Me: Finally! The Chunin Exams are brought into the picture.
Rendan: So... what happens now?
Me: A little goofiness, a little payback and a little understanding.
Zero: He's going to get back at Kakashi isn't he?
Me: -Evil Grin-
Rendan: That's a yes.
Me: We'll see. Anyway, I don't own Naruto. Naruto is owned by Masashi Kishimoto. All I own is anything and anyone not canon.
Rendan: I'm almost glad I'm not owned by Masashi Kishimoto. I might've been a Sasuke-clone if he did. -shudders-
Me: Or cannon fodder. Anyway, read and enjoy.
Chapter 11: Chunin Exams
Naruto was rushing through Konoha at breakneck speeds. Why? He had a training session with his best friend at 6 a.m. and he'd be damned if he was late. In the past few months, Naruto and Rendan met up early every morning to get some early training in before they eventually had to report for team missions. Only then did the second Uchiha see just how bad things had gotten since the Nami mission.
It made him wonder exactly what happened. Naruto filled Rendan in on certain details, especially how Sasuke almost sacrificed himself to protect him. Rendan chose to not go after Sasuke after hearing that but had yet to get back at Kakashi and was planning something big. Naruto rushed to their usual training spot and took a seat waiting for Rendan to arrive. When Naruto looked at the sky, he let out a heavy sigh. Rendan still had a few minutes before time was up. Just as time was up, Rendan entered the training ground.
"If memory serves," Rendan began, "you still need to teach me the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu."
"Why?" Naruto asked. Rendan smiled.
"Because then I teach you this," Rendan said before rushing through hand signs. "Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Rendan unleashed a giant fireball straight into the sky. "Remember? We agreed that if you teach me a jutsu I didn't know, I'd teach you that one."
"Wow," Naruto remembered. "That's really going back."
"The day after we became friends," Rendan stated. Naruto and Rendan both seemed to phase out of reality as the memory came to them.
"Right!" Naruto exclaimed after he'd broken out of the memory. "I hope you're ready!"
"No doubt! Don't hold back!" With that said, they trained together until midday, both making some progress in learning the other's jutsu. Specifically, Naruto was able to shoot a fireball at least five times the size of Rendan's and Sasuke's with one fifth the control, and Rendan was able to learn the hand sign.
It took him a few mess ups and near chakra exhaustion to realize he didn't have the chakra to perform it. The two boys were walking toward the ramen bar for lunch when Naruto had the feeling he was being followed. He looked back and saw a small, square box with two eyeholes cut in it following them.
"You're never going to get me if you can't even make a good rock disguise! And also, rocks don't have eyeholes!" The rock glowed slightly before exploding with a bang and a lot of smoke. When it cleared three kids stood in front of the two genin, all of them wearing goggles like Naruto used to.
"See?" The middle boy, a short, spiky brown haired kid wearing a large blue scarf happily shouted. "I told you he was cool!" The other two with him, another boy with glasses and short brown hair who appeared somewhat sickly and a girl with orange hair pulled into very large pigtails that stuck up diagonally in the air, nodded vigorously in agreement.
"You were right!" The girl chirped happily.
"Hey Konohamaru, who are your friends?" Naruto asked. The kids all jumped back and introduced themselves.
"Konohamaru Ninja Squad sound off!" Konohamaru shouted before falling into a pose. "Konohamaru! The leader!"
"Udon! The brains!" The sickly boy yelled assuming a pose of his own.
"Moegi! The most beautiful kunoichi!" The female finished off taking her own, unique pose. The trio posed proudly while the two genin sweat dropped.
'All of that for a simple introduction?' Rendan thought. 'He's so much like Naruto it's scary, but kind of funny too.'
"Hey, Naruto-niichan, who's this?" Konohamaru asked pointing to Rendan. Before Naruto could answer, Rendan spoke up.
"I'm Naruto's first ever friend!" Rendan shouted, going into his own ridiculous pose. His left arm was fully extended with his hand fully open making it look like a knife. His right arm was pulled back and he rested his right hand, similarly to his left, open but sideways at the side of his face. His body had shifted sideways to make the whole thing look like a mock fighting stance. "Uchiha Rendan!" Naruto was laughing while the kids stared at him in awe.
"That was so cool!" Konohamaru exclaimed. He could swear there was fire behind Rendan while he held his pose. Hell, the whole KNS could. Rendan dropped the ludicrous stance and started laughing himself. "So come on Naruto-niichan, you promised you'd play ninja with us!"
"Who ever heard of something so stupid?" An annoyingly familiar voice asked. A voice that belonged to a certain pink haired banshee. "A ninja playing ninja. Honestly! What are you, five?" Sakura walked up to the group and stood near them with her arms crossed in a dominant matter.
"Hey, Naruto-niichan, is she your–?" Konohamaru asked, extending his pinky. Naruto blushed while Rendan rolled his eyes and Sakura shook her fist angrily. Rendan noticed and leaned closer to Konohamaru.
"I'd start running if I were you, kid," Rendan said. Konohamaru, taking Rendan's advice, rushed off with Sakura and Naruto in hot pursuit. Rendan smiled at the scene and followed after a few minutes. When he came upon the scene, Konohamaru was being held by some guy wearing a black full-body suit, which made him look a little like a cat, and make-up. Next to the black-clad kid, was a blond kunoichi with a giant fan strapped to her back. Her hair was done in quadruple ponytails. Both were wearing Suna headbands and were of genin rank.
"I don't care who he is, he bumped into me!" The black-clad genin shouted. Suddenly, a rock flew from seemingly nowhere and smacked the boy in the wrist, causing him to drop Konohamaru. The two foreign nin looked in the direction the rock came from to see Sasuke sitting in the tree tossing a small rock in the air before catching it again.
"I suggest you leave him alone," Sasuke said, as he crushed the rock in his hand.
"What makes you think–?" The boy began before he was cut off.
"Kankuro, you're a disgrace to our village," came a dark voice from near Sasuke. Sasuke glanced around to see a spiky redheaded boy with green eyes standing upside-down on the next branch over. The boy was wearing a large gourd on his back and had the kanji for 'love' tattooed over his left eye.
"B-but Gaara, they started–" Kankuro began before being cut off again.
"Be quiet, or I will kill you," the redhead, now identified as Gaara, interrupted. He then turned and looked at Sasuke. "I apologize for my siblings. They have no tact." Gaara shunshined in a swirl of sand next to the two Suna nin. "Temari, Kankuro, let's go." They began to walk away until Sasuke jumped into the path.
"Wait!" Sasuke all but demanded. "What's your name?" The blond kunoichi, Temari, turned around with a blush.
"Who, me?" She asked.
"No, the one next to you with the gourd," Sasuke, being the jerk he was, answered. Gaara turned around and stared at the arrogant Uchiha.
"I am Sabaku no Gaara. These are my siblings, Temari and Kankuro," he finished pointing to the girl and boy respectively. "By the way, who is the other one who carries a similar scent to you?" Sasuke turned around and saw his cousin standing not too far away. Rendan walked up and bowed respectfully to the foreign nin.
"I am Uchiha Sasuke," Sasuke said.
"And I'm Uchiha Rendan," Rendan introduced himself.
"And I'm Uzumaki Naruto!" Naruto chimed in causing Rendan to chuckle and Sasuke to groan.
"I look forward to facing you in the Chunin Exams. Perhaps you can verify my existence," Gaara stated before walking away with his siblings in tow.
"The Chunin Exams?" Rendan questioned. "Are we even taking part?"
"We better," Sasuke said as he stalked off. "Move it! We've got a team meeting in an hour!"
"That means we're good for at least three," Rendan translated. "Anyone up for ramen?"
"I swear Rendan, you're turning into another Naruto," Sakura complained.
"If you didn't want to go, Sakura, you just had to say so. Besides, I've an ass to make of myself." Rendan walked off leaving a very confused Sakura behind. Naruto assumed a thoughtful pose before grinning madly and rushing after his best friend.
"Did I just miss something here?" Sakura asked no one in particular. A minute later she realized she was alone and took off in Sasuke's direction. Meanwhile, Naruto and Rendan were heading towards Ichiraku's.
"So you're finally going to do it?" Naruto asked.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Rendan deadpanned. They made their way into the stand to find Teuchi but no Ayame. "Hello, Teuchi-san. Where's Ayame-chan?" Teuchi and Naruto snickered at the 'chan' suffix Rendan placed on Ayame's name.
"She's out on deliveries at the moment, Rendan," Teuchi explained. "But, I'm glad you came, I'd like to have a word with you." Teuchi motioned for Rendan to follow him into the back of the stand. After a quick confused expression, Rendan leaped over the counter and walked into the back.
"You wanted to talk to me, Teuchi-san?" Rendan asked nervously. He had no idea what the man wanted, but something told him it was important and just to go with it.
"Yes, I do," Teuchi said, calmly taking a seat in a small chair. "Please have a seat." Rendan pulled a small stool to him and sat. "Now, this is something I need to get off my chest. Are you aware that there are rumors about you being spread around Konoha?"
"Rumors are rumors," Rendan respectfully stated.
"Are you aware of what kind?" Rendan shook his head 'no'. "There are rumors that you have a princess lover."
"I have a what?" Rendan exclaimed with no small amount of confusion. "That's not true!"
"Then answer me this Rendan. Who are you not worthy enough to be with?" Rendan's face contorted into one of fear and surprise, somehow at the same time. "That's how these rumors started. Someone overheard you say you felt you were unworthy of someone, therefore they assumed she must be some sort of royalty."
"I assure you Teuchi-san," Rendan began after finally finding his voice, "that isn't the case."
"Then who is she?" Teuchi questioned. While outwardly Teuchi looked serious, inwardly, he was smiling, which only grew wider when Rendan started blushing.
"S-she's ummm..." Rendan couldn't find the right words to say.
"Just say it boy," Teuchi told him. "I won't hold anything against you."
'Says him,' Rendan thought. "It's... Ayame-chan." Teuchi finally let the smile appear on his face.
"What makes you think you're unworthy of her?" Rendan sighed heavily. If he was going to explain this, he'd have to tell the man everything. Rendan looked around and sighed heavily before speaking.
"What I say never leaves this room, okay?" Rendan asked. Teuchi was slightly confused, but nodded. "I feel I'm unworthy of her because, since the day I met her she seemed perfect. The more I came back the more I learned about her, and the worse my crush became. She's kind, smart, sweet as sugar, understanding and beautiful to boot. Her laugh alone could make me smile and it usually takes a hell of a lot more to do that, though I never show it. To me, she's an angel sent by Kami for whatever reason. And what am I? I'm just the failure from a traitorous clan that didn't even want me." Teuchi's eyes shot open in surprise.
'Did he just say, 'traitorous'?' Teuchi thought. Rendan read his expression and could guess at what he was thinking.
"That's the part that never leaves this room," Rendan explained. "Five years ago the Uchiha Clan planned to assassinate the Hokage and claim the power for themselves. When I went to the Hokage, he already knew about it and ordered someone to take me 'somewhere safe'. The next morning, my clan was dead. No one in my clan even wanted me nor acknowledged me, so I suppose that mentality followed me throughout life, whether I wanted it to or not. I understand if you want me to leave and never come back again, though."
Teuchi shocked Rendan by standing up and wrapping the genin in a hug. It wasn't forced either. It was one of understanding.
"Whether or not your clan was traitorous has no bearing on you," Teuchi said. "You're one of the most honorable, loyal and respectable boys I know. You were more than willing to allow Ayame to be happy if she chose another instead of demanding she be with you. When she could have been in danger you did all you could to protect her without a second thought. You're more than worthy in my eyes, my boy." Teuchi suddenly felt something wet hit his shirt. He glanced toward the boy and saw... tears?
Rendan was crying. It made sense to the ramen chef. His clan refused to acknowledge him and he had very few friends other than the one friend he made before he went to the academy. However, at the academy, all they acknowledged was his skills, not who he was as a person. He had finally been acknowledged for who he was by someone else instead of just Naruto. In the same way, his worth had been verified. The only thing that could have been more perfect is if one other person accepted him and verified his worth, but that would have to wait.
"Thanks Teuchi-san," Rendan said after he'd regained control of himself. "Sorry you had to see that."
"You're only human, kid," Teuchi responded. "It's natural to cry when you're sad or just really happy. Now, let's get back out there and I'll make you some ramen."
"Yeah," Rendan agreed before walking out of the back. The two boys ordered their food and rushed off before their sensei was supposed to arrive at the meeting point. Kakashi still wasn't there but Sakura was keeping herself busy trying to ask Sasuke out on a date while Sasuke himself just ignored her. Typical. Minutes later Kakashi appeared in a puff of smoke.
"Yo!" He was met by only silence. "What? No 'You're late!' or anything?" He glanced around to see Rendan glaring at him evilly. 'Wow, I'm almost scared... almost.' "Alright, I have one very important announcement to make." He handed the four genin a slip of paper. "I'm enrolling all of you in the Chunin Exams." Kakashi paused to let the students cheer. Well, Naruto and Rendan cheered, Sasuke smirked and Sakura looked nervous. "You have to sign those slips and come to the academy at the end of the week."
"Awesome!" Rendan and Naruto shouted.
"Which reminds me," Kakashi began. "Rendan, if you want to compete, you'll have to see the Hokage for two extra members."
"What?"
"The teams have to be in groups of three. That much is non-negotiable. Hokage-sama said if you wish to participate, go see him and he'll assign you a team."
'At least it's the Hokage this time. I have faith in him at least,' Rendan reasoned before his glare returned to Kakashi.
"Are you still mad about me sending you back?" Kakashi asked. Rendan nodded slowly. "Well, I'm out of here. Bye!" Kakashi disappeared in his usual puff of smoke. Rendan started to laugh evilly, creeping out a hidden follower and the other genin.
"Rendan? Are you okay?" Naruto questioned with concern. Rendan turned to them with an evil grin on his face.
"Let's just say Kakashi-sensei will have a surprise once he gets home." Rendan took that time to walk off, he had to see the Hokage after all. Nothing Rendan could have said could've prepared the genin for what they heard.
"NOOOOOOOO!" Kakashi's voice cried. It was so loud it wasn't just heard by the genin. All of Konoha heard it. "MY PRECIOUS ICHA ICHA! RENDAN YOU MONSTER!" All of that was soon followed by insane laughter that echoed just the same.
"Whatever Rendan did," Naruto began, "he pulled the ultimate prank on Kakashi-sensei." Rendan, on the other hand, was laughing insanely as he walked toward the Hokage Tower, a familiar orange book in his hands.
"I don't know what Kakashi sees in this," Rendan droned as he looked through the book. He walked into the Hokage's office. Sarutobi, while not exactly surprised at seeing Rendan there, was surprised to see the little orange book in his hands.
"You're reading Icha Icha too?" Sarutobi asked. Rendan shrugged.
"I suppose," he replied. "The story's actually decent, but I don't know why Kakashi-sensei's so crazy about it." He turned the page and narrowed his eyes. "Okay, that's what it is."
"You got to the spicy part?"
"Yep," Rendan responded without so much as a blush.
"I assume you're here about signing up for the Chunin Exams?"
"You assume correctly," Rendan answered, his eyes no longer leaving the book. Sarutobi couldn't help but chuckle. Rendan placed the form on the Hokage's desk and signed it. "I still need two teammates."
"Don't worry. Just show up for the exam at the end of the week and they'll be waiting for you there," Sarutobi informed him. Rendan nodded politely before walking out of the room, book still in hand. "I hope he doesn't become corrupted by those things."
Rendan walked through the streets of Konoha reading the book. Eventually, he became bored and placed it in his pocket. Rendan's mind began to wander and found himself thinking about Gai's evil genjutsu. Why? He wanted a counter for it. There had to have been a counter for it. With a piece of paper and pencil in hand, he made his way to the only place he could think of that he could relax, the ramen shop.
'Maybe Sakura's right,' Rendan thought. 'Maybe I am becoming a lot like Naruto. Oh well, nothing wrong with that.' Rendan quickly dismissed what was wrong. Truth was, he could trust the family and he did. Teuchi had proven himself worthy of the boy's trust earlier and well, everyone knew of his crush on Ayame. He went to the stand and sat at his usual seat before taking out the pencil and paper. He sat with his head in his left hand and tapped on the paper with the pencil in his right.
"Something wrong, Rendan-kun?" Ayame asked, noticing the massively confused, yet disturbed look on his face.
"I'm trying to figure out a solution for a counter to an evil genjutsu," Rendan explained. "So far, I've had no luck."
"Maybe I can help?" Ayame asked hopefully. Rendan assumed a thoughtful position before nodding. After all, it couldn't hurt. "What's in this 'evil' genjutsu anyway?" Rendan sighed. This was going to be painful.
"Okay, picture this," Rendan began. Ayame nodded and assumed a thoughtful pose. "A large beach with the sun setting in the background, it's light reflecting off the water," Ayame's look started to change into a somewhat blissful look, a blush creeping on her face, "there's a small rocky spot just before the water that the waves crash into," the blush and blissful look on Ayame's face escalated, "and then throw in two men wearing green spandex hugging." Ayame's expression was quickly shattered and reformed into one of horror. One could practically hear glass breaking.
"That sounded really romantic until the whole, 'men hugging wearing green spandex' part," Ayame said, trying to get the disgusted look off her face.
"I know, that's why– Wait. Romantic! That's it!" Rendan quickly wrote some notes on the paper before grinning madly. "Ayame-chan you're a genius!" He reached over the counter, grabbed Ayame by the shoulders, pulled her in and pressed his lips against hers for a split second before pulling away. "I've gotta tell Kurenai-sensei! See you later, Ayame-chan!" Rendan bolted away as fast as his legs could carry him, leaving a blushing, shocked Ayame frozen like a block of ice.
'He... he kissed me,' Ayame thought, bringing her fingers to her lips. Teuchi was busy laughing after witnessing the whole event.
'Way to go, Rendan,' Teuchi thought, noticing the enormous blush on his daughter's face. Rendan was currently racing through Konoha at breakneck speeds.
'I can't believe it was so simple!' Rendan mused. 'Why didn't anyone ever think of that before? Oh man! Ayame is a genius! She's amazing! She's– wait a second, I kissed h–' Rendan never got to finish that thought. In his thought process, he took his eyes off where he was running and slammed directly into a pole. Rendan let out a groan as he hit the ground. Moments later, he heard a voice calling to him.
"Rendan. Rendan!" A familiar voice called to him. He opened his eyes to see Kiba and Akamaru standing over him. Kiba was waving his hand in front of Rendan's face while Akamaru pawed at him. "You okay?" Rendan sat up and groaned again.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Rendan said before remembering. "That's right! Kiba, where is Kurenai-sensei?" Kiba looked at the Uchiha in confusion.
"I'm heading to a team meeting right now actually," Kiba stated. "Do you want to come?" Rendan nodded and followed Kiba. When they arrived Kurenai was surprised to see the Uchiha tagging along. Rendan wasted no time and ran up to Kurenai before cheering wildly, much to the team's confusion.
"I-is he okay?" Hinata asked.
"He said he was," Kiba informed them. Akamaru yipped in agreement. Kurenai placed her hands on the excited genin's shoulders to calm him down.
"Rendan, take it easy," Kurenai said. Rendan started breathing heavily and looked up at Kurenai with a smile.
"You know Gai-sensei's evil genjutsu right?" Kurenai's face contorted into one of disgust before nodding. Rendan grew a shit-eating grin on his face. "I have a counter for it." Kurenai's eyes widened before she gripped him tighter.
"Tell me," Kurenai ordered.
"It's all right here," Rendan said, picking up the piece of paper in his hands. "Since the genjutsu itself, minus the two hugging men wearing green spandex, can be considered romantic, all it takes is replacing the two people in the genjutsu! Put yourself in one of their places and someone you like in the other. So, instead of watching something gross and creepy, you're stroking your romantic side! All it takes is some imagination!" Kurenai face palmed while Team 8 was staring at the two intently.
"So obvious," Kurenai droned. "I must inform the Hokage!"
"Is it really that important?" Rendan asked.
"Everyone hates that genjutsu! This is a gift from Kami! Rendan, you're a genius!" Kurenai praised.
"Sorry, but it wasn't entirely my doing," Rendan said, no regret in his voice. Kurenai, to say the least, was shocked.
"Someone helped?" She asked.
"Yep! I was talking to the girl I like about it. She mentioned that aside from the two men the genjutsu itself sounds romantic. I put the pieces together from there. All credit should go to her." Kurenai was aghast. An Uchiha praised someone else and even gave her credit!
'Maybe Ihira was right after all,' Kurenai mused. She smiled, nodded, and leapt away.
"I guess practice is cancelled?" Rendan stated, though it was more of a question. Team 8 shrugged and started training anyway. At the end of a long week of training, Rendan went with Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura to the academy to take the exams. They were stopped by two people with short black hair in front of the academy. One was a male who, scarily enough, resembled Sasuke, and the other was a female, though her hair reached her shoulders. Both had dark eyes, were wearing black clothes and standing at attention. The boy was carrying art supplies while the girl was carrying a large club on her back.
"Are you Uchiha Rendan?" The boy asked. Rendan's eyes narrowed.
"And if I am?" He asked threateningly, much to the surprise of his teammates.
"Then we are your temporary teammates for the exam," the girl concluded. "I'm Mai."
"And I'm Sai," the boy introduced himself. Rendan visibly relaxed and bowed respectfully.
"Fine, let's go." With that said the six genin walked into the academy. On the second floor there were a bunch of students complaining about not being let in by two others.
"You sensed it too, right Sakura?" Sasuke asked. Sakura nodded. "Drop the genjutsu. This is the second floor not the third."
"You think you're smart do you?" One of the two genin asked. Rendan sweat dropped.
"He's not too smart is he?" Sai asked. Rendan shook his head.
"Evidently not," Rendan deadpanned. Sasuke and the other genin started a fight that was stopped by an interfering Rock Lee.
"Stop this! You should not be wasting your youthful energy here!" Lee said. Rendan sweat dropped again.
'Same old Lee.'
"Lee, what are you doing?" Tenten's voice was heard. "You were the one who wanted to hide our abilities."
"Gomen, Tenten," Lee said. Rendan was surprised Lee could talk without shouting. "Rendan-kun!" Lee shouted when he noticed Rendan. Rendan rolled his eyes with a smile.
"Hey Lee," Rendan greeted. "Tenten, Neji." The male Hyuga walked past him.
"I look forward to putting you in your place again, Uchiha," Neji arrogantly stated.
"That's unyouthful Neji!" Rendan shouted, purposely mimicking Gai. Neji growled at him.
"Don't you start imitating Gai now," Neji groaned.
"And fate decreed you'd be disrespectful," Rendan deadpanned. Tenten starting chuckling again. "Fate really has it out for you, doesn't it?" Neji's growling grew more noticeable until he threw a Jyuuken strike directly at Rendan. Rendan closed his eyes and stopped the strike by catching Neji's wrist. Rendan opened his eyes revealing the Sharingan. "I can't wait to finally pound some respect into that thick head of yours." Neji launched another strike that was also caught. "I'm curious. What made you think that would work, especially when I can see your every move as clear as day?"
Neji pulled his hands away from Rendan and scoffed, walking away shortly after. Tenten groaned at her teammate and walked away. Lee however, noticed Sakura and approached, little hearts in his eyes.
"Ah! I am Rock Lee and you are the single most beautiful girl I've seen. I would gladly give my life to protect you! Please go out with me!" Lee nearly shouted. Sakura looked as if someone slapped her, Naruto had fires of rage in his eyes and Rendan put his face in his left palm.
'Sweet Kami not another one,' Rendan droned in thought.
"No way! My heart belongs only to Sasuke-kun!" Sakura shouted. Lee looked heartbroken for a moment but recovered rather quickly when he saw Sasuke.
"You are Uchiha Sasuke, correct?" Lee asked.
"I am." Sasuke responded.
"I am Rock Lee and I wish to fight you for Sakura-chan's heart!" Sasuke grinned. Rendan sensed trouble.
"Sasuke, I wouldn't," Rendan began. If Lee's training was any indication, Sasuke was screwed.
"Well I'm not you, am I?" Sasuke questioned. Rendan shook his head in disappointment.
"Well, do what you will. I'm going to the test room." He looked at Naruto. "If I were you, I'd ignore him." Naruto shrugged and followed Sakura and Sasuke. Rendan, along with his temporary team, went straight to the test room. About ten minutes later, Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke entered. Sasuke looked exceptionally pissed. Rendan walked up to Naruto. "He got his ass kicked."
"Big time," Naruto confirmed.
"I warned him." The two boys watched as Sasuke was tackled by Ino and the resulting meeting. Naruto eventually got mad at being ignored.
"All right! Listen up everyone! My name's Uzumaki Naruto and I'm going to kick all your asses! Dattebayo!" Naruto shouted. The other genin all glared at the loud blond. A silver haired genin approached him wearing a Konoha Hitai-ate.
"Well you single handedly managed to get everyone against you. Are you all rookies?" He asked.
"Yeah, who are you?" Kiba questioned.
"Yakushi Kabuto. I'm a genin like you guys."
"You're old," Ino stated the obvious. "How many times have you taken this exam?"
"I'm only nineteen and this is my seventh year."
"Wow, you suck!" Kiba shouted.
"This exam is harder than it looks. Tell me, is there anyone you'd like information on?"
"How would you give us information?" Sasuke asked.
"With these," Kabuto pulled out a deck of cards. "Ninja info cards."
"Nin-who to the what now?" Naruto questioned.
"Ninja info cards," Kabuto repeated.
"Give me information on Sabaku no Gaara, Hyuga Neji, Rock Lee, and Uchiha Rendan," Sasuke stated.
"That's no fun, you already know their names," Kabuto complained. He infused his chakra into the cards and the information revealed itself. "It says here that Gaara's skills are completely unknown. He's been on several C and B-ranks and even an A-rank! Strange thing is, he's never gotten hit on any of his missions. He always comes back without a scratch."
"That can't be right," Sakura muttered too low to be heard. 'Is that even possible?'
"Hyuga Neji, teammates are Rock Lee and Tenten, is an expert in Jyuuken, the Hyuga fighting style and is considered a prodigy among the clan." At the end of that, one could swear they heard Hinata whimper slightly. "Rock Lee, teammates are Hyuga Neji and Tenten, has no experience in ninjutsu or genjutsu but excels in taijutsu."
'I lost to a ninja that can't use ninjutsu or genjutsu!' Sasuke cried in thought.
"Lastly, Uchiha Rendan, usual teammates Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Haruno Sakura, temporary teammates Sai and Mai, has been on thirty D-rank missions and a C-rank. Seems he's highly proficient in ninjutsu, taijutsu and even kenjutsu."
'He shouldn't know any of that information!' Rendan inwardly shouted, knowing that his kenjutsu training was only known by a few select people. 'Where did he get it?' His train of thought was interrupted by an attack on Kabuto by three relatively unknown nin. One was a boy with his body wrapped to look almost like a mummy, with only his left eye showing and wore gauntlet like contraptions on his hands. Another was a boy who looked relatively normal and had tubes in his arms with spiky dark hair. The last was a girl with long black hair that passed her waist and almost touched the floor.
"Put this in your cards," the mummy-nin threatened. "Don't underestimate Oto ninja!" They were about to continue until a loud voice broke the air.
"Anyone fighting without my permission from here on out's getting tossed! Alright, you little shits! Everyone take a seat! The first portion of the exam is about to begin!"
Me: And that's the end of that.
Rendan: Why do I have a bad feeling about this?
Zero: Don't know.
Rendan: Sasuke's pissed.
Me: Understatement.
Zero: Why would Sasuke want info on Rendan?
Me: Well, Kakashi did say that Rendan was going to get extra training. Sasuke probably wants to know what he learned. Especially since Rendan seemed to know how Lee was going to kick Sasuke's ass.
Zero: Rendan's a softie... and an idiot.
Rendan: Bite me!
Zero: You kissed your crush and didn't even realize it until later, and when you did you slammed into a goddamn pole!
Rendan: The solution to that genjutsu was kinda... obvious.
Me: Which is why it's funny because no one ever thought of it before... show wise of course. They were always too disturbed to try something simple and went for more complicated solutions... which never worked. I think that'll do it for this week.
Rendan: Be good and be safe!
Me: I'm outta here!
