The Hidden Truths of the Village Hidden in the Leaves
Summary: Starting after the trip to the Land of the Waves, Sasuke has developed a sense of overprotectivness a shinobi feels towards their partner and Naruto has to deal with new surprises every day. The secret behind the Uchiha clan massacre is revealed and Orochimaru is scared of one man. ANBU and foxes flock towards Naruto as much as danger does. A whole new take on the life of Team 7 and co.
''Okay, listen up. These are your current results!'' Joko called out after some time, realizing that Naruto more than knew who and when Sasuke's first kiss had been but was too busy to actually answer the question, so he wrote it down as correct and left it at that. Besides, he seriously doubted he could stop those two from bickering if he tried.
"Team Asuma now has 20 points. Team Kurenai fell into last place with 19 points."
"Yes! We're not last place anymore! Way to go Ino-Shika-Chou!" Ino cheered and Shikamaru sighed. He had hoped that they would be excluded from the upcoming mission if they were bad enough,,but things changed now. How troublesome. Chouji simply didn't care, as long as there was food.
Joko glared at the three but sighed at Asuma's apologetic look and just continued on as if nothing had happened. "Team Gai has 29 points, second only to Team Kakashi, who still hold first place with 37 points."
"Nani!?" Nine out of twelve genin all screeched, because how was that possible?! That was a plus of 11 points! They said the maximum they could get as a team is 9!
"How can they get so much points!?" Neji asked, seething that they now had 8 points of difference to beat. Beating those three points had been hard enough, then it was six! How much more would they have to give to reach the nine point difference?
"But you said nine was maximum!" Ino complained.
"That's not really fair." Hinata whispered but it was unheard due to Kiba's yelling. "This is because of who's on the team, isn't it? You favor their team so they always win!"
"That's not it at all, baka no gaki." Joko interrupted, getting angry. "Sakura got two points because she didn't know the answer to one question and for shielding another for her teammate's sake, she gets an additional point. Sasuke got three points for knowing all of the answers and an additional point for not going into details that might hurt his teammates. Naruto answered all questions while keeping his friends's secrets or thinking about their wellbeing. He got 3+1 points for understanding them. In other words, Team Kakashi got 8 points for their answers but were rewarded for their loyalty to each other with 3 additional points. They realized the bonus part of this test and they got their bonus points. If you have anything against this, please speak out now with sound arguments and we will reduce the points if you give us truly acceptable reasons."
Of course, no one could argue with this logic so no one said anything, even if they were angry at themselves for not noticing this hidden way of getting points. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke shared glances, surprised that simply thinking of each other's feelings had gotten them such a great lead. Maybe Kakashi-sensei was right and comrades really were more important than finishing a mission or following an order.
When he was sure there won't be another interruption, Joko continued. "We will continue to this final test of the second part of the Genin Games before we have an hour long lunch break. Don't waste all your time eating, though, since you might throw up later." Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura paled as they recalled the last time they heard something similar to those words. Hopefully, these men won't be as sadistic as Kakashi-sensei had been. Then again, looking at Taieki and Sabako now, Team 7 felt dread welling up inside them. Naruto had anime tears streaming down his face, it was that bad.
"As for the test itself, it is rather simple. It will be a group exercise, even though you will be doing it apart for the most part. You will arrange amongst yourselves who will get which roll in this mission simulation and that will be as far as your team planning will go. The rest is up to you as individuals. You will do your part as you see fit, but you will carry out your mission. We, as in all eight senior shinobi, will do our best to stop you from completing the task we give you. You will have a time limit of fifteen minutes to finish the mission. If you finish in less than eight, you will get five points. Up to ten is three points. Thirteen to fourteen is two points and the rest is only one point. If you don't complete the mission within the time limit, you will get no points. However, if you don't complete the mission at all, you will get two penalty points. You are allowed to use whatever techniques you like, whatever weapon you choose, as long as you don't aim to kill. Well, your fellow genin, at least. You're welcome to try with the rest of us, but you won't succeed. It's just a fair warning. Is everything understood so far." He got determined nods in return and Joko took a long look at them before nodding himself and continuing.
"As for the mission stimulation itself, it will be an intell gathering mission." He pointed north, into the woods towards a big hill. Naruto, Chouji, Kiba and Shikamaru knew the place since they used to race there with a few other boys as kids. Well, Naruto, Kiba and, surprisingly, Chouji raced, Shikamaru had always been lazy and he had always timed them. Kiba held the last record, as far as any of them knew, but Naruto was a stubborn boy even back then and he had not rested until he beat Kiba's record. Needless to say, he could barely move the next day.
"Halfway up that hill, there is an onsen, often used so high ranking people can have private conversations without being suspicious about it. The onsen can hold only up to four people. Three actors will be playing out a scene and we have already placed a scroll for each team that are under a jutsu to write down everything they say as soon as you get within the thirty feet range of the outskirts of the onsen. Your job is to take that scroll and get it back here without us managing to take it from you and reading it, within the time limit of course. One of you will race up there, sneak up to the place where the scroll is, seal it with this," he tossed them four stamps shimmering with chakra, obviously under a jutsu so that it can seal the scroll and its information from prying eyes. "Three times. It's a normal, wax seal and we can break it with a little chakra directed at it, so don't rely on them too much. The second person will be waiting halfway from the hill to here, where the first person will pass the scroll to them. That person is then to race back here on their own, protecting the scroll. You are to race up to the monument, where your final team member will be waiting." He pointed to the monument for the fallen shinobi before pointing to three beautiful crates not twenty feet away. "The third person is then to take the sealed scroll from you, run to the crate, break the seal moments before putting it into the crate and sealing the crate with this." He tossed them four locks, one for each team. "It will require steady amounts of chakra to be molded into hands and then transferred into the lock. Once that is done, time for you will stop and you will be graded. After that, it's lunch time, as I've already said. The only rules of this test is that you're not allowed to interfere with any other team's progress, you're not allowed to try and kill your fellow genin, nor are you allowed to open and read the scroll after it is sealed. The first person will know what it's about and that's as far as the information is to leak until the scroll is delivered. If anyone opens the scroll before it is ready to be out into a crate, the writing will disappear. The point of such a mission would be to stop the spread of information that could be vital for the village, certain people or future missions. Any questions?"
Shino raised a hand, surprising everyone. "Is this really a race, or are we going separately again?"
"Yeah, it's a race. All four teams will be doing this mission at once. That's why there's the 'no interference' rule. Any other questions?" No more hands were lifted so Joko nodded. "This isn't going to be all that important, but I thought it might be a fun fact to know. Some nineteen or so years ago, an incredible record was set. The team finished the mission in 7.45 minutes. The record stayed like that for the next three and a half years, when another team beat them by another whole minute! That record hasn't been beaten since, even by older, more experienced shinobi. No one could teach that record, since they could barely manage the first. Even jonin can't beat it. Now, I'm not daring you to try anything suicidal but I am asking you to try your best and choose the members of your team for their positions well. Who knows, maybe on of you manages to scratch that record?"
"What is he doing, telling them about those records?" Iruke wondered, not at all liking this. Knowing both Naruto and Sasuke, they will try and beat the records and Kiba and Ino won't be far behind them in that desire. He didn't know Gai's team so well but he was sure at least that Lee kid will want to do it.
'I wonder, is it was really wise to bring up Kakashi's and Itachi's records like this?' Sarutobi mused while je smoked his pipe. 'Kakashi's team had been trained by Minato, a one of a kind genius of his generation with a talent for any kind of jutsu. Not to mention that Kakashi is the same type of genius. And Itachi...' He suppressed a shudder as he thought of how freakishly strong Uchiha Itachi had been, even as a kid. 'Itachi is simply one of a kind. It was mostly thanks to him that their team won the games, since he always secured them the highest results. For him to be how he is now ... is both a tragedy and a waste. But it was his choice and he is writing himself his own path. Whatever happens in the future, we will deal with it when the time comes.'
"Yosh! This is all about speed and opponent detecting! We'll win for sure, ne, Akamaru?" The pup barked in agreement and Kiba grinned at his teammates. "We'll beat that record for sure!"
"No. It will be us who beat that record." Kiba turned around and saw Lee stretching. "No one will be able to stop me. I will break through with the power of eternal youth!"
"Oh yeah!? We'll see about that!"
Sasuke shook his head and looked towards his teammates, who for once weren't indulging in competing with the other loudmouths. "I think Sakura should take the third part, since she has the best chakra control. I will take the second and Naruto the first part. I am the fastest but I am also the only one who has a long range jutsu. Naruto is more than capable of getting the scroll and bringing it to me, so that shouldn't be a problem. Besides, I know you used to come and race here with some other kids from the Academy. You should know the landscape the best."
Naruto and Sakura nodded, seeing the sound logic in Sasuke's words. "But what about that record, dattebayo?"
"Don't even bother with it, Naruto. It will be years before anyone will be able to break that record... since it was set by my brother."
"What?!" The two other thirds of Team 7 asked in shock. ''Your brother?!''
''Ah. Itachi was always special. I don't think another five generations will be able to beat his scores, no matter in which subject. He was scary like that. Most of the clan tried not to get on his bad side because of that, but ...'' Sasuke shook his head and focused on the task at hand. ''That's not important now. Naruto, be careful. Don't think like you usually do. Actually...'' A smirk appeared on the black haired boy's face that would have sent a lesser (read smarter) man running.
Naruto blinked at him while Kurama became wary. ''Nani?''
''Naruto, I want you to think how you thought that first day, when our team was selected.'' The blond's eyes widened and Sakura stared, looking between them, not understanding what they were talking about. ''Do you understand, usuratonkachi?''
Naruto smirked back. ''I understand, teme. Just remember that I will be blaming you if I get in trouble.''
''I'll gladly take the credit for a well thought out mission.''
''Teme!''
'Somehow, I feel really cold inside.' Kakashi thought as he had observed the two boys when they had those creepy smirks in place.
Kurama was smirking inside Naruto as well. I like how this Uchiha thinks. Kit, we need some planing to do.
'Don't you worry, Kurama!' Naruto thought with a gleeful smile, rubbing his hands together. If possible, Sasuke's smirk got bigger. Not that Naruto noticed, but Sakura did and now she was slightly worried. 'This is my specialty!'
Just don't use that embarrassing jutsu unless it is absolutely necessary. You might not have pride or shame, but I do. I am, after all, the legendary Kyuubi no Kutsune.
'What's this? Not only are you a Fuzz Butt but you are also a buzz kill? I'm disappointed.'
What did you say, brat?!
'Chill, chill!' Naruto tried to calm his inhabitant down. ''Damn fox.''
I heard that!
''So are we clear on the game plan?''
'Hai!'Both Naruto and Sakura answered. Sasuke nodded, turning to look to Iruka, who had come to write down their formation.
''Are you guys ready?''
''Yeah. Naruto is first position, I am second and Sakura is third.'' The Uchiha said and the chuunin wrote it down. ''When do we start?''
''In a few minutes. You should get to the starting line now, since we just need to write you guys up. Good luck.'' Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke exchanged looks, nodded and walked over to where the other genin teams were ready to start. They got in position and waited for the signal. Joko looked at them all before he and all the chuunin and jonin disappeared from sight, getting ready for what was to come. Hiruzen got the okay from his ANBU, knowing that everyone must be in place and nodded to himself. He came into the view of the genin and raised a hand. All twelve tweens zeroed in on it and waited for it to drop.
And then they were off.