In and out; return and then depart. It was a never ending circle for Naruto. The Team never stayed too long in the village. Ever since they started hopping through the trees outside of Konoha, they've often had those assignments. A normal thing. The difference with the early days of their shinobi careers was remarkable. There was none of this. They only saw others return while they chased after cats or cut weed for overbearing old people with short fuses.
This departure was different. It wasn't often Naruto felt giddy. This wasn't a mission. They were going to enter a competition. There was nothing better than competition. As long as it wasn't with someone with a superiority complex and corruptive jealousy like Sasuke–then competition was a good thing.
Chunin exams.
Naruto had no desire to return as a failure. It would be a stain on his forehead. He was going to show the Hidden Stone that there was a shinobi called Naruto Uzumaki. Of course, earning admirers came second. He wanted to secure his position and gain some more battle experience. It would be curious to see just how other Genin were like in other villages. Kakashi would say comparing him and Sasuke to other Genin wasn't fair. But everyone had their own circumstances.
"Wow…" It was Sakura who started as Naruto arrived at the gates. "You're practically walking on air."
She was talking to him like this–normal. Maybe things were a little dysfunctional in this team. Being negative now wouldn't do them any favors. And so, Naruto smiled as he replied.
"It was intentional. I'm excited."
"Never seen you so happy." It was a strange thing. Sakura had seen Naruto laughing and it was usually at the expense of other people. Sometimes he was cracking so hard you could see he was just holding himself from rolling on the ground. There was no laughter this time but the air around him was just different.
"I have every reason to be happy. This is merely taking a step closer toward my grand dream of becoming Hokage." He really did say things like that without skipping a beat.
Sakura would've scoffed. Retorting that the dream was impossible for him. But she held herself. She needed to be a better teammate. She didn't want Naruto to look at her coldly. For Sasuke to turn on her. She was hanging by a wire. She had to consider her words.
"You really want to become Hokage?"
"Of course."
"You do know that the Hokage is usually the most powerful shinobi. It is the highest position in the village and not everyone gets that position."
"Well, duh?"
"Oh…" Awkwardly, she said, "Good luck with that."
Everyone turned to face her. Even Kakashi looked at her with surprise. Naruto just looked so shocked, you'd think he'd just seen a ghost. Inwardly, she stuck out her tongue.
"Is it that shocking?"
"Yes." All three responded.
Sakura shifted uncomfortably. She hasn't always been the best teammate. And the rebuke from Sasuke had hit her hard. It had felt like a stab to the chest. Not to mention, Naruto had told her right to her face that he wouldn't fight for her to remain in the team because she was useless. It really hurt her. And it was coming from Naruto. Worse, Sasuke had kept his silence when asked. She was willing to take his word, but Sakura was not blind to the truth: Sasuke had the same thought as Naruto.
Much as she was loath to stomach it, the two had similar thoughts at times. She just favored Sasuke because she loved him. It didn't make Naruto's contribution to the team any less. Even if she often tried to diminish it in an attempt to make Sasuke happy. Not that it has ever earned her anything good. It always just seemed to earn her a look of annoyance.
It was all bitter to swallow. The truth was difficult. No wonder people deluded themselves to believing lies. It was just better to live in your own fiction of imagination than face up to the cold reality.
"I-I have never said anything nice to him. It isn't like he is an idiot or anything." Whether she genuinely believed that he could become Hokage was something she would keep to herself.
"Sensei… this isn't a dream, is it?"
"Want me to gut you? You'll know it's a dream or not."
Naruto faced Sasuke and then held up his hands, smiling innocently. "If I'm seeing you and my heart isn't racing, then it isn't a dream. In all my dreams if I see you, you're always a hateful monster."
"Ironic..." Sasuke responded, a smirk on his lips.
"Eh?" Naruto mouthed, shocked. "Sensei, we should reconsider this. We can't be going with this amount of bad luck."
Naruto knew Sasuke was talking about the Bijuu sealed within him. He just never thought he'd say something that would leave him open for a counter–especially by someone flat as Sasuke.
"I think we should… I also did come across a black cat…" Kakashi said absentmindedly. "This is a team effort. If Naruto says we should not, them we cant go. Everyone must agree."
"You're saying that but I don't really think this team has a choice." Sasuke said, staring at their sensei.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Kakashi asked.
"We are the only ones being sent to Iwagakure. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be the case. There should be other teams being sent with us. But only this team is being sent. Why?" Naruto asked, looking ahead at the trees that welcomed them to the dense forest that surrounded the Leaf.
"You're thinking this too much. You have a choice…" said Kakashi with a careless shrug.
"Naruto is right. For us, this may be a mission. We're probably being sent to showcase the strength of the future generation to Iwa." Sasuke said. His eyes fell on Sakura for a moment and then back at Kakashi. "Naruto and I are the best of our generation."
"There is Gai's team." Kakashi pointed out.
"They graduated ahead of us. And Neji is already at Chunin. They've been to the exams already." Naruto replied with a dismissive wave. "It isn't like it is a problem. But it is truly misleading to say others would be like this."
Well, that was true, Kakashi thought. But Iwa didn't know that. "The objective of the Chunin exams has always been to showcase talent of future generations. You aren't going to be doing anything different. But just know, you'll be representing the Leaf village. Everything that you'll be doing will reflect on the village."
"Naturally." Naruto nodded his head. He then sighed. "The journey is going to be long though."
"And we should hurry. We are not behind on time, but you never know what we might come across. If something holds us back and we are late, we will be forced to turn back," the Jonin said in a very serious tone.
"Well, we cant have that…" Naruto said readying himself for a hop on the trees. "Do try to keep up…" he said to Sakura.
"Not everyone is a stamina freak like you."
Naruto shrugged. "Physical training can solve that. It builds endurance."
"Your kind of training wouldn't suit Sakura. It would be too much for her," Kakashi was quick to say. "You should just join Gai and Lee."
"Hell no!" Naruto was quick to say. "I don't want to die. My training suits me best. I want my body to be able to endure tall shifts… though, I do push myself to my limits at times."
All Naruto and Sasuke did was to train. They were unlike normal kids. Kakashi really shouldn't be surprised that Sakura didn't last a day with the two.
"A little too much. You should pause at times to rest your mind…" Kakashi suggested. "Sometimes your body may rest but the mind can be weary and you'll think you have issues when it is just your brain not issuing the commands."
"I have heard that from the Sandaime. Hence I do try to meditate as often as I do…" He turned to Sasuke.
The Uchiha shot Naruto a glare. He could hear Naruto saying something along the lines of meditation being impossible for him because as soon as he closed his eyes, he was only going to see Itachi.
"Don't even think about it."
"What?" Naruto grinned. "I was going to say your pants are falling." When the Uchiha sharpened his glare, Naruto just laughed. "Just know this; If I return with a recommendation of promotion, and you don't, I'll be second in command. Which means, I'll be Team leader whenever Kakashi-sensei isn't around. I'll enjoy pulling rank…"
"Keep dreaming."
Sakura didn't think it was going to change anything in the team dynamics even if Naruto's scenario played out. He was often the one person who they all could depend on when Kakashi wasn't around.
"It kind of pisses me off that you are talking about being Chunin and I'm not part of the conversation. And I know…" Sakura glared at Naruto, "if I say something, you're only going to laugh at me."
"I'm not that cruel, Sakura. You too can dream. You might find someone of your skill is very respected in Iwa."
"Very funny, Naruto."
Naruto laughed. "Thought so… and I appreciate your sarcasm. Everyone is in the mood." He said a bit seriously. "We are going as a team, but I think when they evaluate, they check individual skill. Either way, you just have to play your part. You never know. You lack in raw power, but you more than make it up for having the brains to function. That might be ace. It is always about how you use what you have. You are smart enough to figure out how best effective your skills and knowledge can be in any situation. You just need to be calm enough to think."
Naruto was of course aware that sometimes when faced with overwhelming power, strategy meant nothing.
Motivation from Naruto and he sounded earnest. At least, he didn't completely hate her. Sakura smiled. Perhaps she wasn't too late. But then again, if the two became Chunin, their team were likely to be broken up. If they progressed, they would be doing solo missions, and might even end up taking teams.
Teams were not permanent. There was a point of separation. That worried Sakura but she buried those worries and focused on the positives.
"Thank you." She mumbled.
"Kakashi sensei, are you sure she isn't an imposter? This is making me feel uncomfortable."
"You're going to make her return to normal…" Kakashi cautioned with a smile. "I find it refreshing. It is good for the team spirit."
As long as it wasn't just lip service.
Naruto glanced at Sakura and then looked ahead. What had changed? Sasuke telling her off? There was no need to force issues, she only had to let things flow naturally.
"The most important thing is being considerate about others. If you don't think I can make it to Hokage, say it. You just don't have to be ignorant and irrational in your reasoning. I tell Sasuke whatever I want. He understands why I say the things I say. He never says thank you even if I save his life, but that is fine. He is Sasuke."
Sakura glanced between her teammates and then looked ahead. If you didn't know anything, you'd say Naruto often bullied Sasuke. The same about her. He was harsh and cold when he wanted to be. Was he saying it wasn't because he hated either of them?
The same was with Ino. Her friend could say some of the things that came out of her mouth and Naruto would still just laugh it off. Was it the intent behind the words?
Every village was unique. The buildings; the way the people lived. Perhaps it had to do with the weather conditions of all villages. Indeed, this was literally the Elemental Nations. The Earth was truly Earth. The Fire country just made things a little sideways because there were no columns of flames just bursting out from the earth like hot springs. It wasn't always hot either. One could say, the Fire Nation was the most normal country out of all other nations.
Iwagakure no Sato was truly different from what he'd imagined. First of all, it was massive. He'd expected the Leaf to be the biggest but Iwa was still big. But then again, as history has shown, the nation fought Konoha well enough that it was only the introduction of Konoha's Yellow Flash that changed the scales of war. Instead of using this new weapon to decimate Iwa, the Sandaime Hokage made the decision to seek out a truce and end the war without a winner. But the scars left by the Yellow Flash could never truly heal. Just as the scars left by the Kyubi seemed to worsen with each reminder.
"Sensei, how well do you rank Iwa in terms of power? We know there are Five Great Nations. But between Kumo and Iwa, which is powerful?"
"It is hard to tell." Kakashi replied. A war usually settled those scores. But Kumo has produced the better shinobi compared to Iwa. "Past Raikage have been known for being very powerful. The Sandaime Raikage fought ten thousand men on his own."
Naruto whistled. "Now that is a man worthy of being hailed… I should do a study of past Kage…" he said in a thoughtful tone. "Are we free to wander about the village? I'd like to explore a little bit."
"We haven't even found accommodation yet. We should worry about that first." Sakura replied with a stare.
"Tired, Sakura?"
"Unlike you, some of us are not stamina freaks."
Naruto shrugged. "You're repeating the same thing again," he told her with a look. "You just have to be physically fit. Then again, you're not quite different from Sasuke. Even he lacks physically. Maybe you two are really a match for each other.''
Maybe for him there was the added benefit of being Uzumaki. But just because he was Uzumaki didn't mean he could surpass anyone. It just meant it was built in him. The likes of Lee pushed their bodies to their limits. Thus, he could admit that they possessed far more physical strength than him. But of course, all around, Naruto could outlive them since his physical qualities came with healing powers that were envied by many.
Thinking of this made him hear one of Orochimaru's evil laughter. Honestly, having people stare at him with contempt was much better than being chained in a bed with drugs running loose around his body while Orochimaru ran blood samples and stuck some needles into his body. There had been worse things he saw. At any day, Naruto could choose Konoha over such a cruel world.
"I feel like you're picking on me."
Naruto smiled and then glanced around the streets. People were moving about their business. But there were stares. It reminded Naruto that Iwa and Konoha had no relationship whatsoever. For a moment, he considered waving his hand at those who stared just to see what would happen. But he shook his head – he didn't want to earn himself enemies that would hunt him and make things difficult than they should be.
"Maybe…" his gaze fell on Sasuke. "Told you… Join me. But you said you don't want to join me and pick up extra muscles as it would make you slow."
"There is nothing wrong with it. The bigger you are. The heavier you are and your body hits much wind pressure."
"I'm not becoming fat."
"I didn't say you were. I want fluid and swift movements to match my sharingan. I don't want a hardened body to fight like an animal."
"Now, you're insulting my fighting style."
"You do have a way of fighting at times…" Sakura pointed out. "Especially when you start throwing explosive tags around."
"And we are going to see more of them in the exam. Or maybe not. I'll need to behave and use my skills…" Naruto put a hand on his chin, thinking. After a second, he shrugged.
"Why do you use so much of explosive tags when you can fight?" She had seen him fight Sasuke on equal ground. Loath as she was to admit it, but Naruto was a skilled shinobi. He just didn't display much of it.
"It is to make things quick and avoid using unnecessary chakra."
"Says the person who makes thousands of clones on a whim."
"That is nothing for me. My jutsu burns too much chakra because of lack of proper mastery. So I try to preserve my chakra when I can. You never know when you have to go big."
Sakura didn't think Naruto of all people should be talking about that. Had she even seeing him complaining about running out of chakra? He always had something on his tank.
"On my question, I misspoke. I meant to say, 'am I allowed to wander about…" Naruto said. "So, am I?"
Kakashi knew the question was for him. He didn't worry over something happening. But he didn't want anything happening. While he was smart enough, Naruto had his moments. There was frustrating fact Kakashi could never truly figure out the blond. A situation that even the Sandaime wrestled with.
"Yes. But as Sakura said, we need to find a place to stay. I'll go speak to the Tsuchikage to announce our presence then."
"Why can't we go with you?"
Kakashi shrugged. "We can go now if you want."
"No issues. It would be a pleasure to meet another Kage. I heard that the Tsuchikage has been around even since the times of the Shodai…"
Who was book smart between Naruto and Sakura? Well, it would be doing injustice to Naruto's Intelligence to call him book smart. Either way, the blond read his history books. It was something that made him know more than the average Genin. His other silent student didn't care about history. The only thing he cared for was his revenge and ways to become even more powerful.
As it was customary, the Kage resided in biggest building within the village. Finding him wasn't difficult. The team headed there. It was busy. Because of the exams no doubt. But there was no hassle in getting to the Tsuchikage's office.
Naruto knew the Tsuchikage was small, but not quite like this. Yet, even in his old figure, you truly knew you were staring at a Kage. Perhaps it came with experience. These powerful people had an aura about them. It wasn't the killing intent. He needed to have such an aura in his prime years. But for that to happen, he needed more strength.
"Tsuchikage-sama." Kakashi greeted the old man while taking out the invitation the Leaf received. "Team 7 from Konoha reporting in for the Chunin exams."
Onoki stared at the Jonin for a moment before glancing at the three Genin with the man. The two males seemed like good shinobi. He looked back at Kakashi and then nodded his head.
"The Sandaime Hokage must have high hopes if he only sent one team."
Onoki wasn't being sarcastic either. The man hailed as the Professor wouldn't just send only three kids to an event such as this. The fact that their sensei was the famous Sharingan no Kakashi spoke volumes.
Kakashi eye smiled. "Well, the others were not ready…" he said.
Onoki snorted. "The Exams start in three days. We have prepared a place for all competitors. The expense of course will be to your village. When we are ready to begin, you will be called."
"Of course."
Onoki called someone and a Kunoichi appeared in the office. "Show them where they will be staying until the games begin."
Once out of the office, not minding the Kunoichi with them, Naruto spoke.
"And I thought the Sandaime Hokage was hold."
"The Sandaime Tsuchikage has been alive for a long time now. But he is still strong. Even I wouldn't want to fight him."
"I suppose that is the reason he remains Tsuchikage…" Naruto said in thought.
Once they were shown their place, Kakashi took out both Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura was dead asleep anyway. And she was not suitable to this kind of mission. Her observation skills when it came to shinobi matters were non-existent. Sasuke could be ignorant of such things at times but Kakashi believed if tasked, he could do it. With Naruto, he didn't have to worry. For as long as he has to live, looking over his shoulder was a way of life. Naruto was always aware of where he was because of his situation and that made him ideal for this kind of mission.
"Both of you, listen very carefully because I wont repeat myself and we won't ever have this conversation again." Unlike Konoha, Iwa didn't have mind readers. They just had shinobi who could torture you to either death or singing like a bird.
Naruto looked toward the busy streets, an expressionless mask on his face. "We must be shinobi, it seems."
Sasuke glanced at the blond and then at Kakashi. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"I forget you only show your genius when it is convenient. You should use your head more. This narrow mindedness of yours diminishes your thinking capacity that sometimes it is difficult to tell you from Sakura."
Sasuke glared at Naruto. Lately, Naruto has been sharp with his words and Kakashi just acted as if be didn't hear anything – most of the time. It annoyed him just to think he was getting lectured by this damn person.
"Glare at me if you must. But that is the truth and until you change, you won't show much of that genius of yours unless we are in battle."
"I do not appreciate you talking to me like a child."
"Well, Sasuke, if you acted different, I wouldn't have to hold the stick."
Kakashi clapped his hands. "That's enough." He didn't have issues with Naruto telling Sasuke the hard truth. If the Uchiha was going to listen, it would be from Naruto. And besides, Naruto judged the situation well. Though, he didn't think this was the right time. Unless Naruto just wanted Sasuke tobe frustrated through the whole exam. There was that deceptiveness that Naruto displayed on occasions.
"You must know that Konoha does not share a good relationship with this village. There has been rumors that Iwa has been building its military power over the past years to prepare just in case another war springs. Iwa also has a history of invading other villages if it deems it necessary for its security."
"What do we have to do?"
"Don't ask questions. Just keep your eyes and ears open. When we leave, you will give me a report on what you observed. Iwa has two Jinchuriki. If you hear anything, keep it in mind." Kakashi replied in a hardened tone. "Avoid causing too much trouble with Iwa shinobi. There is a feeling you might be targeted. Either way, don't be extreme about the way you go about things." Kakashi stared at Naruto.
"Why are you looking at me? Sasuke is the cold hearted one."
Sasuke scoffed. "I have seen you fight when you're way too happy. You're brutal, just as you are in training."
"Like you just slap your opponents," Naruto replied with a wave of his right hand. "I'll be careful."
This was the kind of stage he could use to fully test his use of Mokuton in a large scale battle. Naruto wasn't going to miss the chance. He would dance and showcase his power. And there would be no thanking that snake bastard–despite what the Sandaime Hokage might say.
"Good. And watch out for Sakura. In this types of exams, you're usually alone. Your sensei don't accompany you and we can't interfere. So anything happens."
"Death you mean."
"Yes."
"Well, even amongst Genin, there are those with warped views. Some may even pretend to be genin when in the exam." Naruto grinned. "A good thing we are not normal genin, isn't it, Sasuke?"
Sasuke shared Naruto's grin. "Yeah."
Kakashi shook his head. "Protect each other. I don't want to lose any of you."
"We are a team. We will look after each other. Even Sasuke isn't going to abandon a teammate…" at least if Itachi doesn't appear.
"Why do I get the feeling you just said that with a different agenda?" Sasuke demanded with narrowed eyes.
Naruto smiled. "No. I don't think so. I'm certain I was just vouching for your compassion as I believe sensei might have reasons to doubt it."
Root Hideout
The last time Orochimaru was within the Leaf, it was a fruitful time. He got his hands on the Kyubi's Jinchuriki. Danzo most likely exploded in anger when he learned someone he viewed as a weapon had been kidnapped and could be used against the Leaf. It would have happened. But Naruto had been stubborn. He would not break no matter what. Even tempting his anger toward the Leaf over its hatred of him had not yielded glory for him. It seemed his hatred of him was even greater than that of the Hidden Leaf's villagers. In any case, he had gotten his hands on a good specimen. A pity he'd lost not. But not his research. There were still some outstanding things that needed his close eye to see if they would work out.
It was always pleasant being back here. He could reminisce about the good old days he used to conduct experiments with Danzo. The kids were so close. And sometimes Danzo even provided for him. Things worked well for both of them. Until, he was discovered. Had Hiruzen made him Hokage, things wouldn't have come to this point.
"Orochimaru."
"Danzo." Orochimaru grinned. "You getting old. Pretending to be crippled is not making you look good. But deception has always been your fort."
"Is there any point to what you just said?"
"I suppose not." Orochimaru shrugged carelessly and then continued grinning. "I was surprised when I received your message."
"I sent a message to you years ago. You've just been ignoring me." Danzo considered having his shinobi attack the Sannin. He could always say he had lured Orochimaru here to close any suspicions. But doing so would result in losses. He didn't want to lose any shinobi. Not when things were heated.
But it was without a question that Orochimaru had to be removed from existence. He was a threat to Konoha's assets in Naruto and Sasuke. Danzo would even consider hiring the Akatsuki if things became too dangerous for them.
"I was busy with a couple of things. But now I have some free time."
Danzo doubted this much. Orochimaru was only here because there was something he wanted. "What do you want Orochimaru?"
"Aren't you the one who called me?"
"That has long passed. Stop acting like you have no agenda."
"Kukukukuku…" Orochimaru giggled. "I suppose I do. Do you still have interest in becoming Hokage?"
"There is nothing for me to discuss with you on that. You have become an enemy of the Hidden Leaf."
"Don't be like that Danzo. We once worked well together. Remember when we ran the orphanage and conducted some useful missions for Root?"
"You were still a loyal tool then. But you got caught."
"At least I didn't tell anyone that you were also involved in kidnapping the children. But then again, as Sensei couldn't do anything against me, he probably wouldn't have done anything against you." Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Are You angry that I almost got away with Konoha's Jinchuriki?"
"No." Danzo shook his head. "I must thank you for making Naruto what he has become. His use of Mokuton far surpasses that of your other experiment. You have created a powerful weapon for us. We must thank you for this. But your role is done, you are to never step closer to either Naruto or Sasuke."
"I wonder, Danzo. Did you betray me by telling Konoha of Naruto's whereabouts? You and I still had contact then."
Danzo narrowed his eyes. Ridiculous. Him betray Orochimaru? The Sannin had obviously grown too comfortable in his power. He was merely a tool to be used. Being discarded wasn't treachery. It was merely the natural flow of things.
"Have you come here for that, Orochimaru?"
"No. there was something I wanted to check. But I didn't expect to hear some Jonin talking about Konoha's willingness to go to war with me by going as far as to seek the destruction of my village. Did you have something to do with this?"
"Surprisingly, Hiruzen thought of this himself. I believe he decided that as long as you live, you'd always be a threat. Besides, you crossed a line with Naruto."
"Kukukuku… as if you didn't cross it either. I wanted a good specimen to experiment on and you wanted Naruto to become the weapon. So you helped me take him, on the deal that you would save him yourself and then he would belong to you. But sensei's reaction was far stronger than we both expected."
"I do not know what you're talking about Orochimaru. And I would appreciate it if you didn't come back here. The next time you do, I will not be kind."
"Kukukuku," Orochimaru laughed. "Does matter if you do? If some information managed to find its way to sensei's ears and evidence that we have indeed been in contact, what do you think he will do?"
"You would frame me?"
"A play from your book. This has been your tactic all along. I can use it against you."
"If you continue to talk Orochimaru. I will not turn a blind eye. Leave and never show yourself before me and I will not play any role when Konoha hunts you down."
"Kukukuku. As you wish, Danzo. But if any of your agents follow me, I will slaughter them."
Danzo narrowed his eyes. Threats from Orochimaru? He took them seriously. But it didn't mean that he would stop doing what he thought was best for the Leaf because he was threatened. Obviously, with Konoha now resolved to get rid of the Sannin, working with him would only cause him problems. With how Hiruzen has been doing things lately, if it was ever discovered that he was working with the man, it would not end well for him. There were benefits but this was the best option for him at this case.
"There is no need for me to do anything. Your time is limited. Hiruzen is only doing what he should have done long ago."
"If things become a little too bothersome that I'm not able to freely move, you will also suffer the same fate."
"I'm doing you a favor right now, Orochimaru. It wouldn't take much for me to alert the village of your presence."
"Who do you think in the village can take me on?" Orochimaru asked arrogantly.
"I heard your former teammate, Tsunade is within the village. With her, Konoha would have more than enough power to kill you."
"Kukukukuku…" Orochimaru laughed. "I've already achieved what I wanted. But let me ask you a question, Danzo… do you think Mokuton is the only thing I gave Naruto-kun? Here is a better question, do you think I gave Naruto Mokuton?"
Danzo narrowed his eyes. Mokuton was only discovered because Orochimaru had already been making Naruto train in it. But there were no notes or anything else. He dreaded the thought that Orochimaru allowed Naruto to be taken because he was done with his experiments. But what else could the Sannin have done to Naruto?
"What did you do?"
"Kukukuku…" Orochimaru turned away from Danzo. "You'll find out eventually. Naruto might even be my sleeper agent. He does possess hatred towards the Leaf. I saw it with my own eyes. Whenever the Leaf was brought up, he did get angry. He even destroyed one of my hideouts. I had to find a way to keep the Kyubi's chakra suppressed to avoid any more accidents."
Red alert. Danzo took note. Naruto's loyalties have always been in question.
"But what do you mean when you say you may not have given Naruto Mokuton?"
"I didn't say that. I merely asked question."
"The inference being?"
"Make what you wish of it."
"What really did you come here to do, Orochimaru?"
"I just came to check up on you. And thought maybe you still wanted to become Hokage. If so, I was willing to help you out. But…" Orochimaru waved his right hand, grinning madly.
Iwagakure
Naruto had his hands folded across his back, an expressionless mask spread across his face as he walked along the busy streets. A certain Uchiha was stalking him from behind. He wondered why Sasuke was even following him. Bored, maybe. It was almost laughable that the loner preferred to stalking him rather than doing what he did best–brooding in some dark corner. Then again, Sasuke was smart enough to recognize that this was not their home. This was an enemy village and anything could happen. Sometimes, that head of his did work. But it was fine that way. Where would he be if the Uchiha's genius was always on display?
The streets were crowded. Many people bursting in for the exams. He could see different headbands. Civilians even took the time to travel. But honestly, what was there to watch in the Hidden Rock? Even when there were people wandering about the village, Naruto senses told him he was being watched. He couldn't pin point where the eyes were located. But he could sense it. Having lived under the microscope for so long had taught him valuable survival instincts.
"Any reason you're following from behind?"
Sasuke glanced at him and then increased his pace a bit. "No."
A flat yet not so cold answer. He'd thought things would be a little tense after what he'd been saying earlier. Sasuke held grudges. Naruto knew that much. But he wanted the Uchiha to think more deeply than he permitted himself.
"I think we are being watched. Best be on our best behavior."
"If Konoha and Iwa are not allies, it is only natural that they keep an eye on us. Unless of course, they found out."
"You do know that shinobi are trained to read lips?"
"Would it make any difference if they knew?"
"Do they know?"
"That we don't know."
"Then caution is necessary." Naruto looked up to the sky and then stopped for a moment before continuing to walk. "Have you ever thought about the Elemental Nations and shinobi wars, Sasuke?"
"What does it have to do with anything?"
Naruto scoffed. "Ignorance will be your undoing one day. It is nonetheless hardly surprising. You did say your only objective is to kill Itachi."
"Don't mention his name."
"You'll trip?" Naruto asked with a raised eye brow. "You need to get hold of your emotions, Sasuke. You'll sell your soul to the devil just to kill him with that attitude."
"Would that be wrong? He took away everything from me. If I can kill him, I will do anything."
"Even stabbing me, your only friend in the back?"
Sasuke did not respond to this.
"You know, you are not the only one who knows hatred."
Everybody knew a bit of hatred. The emotion was powerful. It could easily corrupt and taint anyone. Even a saint. If Naruto said years of abuse and torture didn't taint him with hatred, he would be lying. There were many things he hated. But he knew, having once lost control in one of Orochimaru's hideouts, that he could easily lose his life. And he had dreams. He had ambitions. He wanted to live a long life. He didn't even consider dying to get away from misery. If things don't change, there were options for him to change his story. That is why he could not allow himself to be ruled by negative emotions.
"Don't pretend to understand my hatred Naruto. You do not know the feeling of having everyone you love taken from you by your only brother."
Naruto was a little surprised that Sasuke's tone was a little measured. It was cold but he was not shouting. There was that glare.
"I have always told you that I cannot claim to say I know your pain. I've not had anyone taken away from me. My parents died before I could say mother or father. Before I could even learn to love them. But you know what, there are many people who lost their loved ones because of the Kyubi. And so often, they look at me with the same eyes as you take whenever you think of killing him. And I think sometimes you are no different from them.
"Personally, I don't think there is anything wrong with wanting to punish your brother. But your hatred does not drive your forward. It limits you. You lose control easily and act recklessly. You attacked even Orochimaru without thinking twice. Had it been someone who wanted to kill you, he would have done so. And pathetically, you'd have seen death without even getting a whiff of Itachi."
Sasuke glared. The blond was right. But it didn't mean he was simply going to follow those ideas. Like he said, he had not gone through what he has gone through to act differently. Even so, he knew, attacking Orochimaru like that would have been disastrous if the Sannin wanted to kill him. But what could he do? He gritted his teeth in frustration. The anger in him just could not be satiated until he was holding Itachi's corpse.
"I have been hated all my life. My parents murdered by the thing everyone hates. Yet, you don't see me losing my marbles like a madman."
"You enjoy this."
"Of course, I do. It is always pleasant seeing you squirm with your uncontrollable emotions. But that is only because I want you to get used to it. If I was like you, I'd have already murdered a couple of people in Konoha. But I can control myself. Have you ever seen me lose it?"
Even when there were reasons to kill Orochimaru. The blond had admitted it that there was no one he hated more than the Sannin. And although he was seething, he had kept it ground.
Sasuke decided to change the subject. "You hardly talk about your parents. But I thought you didn't know them."
Naruto stopped and then faced the Uchiha. "I see… Orochimaru told me while attempting to tempt me. I must admit, I resigned myself to it, but I was saved." He said in a bitter tone. "Maybe if tell you, you will understand me a little and realize that I have reasons to be angry but unlike you, I have control of myself."
"What?"
Naruto leaned on Sasuke's right ear and then put a hand over his mouth. "I'm the son of the Yondaime Hokage. My father died to protect to Konoha. But look at how they treat me? Shouldn't I wish for their deaths or maybe even consider releasing the Kyubi and then force them to sacrifice themselves to save Konoha, knowing what would happen afterwards. Would they sacrifice themselves and their children? They've spat on my sacrifice. My parent's sacrifice."
Sasuke stared at Naruto's back. The blond was now walking away. He moved to catch up to him.
Naruto's father was the Yondaime Hokage? Sasuke wanted to laugh – a bitter laugh. Who would have thought? It wasn't that impressive that Naruto was the son of a famous man. No, the ludicrous part was that the villagers were spitting on his father's sacrifice.
Ungrateful.
"I wouldn't have come back if I were you…" Sasuke admitted in a quiet tone.
"Me and you are fundamentally different people yet with similar experiences. I just hope that the day comes when we can truly understand each other. Because I do not think I can have a better friend than you…" Naruto paused. "Actually, I take it back. I can certainly do better."
Sasuke glared.
"You're my only friend." Sasuke said in a whisper. "You must really hate it when you see other parents playing with their children… and then look at you with hatred while knowing that the only reason they are playing like that is because of your father. You never experienced family because your father sacrificed it for Konoha. They are only happy and alive because of your father."
Naruto's expression became cold for a second before he slapped his right cheek. That kind of look frightened people.
"I used to use seethe alright. Sometimes I wish I didn't know about my father. It would have made things better. But I dislike living in ignorance." He sighed, pausing to gather his thoughts. "I just don't want to be controlled by anger. I don't want to continue to live in misery. I have dreams, and I want to see to them."
"Do you hate them for it?"
Naruto glanced at Sasuke and then smiled. "What do you think, Sasuke?"
Unknown Location
"Should you really keep that eye of yours activated?" Kisame asked Itachi. "I really do not want you to die before giving me a good fight."
Itachi only glanced at the infamous criminal and then back at the stream of water in front of him. He stared at his reflection. Life took turns that no one truly plans for. He would have been a great shinobi for the Leaf. Well, he still was. But he was forced to watch his beloved village from afar because of the blood he had to spill, for its safety and future. He was merely looking forward to the day Sasuke grew and then faced him. The time was not now. There were still things to do. Yet he worried if he would have enough time. Any day now, the Akatsuki could track down all Jinchuriki and they would have to move. The Leaf would be in trouble, and he would have to act decisively.
But more importantly, the man named Madara was showing an unhealthy interest in Sasuke and now looked at him with suspicion. It was a situation that could prove both fatal for both him and Konoha.
"There are many things to worry about, Kisame."
"You're my partner. Don't want anything happening to you." Of course, there was the order to keep watch of the Uchiha. However, he did consider Itachi as his only friend. They got along. And there was that understanding between them.
"We should move to a closer distance just in case something happens. We have already been given our assignment." Kisame spoke once more. "I was thinking we could go and test it out. Jinchuriki are supposed to be powerful."
"We can't do that. It is not yet time. If we act now, we alert the others of our agenda and the Hidden villages will take protective action."
Kisame grinned. "It would just make things interesting."
Itachi glanced at the man for a moment. "There is somewhere I wish to visit tomorrow."
"Where?"
"Iwagakure."
"What is happening there?"
"Chunin exams. Sasuke is there, I want to observe his progress. And see if his Sharingan has evolved."
"That means the Kyubi's Jinchuriki is also there. I should go with you."
"You'll just cause unnecessary troubles."
"That is a little cold, Itachi."
He knew Kisame was joking but it was true that he would cause trouble if they went there together. In his thirst for battle, there was no telling what the man would do. Either way, that wasn't exactly his reason. He just wanted to go alone. There were personal matters he needed to solve and Itachi didn't need to know.
Regardless of where you were, the night was the same. Humans were the same. They stalked through the night. The stars dazzled through the heavens. There was nothing but peace there. So often, he wanted to reach out to it, but there was no going there. It was an impossible dream. Yet the fact that it was visible even when he was away from home just made him think that perhaps it was possible. As he'd come to learn, abilities do limit people, but sometimes, it was the imagination that limited people. Jutsu starts with imagination. Once we imagine things, we can try to give them physical form. But without thoughts, nothing would come to pass.
Naruto trailed off in his thoughts, sensing a presence before he could hear footsteps. There were almost soundless. His narrow eyes turned behind, it was Kabuto. His expression came cold. The night light seemed to even make things worse. The man was wearing a Sound Headband. To think he'd dare show himself here when they already knew he was Orochimaru's guard.
"You don't have to look at me like that, Naruto-kun."
Like that? This scum has stood before him while cutting him up and injecting needles in his veins. He had experienced pain so worse than the emotional turmoil he'd suffered in the hands of Konoha's villagers. It had been torture. And he knew, he wasn't the only one who suffered. At least, he hadn't turned into a hideous monster. No, most likely if Orochimaru had more time with him or if he was done with what seemed to be of interest to him, he would have either tried to clone him or just conduct more experiments that would have turned him into something that could no longer be called human.
"There is no better look aside from contempt. I'm holding myself from lunging at your right now."
Kabuto chuckled lightly. "Well, you have better self control than Sasuke-kun. Perhaps it is experiences. Sasuke-kun can be called a child. And you an adult."
"He is a child."
"Indeed."
"Leave me alone, Kabuto. I would rather not lose my control because you are standing before me or have someone see me with you."
"I can imagine Konoha doubting your loyalty…" Kabuto smiled. Thinking maybe they could use this strategy. It would work to drive the blond away from Konoha. But it wouldn't likely drive him back to them. Which was not what he wanted. "Just bear with me for a little while, Naruto-kun. I want to talk to you about something."
Naruto glanced at Kabuto through the corner of his eyes. His eyes were just cold. How he loathed even talking to this human–but as always, he had to swallow his contempt and just hope for it to end quickly before he pulled off a Sasuke. The thought at least made him smile wryly as he took his eyes back to the night streets.
"I would rather not even talk to you as I have nothing to say to you. But it isn't like I can make trouble here. We are far away from home."
"And Iwagakure wouldn't be that willing to help you out if they were to know that you're the child of the man who tormented them in the Third War." Kabuto replied casually. The threat ever so present. So chilling that those words could just slip out of his mouth.
"What do you want, Kabuto?"
"Just to talk. You think you'll ever return to Orochimaru-sama if things were ever to become difficult in Konoha?"
"Hell no. I'd rather slit my throat than be around you people. If you were not sickening, I may have even fallen for Orochimaru's temptations."
"That isn't a nice thing to say about people who saved you and gave you power."
Naruto scoffed as he replied in a bitter tone. "Nobody asked you. You did what you did for your own interests. I owe you nothing. And don't make a mistake, you did not give me power." He paused, his tone sharpening. "Why do I get the feeling that you'd intentionally make things difficult for me by spreading wild rumors?"
"Kukukuku…" Kabuto giggled lightly. There was no malice in his voice. At least, at first glance. "We are not that cruel. But if Orochimaru really wanted to drive you out of Konoha, he'd do that. The villagers don't even know you were with him. Facts can be twisted slightly to say you left with him before Konoha used force to bring you back."
"How undesirable." There were many people like Kabuto in the shinobi world. Rotten to the core and cruel like devils. They cared for no one but themselves. Greedy piranhas. They would devour anything before them. As long as it can satisfy their thirst for knowledge and power.
"Now then… You spent a couple of years with us and we conducted some valuable experiments but most of it was helped by the fact that we discovered that Yamato had survived. We managed to get samples from him." Kabuto paused, glancing around for a bit before continuing to speak. "You survived various trials. Not because you're a Jinchuriki but because you are Uzumaki. I envy the rich life-force of the Uzumaki. You have a vitality that no one has. Not the Senju or the Uchiha. It is a pity that these clans have become extinct, isn't it?"
"No." Naruto disagreed just for the sake of it.
"In any case… The Uzumaki and the Senju are related. Tests have confirmed this much. Your powerful chakra made it simple for you to take in Hashirama's cells without the fear of them threatening to take over your body. But that wasn't the only thing that made it easy. There was one crucial element." Kabuto smiled, a wicked smile. "Now, do you think that is the only thing we did to you?"
"Who knows?"
"Don't be like that, Naruto-kun. It isn't fun when you don't play along."
"You're testing my patience, Kabuto."
"Such a disagreeable child." Kabuto shook his head with mock disappointment. "Do you know about the Sage of Six Paths?"
"No."
"Unsurprisingly. Do a research about him. Our goal was to see if we could rebuilt the power he once held. A pity, we couldn't finish things because Konoha came."
Naruto snorted. "You let them take me back because you were done and only left the research about Mokuton for Konoha to find. You were either done or did enough. Either way, having Konoha hunt you the way it was made things a little difficult as all its allies had been on alert."
He stood up, ready to leave this place. He was annoyed already and slightly foul. Anymore of this and he wouldn't want to be held responsible for starting a fight in a foreign land.
"You've seen the Sharingan and what it can do, right? Orochimaru wouldn't mind giving it to you. He wants to see if you could use it like an Uchiha."
Naruto just walked away without responding.
"The offer stands. And Naruto… there is something else?"
"What?"
"It is possible that Orochimaru didn't give you Mokuton. We indeed injected Hashirama's cells in you. But we didn't know anything. How do you even test it anyway? That is the crucial element that made things simple. We have tried repeating the same experiments on other subjects, but it has ended up in failure. They die. Not you. At this rate, it is likely that one cannot even define Hashirama's cells in your body. Which is why we must have you back, Naruto-kun. We need you back to see what made you so special."
"Go slit your throat, Kabuto."
The Following Day
The enemy had to suffer. There was no rational person who wished to see their enemy in good health. It was a cold thing but this was the shinobi world. Kindness was a thing of rarity. Even honor amongst shinobi was unheard of. After all, it seemed that being a true shinobi was having the means to play a dirty game–like manipulation and stabbing people in the back. Being shinobi was all about that. Anything such as not striking the enemy while he was down or his back turned against you was the way of the Samurai. Shinobi were merciless brutes who blurred lines of good and bad. Right and wrong. Sometimes, you could get confused while thinking about such terms. The best thing was simply to accept that they were in this world and had to abide by its rules–if not, it was a battle to change it.
But who had the stomach to wage such a war?
While his eyes were closed, sitting in a meditative position, Naruto wrestled with such thoughts. They made a mockery of his intelligence. He was after all, just deadlocked with no solution coming into play. And his mind couldn't compute anything.
Sensing a presence, Naruto's eyes snapped open. He was conscious of that he wasn't home. This was a territory that would not help him. Unlike usual where he often got so lost in thoughts that he wouldn't even be able to sense someone sneaking or just walking up to him, here, he couldn't afford that luxury. He always had to stand on his toes.
Lucky for him, the presence was that of Kakashi.
"I thought I'd find you training."
"Not in this place. Would just be revealing too much to other contestants. We are already at a disadvantage as we do not know anything about them." Naruto explained lightly, before shutting his eyes to gather his raging thoughts of ideology. Was it that? Maybe not.
"Calming your thoughts?"
Naruto opened his eyes and stared at the Jonin with a raised eye brow in question.
Kakashi eye smiled. "I can sense that you're a bit unsettled. Your chakra was giving a bit of an offensive feeling last night."
Ah, his control over his emotions was not as good as he thought. If he was unconsciously leaking killing intent, it would have been bad for him. Was this situation of Orochimaru troubling him more than he liked? He'd chosen to suppress his contempt of everything but nothing could stay buried forever. It was fine when nobody talked about it and Orochimaru didn't show himself before him. He couldn't ignore it anymore. Perhaps he was also taking out a bit of his contempt toward his unfortunate situation in Konoha.
Either way, he needed to get hold of himself before the exam starts. He didn't want to be burdened by anything.
He released a long breath, and glanced up into the clear sky before responding. "Yeah." He fell silent, continuing his staring contest with the heavens. After a moment, he looked back at Kakashi with an expressionless mask. "I had an unfortunate encounter with Kabuto last night. He said some mean things."
Kakashi looked alarmed over the mention of Kabuto. "Kabuto is here?"
"Yeah. Representing the Sound."
Kakashi was silent. Iwagakure wouldn't know anything about Kabuto and his connection to Orochimaru. What did he have to do in this situation? Did he tell the Tsuchikage about it just keep an eye on things? But it would be difficult to keep an eye on things during the exams.
"What did he want?"
"Just to piss me off with worthless temptations. Even went as far as to suggest they'd be willing to make things bad for me in Konoha just to see how I would react. As if things weren't already bad…" Naruto replied with a shake of his head, his tone flat and his expression matched this.
The idea that he may have had the bloodline of Mokuton before Orochimaru may be interesting to those people, but to Naruto, it made no relevance to anything.
"This is worrying. I will send a message to Konoha. But did he say anything about Sasuke?"
"No."
"Still not in the clear. I doubt Orochimaru is here. He could be around just to see how you do in battle." Kakashi tried to make light of the situation. "But be cautious."
"Naturally. Around people like him, you can't afford to blink."
The Jonin nodded and whipped out a bingo book. "This was given to me earlier in the morning by a shinobi of this village." He said, flipping through pages and then handed it to Naruto.
There was the intentional purpose of writing this book. Iwagakure must have probably assumed they would come. Naruto's use of Mokuton wasn't a well known fact. Hell, even some villagers in Konoha would reject this truth.
Naruto stared at the entry.
Naruto Uzumaki:
Ranking: Genin
Bloodline: Mokuton
Taijutsu: C Rank
Ninjutsu: uses Mokuton. Kage Bunshin. No other known Ninjutsu capabilities.
Bingo Book rating: C.
It was a small entry and the only thing it made mention of was Mokuton. It seemed to be the only thing that made them give him the rating of C. Either way, they didn't know everything and they were trying to sell him out by advertising Mokuton abilities. A pity for them he had many more secrets. He wasn't just going to show them, at least not now.
"Sasuke is also in there. Both of you have been given the same ranking." Kakashi spoke in a serious tone. "You may be marked. Which will make things difficult. But unless your life is in danger, you aren't to use the Kyubi's chakra."
He was saying that, but he didn't think that things would go that far. Naruto was skilled. And his partnership with Sasuke meant that even if they came across someone more powerful than them, they would still pull through. Besides, it was not that easy to counter Mokuton, especially if Naruto decided to use some of those deadly jutsu he never uses.
"Well, it will make things interesting." Naruto grinned. He was feeling a bit frustrated anyhow. Releasing his stress would help him.
Hidden Leaf
Tsunade stared at the village gates with an expressionless look on her face. Anger and frustrations bubbled within her. To think she would return to Konoha in this manner. Ridiculous. And Shizune had already been taken away from him. Damn that old man.
The guards didn't give her a hard time. Not that she had the expression that welcomed stubbornness.
As she strolled through the village streets, heading straight to the old man who forced her into this situation, Tsunade realized not much had changed. The people seemed to welcome her presence with open arms. At least those who saw her walking alone. If she had been in a pleasant mood, she would have waved back, enjoying their love for her.
Upon arriving at the Hokage tower, Tsunade marched. She didn't even knock at the office of the Hokage. She burst the door open and stalked in, ignoring the shinobi who were in the office. The Sandaime met her glare with a warm smile.
"Please wait outside…" Hiruzen said to the shinobi in front of his desk. "Tsunade won't take long."
"Hai."
Hiruzen turned to face Tsunade with an expressionless face. Perhaps it was good that she wasn't slamming anything. Her anger tended to be felt by anything standing beside her. Maybe she was holding herself because of respect–or whatever was left of it.
She had nonetheless returned far sooner than he had expected. Of course, if he hadn't taken Shizune, she would have most likely weathered the storm. There was no fear that she would end up joining any Great Nation. She would never betray Konoha in that manner. But her continued absence here was always felt.
"I haven't seen you in a long time. Age really hasn't seemed to get the better of you." Hiruzen said in a light tone despite his expression.
"Can't say the same thing for you."
Hiruzen chuckled lightly. "I have lived long enough, burdened by responsibilities of this office."
Tsunade moved closer, put a hand on the desk and pressed, cracking the desk. "You had to do it, didn't you?"
"Yes. I am the Hokage after all. I must take measures to protect and ensure Konoha's future is stable." Hiruzen replied with a wave of his right hand, leaning back to his chair.
"Now you think of being Hokage? Where was that attitude when you let Orochimaru leave Konoha?"
A low blow, but Hiruzen took it under the chin without wincing. He didn't expect anything less from Tsunade. She was angry. There was a way she reacted to this anger. But nothing was going to change his mind over what had happened. He made his mistakes and he was living with them. Could he say the same for Tsunade? She fled over he inability to handle the pain of losing those she loved. He lost many, but he was still here.
"Buried in my love for him as my student, I suppose…" Hiruzen responded casually. "In any case, you are back in the village. I want you to succeed me. But given your mindset, now is hardly the right time to talk to you. In any case, one cannot be forced to take up the mantle. If you cannot take, take up the position in the hospital and start making plans to train future medical nin."
"And if I refuse? I didn't come here to do anything. I only returned because it has become convenient."
"I'm not ordering you to do anything. I'm asking you as your sensei. I will give you three months to settle and calm down. If you're not changing, I will order you. Failure to follow such orders will be insubordination."
Tsunade picked up the chair in front of the desk and slammed it into a wall before turning away from the Sandaime.
"Stop behaving like a child Tsunade. You're better than this. Not even Minato's child throws a fit like you do. Observe the village, think about things clearly and when you have done so, come back to me…" Hiruzen paused. "Shizune is at the hospital. I suppose I must thank you for training her. But do try not to take much of her time. She is serving her village well at the moment."
Naruto nearly jumped when someone poked him on the ribs while he was walking along the streets. He quickly turned around to face the suspect and was welcomed by a laughing woman.
"If I had known you'd respond like that, I would have just sent one of my snakes to slip into your pants."
"I hate those damn creatures. Would have stabbed it until it became mince."
Once more, the woman laughed.
Naruto stared at the woman who was talking to him as if she knew him. A Konoha headband. A memory flashed in his mind and he then recognized her.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're Anko. A pupil or former pupil of that loathsome creature called Orochimaru."
Anko raised an eye brow. The brat surely hated Orochimaru. She grinned as she replied.
"The one and only!"
"What are you doing here?"
"I was told Orochimaru was after you, so I came."
"Just like that?"
"Well, I had to flash my panties for the Third to let me go."
Naruto stared, wondering if she was serious or Joking. The Third couldn't have done that. Whether Anko would do something like that was debatable. But considering, the Sandaime may be a perverted old man. He was like Kakashi after all. They read the same books. Although, the Third was discreet about it. He never did it publicly unlike Kakashi.
Seeing his look, Anko laughed and then leaned over. "You want me to flash them for you?" She asked in a chilling tone. "I'd have to kill you afterward. Cant have a brat seeing me."
Naruto took a step back from the woman.
"Why would you come here because of Orochimaru."
"I can tell when he is closer. And I have a score to settle with that bastard."
Naruto raised an eye brow. "That is curious; I know you were treated as suspicious in Konoha because you were his beloved pupil, but I didn't think he was a bastard to you. Considering, you refused to follow him."
"What did you say?" Anko stared.
She was surprised at the words the blond just said. She knew he had been taken by Orochimaru. But that was news to her. Considering that she didn't even remember much about anything when it came to Orochimaru leaving.
Naruto realized he said a little too much and then waved his hand. "Nothing."
Anko put a hand on his shoulder and whispered once more. "Ah, come on, gaki. You and I could get along just fine. After all, we have something in common, Orochimaru. We both hate him."
Naruto's sharpened slightly. This only meant that Anko knew. But hardly surprising. If she came here, the old man would have told her.
"I suppose we could…"
Anko grinned. "See… what were you saying about me refusing to go with him?"
"You sound genuinely curious as if you don't know that part."
"Are you going to tell or not?"
Naruto sighed. "He used you as an example of what happens to people who are known to be associated with him. He pouted, recalling that after he offered you the opportunity to leave with him, you actually refused to do so. He'd been sure you would go with him."
"You and I are going to get along, kid."
"But I have dibs on stabbing him to death."
"Seniority comes first."
"Then we won't get along."
Anko laughed. "I'm taking a like of you."
"Just don't do anything like Orochimaru. I might stab you thinking its him."
Anko halted. She couldn't tell it Naruto was serious or not.
This time, Naruto laughed. "We will get along, Anko-san."
It was only when I was editing this chapter that I thought, 'why is Anko not in this story yet' Naruto could have a friend in her. Anyway, I tried to have a little 'fun' with her introduction.
The exam will start in the next chapter and conclude in chapter 8. At the end of Chapter 9, we will go to a three year time-skip. When we return, from chapter 11, things become heated until chapter 17.
I'd said the pairing would be Ino only, but that may change to include Karin. But no more than that.
That said, I'll be updating weekly henceforth. Wednesday's or Thursdays.
The Omnipresent Sage