Chapter 35

"Okay fine! Whatever let's just do it." Naruto says bringing his kunai back to the ready. It was then kunai began flying at us as Sakura and Naruto blocked. Sasuke, Kabuto, and I dodged. The movement was bringing pain upon me causing my breathing to become erratic. It felt like I had just been stabbed through the chest and every movement I make sends a new blade through my flesh. Imbedding themselves so I could barely breathe. The burning pain radiating from a place near my hip on my back and was pulsing its way up my back and around my chest. I have to move, I have to keep dodging, waiting for the correct timing. I refuse to let it stop me I silently thought to myself as I continue to avoid the attacks as best as I could.

Before too long we were all standing in front of the clones breathing heavily as our strengths were zapped leaving us winded and tired. "Man! How long is this going to go on?!" Sakura yells exhaustedly.

"Okay, this isn't gonna work." Naruto says as he brings his hands up into a hand sign.

"No it's pointless, you will only waste your chakra." Kabuto tries to reason with him. "By trying to fight these things you'll be doing just what they want."

"If we eliminate all these illusions then the ones casting it won't be able to hurl kunai at us without us being able to see where they're hiding. I'll show them two can play it this game!" Naruto exclaims as he erupts in a cloud of smoke. "Shadow clone jutsu!" He yells as he multiplies. As the vast number of Narutos' run out one after the other clones. The rest of us nod to each other. Using the smoke to disappear into hiding as four of Naruto's clones change into us. Setting down with a sigh I close my eyes trying to rest a little as Sasuke kneels watching the fight and disengaging his Sharingan. I decided to try and meditate. Curse marks eat away at the bearer's chakra so if I meditate and work on rebuilding mine then maybe the pain will go away. It seems as if almost automatically my body was starting to feel a little better the longer I set.

Feeling a hand on my shoulder I open my eyes to see Sasuke who gives me a smile. It was then I realized I had lost all track of time and my surroundings since the sun was now rising. Looking over towards Naruto I notice he is worn out and completely exhausted, I couldn't help but feel for him. It was then the jutsu was released and three ninja in yellow suits showed themselves proving my initial assumptions were correct of who the team was. One of them is the same one that Sasuke and I had dealt with before on the first day. Narrowing my eyes I clench my fist. How dare he try to use this to get back at us.

"You! I know you. You're the one who cut me on the shoulder, and you are the one that got me in the leg and cracked my ribs! That really messed me up you know." He raises a kunai as he continues speaking. "Oh well, I can finally pay you both back. With interest." He starts to laugh behind his gas mask looking down at the five figures in front of him.

"Well well, now who's the cornered rats." Sasuke says with a smirk right before Sakura giggles.

"Worked like a charm Naruto." We stand from our hiding place so we were now standing in view behind them. We watch as they turn around and their eyes widen in surprise and fear uttering out sounds of shock.

"What?! It can't be!" The one we had fought before exclaims. "If they're over there then who are they?!"

"Confused? Sorry, but it was the only way to get you guys to come out of hiding." Naruto says right before releasing his transformation so there now stood five Narutos side by side. Is it just me or is it a bit creepy having the thought of so many Narutos around?

"How?! Don't tell me that little brat... It's not possible."

"The shadow clones were only the first part of it. The real trick was coming up with clones for the rest of my squad." Naruto says before his clones disappear.

"While our doubles did all the fighting and took the beating we were safe and sound waiting for you to show yourself... What do you think guys? I think our little plan worked." Sasuke smirks as he speaks arrogantly nearly causing my eyes to roll. It was my plan Emo boy. Watching as Naruto drops to his knee in exhaustion I smile at him. "Naruto, take a break you've used up too much of your chakra. Don't worry I've got them." Sasuke says as he activates his Sharingan again. It was then I seen Naruto leap up and run at them just as they turned to look back at us. With one single punch Naruto knocks all three of them down simultaneously. Sending them skidding against the ground.

"After all the work I've done. There is no way I'm going to stand back and let you guys have all the fun."

"This kid shouldn't even be able to move let alone this!"

"Naruto?" Sakura questions unable to believe what she is seeing. Watching as the ninja stand I smile feeling much more rested than before. As I hear them talk I stand with a smirk.

"Stand still Naruto!" I call out to him moments before throwing kunai around them like a perimeter. With a laugh, I pull the ninja wire tight before completing the hand signs. Drawing up the correct chakra causing Naruto to stop moving and look at me as it felt like I was going to collapse in pain. From a burning sensation radiating through me based around that spot near my hip. Wincing I push myself past the mind-numbing pain as I suck in a breath. Converging the raging hot chakra in my chest. 'Dragon fire jutsu!' I call out in my mind as I expel the fire sending it racing along the perimeter I had just created. Watching as the fire blazed high above us at such a temperature that even where I was standing felt scorching hot causing me to smirk.

"Kira!" Naruto shouted at me as he runs further away from the flames. "Don't burn the scroll up too!" He glares at me nearly causing me to laugh.

"Don't worry about it." I tell him watching as the flames begin to die down.

"Huh?" Naruto questions me as he tilts his head in utter confusion. I could feel everyone else staring at me as well as I fought to stay standing. The pain shooting through my whole body feeling as if it's worsening with each passing second.

"Naruto." I speak his name to make sure he is listening to me as I drop to my knees in pain. "When the flames are finished walk into the barrier I created and get the scroll. The genin inside will be incapacitated enough that you can just take the scroll from them." He pauses just staring at me a moment longer. "I wasn't trying to kill them alright! I created a perimeter so that the fire would follow along the wires cutting them off from the rest of the world. With enough fire, it would have created kind of like a vortex and killed the oxygen around them because of all the heat. If they didn't collapse from the heat itself it was from lack of oxygen." I explain before closing my eyes.

This pain was different. It felt similar to when my throat would burn from hunger but instead of just in my throat it was now all over my body. Pushing from its focal point, the curse mark. With it not being a wound my body wasn't healing itself leaving the stupid mark free to cause me torment.

Sasuke having moved over to me sets down. From the looks of things, he's in the same shape I am. Yet at least the pain has dulled. "Those marks, are they bruises?" Kabuto asks causing Sasuke to cover his neck as I grab the straps to my bag and shift it more towards my right hip to cover mine.

"It's nothing." Sasuke says as he looks behind us to Kabuto. Looking back as well I try to figure out what Kabuto is thinking but he seems to just smile slightly at us.

"Hey, guys! Just what we needed a heaven scroll!" Naruto laughs holding out the scroll so all of us can see it.

"Good for you!" Kabuto yells as Sasuke and I stand, still watching him.

*

As we enter through our door of the tower I pull my long scarf from my neck and wrap it around my waist a few times, before tying it securely over my curse mark. I didn't need anyone else seeing this and commenting over it. Sasuke was being held up by Sakura as Naruto had me leaning on him. At least until they had paused outside to speak with Kabuto some more. I had shoved away from Naruto in order to keep moving to our door.

My whole body was weak but at least the aching pain was gone. "What's the deal? There's nobody here!" Naruto says as he comes in behind me. My head began to swim suddenly as my legs threatened to try and give out from beneath me. Seriously these five days have been hell.

"It's okay Sakura I can manage." I hear Sasuke say before walking over to me and grabbing my arm. Wedging his shoulder against me beneath my arm and slinking his arm around me so I was now leaning against him. Using him for support in order to remain standing. "Seriously, you need to be more careful. Out of all of us these past five days you've been hurt repeatedly the worst." He says as I giggle lightly.

"Yeah, maybe I should try and protect myself more even though I heal almost automatically." I sigh and look down thinking about the canteen in my traveling pack. Maybe now would be the time to drink some of it since I very well cant get away from everyone.

"It's like there's a word missing here, anyway it's about the scrolls." I finally hear Sakura as Sasuke looks away from me. The two of us together walk up to the other two in curiosity. "I think we are supposed to open them and read the heaven and earth scrolls now."

"Well, that should have already been obvious. The proctor even stated when she was explaining the exam that we couldn't open the scrolls until we reached the tower." I nearly smirk as their eyes fall on me. Sakura's brow was even twitching in annoyance, probably because she had forgotten that part.

Naruto having found a slight sense of courage from my words, hands the heaven scroll to Sakura. I give a yawn as they open them with fearful hands. "What does this mean?" Naruto asks looking at his scroll.

"A man, a person?" Sakura questions and Sasuke takes in a breath.

"Oh no, this is a summoning jutsu! Naruto, Sakura, quick get rid of the scrolls!" He yells and I watch them throw the scrolls towards the wall. Just before there is a puff of smoke as someone appears. "Huh? What? It's you?!"

"Hey, long time no see huh." Iruka says with his arms crossed.

"Iruka sensei?" Sakura takes a step forward in wonderment.

"Looks like you've gone through a lot in this test." Pulling away from Sasuke I stand on my own. I was tired yes but for the most part, I just wanted this over with. All he had to do is say we pass and tell us where to go next. But no, he's talking and making conversation. A total Iruka move.

"Hey what's the deal with the surprise entrance? Why are you appearing with a summoning?" Naruto tries to get some answers out of our old sensei.

"At the end of the second exam, we chunin are supposed to welcome the test takers back. And well it just so happens I was the lucky one given the important task of being the messenger for you guys."

"The messenger?" I couldn't help it. I glare at Sakura for trying to keep this conversation going.

Iruka reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small silver flip cover watch before looking at it. "Wooh and you made it just in time too." Closing the cover and putting it back into his pocket he smiles at us. "And now, congratulations you've passed the second exam! To celebrate you passing I'd love to treat you to some Ichiraku ramen but I.."

"Ramen! Seriously?! That's so cool!" Naruto yells as he hugs Iruka.

"What's so great about ramen?" My eyes widen as I realize I had spoken aloud earning looks of shock from everyone. Nearly sighing I set down on the floor and reach into my traveling bag for my canteen. I am just too tired for this crap.

"Don't you like ramen, Kira?" Naruto asks letting go of Iruka.

"Not especially."

"How can you not like Ramen?! It's the best!"

I take in a breath deciding to change the subject seeing as this conversation could turn into an all-out argument that could last for quite some time. "So, if we had looked at the scrolls in the middle of the exam, what would you have done to us Iruka?"

Iruka turns and picks up the earth scroll before standing back up and facing us. "As usual Kira, you're as sharp as a tack." He raises the opened scroll. "You've figured out the secret. Part of this exam was to see how well you could see a difficult mission all the way through. Simply put you knew that opening the scrolls was against the rules of your mission and if you had tried to open one."

"What? What would have happened." I hear Sakura ask as she and Sasuke set down as well causing Iruka to smile.

"If a scroll was opened we were ordered to knock out whoever opened it. Some ninja found that out the hard way."

"I see, oh yeah sensei." Sakura looks up at Iruka.

"Yeah?"

"What does that writing on the wall mean?" She asks pointing to the plaque. "The parchment the letters are written on is kinda eaten away so it's difficult to read it. We can't understand it." Speak for yourself.

"Oh please we passed, didn't we? That stuff doesn't matter now!" Naruto says happily leaning over Sakura causing her to growl in irritation.

"Well actually explaining that is one of the duties that I've been sent here to take care of."

"What seriously?"

"That's right it's serious business. Give it a good read." Iruka turns to face the plaque. "They are instructions lord Hokage recorded as principals that chunin should follow."

"They're instructions?"

"Yeah. Heaven stands for your mind and earth for your body... If qualities of heaven are your desire acquire wisdom to take your mind higher. Get it?" Naruto gives him a dumbfounded look as I sigh.

"If your weakness lays in your intellect, you should study and learn as much as you possibly can." I say resting my hands flat on the floor behind me.

"Very good Kira... Yes, and Naruto would be a good example for that one. So you'll have to make doubly sure to work hard to learn all of the information and skills you need to prepare for your missions."

"Uhh, okay I get your point." Sakura giggles at how Iruka pointed out to Naruto that he needs to try harder to be smarter.

"And you." Iruka looks at Sakura. "If earthly qualities you lack train your body prepare to attack. So if your weakness lies in your physical strength Sakura, then you have to make sure you work on your physical conditioning every single day so it improves all the time… When heaven and earth are open together the perilous path becomes righteous forever. Meaning if your mind and body are working together as one then even a very dangerous mission can become an easy one."