The next two matches were finished relatively quickly with Shikamaru and Chouji defeating Dosu's two teammates and Shino and Ten Ten defeating Temari and Kankurou. Both matches were close calls, but at the end the leaf ninja proved to be superior in their matches.

All the winners were called down to the bottom floor so that they could be congratulated and told what they were going to do next. They were given a month to rest and strengthen their skills before the Hokage announced that they were to pull a number to find out who they would be competing against. Naruto pulled the number one with Neji as his opponent on number two. Gaara pulled three and Sasuke pulled four. Ten Ten pulled five and Shikamaru pulled six. The number seven was pulled by Ino while the number eight was pulled by Shino. Zabuza pulled number ten and he was to go up against Chouji who held number eleven. The winner of the match would face Sakura as number nine.

Naruto and Sasuke couldn't have been happier. They were paired with the people that they had needed to face up against in order for their plan to work. This had been the one thing they couldn't count on throughout the whole chunin exams because they couldn't control chance.

"Alright," said the Hokage, "Now all of you would do well to train and learn new jutsus so that you aren't using the same tired out old tricks against your opponent who has already seen them. You are dismissed." The Hokage disappeared into thin air as the stadium erupted into a large amount of chatter. Some conversations were about congratulations while others were about the new jutsus that they would learn.

From the corner of his eye Naruto noticed that Iruka was staring at him so he turned to Sasuke and said, "Hey, I'll be right back," before leaving to talk to Iruka.

"Congratulations Naruto," he said, "you and your team did really well."

"Thank you," said Naruto.

"Naruto," said Iruka, "I'm sorry that I doubted you. It wasn't fair of me. I should have believed in you, but I worry sometimes and I don't want you to be hurt. Please understand me."

"I do understand," Naruto smiled, "I'm glad you feel that way. I'm glad that you worry for me. It makes me feel like you're my father looking after his only son who he's just starting to let out into the world. It's understandable that the father would worry for his son since he's not quite sure if his son was ready to be by himself, but the truth is Iruka-sensei that father will never know unless he lets the boy go even though he may worry and then if the boy isn't ready holds his arms open and ready to take him back. The best thing you can do for me now is to do that Iruka. "

"I understand," Iruka nodded his head, "but don't think that means that I will stop worrying about you."

"I wouldn't dream of it," said Naruto, "I have to go back to my team now. I don't want them to worry because I've been gone too long."

"Alright," Iruka agreed, "but you'll have to let me treat you to some ramen afterwards."

"Of course," Naruto said as he walked away.

Before he could reach his team two ANBU appeared before him. "The Hokage would like to see you," said one of them.

"Alright," said Naruto, "Just let me tell my friends and then I'll go over there."

Suddenly his arm was twisted violently behind his back dangerously close to breaking. He yelped as his feet were kicked out from underneath him and one of the ANBU's fell on top of him to pin him to the floor. "The Hokage wants to see you now."

The whole room was silent as the ANBU said those words and they all stared at the three of them until a voice rang out among the crowd. "What the hell is going on?" Kiba's voice seemed to spur everyone else on as Sasuke and Sakura tried to move forward and sand wrapped it's way around the legs of the ANBU.

"What the hell?" yelled the ANBU not holding Naruto down as he slashed at the sand keeping his teammate from moving. The sand only wrapped around both the men tighter and yanked them up so they were suspended in midair just as Sasuke and Sakura reached them. "Are you alright Naruto?" asked Sakura as they both helped him up.

"I'm fine," Naruto said as he twisted his should in a circle to try to get some of the pain to subside. "Thank you Gaara," he said as he looked over at the redhead who promptly let the ANBU fall onto the floor and then left immediately after.

Both ANBU jumped to their feet with their kunai out, but they were met with the sharp edge of Zabuza's long sword. "Why did you attack Naruto?" he growled.

"We have to take him to the Hokage," growled one of the ANBU, "and you're getting in our way. If you don't let us through I'm afraid we'll have to take you down."

"It's alright Zabuza," said Naruto, "I'm gonna head over to the Hokage now. You can put your sword away." Zabuza grumbled something under his breath before placing his sword back on his back where it belonged. The ANBU turned to where Naruto had been only to find that he was no longer their.

They arrived outside of the Hokage's office using there transportation jutsu and shocking the two ANBU guards. "What business do you have here?" one of them asked as he quickly got over his shock.

"I was called here by the Hokage," said Naruto.

"I know that," growled the ANBU, "I was talking to them."

"You didn't actually think that we would let him go to the Hokage's office alone did you?" asked
Sakura.

Before the ANBU could say anything else the door opened to reveal the Hokage. "Oh," he said, "You're here. Come in."

They walked inside of the room to see the two elders sitting on one of the two couches that sat across from eachother in the room. The Hokage sat quietly at his desk and motioned for them to sit down as well. All three of them sat on the couch opposite of the elders with Naruto sitting in the middle. There was an awkward silence as everyone stared at eachother until Sasuke finally growled out, "Why did you have those ANBU attack Naruto?"

"I don't think he did," said Naruto.

"Why else would they have attacked you. They can't do it without orders."

"Actually they can," reasoned Naruto, "If they can make it seem like I was trying to disobey them they can attack me and say that it they were just following orders."

"The ANBU that I sent attacked you?" the Hokage asked with a surprised voice.

"Yes," answered Naruto with a shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm sorry about that," he said, "I didn't think they would attack you."

"Doesn't matter now," said Naruto, "Why did you call me up here? And why are the elders here?"

"Well I don't know how to say this…" the Hokage began, but he was interrupted by the elder woman.

"Where did you get all that strength from?" she asked, "There's no way a genin could have learned all that you have."

"There are ways to do everything," answered Naruto, "The only thing you have to do is find those ways."

"Answer the question boy," hissed the elder man.

"Kyuubi taught me," Naruto answered.

There was silence in the room again for a short moment before the elder woman spoke, "You could talk to the demon?"

"No," he said.

"Then how?" asked the elder man.

"I could speak to the spirit of the land of fire," said Naruto, "Until he died that is."

"That's impossible," accused the woman, "the demon dying and you talking to it."

"My father isn't perfect. His seal was flawed," said Naruto, "And because Kyuubi was sealed inside of me it can die if I die."

"But you're not dead," said the man.

"But I was dead."

"That's not possible," said the woman, "You can't die and then come back to life."

"I can if Kyuubi gave up her life so that she could bring me back to life. There are other ways to be resurrected as well."

"I don't believe you," said the man.

"That demon wouldn't give up his life for a mere container such as you," said the woman.

"If you don't believe me," said Naruto, "Why don't you have a medical ninja come in here to check if I have two chakras."

"We will," said the man, before waving his hand at an ANBU who had been waiting in the corner for some osrt of orders. The ANBU disappeared and returned moments later with one of the medic nins.

"You called for me?" she bowed politely.

"Yes," said the man, "We want you to check his chakra signature and make sure that he isn't lying about the death of the Kyuubi."

The medic nodded in order to cover the grimace that rose to her face at having to examing the monster. She moved closer to him and told him to take off his shirt. He did so to reveal a perfectly muscled tan chest and abdomen. She had to remind herself who she was dealing with as the examined the monster's chest. "I can only find one chakra signature," she said even as she continued to look. Finally she gave up and moved back.

"This can't be," the elder woman's eyes were wide with shock, "You were actually telling the truth."

"I don't like to lie," said Naruto as he put his white shirt back on. As soon as his shirt was back on and the medic realized she didn't have anything left to stare at she excused herself and left the room.

"Then how did you die?"

"It was a training accident," Naruto answered.

"I thought you said you didn't like to lie," Sakura said to him in a somewhat joking manner.

"I said I didn't like to lie," Naruto smiled at her "not that I never lie, but apparently these stupid old people don't realize the difference."

"Careful Naruto," said Sakura, "Or one day you'll be one of those stupid old people."

"Never."

"Are you saying you'll never be old?" asked Sasuke with a smirk, "Cause you're already pretty stupid."

"You're so mean to me," Naruto said with a pout.

"Are you listening to me!" yelled the elder woman.

"Nope," answered Sasuke.

"Not at all," said Sakura.

"What were you saying?" asked Naruto.

The elder woman hissed at them, but before she could say anything the Hokage broke in with his own words. "It's nothing important. You guys need to get some rest after your tiring day."

All three of them nodded before they made their way silently to the door. Just as Naruto, the last to leave, was closing the door he said, "Oh yeah. I almost forgot to tell you. You should probably increase the security detail on the chunin exams because the sound and sand ninjas are going to attack us and try to destroy our village."

"How do you know this?" asked the Hokage.

"Kabuto, who worked for Orochimaru, was trying to get on my good side. I don't think he realized that he dropped a lot of subtle hints about it." Then the door was shut and the conversation was over.

Naruto collapsed in his room as soon as he got home from Ichiraku's. He was so exhausted from the events that had transpired that day. First he had to fight again Kabuto and Dosu. Then he had to deal with Kakashi-sensei. After that he had to show Gaara the past. Then the Hokage and the elders. Then right after that he had to go to Ichiraku's and pretend that he was completely fine when he really just wanted to go home. Not to mention he was still trying to get rid of the seal.

The seal was already beginning to fade and Naruto knew that it would only take a few more days before it would be completely gone. "That's good," Naruto thought to himself, "Now I won't have to worry about having to deal with two seals at once." He placed his hand on his stomach and traced the invisible seal that still lies dormant there. Finally his eyes slipped closed and he drifted into a night of restless sleep.

sorry guys. i was too lazy to write the last two matches since they didn't really have all that much importance in the story. i hope you like this chapter.