A/N: Wow… two chapters in as many days… I certainly hope this means I'm getting my writing mojo back. I hope you all enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing, and I am very much looking forward to posting more updates for you wonderful readers to enjoy. As always, Feedback and reviews are a welcome sight and a great encouragement.
Additional note: I am aware the Snow country came after the Chunin exams, I took events out of order for story reasons. My apologies for any confusion.
Big thanks to Midnight Lost for being my Beta reader and soundboard for fic ideas.
Chapter Two: Before the Prelims.
"Wow… I can't believe we got here so quickly." Spoke the form of Sakura as she and the others now stood in front of the Forest Tower. Major props to Naruto and his clones for carrying them here so quickly and to Karin for helping them avoid other Shinobi teams. The pinkette was looking forward to the possibility of a hot shower after this.
"Whew, at least this leg of the exam is finally coming to a close for us. We should head inside now." Naruto spoke up as he dispelled his clones, save for one that was currently carrying the still unconscious form of Sasuke over its shoulder. The girls all nodded in agreement as the blonde ushered them all inside. When they stepped inside, they were greeted by what appeared to be an empty lobby, which seemed a little strange since one would expect a watchman or someone to be on duty to receive them or any other teams.
"Huh… no one here." Kin pointed out as she obediently followed behind her blonde captor, her words earning a small glare from the Haruno.
"Gee, thanks for pointing out the obvious! Now what the hell are we supposed to do? I am so over this crap." Sakura muttered in frustration, which was understandable since everyone else was feeling equally annoyed by this exam.
"Maybe we're supposed to do something with the scrolls now?" Naruto asked as he gestured towards the set of scrolls in his pack, earning some thoughtful looks from the girls.
"You sure about that? Rules said we're not supposed to open them." Kin pointed out, earning a negative shake of the head from Naruto as he wagged a lone finger from side to side.
"Nah. The rules stated that we can't open them BEFORE we get to the tower. They never said anything about it once we were inside. Maybe the scrolls act as some kind of a key when we arrive." The whiskered teen pointed out, which caused the girls to gain thoughtful looks before nodding in agreement since it seemed they were out of any other options.
Sakura took the Heaven and Earth scrolls and proceeded to unfurl them… but was stopped when the loud bang of a door being slammed open caused them all to nearly jump out of their skin as a purple blur crashed into Naruto before he even had a chance to react "NARUTO YOU SHITTY LITTLE BASTARD!" Screeched a female voice as a woman was now straddling the blonde on the floor.
"Oh. Hi Anko-chan. Nice to see you again." Naruto casually greeted when he saw the form of the current Exam proctor was straddling his waist… and she seemed super pissed off with tear-filled eyes as she suddenly began slapping him across the face.
"Shut up you bastard! I hate you! You deserve to go to hell! Do you have any idea how worried I was about you?!" Anko shouted angrily in between slaps while the girls in the background watched on with stupefied expressions since they were unsure if they should interfere or let this play out.
"Uhhh. Naruto? Are you friends with her or something?" Sakura asked since that was the only intelligent question that came to mind at the moment. Then again, the two seemed quite similar in personality so it shouldn't be that surprising if they're friends.
Naruto glanced over in the pinkette's direction while showing almost no reaction to the barrage of stinging slaps to his face, even as his cheeks became red with a multitude of hand shaped markings that started to appear "Huh? Oh yeah, me and Anko go waaaaaaay back. We've been best friends for as long as I can remember. Don't worry, this is pretty normal. She did this when I got back from Wave Country too. She won't admit it, but she's a worrier."
"Shut the fuck up you little shit! I hate you!" Anko shouted once more as she slapped him across the face once again then continued to shout "I almost had a goddamn heart attack when those quakes happened, and then I have to worry about you being in constant danger and…" the purple haired woman continued to rant angrily.
"You need some help there Naruto?" Karin asked as she tilted her head to the side, in response Naruto looked over to her and answered "Nah. It's fine, just let her vent and she'll be okay." After a few more seconds of the exam proctor slapping the hell out of the blonde, she let out a small sigh of relief and gave him a cheeky grin.
"There. I'm all good now, sorry about that Naruto. But seriously… you have no idea how fucking worried I was about you… now how the hell did you get fucking yolked and what's the deal with the extras?" The Dango lover asked while pointing towards Karin and Kin with one hand and using the other to feel up Naruto's abs.
The Jinchuuriki sighed as he explained "Well… I unlocked some kind of a bloodline when a snake tried to eat me, then I rescued Karin the girl with glasses from being eaten by a bear, and I kinda took Kin prisoner after her team tried to attack us, she agreed to trade information in exchange for protection. Also… there's something else…" The whiskered teen then whispered quietly into Anko's ear as she listened tentatively… then her eyes widened as a look of horror appeared on her face, which then quickly morphed into anger as she mouthed 'son of a bitch'
"I see… well, congrats to Team Seven for passing the exams. Come with me please." The purplette spoke as she snatched the scrolls up and gestured for them to follow her to their next destination. At the very least… they could say that the exam was now officially over.
Sakura suddenly remembered that they needed to speak to the Hokage and piped "Wait a sec Anko-san, we need to make a report to the Hokage! Sasuke was bitten by some creepy guy and…" she tried to explain but was cut off by the Proctor.
"Yeah, I got the gist from Naruto-kun. As a matter of fact, that 'creepy guy' you mentioned… I tried tracking him down but he already slipped the net. Hokage-sama will explain more." The Dango lover mentioned, her words earning a blow to the ribs from Naruto as he glared angrily at Anko.
"You tried to find him? Are you nuts? He could have killed you." Naruto growled out, which caused Anko to slump her shoulders and mutter 'Yeah. Stupid mistake.' At this, Sakura raised an eyebrow and noted that it appeared as if Naruto knew what was going on, though she decided to wait until the Hokage came to see them before asking about that sort of thing.
Instead Sakura decided to ask something else to take their minds off their current situation at least for a moment. "So… did any other teams make it here?"
Anko glanced over her shoulder towards the Haruno and then replied "Yeah. The Suna team got here a long while before you guys showed up. Here's the thing though… they didn't have a single scratch on them. You'd better watch out if you ever have to tangle with those guys."
Naruto hummed in thought at this news, out of the three in the Suna team, that Gaara person was undoubtedly the most dangerous of the lot. Even his own teammates, his own siblings, were scared of him. If he ever crossed paths with Gaara again, he'd definitely have to be on his guard.
"Thanks for the heads up Anko-chan… by the way, were you waiting for me? Couldn't help but notice how quick on the draw you were when we arrived." Naruto spoke in a teasing voice, prompting the snake user to playfully flip him the bird with a flirty wink.
"Huh… never would have figured you guys were friends. Then again… that thing you did at the gates…" Kin muttered as she remembered seeing the Proctor cut Naruto's cheek with a kunai and then licked up some of the blood.
"Oh that? That was just classic Anko screwing with me." The blonde casually explained as he rubbed the back of his head, causing the other girls to sweat-drop at his and the purplette's odd relationship. Well, if it worked for them, then that was their business of course. At last, Anko guided the group to what appeared to be some kind of a guest wing with rooms large enough to accommodate any Shinobi teams that arrived.
She then opened a room for them and ushered them all inside, revealing three beds, a closet with extra futons, a bathroom, a television and so on. Overall… the place looked almost like a luxury suite. "You guys can sleep and rest here till the next stage of the exams. The Hokage will come to see you as soon as he is able, you need anything, give me a holler. I'll be right down the hall." Anko explained, earning some nods from Naruto and his companions.
"Mind doing me a solid and getting me a change of clothes Anko-chan? These pants are really digging into some very uncomfortable places and it's driving me nuts." Naruto requested, prompting the snake user to look down and smirk a bit since it was true… on a more serious note, the fabric almost looked ready to split apart at any time. Yeah. He definitely needed a fresh set. Anko gave a quick 'you got it' before departing, leaving the blonde and his party to their own devices.
"Ugh. Finally… it's over." Sakura muttered as she flopped onto one of the nearby beds, glad to feel the soft fabric and mattress of a bed. A very welcome sight indeed after the trials they endured in the forest.
Karin sighed as she removed her Kusa headband and placed it to the side since she no longer needed it, she had no intentions of ever returning there, not to mention she was now bound to Naruto's service. Overall… a definite improvement over her previous situation. In the background, Naruto was busy cutting Kin loose from her bonds, freeing her from the ninja wire that previously bound her wrists and fingers.
"There. That should be more comfortable for ya." Naruto spoke with a small smile, the action earning an appreciative nod from the raven haired girl. She was in deep already, and she knew that there was nowhere for her to run. Staying with these guys and getting protection from a major village was the only chance she had at survival… and so far this Naruto guy had been treating her with decency and kindness.
"Uh. Thanks." She muttered in appreciation while rubbing her wrists and flexing her fingers to help loosen them up. Naruto then sighed as he glanced towards the bathroom door and took a moment to smell himself… he almost regretted it since he still reeked of snake guts and who knows what else.
"Yo. I'm gonna take a shower. Anyone need to use the toilet or something before I head in there?" He questioned, earning a collective 'nope' from the other girls since they were all fine for the time being. With that, the blonde Uzumaki ducked into the restroom so that he could shower in peace and remove the stench from his body.
The sounds of a shower running could be heard… Karin briefly wondered what her blonde master looked like without his pants, but quickly shook those naughty thoughts aside so that she could let him wash himself in peace. He deserved a break since he helped get them here to begin with. "Naruto sure is strong and reliable isn't he?" the spectacled asked the pinkette while cleaning her glasses for a moment.
Sakura pursed her lips for a second then replied "He wasn't always like that… back in the Academy we always made fun of him for being a weakling and a screw-up, the teachers started calling him the 'Dead-last' and the name kinda stuck. However… once he became a Shinobi, he's gotten a lot stronger and has become more and more reliable. It's quite a shocking change, really."
Karin hummed in thought as she replaced her glasses then pushed them up a bit with her middle finger before speaking "Everyone develops differently under different circumstances, from the sounds of it, your Academy wasn't the right environment for him to grow. Some people just need a fair chance to prove themselves."
Sakura nodded at the redhead's words and then glanced over at Sasuke who was sound asleep on one of the other beds, his face seemed calmer and more at peace now, and he was no longer mumbling creepy stuff in his sleep, suggesting that the worst of whatever he was going through had probably passed. Still… what Karin said earlier about that dark Chakra in his body was quite concerning. Hopefully there was some form of treatment that could help him.
"So Kin… what do you plan to do once you're safe? You gonna join us?" Sakura asked since the most prudent choice for the Oto Kunoichi would be to join up with Konoha so she would continue to be safe from harm.
"Dunno… back in Oto, the only thing on your mind is survival and making it to live through the next day, and the next day, and the next day. Never really had a chance to sit down and seriously think about the future and what I want to do… maybe I can get that chance here." The raven haired girl replied as she turned on the television and started watching a movie from the highly popular Princess Gale series. Wow… that brought back some nostalgia for the pinkette.
She remembered meeting the actress herself who was actually a fallen Daimyo, and how she and Team Seven liberated Snow Country and putting her back on her throne. Those were definitely exciting times. The last she heard, the film was still being edited and prepped for public release, but some footage of Team Seven's battles were gonna be added into it… that would definitely be interesting to see, especially when Naruto delivered the final blow to that Doto guy.
Her musing was broken when she heard Sasuke moaning, and looked over in his direction. She saw that he was lifting a hand to his head, signaling that he was coming around at long last. "Easy Sasuke. You're okay. We're all safe now." Sakura spoke soothingly, then snapped her fingers and quickly went to fetch some water for the Uchiha since there was no doubt that he'd be thirsty. Fortunately there were some bottles of water in a nearby mini-fridge.
The Uchiha opened his eyes and found himself in unfamiliar surroundings, the only sight that he recognized being the form of Sakura fawning over him as she quickly popped open a water bottle for him, but at the moment he was too thirsty to protest. He took the offered water and began to quickly gulp it down to quench his parched throat. He then let out a relieved sigh as he felt the cool liquid flow down his gullet then asked in a rapid-fire manner "Where are we? What happened? Did we fail? Who are those other girls?"
Sakura sighed as she spoke in a calm manner "We're at the Forest Tower, those two are Karin and Kin, Naruto helped get us here when he came back to find us. Don't worry though, we passed the exam and are going to move on to the next stage." At this news, the Uchiha was silent for a few moments as he quietly absorbed this news.
"Naruto… got us through?" Sasuke asked with a raised eyebrow, wondering how someone as worthless as the Dobe could have helped them pass the exam.
"Yeah, Naruto really pulled his weight out there when he came back. He also unlocked some kind of Bloodline or something, and he made some new friends too." Sakura explained while gesturing to the other girls.
Kin scoffed a bit with a small smirk and replied "Friends is a bit much in my case. I'm technically a prisoner." Her words earned a small scoff from the pinkette since that was true, she'd almost forgotten about that since the raven haired girl had been so cooperative and obedient.
"A bloodline? The Dobe? This is ridiculous." Sasuke muttered as he balled his free hand into a fist and let out a small snarl, feeling frustrated at his own powerlessness, which had been earlier demonstrated by his earlier fight with that stranger that had attacked him. It was clear to him that he needed to get stronger, and soon if he were to ever kill Itachi. At the rate he was going at this time… that goal seemed ever farther away than ever.
"Not sure what it is or what it can do, but yeah. Whatever it is, it's powerful." Sakura answered with a small smile, grateful for Naruto's aid since he had really pulled through for Team Seven. In fact, if it weren't for him, then it's likely they would have completely failed the exam.
All of a sudden, the bathroom door opened and Naruto walked out, wearing a white bathrobe. "Yo… look who's awake." Naruto spoke as he used a hand towel to help dry off his hair, taking note that the Uchiha had finally returned to the land of the living.
"The hell? That you Dobe?" Sasuke asked in surprise at the sight of the blonde's new and more muscular body… a strong feeling of inadequacy overcoming the Uchiha since the whiskered teen seemed much more powerful than before as opposed to his previous scrawny appearance.
"The one and only. Shower's free for anyone that wants to use it. There's plenty of bathrobes for everyone as well." Naruto spoke as he gestured towards the now open bathroom, Sakura immediately accepted the invitation as she called dibs and zipped past the Jinchuuriki in order to take a hot shower.
The Uchiha stared at Naruto for a few moments before giving a dismissive scoff and turned away to stare at the wall and quietly brood. "The hell is that prick's problem?" Karin asked as she adjusted her glasses with a small glare, that Sasuke guy seemed like a rude and overall unpleasant kind of character from what she could see.
"Just Sasuke being Sasuke. Best to ignore him if he gets on your nerves. Ooh! Princess Gale! I wonder how Koyuki-san is doing." Naruto spoke that last part out upon noticing the movie playing on the television screen, which earned the attention of both his new companions.
"Hold up a sec… you personally know her?" Kin asked since it was quite a shock to the movie world when it was revealed the famed actress was actually a Daimyo-in-disguise, and had only recently begun going by her real name.
"Oh yeah, me and my team were hired to guard her. Of course we didn't know she was a Daimyo at the time. She at first was kinda gloomy and stuff, but she really came out of her shell later. I like to think that we even became friends. Kinda wish I had that autographed picture she gave me so I could show it to you." He explained with a broad grin, causing both girl's jaws to drop open.
"Are you serious?! What other kinds of adventures have you been on?" Karin asked as she planted herself next to Kin, the both of them very eager to listen to any stories the whiskered teen had to share. Naruto smirked as he decided to oblige them since they had some time to kill, so he began to regale them with some of the missions he and Team 7 had been on… unknown to him, the friends and allies he had unknowingly cultivated over the course of his adventures… were about to bear fruit.
Meanwhile. Hokage office.
"Good grief! I never would have imagined this happening… at least not so quickly." Hiruzen muttered to himself as he looked at an urgent message straight from Kiri. It appeared that the new Godaime Mizukage had been crowned and was going to soon pay a visit to Konoha to negotiate relief aid for her village. Given the currently weakened state of Kiri due to their civil war, it made sense that they would need the help and a strong ally.
Building a good and strong alliance with other Nations would also be a good step in establishing peace. From what Hiruzen had heard, this Mei Terumi was a strong, charismatic, and competent leader that had seen the rebel faction through thick and thin, and was often credited for their many victories and achievements over the long civil war, she was, by all accounts, a complete shoo-in to become Mizukage. He had to admit, he was looking forward to meeting her in person.
His musing was cut short when a knock came at his door, prompting the Sandaime to call out "Yes, come in." At his signal, his trusted Anbu Captain and bodyguard Neko escorted in several dignitaries that he had been expecting today. Some old friends of Naruto's actually.
From Wave country, the newly elected and reluctantly crowned Daimyo, Tazuna.
From the newly dubbed Spring Country, world-renowned Movie star and beloved Daimyo of Spring, Koyuki Kazehana.
From Taki, the leader of the village Shibuki and his bodyguard Fu. Each representative and leader of their respective homes, each owing to Team Seven, and more specifically to Naruto Uzumaki, an enormous debt of gratitude both of a personal nature and from their respective homes.
"Welcome, all of you. Welcome to Konoha. I admit… I haven't greeted so many dignitaries and leaders at once in some time." Hiruzen spoke with a small chuckle, the others nodding in agreement since this was new territory for them just as well.
"Thanks… it still hasn't really sunk in that I was picked to be Daimyo… but I'll sure as hell do my best to represent my country. If it weren't for Naruto and Team Seven, Wave would still be under Gato's yoke of oppression." Tazuna spoke as he crossed his arms over his chest… then briefly scratched since the new Daimyo robes he was wearing felt uncomfortable for him to wear.
"Indeed, my people would have suffered under Doto's regime as well had Naruto not defeated him and restored hope to us and to me." Koyuki noted as a look of nostalgia washed over her face which she tried to hide behind a handheld fan.
"Ah. Same. If Naruto hadn't stepped in with his team, Taki would have been in great danger. He saved my village and helped me find my courage as well." Shibuki spoke as he recalled the blonde fearlessly fighting the Taki leader's former sensei in mortal combat.
After a few brief moments of silence, the Bridge Builder decided to speak up "Well, if you guys don't mind, I'm not one for that pomp and circumstance crap. I'd rather get straight to business." The others chuckled at that, though they all nodded in agreement since that would certainly move things along, that aside, they didn't really like standing on ceremony if it could be avoided.
Koyuki giggled and spoke "Hai, I agree with Tazuna-dono. I'd also like to move things along. I'll start first by offering some of Spring country's technology. We have recently finished some equipment that can aid in the healthcare of people in local hospitals, I'm sure it will be beneficial in taking the burden off your doctors and medic-nin."
At that, Hiruzen almost felt his heart stop inside his chest since Snow Country, now named Spring country was quite famous for their advanced technology and inventions, and they guarded their secrets quite jealously. To be given such a gift was utterly priceless, especially if this technology improved the quality of healthcare in Konoha's hospitals.
Tazuna cleared his throat and proceeded to go next "Wave Country has quickly become a wealthy trading hub thanks to my bridge and the goods that our ports are bringing in since Gato's death. We wanna offer Konoha a trade agreement to boost trade and your coffers. Also, we want to give Konoha an exclusive contract to protect Wave's interests. With all the trade and merchants flooding the place, it's bound to attract the attention of unsavory characters. Both the people of Wave and the merchants would be very grateful for Konoha's protection and will be happy to compensate accordingly."
Again, Hiruzen felt his heart almost stop beating as he nearly fell out of his seat. A trade agreement and contract for protection with a big trading hub like Wave could secure Konoha's finances for many years to come. In many ways, Konoha was still suffering some financial difficulties after the damage sustained during the Kyuubi's rampage on that fateful night.
Shibuki then chuckled nervously as he rubbed the back of his head and then spoke "I was having a hard time deciding what to offer Konoha since the sacred water of my village has the side effect of cutting down a person's lifespan… so then I decided, with Fu's permission, to offer her to Konoha on condition that she be assigned to Team Seven."
"Hmm? Fu-san?" Hiruzen questioned with a raised eyebrow, prompting the Taki leader to nod and reply "Hai. That's correct. Fu is the Nanabi Jinchuuriki, I assure you she is as powerful as she is capable."
The Sandaime then jaw-dropped at this since it was quite rare for a Ninja to transfer to a different village, and it was absolutely unheard of for a village to give their own Jinchuuriki away as a gift. Especially since they were some of the most powerful military assets in the Shinobi Nations, the kind of which that could completely tip the balance of power amongst the Nations and on the battlefield itself when push came to shove.
"I… err… am completely humbled and speechless with your unprecedented generosity my friends. I hope that we can work together to build a brighter future for our homes." Hiruzen spoke as he tried to maintain his composure, all the while fighting back some tears that were forming in his eyes. The dream of peace and harmony between the villages shared by the Hokages seemingly closer than ever before.
"Hey. Naruto showed us that we all gotta look out for each other. How is he doing anyway? I was kinda hoping to see the little brat. My grandson Inari asks about him a lot." Tazuna inquired with his fellow leaders nodding in agreement since they too were quite eager to see the blonde as well.
The Hokage briefly wiped away some of the moisture building in his eyes and replied "He is currently participating in the Chunin exams, I am expecting to receive word that…" The aged Sandaime explained but was interrupted when a Chunin appeared next to him in a puff of smoke and then began whispering into Hiruzen's ear. Once he had finished relaying the news, the Chunin vanished as quickly as he had arrived.
"Ah… as luck would have it, Naruto-kun and his team have just finished the second part of the Chunin exams. I'm afraid he and his team are currently resting at this time, but I'll be sure to inform him that you asked about him. Furthermore, I would be more than happy to invite you all back to Konoha to watch the Chunin exam Finals which are to be held a month from now." Hiruzen spoke, informing the dignitaries of the good news… while maintaining his best poker face to keep from leaking out the bad news.
"Ha! Always bet on Naruto!" Tazuna barked out with a bellowing laugh with the others voicing their own agreements. They all then thanked the Sandaime for his hospitality and promised to return for the Finals and expressed absolute confidence that Naruto would make it into the Finals.
Fu said her goodbyes to Shibuki then handed her headband over to him, and they then shared a friendly hug. Once the dignitaries had all left to make the return journey back home, the green haired girl then turned her attention towards the Sandaime and saluted him "Fu Nanabi, reporting for duty Hokage-sama! I look forward to personally meeting this Naruto person. Shibuki would not stop talking about him."
The Sandaime chuckled a bit as he replied "Naruto-kun has always had a way of leaving a strong impression on people. I'm sure you're gonna be a fine addition to our forces and to Team 7… also, I think it would make Naruto feel more comfortable to be around another of his kind." The brown skinned girl raised an eyebrow for a brief moment… then it clicked in her mind when she realized that this Naruto must have been a Jinchuuriki like herself.
It would definitely be a first for her to meet a fellow Bijuu container. Come to think of it, it would be really nice to speak to someone who bears a similar burden as herself. Now she was really looking forward to meeting him. "Now then, come along Fu-san, we should introduce you to the others. The sooner you meet and bond with them the better." Hiruzen spoke, not to mention there were also other things he had to take care of.
Later. Forest Tower, Team 7's room.
"You're seriously not making up any of this crap?" Kin asked out of curiosity after Naruto had finished telling him about his past adventures… Honestly, a lot of that stuff was pretty unbelievable.
"I swear on my Headband, all of it is absolutely true. Tell'em Sasuke!" Naruto called out towards the Uchiha with a grin, the self-proclaimed avenger rolled his eyes in annoyance but gave an affirmative nod all the same since it all was indeed true. Sakura then emerged at long last from the shower, having overheard the blonde telling stories of their exploits she also said "Yup. All true."
"Holy crap." Was all Karin could say as she let out a low whistle. While it was known that absolutely anything could happen while on a mission… she would never have expected that kind of stuff could happen to a fresh-out-of-the-Academy team as Naruto had described them in his stories… or perhaps more specifically, that kind of stuff could happen to them and that they managed to survive it all.
"Yeah, we went through some rough patches, but we always found a way to squeak through. Gotta say though, if I had unlocked this Bloodline earlier, then things would have definitely been a lot easier." Naruto spoke with a small chuckle, making some sparks appear from his fingertips for emphasis.
The door to their suite opened, revealing the form of Anko with a fresh set of clothes for the blonde as she announced "Yo. Got some good news for you guys, Hokage's on his way. Should be here soon. A few more teams made it too."
"Oh? Who made it?" Naruto asked as he accepted the clothes from his best friend, the others listening in since they too were curious about who made it, even Sasuke though that was mainly because he was curious about who his next opponents might be.
"Well, all of your old classmates made it. A guy called Kabuto and his team made the cut too. Might Guy's team also arrived as well. By this point, we're not expecting any more teams. All the others have either been confirmed killed or disqualified." Anko explained with a slightly sadistic smile, causing the girls to shudder a bit.
"Hey Sasuke, didn't that Rock Lee fella kick your ass just before the first exam?" Naruto asked with a cheeky grin, although deep down he knew that the Uchiha would likely wish to settle the score. If there was one thing that he and Sasuke did have in common, aside from tragic backstories, was their shared hatred of losing.
"Shut up Dobe." The Uchiha grumbled angrily, the whiskered teen then shrugged his shoulders and entered the bathroom to change his clothes. About a minute or so later, he returned wearing a black trench-coat without a shirt underneath to expose his abs and chest, a pair of jeans and black combat boots.
"Woah… I'm liking the new look." Karin spoke as she used her fingers to make a picture frame while ogling the blonde's new look… most especially his abs.
"Hubba hubba. I'll be your captive any day." Kin blurted out without thinking, then slapped a hand over her mouth and blushed profusely in embarrassment. Even Sakura had to admit that this was a pretty good look for Naruto, a very strong improvement over his previous outfit, that was for sure.
"Thank you all for your kind input ladies. I gotta say, I'm looking forward to testing my new powers and skills on some new opponents. Those Oto guys were pretty weak… no offense meant for you Kin." Naruto proclaimed as he cracked his knuckles with Anko chuckling as she ruffled his hair.
"You'll get your shot, Naruto-kun. Word is we'll be having some prelims soon to help cull down some extra candidates. We'll be starting soon, so get some rest while you still can." the Dango lover spoke in a grave voice, earning a nod from the whiskered teen.
"Wait, Prelims? Cull down?" Sakura parroted in a worried voice, making Anko smirk a bit as she answered "Relax Pinkie Pie. It's actually pretty straightforward. One-on-one matches. All you have to do is worry about beating your opponent. Nothing to it."
At this news, Sakura let out a sigh of relief since a simple straight-up fight would definitely be much more preferable over another survival exercise like before. With, that the Snake User departed since she had some other exam-related business to take care of before the prelims took place.
"Huh… to think we came so far now. Eh Sakura?" Naruto asked as he started performing a few stretches and admired the freedom of movement in his new outfit.
The pinkette smiled as she nodded in agreement and replied "Yeah. Think we have a shot and making Chunin?"
Karin giggled as she adjusted her glasses and piped in "It's not really a guarantee, but everyone has a fair shot at making the grade. Who knows? All of you could become Chunin, maybe none of you will. Anything can happen. But at least you'll have given it your best shot. Even if you don't make it, there will always be next time, and next time you'll be much better prepared, yeah?"
Naruto nodded as he spoke "Karin's right. Regardless of if we pass or fail, we'll still be Team 7. Sakura, we've had some rough spots, but I was still glad to be a part of the team. It was still a learning experience for me." At that, the pinkette smiled and was amazed at how sporting and mature the blonde was being, he had seriously grown as both a ninja and perhaps more importantly as a person.
"Hmph. Speak for yourselves. If you two weren't around, Kakashi would be able to dedicate more time to me and help me get even stronger, but you are both holding me back." Sasuke spoke with a grimace, his words earning frowns from everyone in the room.
"Sheesh… way to kill a good moment Sasuke. You always were a major dick. Ugh… I wish you could have received more of Mikoto-san's personality." Naruto grumbled as he ran a hand through his hair, his words earning a glare from the Uchiha.
"What did you just say Dobe? What was that about my mother?" Sasuke demanded since he had clearly heard Naruto mention his late mother by name. The two boys glared harshly at one another for a few long moments, the atmosphere becoming more and more tense by the second… which was then broken when a knock came at the door.
"Karin? Can you check on that please?" Naruto requested, prompting the spectacled girl to give a quick 'Hai' and walk over to the door to answer it where a voice that was very familiar to Team 7 greeted her.
"Ohayo, my apologies for disturbing you, young lady. I'm currently looking for Team 7, am I at the wrong room?" Asked the form of Hiruzen in a kindly and polite voice. Karin shook her head and gestured inside, revealing that Team 7 were indeed occupying this room which prompted Hiruzen to give a 'thank you' to her as he stepped inside, while being accompanied by a girl with green hair and brown skin that the Konoha Genin didn't recognize.
"Hey old man. Good to see you again. Thanks for coming." Naruto greeted in a friendly manner while waving towards the Sandaime. Hiruzen visibly blanched for a few moments before shouting "Naruto?! Is that you?! I almost didn't recognize you! You're… you're… you're… much more…"
The whiskered teen chuckled as he cut off the Sandaime and spoke "Yeah. I know. I'm not a scrawny little pipsqueak anymore. I get it. Bloodline helped beef me up. Not sure how, why, or what it can do, but I hope to find out. Anyway, we have more important business than discussing my new bod." The blonde then flexed his arm for a brief moment and then put his hands in his coat pockets while motioning towards the two extra girls he had picked up and towards Sasuke.
"Hmm? Ah yes! Of course, I almost forgot. I must be getting a little senile. Right. The girls. I have already been told the basics thanks to the messenger Anko sent me. For this Karin girl, the matter is fairly simple, we can simply declare her as legally dead since her team didn't make it in the forest. Since she swore a life-debt to you Naruto-kun, what you do with her is entirely your business.
As for you Kin-san, I'm aware that you wish to trade information in exchange for asylum here in Konoha. I'll have Anko-san take you to the T&I department for questioning. So long as you cooperate and share what you know, you'll be safe from harm, I promise you. You'll be in good hands." The Sandaime promised, earning a thankful nod from the raven haired girl. Unlike in Oto, the people of Konoha, or at least most of them, had a code of honor.
So long as she didn't give them reason to harm her, she should be fine. The Sandaime then directed his attention towards the Uchiha with a grave expression and spoke in an even voice "Sasuke… Sakura. The one you encountered in the Forest… was my former student Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin. He murdered and took the place of a Kusa nin to infiltrate the exams."
At this news, Naruto narrowed his eyes while Karin adjusted her glasses, Kin for her part bit her lip while looking a little green in the face, she wanted to say something… but she feared that if she said something now, then she would have lost her only bargaining chip that could save her life. Sakura paled at the thought of having encountered one of the most dangerous Shinobi alive, while Sasuke seemed as pensive and brooding as ever, though it seems his pride was bruised a bit less after having learned he had lost to a powerful Shinobi instead of some nameless scrub, for all the good it did him.
"Orochimaru? But… what would he want with us?" Sakura asked since it didn't make much sense for her that a Sannin, a rogue one at that, would target a team of Genin like themselves.
"Not us. Just Sasuke. He's been marked." Naruto answered as he gestured towards the Uchiha, with Hiruzen nodding in confirmation.
The Sandaime cleared his throat and began his explanation "Orochimaru was caught performing inhumane experiments here in Konoha, he was trying to uncover the secrets of immortality and of any and all Bloodlines that caught his attention. He had a particular obsession with both the Senju's Wood Release, and Uchiha's Sharingan. That mark that Sasuke now bears on his neck is Orochimaru's… solution." The Sandaime spat out in disgust at the word 'solution'.
Naruto sighed as he stepped forward and took over for the Hokage "Orochimaru made what is known as the Curse Mark, that he brands certain individuals with. Anko, his former student, has a mark just like Sasuke's, though hers was still in the prototype stages. From what I was told about it, the mark acts as both a drug, and as a parasite. He uses it to transfer his soul into the body of someone he marked, so that he can take it over and assimilate their Bloodline's or any other qualities and abilities for himself."
"That's… that's horrible… and disgusting. Then that means…" Sakura muttered but quickly lost the use of her voice as she glanced over towards her other teammate.
"Yeah. He wants Sasuke's Sharingan. Sorry I didn't say anything earlier, but I didn't want to worry anyone, at least not until we cleared out of the Forest." Naruto explained as he crossed his arms, earning a nod of understanding from the pinkette.
As this went on, Sasuke quietly brooded to himself, making it difficult to discern how much he actually heard, or if he was even listening at all. Sakura then managed to regain her voice and ask "Hokage-sama, is there anything you can do? There must be a way to remove it, right?"
The Sandaime sighed as he answered her in a grave voice "I'm afraid no reliable method has been found to dispel a Curse Mark as of yet. They're tricky little things. Even worse, the sealing arts are extremely complex and there are few true Sealmasters. If we had Orochimaru's formula for the mark, that would make things significantly easier, but without that we run the risk of doing more harm than good. The best we can do for now, is to put an inhibitor on it to suppress the effects."
Sakura nodded in thanks since that was better than doing nothing at all, but then Sasuke finally spoke up "This mark… could it perhaps… be useful?" At his question, everyone looked at him as though he had grown a second head, while the Sandaime narrowed his eyes… that sort of question didn't bode well at all.
"Sasuke… listen to me very carefully. It is true that the Curse mark may afford some benefits, but they are far too costly. As Naruto correctly put it, the mark is akin to a drug. If you use it, it may give you some measure of strength, but the more you use it, the more addicted you become, the more addicted you become, the more dependent on it you become, until finally it ends up destroying you body and soul.
I expressly forbid you from using the Mark for your own health and safety. Additionally, I should mention that those who rely on 'fake power' don't get very far in life or the Shinobi world. If you are caught trying to use that mark for your own benefit, I will not hesitate to have your Chakra sealed and have you placed into protective custody, or even prison if you force my hand. Is that clear?" The Hokage almost snarled at the end, showing off an almost uncharacteristic show of contempt and anger.
For a moment, the Uchiha grit his teeth, almost as if he wanted to say something, but instead he grudgingly shook his head which seemed to satisfy the Sandaime for the time being. "Very good. Now then, the preliminaries will begin shortly, Team Seven, report to the arena. Karin-san, Kin-san, feel free to use the television to watch the matches and cheer for your new friends." Hiruzen spoke earning some nods from everyone, then the Green haired girl cleared her throat rather loudly, gaining the attention of the Sandaime.
"Ah! I almost forgot, forgive me Fu-san. Team 7, this is Fu, she will be joining you as an official member of your squad after the Chunin exams. She has recently transferred from Taki, so please treat her well." Hiruzen spoke, introducing the brown skinned girl who gave a friendly wave.
Naruto smiled and decided to break the ice by saying "Nice to meet you Fu-san. I'm Naruto Uzumaki. I don't remember seeing you in Taki when we were last there. How's Shibuki doing by the way?"
Fu giggled as she rubbed the back of her head and answered "Yeah, I was off on a mission during that time so I didn't hear about what happened until I got home. Shibuki-san's doing just fine, in fact he sends his warmest regards to Team 7 and to you Naruto-san. I look forward to working with you guys in the future."
Sakura gave a friendly wave as well to the mint haired Kunoichi and spoke "It'll be nice to have you on the team. I am Sakura Haruno. Not to sound like I'm complaining of anything, but it seems unusual for a team to have more than the usual members. Standard team dynamics usually consist of three students and one sensei… not to mention we're in the Chunin exams sooooo… won't our team get broken up or something?
Hiruzen chuckled and decided to step in and answer "Not necessarily, no. Most Chunin who work in teams tend to work with their original teammates due to existing familiarity and teamwork, however they can also choose to do certain missions solo or with other team members. Even if you become Chunin, Team 7 won't be 'broken up'. Also, I grant that these are unusual circumstances, but some teams are granted special rights or exceptions, such as Fu joining you squad for instance, perhaps even Karin-san may join you if she so wishes, given her life-debt to Naruto-kun."
Sakura nodded in understanding while the spectacled girl gave a nonchalant shrug. She wasn't really interested in becoming a Kunoichi for Konoha, she was just fine being an unofficial member that was there to serve Naruto and assist him with anything he needed.
"Fu-san, as your first official mission of Konoha, I charge you with guarding Karin-san and Kin-san until either Naruto-kun or a woman named Anko Mitarashi comes to retrieve them." Hiruzen stated, prompting the orange eyed girl to stamp her feet in place and salute the Sandaime as if to say 'leave it to me!'
Fu then glanced over to Naruto and said to him "I look forward to talking with you more Naruto-san… by the way, it might interest you to know that my lucky number on the totem pole is seven." At that, Naruto gave her a puzzled expression as if to ask 'what do you mean?' as if sensing his question, Fu gave him a wink and motioned towards her stomach region… it then clicked in his mind that she was telling him that she was a Jinchuuriki like himself… the Nanabi.
Huh… the Nanabi Jinchuuriki joining Team 7… lucky number indeed. "Cool… mine is the number nine. I'm definitely looking forward to talking with you. Karin, Kin, you two behave yourselves and don't go causing trouble for our new friend." The blonde spoke, earning a pair of 'hais' from the girls.
"We'll be cheering you on. Go knock'em dead." Karin shouted as the blonde and his teammates exited the room, followed by the Sandaime. The three girls then turned their attention towards the television screen and used the remote to change the feed until they saw an arena where the other teams had gathered.
It was certainly going to be interesting to see who was going to fight who in the coming matches. Although… they were very strongly confident that Naruto himself would be the last one standing.
The preliminaries of the Chunin exams were about to begin.
End chapter two.