Yo, I'm back!
This chapter is gonna be a bit longer than the previous ones as we are essentially making an entire arc in two chapters, so I would and am fully expecting this chapter to exceed my previous top count in words. This may also be why it takes so long to come up with this chapter.
As for ships, Tayuya I could work with, but she is traditionally portrayed as an Uzumaki, not sure how I feel about that, but I can make do regardless. Fu is still on the table, and she is my personal choice. Haku is an option, I left it purposely confusing if you go back the pronouns are screwed going both ways, so if I decide that I want to do that, I made sure to have that on the table.
Something I noticed about last chapter is the lack of injuries on our protagonists, something I feel should have happened especially more to Naruto, I also feel that in the fight I could have made it more tense as it was very one-sided the entire fight, this is something I will work towards bettering.
Onto this chapter, I had a bit of a debate in my head on which village to go to. I know I couldn't do Iwa, with the preestablished hatred of the Uzumaki. Suna was too far, and too unrelated to the plot, I could introduce Gaara here, but I know that I was going to do that anyways in the Konoha chunin exams. Mizu is an option, I could go more in depth about the seven swords or ad more depth to Mizu in general, as we don't see much detail in the village in the series, but I felt that was bland, and I could do a filler arc here at some point anyways. Konoha was tempting, but as I said previously, we are going there anyways.
Kumo was the best option, I have multiple fights I can plan out, I can have Naruto meet a Jinchuriki and it make sense, I can touch on the relationships between the two villages, and while you can say these things about the other villages, I can make sense of this. Another thing to mention is that this is canonical, this is 2 and a half years before the Konoha exams, and Kiri still isn't hosting at this point, so it actually does line up in the series.
Heads up in a few things, here will be a timeskip after these two chapters of around 1 year, after that I can finally move onto the land of waves, which I have a lot of Ideas in mind for, and then we can also immediately catapult into the Chunin exams for the regular Konoha 12, and into the Crush, which I'm excited for. If you have noticed I have mostly been doing context work as stated previously, and I feel that I will most likely revise these chapters later on.
Enough rambling, into the story
/ / / / / / / / / /
Naruto was a little angry but also ecstatic, he was gonna become chunin less than 6 months into his career, few could say that they have done the same. And with becoming a chunin came his position among the swords, which was something he had been training for by this point for years, albeit unknowingly until this year.
Naruto was now 11 years old whose height now stood at 5'8, with red hair that drooped downward across his head, a scar on his left cheek stretching across his face from nose level down to the neck, an injury attained from his previous exams, his forehead protector on the top of his forehead. He had two wakizashi swords strapped to his back, with a black shirt with gray forearm protectors, acting as protective gauntlets. On the strap holding his swords were a myriad of different seals mixed in with kunai. His black pants slightly sagged as a white strip of bandages ran across his left leg, with standard black shinobi sandals.
But he was teamed with some of the more arrogant classmates of his class, Matsuri was the second best in their class at the time of graduation, which was a feat he had to admit, but she would not shut up for the life of him.
Matsuri was a 14-year-old girl, who stood at 5'7 she wore a blue jacket with a black stripe across it, a forehead protector strapped to her shoulder. Her black hair roller off her shoulders in a messy fashion. Her black shorts went down to her knees as her black ninja sandals finished the set.
Taiko was more reserved but had a sadistic streak a mile wide, he seemed to toy with the enemies he faced, sometimes to his detriment. And they both saw him as an extra, their previous teammate had died in a mission, and they wanted to get the team to chunin as fast as possible so that they could meld more into the normal squad formations.
Taiko was a 14-year-old boy, who stood at 5'10. He had spiky brown hair that flowed freely as his headband was strapped on his shoulder. He wore an entirely black outfit with his other shoulder carrying the symbol for Kirigakure in a blue circle.
The Jonin of the squad was a man named Tokuma, he was a stern man with zero tolerance for shenanigans. He himself stated on multiple occasions that he would not tolerate any disobedience to his orders, something that hanged in the back of his mind, but something that the others seemed accustomed to.
He wore the standard Jonin Mizu garb wearing his headband around his neck, his spiky black hair flowed in all directions as he walked beside them, quiet as a mouse.
The thing that peeved Naruto the most though, was that the Mizukage restricted his use of his Kiba blades to zero during the tournament, saying that 'It would cause too much attention, and you being so young attracts enough to send a well-trained team on alert.' So, he was forced to use his old wakizashi's from before.
"Can't wait to beat my skills into some damn Kumo-nin, it'll be the highlight of my month!" Matsuri told the group.
"I know, as you've said for the tenth time." Naruto said, annoyed at the continued comments.
"We have only a few minutes until we arrive at the designated location." Tokuma said as he walked in the middle of the genin.
They were supposed to meet a representative of Kumogakure before they went there proper, as to give fair warning to the Kumo inn in the area that they were there for the exams. As if Kami herself was listening to a blonde-haired man in the white Kumogakure Jonin garb shunshined infront of them.
"I am assuming you're here for the Chunin exams?" The man said.
The entire squad tensed up, some more than others as Naruto and Tokuma were on edge but not grabbing for weapons as Taiko and Matsuri were.
"Hai, this is team 4, representing Kirigakure." Tokuma said holding out a paper, supposedly proof of orders and a way to get into the exams.
The man read over the papers, seeing the Mizukages signature and a formal invitation to the exams, he nodded.
"I'm C, ill be your escort into Kumogakure, if you'd follow me ill take you to the Hotel you'll be staying at, alright?"
They all said Hai in unison recognizing the man's request as more an order, something they were obligated to follow in the land of lightning.
As they entered the village a flurry of hurried whispers surrounded them, Kiri had a reputation for death following in their wake and this was an exam supposedly for their young. To the villagers this did not bode well, atleast the superstitious folk seemed to be on edge.
"Looks like we weren't as expected as we thought." Naruto said
"If their faces are any guess, I don't think they expected anything foreign, I'd say they might not even be aware of the exams." Matsuri said
"All the better for us, if they aren't expecting anything, imagine the contestants, they'll be practically cannon fodder." Taiko said, his first words in over five hours and sporting a wild bloodthirsty grin to match.
"Holy shit mister dark'n'spooky spoke!" Naruto said sarcastically.
"Enjoy it while it lasts hot-head." Taiko quipped back.
C was listening to the conversation smirking inwardly, if they thought that Kumo's genin weren't prepared for them all the better when they were waiting, 'after all Raikage-sama finally allowed Yugito to compete in the exams.'
/ / / / / / / / / /
"Don't disappoint me, I can't afford to have you loose early in these exams, as our jinchuriki its your responsibility to bring strength to the village." Ay said with a hint of annoyance. He didn't want to allow the 15-year-old into the exams, she was simply to inexperienced and too valuable. But he realized the longer he waited the longer she had to wait to get stronger.
"I understand entirely Raikage-sama." Yugito said bowing her head to the leader of her village. The political sentiment and power play by having a jinchuriki in-of-itself was a power play, the jinchuriki represents the village, if one is weak, that says the village is weak, if its strong, the village is strong.
A good example was Bee, he was the second strongest jinchuriki behind the Mizukage himself, which was only because the Mizukage had trained in extremely specific ninjutsu that practically countered half of all ninjutsu.
Said man was behind the door looking out across the village, his sensory abilities detecting a large chakra source hindered by a seal. 'So Mister Six, came all the way out here to listen to my mix.' He smiled at the thought of meeting another Jinchuriki, and from what it seemed he was rather young, maybe he would get to compare him to Yugito, that would be the highlight of his day.
/ / / / / / / / / /
The hotel itself was a rather boring three-bedroom loft with a living room connected to a kitchen. It was boring, which was the problem, and as bored people do, they go to seek entertainment.
Naruto had left the hotel and was walking the wooden streets of Kumo, stores lined the wooden towers as he walked. People who noticed his headband pointed and stared, his red hair being another stand out feature which only pointed further to his exotic lineage in the area.
He saw a stand with a sushi label on it, 'I could go for a bite.'
As he walked into the stand the fresh smell of fish was all over, he sat down and ordered some uramaki sushi. The person manning a stand was a tall man with black hair, he smiled at the boy.
"Didn't know a mist-nin would come around here." The stand owner said.
"Chunin exams are starting this week, here to try my luck at a promotion." Naruto replied in kind.
"Good luck with that, be sure to win, be a shame if you came all the way out here for nothin'." The stand owner said grinning while handing over the ordered sushi.
"Thanks, I didn't come all the way out here to loose hehe~" He laughed out while picking up a roll, only to be interrupted by his sensory abilities as he pulled out his sword and pointed it directly behind him.
"What's a mist-nin doing here?" A voice came behind him
"What's a Kumo-nin sneaking up on someone out of her league?" Naruto said.
"Show me your papers." The woman said. Naruto pulled out a passport and a certificate of approval to the man. He pulled his sword back into his sheath.
"Alright Uzumaki Naruto, what are you doing around here?" The woman said.
"Chunin exams, its customary to tell your name after knowing another's."
"Karui." She sat down beside him.
"Is read hair common around here?" Naruto asked, curious of the possibility of finding another Uzumaki.
"Not particularly, but I'm not an Uzumaki if that's what your thinking." Karui responded.
'Damn.' "Well, you came up to me I'm assuming you have something else you wanna talk about." Naruto said, his assumption being correct when she started to talk again.
"I was going to ask if you wanted to meet someone, but he'll probably meet you first. If somebody comes to you rapping in a Kumo Jonin uniform with 7 swords on his back, give him a chance to talk to you." Karui said.
"Ill keep an eye out, doesn't seem like the stealthy type." Naruto said smirking at the description of the man.
For the second time in a day Kami seemed to bestow fate once again as a man in shades wearing a Kumo uniform and 7 swords started rapping about meeting someone from mist.
"So, Mr. Mist, don't fret because I insist on leaving no debt unpaid!" The man rapped grabbing the stunned red-head.
"HEY!" He said trying to pry his shirt from the man.
By the time the man stopped they were well on the outskirts of the village surrounded by mountains and valleys that stretched across the land of lightning.
"Yo, don't go, we have much to discuss so stop making such a fuss!" The man rhymed.
"You know, I was warned you'd stop by to see me , I didn't expect to be kidnapped and taken ten miles out from where I'm supposed to be!" Naruto yelled.
"Well Mr. Six, figured you'd want to hear my mix, many people pay for what I have to say." He rhymed
'He knows?' Naruto thought, if he'd been discovered as a jinchuriki so quickly, the fact only made his already pins and needles mind go into overdrive as to how, only now truly recognizing the man as Killer-bee the 8 tails Jinchuriki, the man if they were to go to war was his responsibility to fight.
"Ok Eight, what do you want with me?" Naruto said skeptically.
Bee only grinned as Naruto recognized him, maybe they would get somewhere with all this.
/ / / / / / / / /
Bee and Naruto were currently talking about the role of Jinchuriki in the village, and their relationship to Kage's among a bunch of other things. The conversation drifted from focus as they talked about being Jinchuriki in general.
"The villagers didn't originally like me, traditionally Jinchuriki haven't been known to be, been tricky as they acted as pillagers askin' for me to pay a fee for everything attracted to Bee." Bee rhymed as the conversation continued.
"Well, I didn't even know I was one up-until around a few years ago, was being trained after that." Naruto responded.
"How many tails before your cognition fails?" Bee asked.
"I don't know truly, never had to, maybe two?" he lied, it was the truth that he didn't know which gave the impression of an assumption, but he also wanted to plant the idea that he was weaker than he actually was, 'never a time not to give false intel.' He said in his head. He was fairly confident he could go to 3 while staying conscious, the agreement that he and the six-tails ironed out though said that he could access 4 while staying partly conscious. While Naruto did appreciate the friendly nature of Bee, that made him all the more suspicious as to his motives, if it was genuine, great, if not, it could be deadly for him.
Bee was confused at the signals he was getting, the last statement seemed to be a half-truth, but he didn't know which part was wrong and which was right, he understood the very shinobi-like sentiment, they were both supposed to be enemies.
Their conversation was cut-short when team Samui appeared, Karui, Omoi, and Samui both looking annoyed at both of them.
"What did I do this time?" Naruto asked, his seeming penchant for trouble being even more prevalent as time went on.
"Its not about you this time, Bee-sensei is summoned by the Raikage." Samui said, seemingly annoyed.
"Why are you so annoyed, I know you don't like getting toyed with, unless I've been seeing a myth." Bee rhymed questioningly
"Well I've had to track you through the mountains, asking just about every person in the village where in Kami's name you were, and I hear your toddling around with a foreign shinobi, from Mist of all places." Samui explained.
"Wait, he's a Mist Ninja?" Omoi's overthinking mind exploded with the possibilities of that so called 'revelation'.
Karui just stood slack jawed as bee continued to rhyme about his explanation. Not knowing what to think, this was an Uzumaki, and they were known to be some of the most feared ninja for their ingenuity, so she had to be on her toes, but him going around with Bee? While she did warn him going to these lengths was just an impossibility in her mind.
"Alright I'm just gonna go while I still can." Naruto said tip toeing out of the valley without resistance with the sound of screams and rhymes behind him.
He wanted to do something he just wasn't sure what, he couldn't train any technique he wasn't already a master in on the off chance that someone was watching him and discovered his role as a swordsman of the mist, or even worse, a Jinchuriki. Albeit in Naruto's mind that was already forfeit, a Kumo Jonin, a Jinchuriki no less, discovered him out.
So he went back to his apartment, he wasn't about to pay another 20 Ryo for overpriced sushi, even if it was good.
The hours of the day were done, he had to think about strategy for tomorrow, the first exam was upon them and he was not someone who liked to be caught unprepared, it was illegal to scout out the exam, they could strategize but for what? They didn't know what as to come, nor did they know their opponents.
The best thing in Naruto's mind was to relax his nerves, it was getting dark out and the birds were no longer in the sky, it was time for some rest. Tomorrow was tomorrow, yesterday was the past, lets make both seem a little better, sleep was that answer.
/ / / / / / / / / / /
Matsuri, Taiko, and Naruto were currently walking to Kumo's academy apparently it was supposed to start there, the first thing they saw was a door, with the number of the room they were supposed to be, but it was covered in chakra.
'Genjutsu' They all thought at once, all having the same thought twice when they said nothing and went past it to the next floor.
On the next floor they saw the same door, this time there was no chakra, the room was the same as any other in the entirety of Kumo, wooden, with windows, this room had a stage and a microphone and enough shinobi to take over an entire civilian nation of they were more skilled.
The fact that they didn't make much noise made it so that the room didn't immediately stare at them. Though they were stared at by anyone who noticed their headband. Mist-ninja were not all that welcome in Kumo, or any other country for that matter.
Kiri had a reputation for killing everyone that crossed them, and anyone that got in their way, and anyone they were hired to kill. Unfortunately, this policy didn't lend well to good allies, their last ally, Iwa, betrayed them before leaving, making Kiri have a difficult time making friends, or trusting them for that matter.
Speaking of the devils, a squad of Iwa ninja in the corner were playing cards, but the person next to them was much more interesting. A person in white hair in a ponytail, glasses, a smirk, a purple outfit, and some cards of his own. He was a Konoha ninja, Konoha and Kiri didn't have the best relationship, being enemies in two different great wars will do that, but it was no less then that off the other nations.
His squad talking amongst themselves, he walked over to the man, he himself was surrounded by other Konoha-nin, he seemed to have power of them, perhaps a superior? If so better listen in. But what he heard shocked him, those cards contained information on most of the ninja here, and in detail information at that. 'Maybe I should ask a question or two.'
He walked up to the man and waited his turn.
"Naruto Uzumaki, 23 D-ranks, 10 C-ranks, 2 B-ranks, 1 A-rank." Kabuto whistled as the crowd stared at him. 'Course he'd make a show of me, go figure.'
"Gimme info on one of the contestants, you won't bear the brunt of what it takes to survive an A-rank." Naruto said.
"Who?" Kabuto asked with a smirk, 'He really doesn't know what he's getting into.'
While Naruto saw through the façade of a genin, he also saw opportunity, his secrets were out, why not take his enemies out with them.
"There's a girl called Karui, she has a squad, that's not what I want to know, I've seen her other teammate, but her third, she was not with them at any point. That means two things, one its coincidence, two she's special." Naruto said.
"And there are no coincidences in the Shinobi world." Kabuto finished. He flipped through his cards and held it, his smirk dropped.
"Yugito Nii, her missions aren't listed, it just says 'avoid at all costs', ominous." Kabuto said.
Naruto frowned at this, all the signs pointed to one thing, Jinchuriki. A person that says avoid at all costs, is not shown around anyone, is here at the Kumo exams and not the next one, his meeting with Bee, and how team Samui was assigned, and the fact that Karui called him 'bee-sensei' implied that he was around a lot, to train.
He went back to his group, his newly found information was useful, his newly found team should know
"Sounds like a challenge." Taiko said with a bloodthirsty grin.
"Sounds like a problem." Matsuri commented.
"Seems like not my business until it inevitably is." Naruto replied to both, as they both snickered knowing his luck.
C walked into the room on the stage, garnering everyone's attention, as to them the test had already started, but the final part of this test was yet to be shown.
"If you noticed the door on the way up here, and I'm sure you did you noticed that it was covered in a light Genjutsu, congratulations, this is the precedent in this entire building, this room is the only room that isn't covered, your test is to exit the building." C said.
They widened their eyes as they realized the depth of dumpster they were in. They saw a kid immediately run towards the window only for an unknown Genjutsu on the window to disperse, it was a brick wall, and the kid just broke his nose.
"Only ten teams will make it out of here, if you don't leave with all your teammates, you fail, so don't leave them behind." C said
"Start!" C yelled across the room And with that, the test started.
/ / / / / / / / / /
Naruto was getting pissed, he was with his team, but this madhouse was ever evolving, it wasn't just that the Genjutsu was placed, it was moving and changing, with every Genjutsu that he dispersed, it seemed like two more were behind it.
With few options ahead, he figured he should plan instead of blindly going in, and consider said few options. 1, he could continue to brute force, no. 2, he could brute force with his prowess as a host, a last resort. Walk through them anyways and feel them trusting his other senses, he was a sensory shinobi after all, Acceptable.
"Hold onto my arm, I'm going to use my sensory abilities to get us out of here, its clear that our brute force strategy isn't going to work." Naruto commanded
"Figures you would have to get us out." Taiko said, annoyed at his own inferiority in the test.
Matsuri didn't say anything as she grabbed onto his shoulder.
Naruto walked forward through multiple layers of Genjutsu, his eyes closed, and while he could still see the Genjutsu in his sensory vision, he couldn't tell what was and what wasn't a Genjutsu, an invaluable tool in this test.
This entire part of the exam seemed to be going easy, the building itself was much larger than it seemed, the room they started in seemed to be multiple levels underground, no doubt that the room itself was rigged in some way. But they were only a floor away from exiting,
As he got closer to the exit the Genjutsu surprisingly got less and less dense.
"Someone's been here." Naruto said to his team,
They were all silent as they walked towards the exit door, all on edge as they exited the building. As they exited, they saw a single team. Team Samui, with a new face, a blond woman with laid back hair and a Kumo chunin uniform customed fitted with extra designs of clouds on the top chest portion. This sent alarm bells to team Tokuma, the person who was named previously as Yugito now had a face, one of danger.
They stared at each other for a moment, comparing each other as they both got out of the test at similar times, barely a minute apart of the screen in the back had a shrivel of truth to it. As the fourth team arrived, he saw another familiar face, Kabuto, his team had made it through. They locked eyes as they saw Yugito. An unspoken contract formed between them if Yugito became too much of a threat.
"I see you made it before me." Kabuto said, smirking.
"Wasn't first, she's just as dangerous as the card says." Naruto said, contrasting his face into a frown.
"So it seems, I have your back against her if you have mine." Kabuto said. 'If I can get Yugito to fight Naruto, we can get information on both of the jinchuriki, hopefully they will reveal their hand before I exit from the exams.' Kabuto said, his ploy in place to get information back to his serpentine master.
"Alright, try not to provoke her until the last exam, maybe we can corner her and then we can eliminate her. she's clearly the favorite in the exams, Kumo's trump card, if we can beat her, we can not only get passed the exams, but beating the favorite team would be very profitable for both of 'us'." His last word referencing their career, if they were to defeat Yugito that would mean that they would beat Kumo's chosen genin, proving their strength, and would bring pride to their villages.
"I like your way of thinking, be sure to not provoke her until then either." Kabuto said, smirking. His pieces in place to get information about both of the Jinchuriki.
A few feet away a blond was watching them, more specifically a certain blue-eyed red-head.
Yugito stared at the crimson-headed boy, her mind going into overdrive. 'The only way he got this far that quickly is if he had a trump card against Genjutsu, and this early on in his career? I know genin are notoriously unpredictable in skill, but the only way he could do that is if he had a biju, or similar chakra levels. I have to tell the Raikage, he has to know about this.' Yugito nearly yelled in her head, if he has such large chakra reserves, or even worse, a Biju, then the Raikage needs to know.
/ / / / / / / / / /
The closure of the first exam marked a point of separation between those who had the skill and guts to get through to the rest of the exam, and those who would have died in the second portion. Too much was on the line for Kiri and Kumo for them to reasonably let themselves loose their final candidates.
The final ten teams were sparsely aligned. Team Tokuma was the first and only Kiri team to make it. Konoha had two teams, Suna had one, Iwa had two, and one from Shimogakure. The remaining four teams were from Kumo. This led to an unbalance as it was highly unlikely that the Kumo teams would team up on each other, perhaps this was a strategy by the organizers, maybe it went even higher. Though it was a trend that home teams predominantly get the top spots.
Yugito's leak to the Raikage was more a shouting match as the Raikage sparred with his own mind as to what to do. On one hand not letting a village know about someone's jinchuriki status was both something expected, and something to be offended by, that is even if he had one, something he would have to talk to Bee about. Expected as an enemy village shouldn't know about someone's jinchuriki status especially so early on into their career. Offended because he is set loose in a foreign village. The first viewpoint also brought on thoughts of why someone would send someone into a foreign village to partake in the exams, this also split into how he could use the knowledge of the boys status against Kiri, or the alternative if it was a ploy by the village to gain favor. 'If this is a ploy it could lead to the humiliation of our village in its own exams, but if it isn't and they just want him to be a chunin, this could be profitable.'
The gamble in his mind was feasible enough, but he would have to see it play out before he made a rash decision, Konoha taught him that much.
/ / / / / / / / / /
Naruto and Co. were currently walking away from Kumo into the highlands of their northern coast, the second stage of the exam was set to be hosted in an old abandoned city. The trip short lived as the speed they were going at didn't allow for talk nor the time for it.
As they arrived they saw a city of steel and concrete and glass, bigger than Kumo itself, run down into oblivion. Though it seemed more alive than it had in ages as the genin and test staff were at the gates.
"Settle down!" C yelled from across the stage.
All the genin quickly quieted down and waited for the man to continue, if they were to miss any piece of information, in these tests, it could be fatal.
C continued, "In this city there are ten scrolls, 5 mountain, 5 cloud, you need one of each to get through to the final portion of the exams! At the center of the city is an Arena, you will go there once you have both scrolls. You will have to sign a contact that states that you consent to the possibility of your own death, and the consequences thereafter are not Kumo's responsibility, as the contract implies death and killing is allowed, albeit frowned upon. You will be in the city for 3 days, after that you automatically fail! Ill give you ten minutes to read the contract and gather your bearings."
The crowd of genin went pale at the declaration of death. They had just used a good portion of their chakra getting through the house of horrors that seemed to be the Kumo academy building, now they had to go though a city for three days with what little rations they could find and what was on them?
A challenge to be sure.
/ / / / / / / / / /
Naruto his team were currently going through the concrete jungle, jumping from high story building to high story building, below was a swamp with trees that extended twenty stories up glass shards laced throughout the windows of the buildings, desks throughout every single one.
"Kind eerie how all of this was once inhabited, makes me think what will happen when us shinobi are gone." Matsuri commented on her surroundings.
"Pointless thoughts, I don't think shinobi will be going anytime soon, but than again I agree that this place does have a character." Naruto said.
They kept going around, seeing the occasional shadow move was creepy enough as the sun went down. They decided to make camp for the moment, only lighting a small fire underneath a desk to not alert other teams of their presence, this being pointless as they heard the fire of battle below them.
"What the fuck is that?" Taiko commented, not welcome to the prospect of fighting this late at night in low to zero visibility.
"Seems someone is having a late-night scuffle." Naruto grinned, if they could capitalize, they could very well get their scrolls, they could be out of this abandoned city in less than a day.
They used chakra to stick to the skeleton of a building as they descended, letting some chakra go, they could stick to the building, but keep friction to a minimum, as they slid down.
The battle was between the Shimo team and the Konoha team, thankfully the one without Kabuto.
"Wait, we pounce when the first team falls, then we go in." Naruto ordered.
The original team Tokuma didn't like Naruto giving orders, but they saw the logic in not having a 3 man fight, less opponents and they didn't have to do most of the work anyway if the enemy was already tired from fighting another team.
Said red-head could feel exhaustion creep up on him, thankfully he almost never truly got tired from it just being late. But that didn't matter if he was going to fight someone in the near future.
It didn't matter, the fight was over, and from what it seemed either Shimo was cheating by sending in chunin, or these were all prodigies. The former more likely.
Taiko didn't wait for proper judgement to kick in as he rushed in kunai in hand going for one of the 'genin'. Said genin seemed to sense him and throw him back, while Taiko landed on his feet he was grazed by a kunai that had seemed to magically appear into his opponents hands. Thought he also nicked him in the hand so it seemed to be a worthwhile effort. The rest of his team and the rest of the Shimo genin team seemed to be occupied, that was good, atleast he didn't have to deal with three enemy genin.
"Brat." The Shimo genin growled under his breath, the Konoha team seemed to back away while they still could, a good shot it was.
"Being younger and better isn't a good base for an insult." Taiko smirked.
The Shimo genin shot forward only to be nicked again, this time searing off a patch of hair.
"YOU BRAT, YOU KNOW HOW MUCH THIS HAIR COSTS TO MAINTAIN!?" The Shimo genin shouted from across the opposite clearing.
"If it costs anywhere near the amount of times you talk id be surprised." Taiko shot back.
Taiko following his own words decided the time for talk was done as he himself swerved from side to side trying to make his movements unpredictable as he approached, throwing three shuriken to make his opponent dodge, the ran toward the spot he predicted he would dodge too, kunai in hand he stabbed forward, hitting the Shimo genin straight in the eye.
'Maybe these were just genin.' He thought as the Shimo genin sunk to the grove below, now submerged as he leaked blood in the water.
Naruto quickly walked up to him, scroll in hand as he said words that could only bring a smile.
"We got lucky, two scrolls. Now lets get out of this hell-hole."
/ / / / / / / / / /
As they entered the building in the middle of all the concrete, with wood walls came a comfort of knowing you're in the clear. C walked up and inspected the scrolls, seeing both signs and knowing both were not a counterfeit, he let them in.
Naruto walked in with pride knowing he got it on the first day. Only for said pride to crumble as he saw team Samui, laying on a coach, most of them passed out.
"That's not normal." Matsuri commented on how fast they got there.
"Its concerning, if they are already here, they already knocked out another team on their way." Naruto said.
Naruto saw this as only more confirmation of team Samui being a wild card. The team had just gone through two tests and not revealed a single thing other than that they are competent, a rare trait in people so young.
Though he shouldn't focus on it, it was the first day back and he should get some rest, and from the looks of it, Matsuri and Taiko could use some rest too. If the lines under their eyes and the telltale signs of exhaustion were anything to go by.
'This can be settled in the morning' Naruto thought as he motioned his team to their lodgings, no need thinking about it right now, tomorrow they would be waiting for the other teams anyways, and now it was time for a good nights rest.
/ / / / / / / / / /
Naruto woke up with the feeling of Taiko pouring cold water on his face.
"FUCK YOU!" Naruto screamed to the boy, which could only laugh at the red head.
"It's time to wake up~, plus two of the other teams stopped by with scrolls, only one to go." Taiko said.
'This could mean a lot of things, all bad.' Naruto thought, he didn't think he slept a whole day, and the sun was mid-way in the sky, it was noon. He slept in. 'I never sleep in.' Naruto thought as he recounted last night, the more he thought about it the more it made sense, it was late, and he did kill yesterday.
But what concerned Naruto the most was how two other teams came in, that means the majority of the fighting had already concluded or was going to conclude shortly. That meant all the other teams were atleast comparable, and considering he was mildly carrying his team, he wasn't sure the rest of his team could make it.
He was snapped from these thoughts as when he walked downstairs, he saw Kabuto, his only external ally.
"Glad you could make it, seems our friend also did, and in similar fashion." Naruto said motioning Kabuto to follow him to a more private area.
"Who did she take out?" Naruto asked.
"I think she took out the Suna team, I only saw the aftermath, if I'm correct she has a fire affinity, a strong one." Kabuto said, explaining his results.
"I think we have an even bigger problem." Naruto said widening his eyes at the new information, he had already suspected her status, but a fire affinity in Kumo, and a strong one? She had reserves that allowed her to pass through both exams in first place, unknown, relation to another known jinchuriki, 'Avoid at all costs'?
Jinchuriki
"Are you actually thinking that?" Kabuto said, faking fear.
"It's the only real conclusion I can think of, all the signs point to it." Naruto said.
"Then your right, we do have a problem."
They were alerted when C shouted for everyone to come down to the lowest level of the building, a stadium, with a podium and stands around it with Tokuma and the rest of the Sensei on them.
"It has been decided beforehand by the number of applicants that we need to cut down the amount of people entering into the final stage, we currently have fifteen, let's cut that down to seven. You will be, at random, selected for a dual, there are no rules, except that you have to stay the ring, and if we declare the match to be over, its over, no questions, you stop." C said, glaring at the Naruto and his fellow Mist-nin.
Naruto caught the message, 'So you don't want me to kill your precious genin do you?' he thought.
"If you wish to drop out, this is your last chance!" C called out. Expecting no one he almost went on before he heard a silver haired genin.
"I'm dropping out!" Kabuto yelled, surprising everyone.
"Alright, head to the stands or head back to your hotel, as for the rest of you, get to the stands, preferably next to the rest of your team, we'll call you down." C yelled, motioning the genin to vacate the arena.
A screen behind C showed the results of who was going to be fighting who.
Naruto x Omoi
Yugito x (Random Konoha Genin)
Taiko x (Random Kumo Genin)
Matsuri x Karui
The important ones being almost always put together was shown proven, and the contestants readied for a fight.
After a few fights between a Konoha genin and a Kumo genin, C called down both Naruto and Omoi. Both boys eyeing each other up for an opening even before the match started, C calculating how Naruto could topple the entirety of the Shinobi world overthinking too much, and Naruto looking at Omoi's footwork. Footwork is always a sign that someone new what they were doing, a sign of skill, but deadliness had to be counted in the fight and not with preround studying.
"START!" C yelled
Neither moved, then both moved, not fast, in a circular motion going around each other. They both gripped their swords at the same time, each trying to outpace each other. Naruto realized the boy was fast, but not faster than him, 'already an advantage.'
Omoi, lollipop in his mouth, was thinking about how Naruto was matching each of his moves without any noticeable delay. It was concerning-
He was cut off as Naruto jumped forward sword in hand as he want for a strike, hiding his second sword from view, Omoi blocked the sword as Naruto preemptively threw a two kunai, one shadowing another so only one would be noticed by Omoi, and then used his second to stab and Omoi's chest.
'I gotta dodge, maybe I could use that kunai he threw to substitute out?' He thought and acted, only for his neck to be held hostage as Naruto did the same thing to the Kunai that shadowed.
Naruto was now surrounded by multiple Kumo Jonin, 'Suppose this is the signal to stop.' He withdrew his swords and grabbed his kunai from the walls.
"Naruto Uzumaki is declared the Winner!" C declared.
/ / / / / / / / / /
The Balcony Overseeing the Arena
"That kid doesn't play nice does he." Samui commented on the fight.
"Was he supposed to?" Tokuma said from behind, not surprising her as she sensed him.
"Suppose not, but from the look in his eyes he didn't exactly want to stop there." Samui replied.
"I say it's a good quality for a shinobi to have; no hesitation." Tokuma said walking from behind her to the edge of the balcony.
"Another good quality is restraint." Samui responded with a hint of annoyance.
Before Tokuma could respond to the comment C called the match for Yugito, the next match that apparently had already happened.
Naruto looked on in dismay, the Konoha genin wasn't up to par at all, who suggested him being in these exams obviously had an ulterior motive besides the boy. Yugito dispatched in record time, she used above average speed, to be expected, and nothing else except the standard Kumo taijutsu style, he still had not a smidge of information on her that was actually confirmed, and it was starting to get on his nerves. Kabuto had dropped out of the exam, he couldn't rely on him, nor could he his team if he were to be honest with him, this girl appeared to be way ahead of them, maybe ahead of him.
A thought he wasn't comfortable with.
Taiko's match ended in similar fashion, it was clear those genin were not the prime target of who was expected to win. Someone else from their team was supposed to, they were just fodder to get the person where they needed to be.
/ / / / / / / / / /
"Begin!" C yelled down at the arena below, containing one Matsuri of Kiri, and Karui of Kumo.
They had patience for each other as they rushed each other. A flurry of sparks as kunai struck kunai went ablaze as they used regular clones to try to deceive each other, with neither truly having the upper hand.
Matsuri went back weaving hand seals, the only thing is there was a problem in affinity, they were in Kumo.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Whip!"
Before the water could even fully form Karui grabbed the water and channeled her lightning chakra into it, and just like that it was lights out.
/ / / / / / / / /
The genin jumped down from the balcony and lined up, the successful candidates having been listed below.
Naruto of Kiri
Yugito of Kumo
Taiko of Kiri
Karui of Kumo
Neji of Konoha
Shin of Konoha
Kagen of Kumo
"You will have the next two weeks to prepare, rest up, and train, for the final test. Make sure to be at your best, a bad showing will represent poorly on your village, and a good one will bring prosperity." C Yelled
"Dismissed!"
/ / / / / / / / / /
Kabuto watched in amusement at the fights, Naruto and Yugito had proven themselves to be very powerful, maybe enough for notice to his leader.
"I wonder what will become of you, Uzumaki Naruto." He whispered in a hushed town as he walked down the corridor of another base.
/ / / / / / / / /
That's it, I got it done on Christmas day, if barely.
The next chapter will finish the fight and rap up these loose ends, but I won't expect it for a bit, maybe another half-month. Give me some time and I believe the quality will improve.
I believe the short nature of the fights represent the fact that genin are powerful, but don't have endurance for a long, protracted fight, so they have fairly high-ranking techniques, but they can't take a hit from one themselves.
But that's it for this first month of this being out, I do hope to see you again soon.
~ Your local Idiot