Chapter 23 Assessment Days

"Now then… I'd like to hear from those who are overseeing the training of our newest Genin." The Hokage said.

The Jounin were gathered in a large meeting hall to discuss the upcoming Chuunin exams that were to be held in Konoha this year.

Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma stepped up to the front of the crowd of Jounin and Chuunin.

"Jounins Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma. Tell us, do any of you have, among your charges, any Genin you'd recommend for this year's Chuunin exams?" The Sandaime placed his pipe in his mouth, "Though before we can even consider them, they must have completed a minimum of eight missions. Beyond that, employ your own judgement as to whether or not they are ready for the next level. To be truly competitive candidates, they should have probably completed at least double the required number of missions. Now, you may begin Kakashi." The Hokage said, already knowing his answer.

Kakashi held his right hand in a half ram seal and began, "Team seven, led by Kakashi, consists of Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, and Inuzuka Kiba. I vow upon the honor of my clan, the Hatake. That all three of them are ready for the Chuunin exams."

In the audience of Jounin and Chuunin Iruka started. What? It was too early for any of the rookies! And Kakashi had just recommended his own team?

Kurenai, a female jounin dressed in a decorative bandage dress with curly black hair and bright red eyes went next. "Team number eight, led by Kurenai, consists of Hyuga Hinata, Haruno Sakura, and Aburame Shino. I vow upon my own clan, the Yuhi, that I am as certain as my esteemed colleague. That all three are ready for the Chuunin exams."

Asuma, a man with short brown hair and a permanent cigarette in his mouth spoke, "Team number ten, led by Asuma, consists of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji. I vow upon my clan, the Sarutobi, that I am equally as certain. That all three are ready for the Chuunin exams."

The Hokage hummed thoughtfully, "How unusual for all three of you to have assented."

"J-just a moment!" Iruka interrupted.

"Yes Iruka?" Said the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, forgive me if I overstep. But most of those nine Genin just named were my students while they were at the academy. They are all certainly gifted and show both commitment and talent… But it is too soon for kids that young to become Chuunin! Only with more time and experience will they have the maturity that these exams require. I don't understand why their Senseis don't see that."

"I was six years younger than Naruto when I became Chuunin, Iruka." Kakashi said blandly with his hands in his pockets.

"They aren't like you!" Iruka shot back. "Do you want to destroy these children?"

"Maa… Let's admit that breaking them once would be fun now Iruka."

"Are you out of your mind!?"

"It was just a joke, Iruka-sensei. I understand where you're coming from. Sorry if my recommendation upsets you. But I stand by it."

"But…!"

"Kakashi, finish up already." Kurenai snapped.

"Frankly Iruka, its none of your business anymore. They aren't your students, but my soldiers now." Kakashi said in a bland tone.

Iruka could only grit his teeth. He tried one more time with a different angle. "How about this? We have a preliminary test for the kids and if they fail you will withdraw your recommendations."

"Hmm… That is an interesting idea Iruka." Said the Sandaime. "What would be this test of yours?"

"Well you see…"

"Man… He's making us wait again…" Kiba complained to Akamaru. Akamaru huffed at him and Kiba nodded in agreement. "Yeah totally."

"He's been doing better lately, he's only been an hour late instead of three…" Said Naruto.

"Yo everyone." Kakashi said appearing on top of the torii gate above the bridge. "Today I got lost."

"That's a lie!" Kiba shouted with a barking Akamaru.

Kakashi hopped down from the gate as Kiba, Naruto, and Sasuke lined up in front of him.

"Uh well… This is rather sudden. But I've recommended you three for the Chuunin exam, so… Here." Kakashi handed the three boys three sheets of paper. "Those are your applications."

"Chuunin exams huh? Sounds exciting! Am I right Akamaru?" Kiba said brightly.

"That being said, the recommendations are not compulsory." Kakashi continued. "You guys are free to decide if you want to take the exams or not. Only those that want to take the exam should come to room 301 of the Academy at 3:00 p.m. five days from now… Thats it!" Kakashi disappeared in a shunshin.

"Heh. The Chuunin exams huh? Seems like there will be quite a lot of strong people this year, eh Sasuke?" Said Naruto.

"Hmph."

The next few days Konoha saw an influx of various Shinobi from neighboring countries. People of all shapes came through the village in preparation for the exams.

A day before the Chuunin exams, Naruto was walking along listening to Konohamaru chatter excitedly to his friends. He felt a familiar presence approaching them quickly. He turned happily to greet the approaching individual but was terribly confused when he saw an Ame nin dressed in a dark cloak approaching.

Naruto squinted his eyes at the Ame nin 'A henge?' He thought. "Iruka-sensei? What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

Konohamaru tugged on his jacket. "Huh? Iruka-sensei? What do you mean boss?"

The man flinched and awkwardly snatched up Moegi, who began kicking at him harmlessly.

"Hey! Let me go!"

The Ame nin laughed evilly and started running away with Moegi in his arms. They quickly made it into a forest and began tree hopping away.

Naruto quickly caught up with barely any effort. 'What is Iruka-sensei doing? Is this a prank or a test of some sort?'

"Iruka-sensei! Is this a test?" Naruto yelled at the man.

The man slumped suddenly and stopped running away, letting Moegi down from his arms onto the branch he was standing on. The Ame nin released the henge revealing a sheepish Iruka. Iruka rubbed the scar on his nose in an embarrassed manner as he laughed awkwardly, "Maa… naruto there's no point to this if you know it's me and that its a test…"

Naruto tilted his head, "Is this about the Chuunin exams?"

Iruka could only sigh, "Yeah Naruto… You're too smart. I should have expected this wouldn't work on you." He patted Naruto on the head. "I guess you're ready to try the exams at least. I didn't expect to be found out so quickly haha."

"Boss! You're so fast!"

"W-wait up!"

Konohamaru and Udon landed on the branch besides Naruto and looked at Iruka with questioning glances.

"Iruka-sensei! What are you doing kidnapping Moegi?" Konohamaru yelled while Udon nodded beside him.

"Ah heh. It was a test for Naruto but he kinda ruined it…"

Konohamaru slapped Naruto on the shoulder. "As expected of the man I call boss!"

Naruto smiled at Iruka, "So did I pass?"

Iruka shook his head in exasperation and waved his hand. "Aah. Sure, sure. With flying colors, Naruto."

Naruto's smile took on a hint of cheekiness.

Iruka sighed, "Please don't tell your teammates about this test Naruto. I have to see if they're ready."

"Haha sure, Sensei."

"You know you don't have to call me Sensei anymore right?"

Naruto just shrugged, "You'll always be my Sensei, Sensei. I don't forget what I'm taught." Iruka was a genuine man. Who had tried his best for him and taken a kunai in his place. He was a man worthy of being called Sensei.

Smiling softly Iruka said, "... Thanks Naruto."

"So! You fools ready for this?" Kiba asked.

"Un."

"Hn."

"Bark."

"Cool! Let's do this then guys!" Kiba charged forward into the academy without a second thought. The academy was packed full of young Shinobi and it was difficult to move through the crowd. Naruto and his team moved as one until they reached a room with the number 301 outside it.

Bam!

Two Genin standing outside the doors kicked back another young Genin dressed in a green jumpsuit.

"Is someone as talentless as you really planning to take the Chuunin exams? Why bother?" One of the door genin said.

"Bunch of wet-behind the ears snot noses!" His partner declared.

"You said it!"

"Please we're begging you… Just let us in." A girls with two hair buns and a Chinese styled shirt said.

She received a harsh blow to the face from the genin standing on the left in response.

The crowd murmured and whispered about the cruelty of the Genin's actions.

"What did you say?" He asked. "You misunderstand! We're just trying to spare you. The Chuunin exam is incredibly difficult. And we should know. We've failed three times so far. There are people who make it, then immediately give up being Shinobi. Others who have been reduced to vegetables or crippled. We've seen it all! Besides that, Chuunin are team leaders. The responsibilities for failed missions and dead Shinobi rests squarely on their shoulders. You little punks have the nerve to apply?" The Genin released a weak amount of killing intent. "We're saving a step by weeding out the obvious losers before hand."

Naruto observed this all silently. He grabbed Sasuke's arm as the boy stepped up.

"Don't." He whispered harshly, "This is the first test. If others can't see that they don't deserve to be Chuunin. Hide your abilities. Don't show off now. There will be opportunity for that later."

Sasuke hesitated and then nodded at Naruto. He grabbed Kiba who was standing there with a confused expression and pulled him into the stairwell.

"H-hey what gives Sasuke? That's where we need to be!" Kiba asked.

"Dobe. It's a genjutsu. Thats room 201 not 301. Those two Genin are proctors under a henge."

"Oh. I knew that."

Naruto chuckled and followed his team into the next room, but a voice yelled out from behind them.

"Please wait!" It was the boy who was being beaten up just a minute ago. He was standing a level above them on the railings. Taking another look at the boy Minato had the thought that he looked remarkably like Might Guy with the bushy eyebrows and bowl cut hair. Minato shuddered at the thought of Guy having a child.

"Are you Uchiha Sasuke, the rookie of the year?" The boy asked.

Sasuke scowled at him, the title didn't mean much to Sasuke anymore. "Hmph. So?"

"You and me, here and now… Want to fight?" He said.

Sasuke looked subtly confused, "You want to fight me… Here and now?" He asked.

The boy jumped down from the railings and landed in front of team seven.

"It is polite to introduce one self before asking another's name. My name is Rock Lee" He introduced, "Uchiha Sasuke! I'm calling you out! I want to test the effectiveness of my techniques against the legendary might of the Uchiha."

Kiba in the corner gained a tick mark. Why didn't anyone want to challenge the Inuzuka?

Sasuke tilted his head to the side and looked at Naruto he had a silent conversation with Naruto through their eyes. No one ever suspected Naruto was much stronger than he let on. This would be a good test to see what level their opponents were at.

"So you're challenging me even knowing my lineage? In other words. You're a fool. So, bushy brows. Do you really want to learn what it means to be an Uchiha?"

"Absolutely!"

Kiba scowled. "Tch. Get this over quickly Sasuke. We have to go register."

"Just so you know… I am the greatest fighter among the junior Genin in Konoha!" Lee declared taking a fighting stance.

Minato recognized the Goken style stance instantly. So Guy had taken on a student huh? This would be an interesting match.

"This will only take five minutes, Kiba. I accept your challenge." Sasuke then charged forward, pumping chakra into his legs to boost his speed. Lee ducked and swung around remarkably quickly, he aimed a high kick towards Sasuke's face. Sasuke saw the kick coming and made to block. Minato saw that Lee's made it under Sasuke's guard before he could fully block with pure speed alone.

'Hmm… he might be as fast as me at level 7 resistance seals.' Minato thought.

Sasuke recovered and activated his Sharingan for the first time in a fight since Haku.

Minato hummed at seeing the Sharingan while Kiba grunted.

"Bushy brows is done for now, the bastard has a Sharingan." Kiba said.

Lee disappeared in a burst of speed. Reappearing beneath Sasuke and kicking him high up into the air.

"What?" Kiba exclaimed.

"I use neither genjutsu or ninjutsu." Lee said once again disappearing. He leaped up to Sasuke in the air, aligning his body so that it was parallel to Sasuke's

Shadow of the dancing leaf! Minato readied himself to stop the fight, he didn't want Sasuke horribly injured before the exams after all.

"That's right. No ninjutsu. No trickery. My moves are strictly taijutsu. If your Sharingan eye can see to the heart of every ninja art well enough to duplicate it. As it is said to. Then you know what I say is true. Your Sharingan is invaluable against ninjutsu and genjutsu. But taijutsu is a very different story. Even if you can understand my movements, you lack the speed and strength to counter them. It doesn't matter what your eyes can see if your body's too weak to act!" Lee said to Sasuke as they fell through the air.

Lee loosened the bandages he had wrapped around his fists.

"There's two kinds of strength you know? The kind you are born with, and the kind you get from back breaking work. Your Sharingan runs through your family, but what I have I got through blood, sweat, and tears! In other words we are complete opposites! Let me prove to you that my physical prowess exceeds your genius completely

Suddenly a pinwheel came flying out of nowhere pinning Lee's bandages to the wall. A bright red tortoise appeared yelling, "That's enough, Lee!"

The bandages yanked Lee out of his move. Lee halted his movements and tucked himself into a ball, rolling and landing on his feet.

Minato dashed forward and caught Sasuke as he was falling. Sasuke was so out of it he couldn't land properly.

"Y-you saw?" Lee asked the tortoise hesitantly.

"You know the rules, Lee. That move is forbidden!" The tortoise yelled angrily.

"P-please forgive me.. I was only…"

The tortoise glared sharply making Lee flinch back.

"I.. I wouldn't have used the reversal move… I never meant…" Lee stuttered out.

Kiba walked up to Naruto and nudged Naruto in the side, "Is that turtle bushy brow's teacher?" He whispered.

"Ah no, its his teacher's summon."

"Oh. Okay."

"You fool!" The tortoise continued scolding Lee. "Do you think I care about your weak excuses? Consider the consequences of revealing your abilities!"

"Y-yes sir!"

Sasuke scowled and dusted himself off nodding at Naruto for catching him.

"I hope you are prepared?" The tortoise asked sternly.

"Yes sir…"

"Well then he's all yours Guy-sensei"

Then there was an explosion of smoke from the back of the tortoise. A man with a bowl cut, extremely bushy eyebrows, a green jumpsuit, and jounin vest appeared from the smoke in a strange pose. The man's right arm was outstretched to the sky while his left arm curled around his face and his hand circled his left eye.

"Ah the exuberance of youth. All of you are full of it!" He yelled.

Ah. Well. Guy had grown up interestingly. The man hasn't changed all that much though, Minato thought.

Kiba yelled in horror, "This guy has the biggest eyebrows I've ever seen! And what's with that same dorky look? Holy cow!"

Lee turned around angrily, "Don't make fun of Guy-sensei!"

"Oh shut up!" Kiba yelled back, "I don't know how to feel with all you freaks!"

"What-!"

"Lee!" Guy yelled.

"Oh! Yes sir?"

Guy nailed Lee in the face with a massive punch sending Lee flying. "Idiot!" Guy yelled. "You…"

"Guy-sensei…"

Student and teacher both began shedding manly tears.

"Lee!"

"Guy-sensei!"

"That's enough Lee! Not one more word!" Guy yelled hugging Lee fiercely.

"Guy-sensei!" Lee cried.

Waves crashed from nowhere and a bright setting sun appeared. Kiba and Sasuke Gaped with befuddled expressions while Naruto looked to the side and studiously ignored the hugging duo.

"I understand it's because you're young!"

"Guy-sensei!"

Guy patted Lee on the shoulder firmly. "It's alright, Lee! Mistakes and youth go hand in hand."

Lee sobbed, "You are too kind Guy-sensei."

"Lee, for your attempt to break the rule your penalty will be five hundred laps around the training grounds after the Chuunin exams!"

"I understand!"

Team seven collectively sweat dropped at the manly display.

Guy noticed that he had spectators and inspected team seven closely. Kiba shivered at coming under the man's scrutiny, Sasuke scowled, and Naruto sighed.

"By the way, how is Kakashi doing? I'm asking you!" Guy said towards team seven.

"Ah, he's doing fine Guy-sensei, he's the same as usual." Naruto answered.

"You know Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"Do I know him? Hehe." Guy laughed to himself.

Sasuke made a questioning sound.

Guy vanished without a trace. He reappeared behind team seven. Minato smiled warmly, Guy had really improved! Kiba and Sasuke were shocked. What was that inhuman speed just now?

"The score stands at 50-49. I'm stronger than he is!" Guy gave the group a big thumbs up and smiled brightly, light flashed off his teeth.

Minato laughed internally. So Kakashi had taken Guy up on his challenges? This was too good. And nearly one hundred challenges as well!

"As you can see, Guy-sensei is totally amazing!" Lee said happily, clenching his fists.

"I know Lee started this fight, but take pity on his old teacher. For the sake of my own self respect please forgive him." Guy said with another thumbs up. He then sharply threw a kunai, dislodging the pinwheel that stuck Lee's bandages to the wall.

Minato and Kiba both took notice of the scars and calluses on Lee's hand as he rewrapped his bandages.

"Best of luck, Lee! Later!" Guy disappeared in a shunshin.

"Yes sir!" Lee called out to his departing teacher. "By the way Sasuke. I was lying before. I'm really here to prove my strength. I dont think I'm the strongest Konoha Genin. The strongest Genin is on my team and I intend to take him down. That's why I'm entering… And by the way you're on my list too." Lee leapt away to apply for the exams.

Sasuke clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He had just been defeated by a clown. He looked at Naruto who stared evenly back at him.

"Hmph. Maybe the Uchiha aren't so special after all huh?" Asked Kiba.

"Shut up Kiba. I'll get him next time."

"Yeah right. I mean, did you see that guy's hands? He probably does some insane training to get scars like those."

Sasuke grunted. "Things are starting to get interesting, this Chuunin exam is getting me excited! Naruto? Kiba? Let's go!"

Naruto shoulder bumped Sasuke and Kiba grinned baring his teeth, ""Yeah!""

A/N: I am writing this fic as I go so updates will be slowing down dramatically as soon as the new semester starts. sorry about that.