Author's Note: You know, finally publishing this chapter, who has been on my mind since the moment I started writing this story waaaaaay back in October 2016, make me really happy. And that's not the only reason for my good mood.
First, last episode broke the 900 reviews mark. 99 more reviews, and this story will reach 1k reviews! Let's hope it doesn't take too many chapters for such thing to happen!
Also, I was stunned by the amazing reception the last chapter got, despite many complains about Naruto losing the final fight. Very few chapters managed to surpass 30 reviews, and the last chapter got 36! Thank you guys again!
And lastly, this story now has its own page at TVTropes! So if any of you have an account there, I'd really appreciate if you added tropes to the page from time to time.
Well, enough of celebrations, let's go to the chapter:
Chapter 31:
The Chunin Exams End
or
Promotions in Love and War
Just like Shizune had told him, after a good night of sleep, Naruto was completely recovered. While the rest of the Genin who took part in the finals were good enough to get out of bed and walk, their bodies would take another day or two to completely heal before they would be able to take missions, or even train. Even then, the couple days of vacation for the Genin were appreciated by all of them.
Naruto, alongside Shizune, Kaida and Hagane, were headed towards the Hokage Tower, where at eleven o'clock, Jiraiya would announce the results of the Chunin Exams. While Naruto was evidently nervous, the Hokage had assured him that he had nothing to worry about.
Unsurprisingly, a large crowd had gathered around the tower, where they had placed another podium, similar to the one they put at the beginning of the Chunin Exams, from where Shisui addressed more than a hundred Genin as the exam began. It would be fitting that it would officially end in a similar way.
Naruto could see that all of his former classmates were already there, even those who didn't make it to the finals, as well as their families, alongside other ninja and civilians of the village. Guess that very few people wanted to miss the announcement of the newest Chunin. Even people from other villages were there to witness the event.
Upon seeing Hinata, he waved at her. The Hyuga heiress noticed him, smiled and waved back. Hinata was accompanied by her mother, her little sister, Neji, and other clansmen Naruto didn't recognize. He also saw Haku, with Hayate and Yugao. Other people Naruto saw were Sasuke, Sakura, Karin, the Sand Siblings and Fu.
The crowd began to murmur as Jiraiya, followed by Tsunade, Hiruzen, Koharu, Homura and multiple ANBU, exited the Tower and headed towards the podium. Two of the ANBU carried a stack of diplomas and Chunin flak jackets, still inside their transparent plastic wrapping. Jiraiya took a step forward and cleared his throat, earning the crowd's attention.
"Hello everybody, and welcome to the Chunin Promotion Ceremony," Jiraiya began. "Yesterday, another edition of the Chunin Exams, one I might say was one of the most memorable and spectacular of the last few years, came to an end. I got the examiners' report as soon as the Finals ended, and my advisors and I spent yesterday afternoon discussing which ones of the finalists deserve a promotion.
"We agreed to promote four Genin. Two boys, and two girls. So without further ado, here are the new Chunin. As common courtesy dictates, ladies go first. The first promotion to Chunin goes to...Tenten!"
The crowd broke into an applause. The odango-haired girl couldn't repress a loud squeal as she dashed towards the podium, where one of the ANBU handed her a diploma, and another handed her a flak jacket. Tsunade walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I told you I knew talent the moment I see it," Tsunade told her with a sincere smile. "Good job, kid."
"T-Thank you, Tsunade-sama!" Tenten replied, unable to repress her tears.
She returned to the crowd as fast as she ran to the podium, where an excited Gai and Lee were waiting for her.
"Gai-sensei, I did it!" Tenten squealed, lifting the diploma and flak jacket as if they were trophies.
"Of course you did! There's nothing you can't do if you work hard enough for it!" Gai enthusiastically replied.
"Yeah, even if you lost your match, your flames of youth burned so bright they blinded everybody!" Lee added.
Tenten was so caught in the moment that she tackled and hugged Gai, with Lee joining them as well in a three-way hug.
"Gai-sensei!"
"Tenten!"
"Lee!"
"Tenten!"
"Gai-sensei!"
"Tenten!"
"Lee!"
"Tenten!"
The sun began to set even if it was eleven in the morning, and the Hokage Monument was suddenly replaced by a beach with waves crashing against the shore.
And for a split second, Neji swore he saw Tenten wearing a green jumpsuit, orange leg warmers, and her hair sporting a bowl haircut as opposed to her usual twin buns. And during that moment, the idea of becoming a missing nin became increasingly alluring for the Hyuga prodigy.
After the "Genjutsu of Youth" finished and Tenten was released, Haku saw it as a fitting opportunity to congratulate her as well.
"Congratulations for your promotion, Tenten-chan," the Ice Ninja's greet was much less enthusiasm than that of her teammate and sensei, but not any less sincere. "You really deserve-"
Haku only had a vague recollection of what happened next. Apparently, the promotion had worked Tenten up so much –not helped by Gai and Lee's antics– that the moment Haku was close to her, she grabbed his head and pulled him into a really long and intense kiss.
A wave of "ohhhhhhhhs!" and "awwwwwwws!" ensued.
And while Jiraiya kept a cool façade on the outside, he was giddy on the inside. "Yes! My long term plan is working! In a few years, wedding bells, and then Ice Release babies!"
When the kiss broke, was Haku was completely flustered, his face sporting a deep shade of red. His brain took a few moments to process the long and intense kiss.
"So..." Haku began. "Does this mean your answer is 'yes'?"
The question seemed to snap the overly excited Tenten back to normal. Her eyes started to open widely as she started to process her recent actions. Her face flushed as well.
"Good Kami...I kissed you like that...in front of everybody!" Tenten babbled.
"So does it mean...?" Haku began to ask.
"No, no! I do want us to become a couple!" Tenten assured. "It's that, well...doing things this bold is so unlike me..."
"Hey, it's okay, you were caught in the moment. It happens to everybody," Haku reassuringly said.
Tenten just smiled at Haku, blushing a bit.
Jiraiya cleared his throat once again. "Yeah, yeah, young love is always very nice and heartwarming, but let's go back to the business at hand, okay? The second and last kunoichi who will get a promotion is...Hinata Hyuga!"
Once again, the crowd applauded, with Naruto's cheers being heard above them. Even if her reaction was more subdued than Tenten's, Hinata looked no less happy. On the other hand, Karin and Tamaki were visibly deflated. They had hopes that they could still get a promotion despite losing their respective matches, just like Tenten, but those hopes were dashed away. Logically, they weren't going to award either of them over somebody who did win a match.
"Congratulations, Hinata. That new jutsu of yours was really impressive. Very few people have the combination of creativity and talent to come up with something new, much less in the middle of a fight," Jiraiya told her as the ANBU handed her the diploma and the flak jacket.
"Thank you, Hokage-sama. I feel really honored," the Hyuga heiress politely said as she bowed her head before him. She then got down of the podium, and returned back to her family.
"Good work, Hinata. Today, you made your clan proud," Hikari told her, as she bent down and hugged her, something quite shocking for the Hyuga clan head to do in public.
"Thank you, mother. I'll make sure I will keep honoring both you and the clan," Hinata replied.
"Hey, Hinata-neechan! Will you teach me the Heavenly Thunderstorm?" Hanabi asked, impatiently tugging her older sister's sleeve.
"Well, first you need to train in elemental ninjutsu," Hinata replied. "And master the Heavenly Spin too."
Hanabi didn't look deterred in the slightest. "Okay then, that will be my number one priority!"
"Alright, now let's go with the boys," Jiraiya continued. "This one won't surprise anybody, given his amazing performance during the finals. The first male Genin promoted is...Sasuke Uchiha!"
Surprisingly, the crowd applauded once again. It wasn't as intense as with Tenten and Hinata, but the lack of boos was something the three Uchiha appreciated. Sasuke's face barely changed as he walked up to the podium and got the diploma and the flak jacket. And after a laconic "thank you" to the Hokage, he returned to his elder brother and cousin.
"Good job, Sasuke! We knew you could do it!" Shisui congratulated him as the one-eyed Uchiha heartily patted Sasuke on the back.
"And Konoha seems to be slowly warming up to us. See? I told you things would get better," Itachi added.
Sasuke allowed himself to sincerely smile.
"And last, but not least..."· Jiraiya said in a dramatic way as he himself took the last diploma and flak jacket. "A Genin so powerful and skilled who managed to make it to the finals, and showed Konoha what are we made of. The last promotion to Chunin goes to...Naruto Uzumaki!"
Once again, the crowd erupted into an applause and a wave of cheers as the blond triumphantly walked towards the podium, and was about to get the diploma...
"Or at least, that's why I would have wanted to say," Jiraiya regretfully said as he took the diploma and flak jacket away from Naruto's reach, much to the blonde's confusion.
"What?" Naruto asked, puzzled. The crowd began to murmur.
"You see, Naruto, there's something my advisors told me. Since you're my son...well, some people will think that you getting a promotion might be the result of nepotism, so I'm afraid I can't do that. Guess that you'll have to wait until I step down from being Hokage."
The crowd started to murmur even louder. As for Naruto, he felt his world shattering in a million pieces. His face grimaced in horror, as rage started to fill him. "WHAT!? That can't be-!"
But the blonde's tantrum was interrupted by several flashing lights, accompanied by several clicking noises. When his eyesight returned, he noticed that the ANBU were holding cameras.
"Please tell me you have it!" Jiraiya asked one of the ANBU, barely containing his laughs.
"We do, Hokage-sama. The mission was a success," the ANBU replied in a stoic and professional tone.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHA!" Jiraiya burst into a wild fit of laughter. "You know, when sensei and I came up with this idea yesterday, we didn't imagine it would be so good! Oh boy, if you could see your face...oh wait, you can see the face you made when the pictures are developed! HAHAHAHA!"
"Wait...so this was.. a prank!?" the jinchuriki asked in realization. Naruto's face contorted in rage. He was about to give Jiraiya a piece of his mind when another realization dawned upon him. "Wait a minute! If this was a prank, then this means..."
"That your promotion is real? Sure thing," Jiraiya replied as he handed Naruto the diploma and the flak jacket. "Come on, only an idiot would have deny you a promotion after the display you put on yesterday."
Naruto quickly grabbed the diploma and the flak jacket, and rushed towards Shizune and the twins. The three of them congratulated Naruto on the promotion.
"And that's all! We wish the best of luck to the newly minted Chunin, and hope that your ninja path only grows better! As for those who failed to score a promotion, don't give up! A true ninja is one who has the guts to keep going, no matter how hard it gets! Be sure to train for the next exams!" Jiraiya declared, as both he and his entourage left the podium.
As the crowd dispersed, an ANBU appeared in front of Tenten and Haku before either of the could leave.
"Excuse me," the ANBU, a man wearing a turtle mask, said. "But given the previous display, I assume that the two of you are in a relationship, right?"
"Yes," Haku answered, looking at Tenten, who nodded approvingly. "Is there a problem?"
"As a matter of fact, there is," the ANBU replied, much to both teens' surprise. "You're a Genin. And she's a Chunin, and thus, your commanding officer."
"Oh," Tenten replied. She immediately realized why the ANBU had stopped them. Since she outranked Haku, the relationship could be seen as problematic.
"All relationships between ninja of different ranks must be approved by the Hokage's Office. Go to the tower, second floor, third door to the right. The person there will inform you further," the ANBU helpfully said.
"Thank you, ANBU-san, we'll do it right now," Tenten replied before she and Haku entered the tower.
Jiraiya had overheard the conversation, and there was no way on Earth that they wouldn't approve a relationship of somebody who was the last bearer of a Bloodline Limit, different ranks or not. Somebody would get fired if he heard it wasn't approved.
"You know, at first I thought that that stunt you did there was kind of cruel..." Tsunade told him, snapping the Toad Sage out of his thoughts.
"You think so?" Jiraiya asked.
"Yeah, but I said 'at first'. Boy, that face he made was hilarious! I want an extra large version of that picture for the living room!" Tsunade asked.
And from the next day onwards, Naruto's incredibly confused and distraught visage would forever decorate the Senju residence.
…
A few hours later, Gates of Konoha
All the ninja from foreign villages were about to leave, and the Konoha ninja they befriended were there to bid them goodbye and a safe return home. It was obvious that many of them would want to stay a bit more, but the life of their duties as ninja wouldn't allow it.
"It was nice to see you again, Gaara," Naruto told his fellow jinchuriki. "And even better to fight you. And the next time we see each other, we will have a rematch!"
"I will be looking forward it," Gaara replied in his usual monotone. "And hopefully, this time nobody will have a handicap over the other."
"You owe me a rematch too, Naruto," Temari piped in. "I didn't like the fact that you defeated me without even using your best moves. Next time, I'll make sure you get to use every trick you have."
"Who knows, maybe by the time we meet again, I have even more tricks you aren't aware of," Naruto replied with a cheeky grin.
"And you won't be the only one," Temari then noticed Shikamaru, who was half-hiding behind Choji. "And don't think I forgot about you! The next time we meet, we're going to finish that match we have pending!"
Shikamaru just sighed in defeat. "Troublesome woman..."
"While I wish we could stay longer, I'm actually eager to get back home," Kankuro mentioned. "Not only do I miss Suna, but father is going to celebrate Gaara's victory at the Finals with a village-wide party."
"Oh man, that sounds so cool! I wish I could go!" Naruto whined.
"We'll make sure you and your friends can come to the next one," Temari added.
"Oh, and be wary of the Akatsuki!" Naruto said, remembering that bit of important information. He raised his voice so Fu and Killer B could also hear him. "If you ever see a guy wearing a black cloak with red clouds, run as fast as you can."
"How about if we make the other guy to run instead?" Kankuro cockily suggested.
"Don't. Their members are very powerful, and pose a danger even for a Kage," Naruto gravely warned. "Dad told me as much."
"You don't have to worry, I will be careful," Gaara assured him.
Meanwhile, Fu was saying his goodbye to the Animal Squad, her closest friends from Konoha.
"I will miss you guys," Fu said as she wrapped the three of them around her arms. "Being here was so fun."
"Hey, it's okay. We'll make sure to visit you from time to time," Kiba reassured. "After all, our villages are allies, and they aren't that far from each other."
"Or maybe you can come to visit us," Tamaki suggested.
"I don't think so," Fu shook her head. "You guys now know that I'm a jinchuriki, and thus, my village's most valuable asset. I just can't leave and come here whenever I want."
"We will find a way then," Shino spoke up. "That isn't a problem with a hard solution to find. For example, we could also write each other to stay in contact."
"That's an awesome idea!" Fu chirped. "But I guess I'll need to learn how to write first..."
There was a moment of an extremely uncomfortable silence, as the Animal squad stared at Fu in disbelief.
"...you...you don't know how to write?" an astonished Kiba asked.
"Pfffffft, of course I do, silly! Hahaha!" Fu laughed as she patted Kiba's shoulder. "I can't believe everybody falls for this kind of stuff! Naruto at least wised up."
"Fu, come on, we need to leave!" Shibuki's voice shouted.
"Guess my time here is up," Fu sadly said as she turned back. But then she turned back at the Konoha Genin, and spotted Karin among the Konoha crowd. "But before I do, there is a couple things I need to do first..."
Fu walked towards Karin. The redhead, still wearing the glasses Fu had broken during their fight – that she futilely tried to fix–, noticed the Taki kunoichi walking towards her, and shot Fu a glare.
"Uh, Karin-chan?" Fu sheepishly asked.
"What do you want?" the redhead huffed.
"Before I leave...I wanted to give you this," Fu then handed Karin a small wrapped box.
A bit puzzled, Karin took the package and unwrapped it. Much to her shock and delight, there was a new pair of glasses.
"Since I broke your other glasses, I thought that I should buy you new ones," Fu said.
"Thank you, but..." Karin put on the new glasses, and her surprise grew wider when she could see perfectly. "Hey, you even got my testing right! How did you...? Wait a minute, you were the one who broke into my house last night, didn't you!?"
When Karin and her mother returned home, they noticed that everything was a mess, as if a robbery had taken place. However, much to their puzzlement, the potential thief didn't steal anything. Now it all made sense.
"Uh...it was for a good cause!" Fu sheepishly replied.
"Hmm...guess that I can let that slip," Karin decided. She then realized of something. "Wait a minute, how did you pay for them? I thought you say you didn't have any money left!"
"I didn't steal them if that's what worries you," Fu clarified. "Shibuki lent me some money. Boy, between this and the bill I racked at Icharaku's, I'll have to work my ass off if I ever want to repay all the debts I made here."
"Thank you for this, I know that glasses aren't exactly cheap," Karin told her. "But don't ever break into my house again like that, got it!?"
"I can do that," Fu replied as she began to walk towards the Animal Squad as well. "Glad you liked my present!"
"You know, that was a really nice thing to do," Tamaki praised.
"Like I said, it was the least I could do," Fu then looked at Shino, and grinned. "Now, for that second thing..."
Much to everybody's shock, Fu grabbed Shino by the back of his head, and planted a huge kiss on his lips. The kiss lasted almost five seconds. When they broke contact, Fu was giggling, and her face had a brief red tint. Shino, however, was frozen in place, and blushed so hard he could give Hinata a rush for her money.
Of course, this didn't went unnoticed by those present, and with Haku and Tenten before, a chorus of coos and "awwwwwws" ensued.
"Good, now people will talk about this out of nowhere kiss instead of my out of nowhere kiss," Tenten thought.
"Alright, now I can leave. See ya!" Fu said as she joined her fellow Taki ninja, and they started to walk out of Konoha.
The Kumo group was also ready to go. Unlike the other two foreign groups, nobody was there to greet them goodbye. At least not until a few seconds before they were about to leave.
"Wait! Karui!" Choji's voice called.
The red haired girl turned around, and raised an eyebrow upon seeing Choji walking towards her. "Hm?"
"Hey...I wanted to tell you that it was nice meeting you...and maybe the next time we see each other, we can also have a rematch?"
Karui smiled. "Sure. You're a great ninja. I'd love to trade blows with you as well in the future."
"Also..." Choji awkwardly said as he handed her a bento box. "I made you some food. You know, for the journey back."
"Really? You cooked the food?" Karui asked.
"...my mom did it," Choji sheepishly admitted. "But I helped her! And it was my idea!"
"Okay, no need to get so defensive, hehe!" Karui chuckled as she inspected the bento box. "Thanks a lot. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Hinata-chan!" T suddenly shouted as she waved at the startled Hyuga, who was talking with Haku at that time.
"She's not into you, T," Karui told her.
"I know," the girl with the braids visibly deflated. "All the hot ones are always taken."
"A vacation well spent, even if it's time to end. But to another exams we will go again, or else I won't stop until I turn my bro insane!" B rapped.
"The next exams are in Kumo, so forget about getting more 'vacations'," A snarled. "Come on everybody, we must make the most of the daytime!"
And thus, all the foreign ninjas left Konoha, ready to go back to their villages and resume their lives and duties there. But this doesn't mean that this is the last time their paths would cross.
…
Later that night, at one of Konoha's best restaurant, there was a large feast in honor of all the Konoha Genin who took part in the exams (they were starting to be known as the "Konoha 15") as well as those who did manage to score a promotion, all paid by the Hokage (something the Akimichi would make sure he'll grow to regret). Besides them, their closest family members and Jonin-sensei were present as well.
There were so many, that they had to use several tables. Some Genin sat alongside their teammates, others with their families. Karin decided to take a seat alongside the Hyuga to stay near Neji, and introduce him to her mother. After a long talk, Neji realized that he and Karin were pretty much a couple, though fortunately the prodigy was okay with that –but they warned him not to tell the redhead that he didn't originally had such intention when he treated her to eat some weeks ago.
Even if the mood was overall happy, some wished their foreign friends could have attended the party. Especially Shino, who had no chance to talk to Fu after that kiss. He had spend the next two hours in a near-comatose state, and when he returned to his senses, the Taki kunoichi was long gone.
Shizune, sharing a table with the three Uchiha, stood up and cleared her throat to draw everybody's attention. The buzz of the simultaneous conversations taking place slowly went down until it disappeared as everybody else grew silent.
"Now that everybody is here, I'd like to say something," the black haired medic began. "Sasuke, I want to congratulate you for becoming Chunin on your first try," everybody applauded, and Sasuke allowed himself to smile, even if it was just a little."Sakura, Karin, keep working hard and don't give up, and I'm sure that you'll catch up with him in no time."
"We will!" Sakura replied.
"In the meantime, since you're the one with the highest rank, you'll be the new leader of the Medical Squad for the time being, since I won't be your sensei in the near future."
A deafening silence fell upon the restaurant as Shizune's words sunk in. A couple people began to murmur.
"What? Why!?" a disheartened Karin asked.
"Don't you want to be our sensei anymore?" Sakura asked, just as distressed. "Did we do something to upset you?"
Shizune chuckled. She found the girls' reactions adorable, and couldn't wait to see their faces when she finished her explanation. "You see, it's not just that I won't be your sensei, but I'm not even going to be a ninja. I've been diagnosed with a medical condition that will keep me off-duty for the next year."
"What kind of condition?" Sasuke asked, mildly concerned. She looked perfectly healthy to him.
"A wonderful one," Shizune couldn't repress a huge smile before she dropped the news. "I'm going to have a baby!"
The restaurant erupted into cacophony of female squeals and shouts, as everybody tried to congratulate Tsunade's protégé at the same time.
"That's awesome!" Karin squealed.
"Who is the father? It is Shisui?" Sakura asked.
"Yep!" Shisui replied as he stood up alongside his girlfriend. "I mean, that baby is mine, right?"
Shizune frowned, and slapped his shoulder a few times. "How you dare to say such a thing, you dummy! Of course you're the father!"
"Also, we'd like to announce our wedding, which will be in three months time. And everybody here is invited to attend!" Shisui stated.
The announcement was met with another wave of cheers and applause. Shizune and Shisui felt a bit guilty for stealing the newly minted Chunin's thunder, but given that so many people were gathered, they saw it as the perfect opportunity to make the announcement. Still, none of the youngsters seemed to mind. If anything, the party became even happier after that.
After a few hours, well into the night, long after everybody had stopped eating –minus the Akimichi, who still had enough room for a third dessert–, and everybody still awake merely engaged in a talk with people near them. While the minors didn't drink, the adults did, and some of them were already in the process of mentally scarring their children forever with their drunken antics.
And before things could go out of control, a certain blond knew that this was the best opportunity he had for making his move.
"Hinata, can we go outside for a bit?" Naruto asked. "There's something I need to tell you."
Hinata's heart skipped a beat. She was observant enough to notice that whatever he wanted to say, he wanted to tell her and only her.
"I think I'll go talk with Tenten-chan," Haku said. He then shot a knowing smile at Naruto.
"S-Sure, Naruto-kun," Hinata's stutter briefly returned as she stood up and accompanied Naruto outside, to a zone quiet enough for the both of them.
The air was much cooler outside, something both their lungs appreciated. The racket from the inside was reduced to a mere murmur from the outside, something which their ears appreciated as well. They spent a few minutes there, enjoying the silence and calmness of the night and each other's company.
"So..." Hinata began, as she started to twiddle her fingers. "...what d-did you want to tell me?"
Naruto sighed, as he tried to put his ideas in order. He wasn't somebody who beat around the bush, but in this situation he was kind of at loss for words. He was tempted to follow Fu's advice and example, forget about words, and kiss her directly. But his rational part screamed not to do it, and for once, Naruto decided to be cautious.
"You know, Hinata, you've been my best friends for many years..." Naruto began, as he uneasily put a hand behind his neck. "But as of recently...things have been different...a-and I think I have to..."
"Uh, Naruto? I don't understand what are you trying to say," Hinata asked, a bit confused.
Naruto's face morphed into a mask of anger. "ARGH! To hell with subtlety! Hinata, I like you a lot! And I don't mean 'like' as a friend. Well, I did like you as a friend before, but not anymore, and it has been eating me on the inside, because I didn't know if you liked me back, or even if you did if we would work as a couple, or...or...well, you get it."
"You...you like me!?" a stupefied Hinata asked. "Since when?"
"I couldn't tell. Maybe...maybe shortly after we became Genin? Yeah, I think it was around that time," Naruto replied, trying to remember. "But yeah, now you know how I feel. Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable or upset or-"
"Naruto-kun," Hinata interrupted as she walked towards him.
"Huh?"
"Did you know that that's exactly how I felt towards you?" Hinata replied as she smiled at him.
"What? You do?" a dumbfounded Naruto asked.
"Yes," Hinata had already closed the distance between them. She was starting to blush. "You are also my best friend, Naruto, and without you...you inspired me, both directly and indirectly, into becoming both a much better person and ninja. I like your determination, your optimism, your desire of self improvement. You gave me somebody to talk to...and to listen to. I wouldn't know when it happened, but I started to feel the same towards you as well. Your good looks didn't hurt either."
This time, it was Naruto who blushed. "So...does that mean that we're boyfriend and girlfriend?" Naruto asked. Hinata giggled a bit, and nodded. "OH YES!" an excited Naruto picked Hinata up by her waist and began to spin. "Not only do I become a Chunin, but I get a girlfriend too! Today the best day ever! And yours too, I hope!"
"Indeed it is!" Hinata giggled.
Naruto placed Hinata back in the ground, and his expression turned a bit awkward again. "So...should we kiss? You know, to...seal the deal?"
Hinata's reply came in the form of her eyes closing, her lips puckering, and her head moving towards Naruto. The blond did likewise, until their lips met in a short, but definitely sweet, kiss. When the kiss broke, they stared at each others' eyes for a few seconds, before breaking into a fit of giggles.
"It was...even better than in my dreams," Hinata swooned.
"Indeed it was. You're an awesome kisser, Hinata-hime, Naruto told her.
Hinata blushed even harder. ""W-What did you call me?"
"Hime. My princess. It's what dad calls mom. And well...given that you're the heiress of a noble clan, that sorta makes you a princess, so I thought it was fitting..." Naruto explained, blushing a bit.
Hinata didn't say anything. She just smiled, and rest her head on Naruto's shoulder, as she softly wrapped her arms around him.
After a few moments, Naruto grinned, broke the embrace, and grabbed her hand. "Come on, we have to tell everybody!"
Hinata laughed as she let Naruto lead her back inside.
"Hey guys, listen, Hinata and I-!"
Naruto's words died on his throat when he saw what was going on in the restaurant. There were several tables turned over, some of them even on fire, there was food smeared everywhere, people running around, fighting, and throwing food at each other, and Tsunade was strangling Kakashi with a bra –presumably her own, given the cup size.
The Chunin couple spent a few seconds watching the scene, completely dumbfounded.
"Uh, Hinata?"
"Y-Yes, Naruto-kun?"
"…Do you want to go back outside?"
"Yes, please."
…
Next Day, Training Ground Nine
Sakura never remembered the last time she woke up so early. Hell, she didn't even have any memory of being up so soon after the sun rose. And combined with the party last night and that she went to bed way later than usual, her body and mind weren't exactly in the best conditions. But hey, nothing that a cup of coffee couldn't fix. Temporarily.
But since she was told that Gai's team started training very early, and she wanted to make the best of the day, she set her alarm clock way two hours earlier than usual. And apparently, she didn't arrive as soon as she expected, as she caught the team's two green clad members doing some stretching after doing some exercises.
"Hello?" Sakura asked the duo. Lee was the first one to notice her.
"Oh, Sakura-san! Your presence made an already great day to be even better!" Lee enthusiastically greeted as he dashed towards her. "Did you come here to train with us?"
"Yes," Sakura couldn't believe that he answered just that.
"Ah, excellent! So good to see another girl who wants to fan her flames of youth!" Gai replied as he walked towards both of them.
This got Sakura's curiosity "Another one? Who?"
Gai smiled brightly. "You'll meet her soon enough. She should finish her warm up just now. Anyway, what can I do for you, Sakura? In which ways do you seek to improve?"
"I'd like to develop my natural strength, stamina and chakra reserves," the pinkette replied.
"Very well, that I can do!" Gai then pulled out a sealing scroll, and unsealed what appeared to be training weights. He handed them to Sakura. "Here, put on this light weights on your ankles and wrists when you train. This will make the training harder, but the results will be far more impressive."
"These are the light ones?" Sakura incredulously asked as she put on the rather heavy weights. But then again, she had to admit her natural strength was nothing to write home about.
"And here she comes, from completing her twenty laps around the training field!" Gai announced as he turned around.
Sakura turned around as well, and saw an extremely exhausted Hinata dragging herself as badly as she could towards them. She was sweating a waterfall, and her face was completely red (and for once, it wasn't because of Naruto). Once she was closer, Sakura could notice that she was also wearing training weights, the same one as the pinkette.
"We were waiting you, Hinata! How do you feel?" Gai happily asked.
The bluenette collapsed on her knees. "I...I want...I want to die..."
Gai ignored Hinata's answer. "Hinata, meet Sakura! Like you, she decided to join us in our daily training in order to become stronger! Though I believe you two already know each other. Anyway, for the time being, you should take it easy. Lee and I are going to run ten laps around the village before climbing the Hokage Monument with one hand tied behind our backs. Once you rest a little, both you and Sakura run, say, fifty laps around the training field!"
And thus, Gai and his pupil left.
"So...what are you doing here?" Sakura asked. Being a Chunin already, she didn't thought that Hinata would be in need of additional training.
"I came here...to...build speed..." Hinata replied between pants. "Neji-niisan told me...that Gai's training i-is the best for...developing strength, speed and...chakra reserves...how about you?"
"Same. My medical knowledge is pretty good, and I learned a lot about genjutsu under your sensei, but my taijutsu and chakra reserves could use some improvement as well," Sakura stated, already feeling tired of carrying the training weights. She rubbed her arms. "You know, this looks like a one way trip to a slow and painful death."
"It is," Hinata agreed.
"But given how much Tenten improved in a single month...well, I think it's worth the effort," Sakura uneasily admitted.
"Well, Neji-niisan and his teammates seem to be doing well, so maybe we will get used to it after some time," Hinata guessed, after recovering some of her breath.
"By the way, I'm surprised to see you here. Given that you managed to become Chunin on your first try. I thought that you'd be good."
Hinata shook her head. "Even if I did manage to become Chunin, I can't shake the feeling that luck played a big part on it. I was unable to master my family's techniques, and instead created sloppy replacements. That's why I am here, so I can be better."
"You call that jutsu you used to beat Tamaki a 'sloppy replacement'? Because it was nothing sort of impressive," Sakura praised.
"Like I said, that jutsu was product of chance, not deliberate training. I do plan on refining it once I master the Heavenly Spin, though," Hinata clarified. She finally stood up.
"By the way, where did you go last night? I saw you leave with Naruto, but then you didn't come back...which given what Kakashi-sensei did, it was probably a good thing," Sakura asked.
Hinata blushed a bit, smiled, and started to twiddle her fingers. "Well, you see, Naruto-kun had something very important to tell me..."
…
Land of Sound, Orochimaru's Main Base
Orochimaru was sitting on a throne above a large pit, where five fighters had been fighting. Not to death, since the Snake Sannin needed all five of them. Four of them laid on the ground, beaten and bruised, while the remaining fifth looked no worse for the wear.
"Bravo, just bravo!" Orochimaru stood up and clapped. "You never fail to impress, Kimimaro-kun."
The winner, a white haired teen, turned at Orochimaru, and bowed before him. "I live only to serve you, Orochimaru-sama."
Orochimaru jumped into the pit, and walked towards his prized champion. Even if he was no longer planning on using his body as a host, Kimimaro still had his uses, as he had defeated Orochimaru's elite guard, the Sound Four.
"How do you feel?" Orochimaru asked.
"Reborn. I've never been better. I don't know what you did but..." Kimimaro flexed his fingers. "It's like I've never been sick before."
Orochimaru grinned. The sight of his smile would have sent chills to any sane person, but Kimimaro merely smiled back. Thanks to the knowledge of the Forbidden Scroll, Orochimaru was able to find a way to restore his strongest fighter to his fullest. Five people needed to die for such thing to happen, but who cared about that? The world is full of unremarkable peasants, but there's only one member of the Kaguya Clan.
And, in fact, he couldn't help but show his former comrades the new powers and abilities he had developed thanks to the scroll Mizuki had helpfully given him. If only that fool didn't waste so much time trying to uncover the scroll's secrets himself before giving up handing it to Orochimaru, maybe Konoha would have been destroyed by now.
But times matter not when you're immortal.
Besides, Orochimaru's twisted dream was about to come even closer to reality when one of his grunts entered the pit.
"Orochimaru-sama, Mizuki just returned from his mission," the Oto ninja said. "He claims he was successful."
Orochimaru's grin grew even wider. Oh, this day was getting better and better.
"Alright then, it wouldn't be nice to make him wait, don't you think so?" Orochimaru replied, licking his lips. The Oto ninja bowed his head before vanishing, while the Sannin headed out.
A few minutes later, Orochimaru arrived at the chamber a restless Mizuki was waiting. Upon noticing his new boss' presence, the traitor stood to attention. He was carrying a large manila envelope under his arm.
"So, Mizuki-san, I've been informed that your mission was a success," Orochimaru began, as he walked towards him. "Was it difficult?"
"Absolutely not. Those fools were so preoccupied with the Chunin Exams that they wouldn't have noticed me even if I didn't use a disguise," Mizuke handed Orochimaru the envelope. "Besides, the location was isolated from the village. It was exactly where you said it would be."
Orochimaru opened the envelope, and picked its content: a single, ugly mask with the face of a monster.
"Was that the mask you asked for?" Mizuki uneasily asked. There were others rather similar, and he didn't want to imagine his boss' reaction if he grabbed the wrong one.
"This is the mask, indeed," Orochimaru confirmed. Mizuki let out a sigh of relief. "You've done well. Now go rest. You will receive your next assignment soon."
"Yes, Orochimaru-sama!" the former teacher said before vanishing.
Orochimaru looked at the God of Death Mask in his hands in delight. Now the last part of his plan would be complete.
Turns out that delaying the invasion wasn't such a bad idea after all.
Author's Note: Whew! I can't believe that after more than ten chapters, the Chunin Exams Arc is FINALLY over! But what an arc it was!
Naruto and Hinata are finally a couple, yay! And they're also Chunin, double yay! And Haku and Tenten are also a couple, yay! And so are Shino and Fu, yay! And Shizune is pregnant, yay! And Orochimaru has the Shinigami Mask, yay!
...no, wait. I don't think the last part is a reason to celebrate.
Anyway, even if the chapter was shorter than usual, a lot of stuff happened. I hope you guys are happy with both the promotions and the romantic developments. And while I can see some people being a bit miffed of not one but other two couples getting together and sharing their first kiss before Naruto and Hinata did...well, think of it was saving the best for the last, pun intended.
And as I said before, say goodbye to Gaara, Kankuro, Temari, Killer B, Karui and Fu, since they won't appear again until Part II. Boy, of all of them, I'm going to miss Fu the most. She's so fun to write. I even felt tempted to follow other stories' examples such as "New Chance" or "Uzumaki Tales: Return of the Whirlpool" and have Fu defect Taki and become a Konoha ninja, but I have big plans for her, and remaining a Taki ninja is a must for such plans to happen.
And speaking of "Uzumaki Tales", the scene of Shizune announcing her pregnancy is inspired by a similar scene in that story, but with Kurenai instead. People who read that story surely noticed the similarities.
Once again, thanks to gio8 for betareading this chapter.
I believe that's all. The next chapter will be the beginning of a new arc, which will also close Part I! In the meantime, don't forget to leave a review! Reviews make me really, really, really happy!