. Haku has and continues to prove to be a more effective kunoichi than Sasuke was a shinobi. Sakura was improving by leaps and bounds with encouragement from the more experienced female member of Team Seven, and it seems that the two 'lovers', he quietly snickered to himself each time it came to mind, have gotten past their bout of shyness around each other. For the most part anyway.

With all that aside it summed up to one thing, he was going to enter Team Seven into the Chunin exams. There was one problem however, and it wore a black bodysuit; Naruto Uzumaki. He could actually understand the boy's want to avoid it.

Written test/spying test, a part of the shinobi life and a test of one's information gathering abilities. Hazardous attack/retrieval/teamwork test, to gauge a team's overall ability to pull through a situation againsts others in a environment that could get them killed; technically one passed that anyway if they are willing to count just surviving it, but they do have to limit contestants after all. But the deal breaker he knew that would keep Naruto from competing was the last one, the one-on-one combatant stage with an audience. That was a view both he and the blond shared; a hindrance more than anything. It had its merits for sure, yet for a serious shinobi it was like walking into a lion's den slathered in meat.

Revealing your skills to a open audience to numerous people who could easily tell others what they witness could get you killed.

But he had an ace up his sleeve. The same ace that got him into the exams himself when he was still a Genin and was obstinate in his decision.

Now all he had to do was find his student... joy.

XVX

Training ground ten

If the green duo of Konoha wielded swords, people would accuse them for the damage done to the wooded training ground. Entire branches were missing, smaller trees were cut clean through, and gashes were rent into the bark from both sword and what may have been either a fist or a foot. The damage was continuing to pile up.

It was all thrilling to Kira Blanc, former Death-Cult assassin and teacher of Tenten Bell. So what that she was unable to continue her duty she had sworn to perform for the last few decades when she had the unique thrill of teaching a student. A student who had a few anger issues to deal with today.

With a small grin, she ducked under a deft swing and lunged past its counterpart towards Tenten. Before Tenten could react, he was shoulder slammed with a sharp stinging sensation she became too familiar with for the past few months. She gritted her teeth, she brought both blades towards her teacher, intent on returning the favor.

Kira retreated long before the twin blades came down on her. Tenten jerked her head up to spot her teacher, and stifled a gasp to realize she disappeared. She wasn't the least bit surprised when a lengthy sword ghosted between her shoulder and neck with the blade making a slight cut along her neck. A mixture between experience and training kept her from shuddering at the feeling of cold metal against skin as well as the possibility of her life being ended.

"It's never a good thing to rely on your anger for strength. It can easily get you killed one of these days if you are going to be so sloppy. Especially if you come at everyone like a bull intent on destroying something." A hand grabbed the back of Tenten's skull and forced her to observe their ruined surroundings. Kira leaned in and whispered into her ear, "I'm just going to let you cool off for the day and we can pick up tomorrow." The thud of a hand to the back of her neck was the last thing Tenten seen and felt...

XVX

With a groan, Tenten woke up to see the ground at least half a mile above her. She closed her eyes and growled a exasperated sigh. A quick jerk of the hands and feet revealed to her what she already knew. She was being held upside down. She opened her eyes and chose to look at her equivalent of down, sky and the edges of branch reaching to the sky.

The bound kunoichi would've been furious, but she knew better. She had herself to blame for this predicament. Especially as far as her teacher was concerned. But conceit still had its say in the matter...

"Damn you Haku..."

With that said, she began to wriggle her hands free of the makeshift shackles of rope.

XVX

Konoha market

Haku had to resist the urge to sneeze. She didn't want to agitate the situation any further with a perceived insult.

When she and her father joined Konoha, she overall didn't know what to expect. In descending order of the things she did not expect to happen: replacing the teammate of her... 'friend.' Being in the same team as her... 'friend' and the man who could've killed her father had she not intervened. Being accepted into a shinobi village with little to no trouble, of course to be fair they were being escorted at the time. Last but not as surprising do to Ino's fascination to gossip, being the unsuspecting combatant in a now four-way war of kunoichi over her... 'friend.'

She already had the misfortune to meet Tenten Bell a month after joining Konoha, said young woman was probably the most deadly of the four considering her skills were eerily similar to her... 'friend's' own set, the only true difference being the weapons they favored. However it didn't save her from becoming a pin cushion from Haku's senbon and use of the ice mirrors. It didn't save Haku from having to visit the hopsital for some light stitching lately, though.

Other than Naruto and Itachi, no one could track her when she used the mirrors... even then it took the two months to get an idea without a form of visual aid; Itachi with his sharingan while Naruto was forced to rely on instinct and cunning. Tenten seemed to have a higher learning curve than those two... of course neither men were in a four-way battle for a certain person's affection.

Now Haku was forced to contend the second most serious threat that she had the, by comparison, fortune to meet. Hinata Hyuga. Unlike Tenten, it seemed like she taken the news of Haku and Naruto being intimate relatively well... so far they only had three 'spars' to date as opposed to biweekly occurrences. Haku wasn't sure who was worse in that regard, someone who can kill with deadly precision with swords of unusual make and design or someone who can shut down a person's systems in a matter of seconds if caught in the open.

Whoever named the style 'Gentle fist' has never been on the receiving end of it apparently.

Hinata smiled warmly enough at Haku. "How're you doing today Miss Momochi?" She asked lukewarmly.

Haku responded in the same fashion as Hinata. "I'm doing fine, but how're you Miss Hyuga? Doing well I suppose?"

"I'm doing well. Has everything been going well for Team Seven overall? No unexpected occurrences of a shocking nature?" Hinata asked 'curiously.' The smile didn't leave her face.

Haku's didn't disappear either. "Oh nothing new, just the same old problems since I joined."

Everyone who knew better left the immediate vicinity of the two kunoichi as they smiled at each other.

XVX

Ichiraku ramen

Itachi slurped the last of the noodles and proceeded to drink the broth. Meanwhile he crossed off a mental checklist in places to look for Naruto as well as where to have lunch... and quite possibly dinner. Never know where his bandana wearing student was going to pop up after all.

XVX

Makeshift bar, unknown location

"Everyone comes across a undeniable choice in their life that will always mark them as either a human being, or a monster in their own mind till their last breath. Even as a monster, one had to ask, does it do it for itself or for others? Either way, own up to it to the choice. Never forget it. Don't lie about it, especially to yourself." A sentiment shared between two elderly slayers that hide in the shadow and brought onto their students. A sentiment Roderick Gryphon conceived for cold comfort since he was slated a traitor.

Fate seemed to have a sense of irony to have sent him his assassin as a companion or sorts from his former home.

Ironic. Two cold blooded killers slated to die for the exact same reason, just years apart from each other.

Xenos, demons, traitors by at least name, neither had or voiced a problem with those assignments.

He smirked and raised a glass. His one companion raised an eyebrow at this but smirked as well.

"To being human." Two glasses clinked, and their contents drained.

XVX

Naruto's apartment

Itachi sighed as he looked around the room in what he deemed was the "safe zone." So far it looked like the blond wasn't home, and he was not keen on finding out what else his student booby trapped. Being tossed through the air like a rag doll from getting a double dose of rock salt to the hidden chest plate was not a fun experience to have when opening the front door.

XVX

Konoha rooftops

If there was a record in most swear words said in one day, Zabuza was either breaking it or was close to breaking it. Not that he cared as he ran away from what might have been a giant child clad in green while wearing bowl cut hairdo. If he knew back then what he knew now, he would've been far less inclined to join Konoha... the sake is good though.

"Please my youthful friend and ally! We must spar to see if your flames of youth are in need of being rekindled!" Might Guy shouted as he bound across the town one roof at a time in pursuit of the former Mist shinobi. If he wasn't under probation, Zabuza was sure he'd try to strangle the green monster by now... but he was afraid that might actually encourage the beast.

"Not interested, leave me alone!" Zabuza shouted back. Why the nutcase with the bizarre fascination with the word "youth" was so interested in him, he was not sure and was fairly certain he didn't want to find out. Unfortunately for him, the man he was fleeing from was getting steadily closer with each roof crossing... until he spotted a familiar tuff of hair sticking out from behind a rooftop air conditioner. Zabuza grinned evilly under his bandage mask.

turning on a dime, he darted straight towards the heavy machine. Without much effort he lept over it and sailed through the air while greeting the unsuspecting Jonin armed with a green little book in hand. "Hello Kakashi Hatake, nice day we're having eh?" He hit the ground running and never looked back at the predictable live saving event as it happened.

"Kakashi, my eternal youthful rival, how are on this youthful day?" Might Guy proclaimed when he landed next to the partially expecting silver haired man. "Hmm? Sorry, did you say something?" Kakashi replied 'innocently.' He could almost swear he heard cackling from the fleeing Jonin... not that he blamed him... if only he had a distraction against Guy as well.

XVX

Konoha market

Itachi calmly walked away from the two kunoichi. He didn't need to use his sharingan to see the swirling vortex of energy between Haku and Hinata. That and he was not going to be blamed for setting off a fight between the two. He had a keen interest in not visiting the hospital any time soon, much like anyone else with a sense of self preservation.

XVX

Bell Weaponry

Tenten grimaced as she massaged her abused wrists as she stood behind the counter. In a way she was thankful it was a slow day, for it permitted her more time to assess and care for her injuries. Luckily for her, her wrists were merely sore compared to the rope burns to the first few times it or something similar happened.

He couldn't blame her teacher for punishing her, if anyone it was to blame, outside herself, it was Haku in her opinion...

Getting drunk and bedding with her love interest, being on the same team with him, and even mentioning her own interest in the blond... Tenten gritted her teeth in a poorly veiled snarl at no one. Hinata was bad enough. Money, influence by being a noble, a sweet demeanor, and even yearning for affection from the one who caught her eye. Not a good combination to have in a rival, it made them much more difficult to defeat when fighting for anyone.

She smiled to herself, Naruto just wasn't anyone. If he was in anyway selfish then Hinata would probably have won long before Tenten became infatuated with Naruto.

And Ino... another testament that Naruto wasn't just anyone. She had the looks for a Genin her age, but not the skill. Any boy their age would have clamored to her and not look back. Ultimately she wasn't competition to Tenten.

But Haku... was a exception to Naruto's policy to be aloof in terms of love. Drunk or not, she had a lead compared to the two of them... combine that with being in relatively constant presence of Naruto, or rather spends a significant time with him in comparison, something was bound to happen and it most likely won't be alcoholic in nature. Tenten growled at the image of Haku in her mind.

She didn't want to lose Naruto to anyone. Period.

"Ding!"

Upon hearing that, Tenten switched from the one person that only people with a death wish would encounter in a dark alley to a sweet attentive store clerk. She had to stifle a gasp when she recognized Itachi Uchiha in her store, Naruto's shinobi sensei.

"Hello, how may I help you today?" Tenten cheerily greeted.

Itachi gave her a polite nod in return. "Have you by chance seen Naruto recently?" He asked curtly.

Upon receiving a head shaking 'no' as a reply, her promptly turned to leave. A hand grasped the door's handle when Tenten's confused cry assailed him, "May I ask why you're looking for him?"

He turned his head enough to be polite as he replied as curtly as he asked. "I wished to speak about him on something."

Without another word or giving a chance for one to be spoken, he left the store. Tenten could only blink in confusion. "Is Naruto in trouble?" She idly thought to herself. She gripped the counter in slight worry.

XVX

The weapon fanatic was crossed off in Itachi's mental checklist as he strolled to his next destination.

XVX

Dango stand

"Blink!"

So another Dango stick had bitten the plate like the numerous others that shared its fate. Soon another would join their ranks as Anko picked up another without remorse for her fallen victims. She was feeling good today and nothing could ruin it. "Anko, queen of revenge!" A voice shouted repeatedly throughout her mind.

Three months after the Momochi's joining of Konoha she had been dubbed "Queen of revenge" for her best act of vengeance against Naruto's numerous 'pranks' against them...converting Hinata Hyuga into a active woman trying to earn his affection! No one was able to top her so far as Naruto tries to survive the onslaught of three women vying for his attention! Four if Ino was counted... Anko snickered as she chewed on her favored treat.

Today was a good day For Anko Mitarashi. Especially with Dango at her side.

The small groan of a stool being sat on earned her attention, and a second later a eyebrow raised in curiosity as a slightly haggard Itachi Uchiha gave her a polite nod before turning his attention to the owner to order sake. With a small tired sigh, he rests his elbows on the counter and rests his head atop his folded hands as he stared blankly ahead, even when the owner returned with a saucer and a bottle of sake.

"Something on your mind?" Anko asked as she devoured her latest victim without mercy, her new title still playing like wedding bells in her head. Itachi could tell her the world would be ending tomarrow and it would not shake her, at least not immediately. Today was just too good for her.

"Just trying to find Naruto," Itachi deadpanned with a hint of fatigue as he mechanically poured himself a drink without averting his gaze.

Anko deigned a look at the clock and realized something. It was seven-fourteen in the evening, and she been hogging her spot for more than two hours... no skin off her back. She turned to her fellow shinobi with a half opened mouth, only to close it when she realized one thing. Other than the ramen stand, Naruto only haunted her beloved training ground forty-four and it was off-limits now for the upcoming Chunin exams. The shrimp could be anywhere, most likely to find a new place to lurk and hone his skills. The prospects of him succeeding however were slim on the account that the "Forest of Death" was the only place he would be put to the test at with the lowest rate of interaction from unwanted visitors.

"Missed a team meeting I take it?" Anko inquired with heartedly as she returned to her almost destroyed pile of Dango. "No, trying to convince him to enter the exam." Anko snorted at that.

"Good luck with that," she said with a small chortle.

It died down when she spied a small grin on Itachi. "You may be the queen of vengeance, but you are not the only one who can be named as a monarch over something."

Anko squinted at him, her mind already pondering how he intends to succeed in what would be a impossible chore at best.

XVX

Hallway to Naruto's apartment, near midnight

To the average person's standards, it would be weird if not suspicious to encounter two people having a conversation in a hallway. More so when one of the two had parked themselves right outside the other's apartment door for close to four hours. To a experience shinobi's standards, it would either mean something fairely serious or a mission assignment. Neither have had a shotgun blast to the chest with non-lethal rounds, at least not in intention, in all probability when opening a door. But the first part of a shinobi's assessment would be at least half right if nothing else.

Naruto, simply put, was staring his shinobi instructor down with half lidded eyes. "I am not going to participate."

Itachi nodded coolly. "Then allow me to present to you a thought you may want to cogitate about, isn't it a mark of one's skill to conceal or limit their skills?" Without any indication, he abruptly walked past his student. "If anything, it's a test to one's ability to fight in a environment where you have no advantage."

Itachi descended the nearby staircase quickly with a smirk. He and Naruto shared one thing when it came to their respective youth. Challenges were a tantalizing thing to a serious mind. Does one need improvement or are they up to task?

Ace up his sleeve indeed...

XVX

Two weeks later, in front of the sinobi academy

"Damn you Itachi-sensei," Naruto thought as he stared at the familiar doors of the academy with a beaming Sakura and slightly nervous Haku.

XVX

Meanwhile, at the Yamanaka mental health clinic/flower shop

"It was terrible, it was almost like hearing a demon cackling from hell!" A resident of the Uchiha district whimpered as he curled up into a ball on the couch.

Inoichi groaned as he looked at his fifth Uchiha patient since last night from his pen and clipboard. Heavy bags hung from his eyes from stress and lack of sleep. "Remind me, how is Itachi laughing even remotely disturbing?"

The shuddering man turned to him with deer in headlights eyes and asked him in a deathly serious tone, "Have you ever met him?" Inoichi nodded. "Have you ever seen or hear him cackle over some kind of victory?" Inoichi opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out as his mind drew a blank.

He closed it, got up, tossed the board and pen away, and stormed off to the door to his office.

"Wait, where are you going?!" His patient yelled frantically.

"Bed, good night!" Inoichi yelled back with a slight snarl. He ripped the door open and slammed it behind him.

The patient just stared at the door...

"That was just rude," he deadpanned quietly.

A/N: Yes, the Chunin exam arc! You all know the drill, read it! The great Monkeybandit2 commands ye!

I don't really have much to say other than I thought it would be a good idea for a chapter with some semblance of settling into some form of normalcy. For anyone outside of the Fearsome four (or terrible three, your call) at least.

Yes, the shotgun with rock salt ammo idea came from Kill Bill Vol. 2. It just seemed right, I mean what kind of assassin wouldn't booby trap their own home while they are away?! Originally it was going to be a trap door or spring loaded kunai launchers but they sounded cliché while the shotgun was funnier as well as relatively non-lethal, stings like hell though as I can imagine. That and out of the two, which would Naruto most likely be able to make from scratch for a round meant to stun as opposed to kill? "Relatively Non-lethal?" Even Bean bags shot from shotguns have a certain degree of lethality when they hit certain areas of the body as I came to understand.

If you're wondering why Haku is a Genin while Zabuza is a straight up Jonin, Zabuza was a official ninja with a Anbu ranking before he left Mist while Haku was not a ninja in any form till Zabuza came along. Overall Haku never had a rank nor in essence a large name to go by outside of being called Zabuza's associate if you are rationally thinking about it. My line of thinking behind giving Haku Genin rank was in essence because Haku is untested and Zabuza can only teach so much about ninja arts while constantly on the move. There are bound to be some holes somewhere along the line.

Ok, I had a lot to say... With one more thing to add.

Monkeybandit2, making off with your attention! No Refunds.