#Hidden Spirits: Village Hunting & Side Effect#
A Naruto Fan-fiction -- Sequel from 'Hidden Spirits'
By: Climax

Disclaimer for ALL chapters: Do not and never own Naruto. Except this story plot, idea, and my own characters I create on this story.

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Prologue: Back to Konoha
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Recap (and summary):
Tsunade found two mysterious scrolls at the top shelf of the library at Hokage's Tower. It suspected to be Shodai-sama's diary. But not long after she figured how to open the scrolls, three mysterious figures stole it. Right after that, Naruto and Sasuke have their bodies switched by the same people. They have time to panic of course. But not long the figures decided to switch their body back even there were some consequences by doing it right after the switch. And the two genins woke up in their place with no memories about it. They were no aware for the consequences they were going to face as they started to live their day again. At the same time, the figures lost the scrolls they stole. And the scroll fell into the hands of the bad guys seemingly. What kind of consequences Naruto and Sasuke were going to face? And what are the contents of the scrolls?

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"Are you sure about this? Ero Sennin?" asked Naruto as he and Jiraiya walked towards Konoha.

Three years. Three years since Sasuke's departure. And those three years do a LOT to Naruto. He was no longer has his baby fat and (a little) chubby cheeks. He was a slim fifteen year old teenage boy and almost as pretty as Sasuke to some others taste. The sennin had been forbidding him to consume ramen or some high fat foods and recommending -I mean- forcing him to eat more fruits and vegetables for his health. Surely he knew that Naruto hates die by sickness. His voice was heavier a bit. But it still as loud as always it would be of course. The blonde's round face sharpen a bit due his maturity and his hair style was more and more similar to the Yondaime's according to Jiraiya's comment. And his style of clothes improved. He still wearing orange combined with blue things, but the clothes' shapes were more fashionable now. He wears orange V-neck, sleeveless t-shirt with a fishnet shirt under it and a pair of blue shorts that covered his knees. He wears blue hand-band to balance his almost bare hands. Three things that didn't and won't change were his whiskers, his forehead protector that still tied above his forehead and his blue eyes that radiating confidence, carefree, and many positive things.

Jiraiya stared at Naruto with an annoyed expression. Why, even after three years together with him, the blonde boy still couldn't believe his information completely? "Of course I'm sure. How many times I told you to not underestimate my information network?"

Naruto had a thoughtful expression for a second then answered, "I gave up counting at the 78th, but I'm sure that you told it every time you tell something important to me." Naruto wasn't lying. He always used the 'are you sure' question to know and test if the information Jiraiya gave to him was something important. And Jiraiya knows that.

Jiraiya sighed. Is it the lacking of ramen or too many fruits and vegetables has done something to his brain? he asked in his heart mostly to himself. Yup, Naruto has grown into a smartass brat. Thanks to the full of vitamins and nutrition fruits and vegetables. The sad thing was he didn't use his intelligence to improve himself but to make some troubles to both Jiraiya and people around. Jiraiya discovered the culprit of the problems when Naruto did his twenty seventh troublemaking.

But this time, Jiraiya couldn't blame him for not believe his news. The supposed to be yearly chuunin exam was cancelled three times in three years during the crisis of the Konoha. And that chuunin exam was going to be held again in Konoha. But this time, the exam was no ordinary. The examiners were not only from Konoha. The other village sent their best chuunin or jounin to Konoha this time. This was because there were some rumors uprising. And those rumors said something like this: anybody beside Konoha genins would fail in the chuunin exams that held in Konoha. Of course, those rumors were no true. But they gave a great impact to other villages' genins. The genins became more unwilling to participate to the chuunin exam. The last record said: three from Sunagakure (Sand), ONE from Amegakure (Rain), NONE from Kusa (Grass), Taki (Waterfall), and Oto (Sound). What a fantastic record to see. Even the so great Godaime no Hokage (5th Hokage) blinked her eyes over and over again to make sure that she saw what she thought she saw. She even questioned her and the reporter's eyes health or was it a mere genjutsu to cheat her. But when she made sure that other people she what she thought she saw, she (had to) believed it. Like it or not. That's why she cancelled the three chuunin exams in three years.

The other villages' chuunin and jounin presence were mean to make the genins felt more safe and comfortable. But Jiraiya thought that the chuunin and jounin were there to see what their and others' village capable of.

But the thing that made Naruto unsure had to be the second news. The sennin got a unexpected information that Sasuke was going to participate the chuunin exam. And maybe was going to bring other Oto shinobi with him. What a mess it was going to be if the information leaked out.

And there was an information that Jiraiya decided to not to tell Naruto. One or two of his information tellers said that the Akatsuki was going to make a move at the chuunin exam. But the information tellers were not completely sure about it. So he decided to not to panic Naruto at the moment. Though he was unsure that Naruto didn't know about this since he told the boy that Akatsuki wasn't going to after him for three or four years at Konoha hospital three years ago.

While Jiraiya lost in his thought, Naruto saw a restaurant and a small casino across of it. His stomach growled loudly. Though went unnoticed by the sennin. Naruto smirked. Hmm... a restaurant and a casino. It fitted perfectly for him.

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(Ten minutes later...)
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"Hey, Naruto. There must be a small restaurant around here. How about if we take a break?" asked Jiraiya to the surprisingly silent Naruto.

No answer. Jiraiya lifted his eyebrows. It was unusual for the blonde to be silent. He tried once again.

"Don't worry. It's my treat!"

No answer. Again. This made Jiraiya more and more confused. Did he afraid if he forced him to eat fruit and vegetables?

"Oh, I got it! You don't want to eat fruit and vegetables? Fine! I won't force you! You can eat ramen if there is ramen at there!!"

Naruto kept silent. All right, this got Jiraiya's suspicion. Something is fishy, here... he thought as he picked up a rock and threw it right to Naruto's head. At this level, he should be able to dodge it. But rather than dodge it, Naruto disappeared in a puff and smoke when the rock hit his skull. A kage bunshin (Shadow Clone).

"What?? When did he-??"

That brat Naruto!! He did this when the sennin lost in his thought for sure!! And Jiraiya went back to track Naruto...

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"YATTA (YEAH)!! I WON AGAIN!!" yelled Naruto. Sounds of clapping hands and moans of disappointments could be heard after his yell. 24 winning from 24 gambling match. All of Naruto's challengers were really out of luck this day, to have one or more gambling match with the blonde. If there was a 'blonde nee-chan' (big sister) who was called The Legendary Sucker, then Naruto was a 'blonde otouto-chan' (little brother) who was called The Legendary Winner. He found his talent when he had a journey to search Tsunade three years ago. When Jiraiya asked people around the pachinko place, Naruto found a coin and inserted it to the machine. And he won many! Even the so great Jiraiya amazed that he could fill his toad wallet as full as before with just one coin.

"Wow! He won all those match!!", "What a lucky person!", "I wish I have a little piece of that kind of luck..." mumbles of amazed people could be heard clearly by Naruto. Then he decided to end his game here. He didn't want those losers have anymore shameful experience. He wanted to eat anyway. He started to pack all of his prized money.

But when he just about to leave...

"NARUTO YOU BLASTED BRAT!!! DIDN'T I TELL YOU ABOUT THREE NINJA TABOOS??!"

Jiraiya appeared along with his cursing and shouting.

Naruto's shout in his heart was: 'Oooppsss..!' but he tried to stay calm.

"Yes, you did. Woman, sake, and money, right? So what?" he asked.

Angry veins could easily be spotted at Jiraiya's head.

"So you mustn't do it! Taboos are here not to be break!! You are underage and you are gambling!! Do you want your life to be miserable like Tsunade??"

Naruto narrowed his eyes. Who was this perverted sennin that telling him to not to do three ninja taboos? This man may be older than him, but at least look at the facts.

"Ero sennin, if I remember correctly, YOU are the one who always, always, ALWAYS break those taboos only in ONE hour. So I don't expect to hear those advices from SOMEONE who always break those taboos. ANYWAY, don't you remember the accident last month? You wasted all of our money for the sake of two of the taboos and thanks to my gambling skill; we were able to sleep under a hotel roof."

Heh. Good point, kid.

Shit. He hit all those pretty buttons... cursed Jiraiya inwardly.

Seeing Jiraiya was taken aback by his paragraph of sentences, Naruto grinned wickedly. "So, ero sennin, do you let me gambling for next time, or should I blackmail you first?"

One thing Jiraiya knew, he fought a losing battle...

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"I'm home!!" yelled Naruto. Well, he wasn't yelling to no one.

"Welcome back, Naruto nii-chan!!" chirped a happy girl's voice, Mayu.

Naruto stared at the younger girl in disbelief. "Wow... you sure grown a lot, Mayu..."

And what Naruto said was true. The cute and innocent looking little girl around Konohamaru ages he knew has turned into a pretty young lady. Her orange hair still able to reach her shoulder and tied into one pigtail. Her round and violet colored eyes were curved upward, shaping a beautiful pair of eyes. She was no longer wearing a kimono, she was wearing a simple black shirt with a sleeveless violet sweater above it. And a white skirt that reached her knees to complete her clothes set.

Mayu blushed at Naruto's comment. "Oh, really? You should see Konohamaru, too. He is more... handsome." She turned away to hid her blush after said that. Naruto decided to ignore it. Though it made him wonder what kind of human boy it could be Konohamaru transformed.

"Hey, did you remodel my apartment?" asked Naruto as he examined his apartment. Not that he hate it, it was just much more... neat and clean. Surprisingly, Mayu shook her head.

"No. Rhaera and I just clean it every two or three days..." explained the girl.

Naruto almost didn't believe it. So this was his apartment in clean version. He just need a little will to clean it every two or three days and here was his nice apartment.

"Speaking of the culprit, where's that green haired archer?" asked Naruto as he traced the apartment to search Rhaera's existence.

"He maybe practicing his taijutsu at the training field with three wooden logs..." answered Mayu. Once again, Naruto stared in disbelief.

"He... practicing-- what?" how the hell did that archer knew something called: TAIJUTSU??

"Taijutsu. He was graduated from ninja academy yesterday. With a lot of hard work of course, since he knew nothing except cooking and the art of archery..." explained Mayu.

Naruto was going to ask another question when Kakashi suddenly appeared between them with a puff of smoke.

"I actually hate interfere a lovely love scene, but my loudmouthed student is needed by the Hokage." Kakashi said with no tone and nose buried in his 'Icha Icha Violence' book. Very POLITE.

"Wha-! What 'love scene'??" stammered Mayu. Naruto, instead of yelling as loud as usual, mumbled dangerously to Kakashi.

"My dear teacher Kakashi, can't your sharingan see that I'm just arrived? And one thing, look at the person's eyes when you are talking. Not to a book. Or I swear I'll make you regret to have that book in your hands..." Naruto didn't threaten; just merely a warning to state his tired condition. And Kakashi got his message.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. But any of Hokage's order must be considered as a mission. So I must bring you to her no matter what lies ahead. Even if that means I must bring your corpse..." said Kakashi with a plain tone but a cheerful face. Though I hope not... he added inwardly.

Not wanting to face a problem with a tired body, Naruto agreed.

"Fine, fine! But you must CARRY me to her. I don't want to walk, run, or jump. Because the thing that lies ahead is my tiredness..." the blonde sighed in frustration.

Kakashi sighed inwardly. A tired Naruto was a kicking-ass shinobi. Tsunade really call him up in a wonderful timing...

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End Prologue
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Started on: November 17th 2004

Ended on: November 18th 2004

PHEW!! o First chapter done! Hope you readers like it! Just one thing: English is never ever my native language! So spare me from the grammar or vocabulary judgment. I'm in a one week holiday (that ended on November 21th T.T) and currently high in writing spirit so I just need one day to finish one long chapter ;) .

FEED ME WITH REVIEWS!! No flame!

With a lot of love: climax

PS: my second Naruto fic, sequel from my first fic. For you guys who don't read it yet, you don't have to.