A/N Heeeeey, I'm back . . . Hurray? Yeah, so, I blipped off the radar for a while. Can't do much about that, it happens. I was even gracious enough to warn you in the first chapter it would eventually happen. Inconsistent updates folks, I called it didn't I? I should get a prize for my omnipotence.
In any case, thanks for all the nice reviews. There's a new chapter to be read. I hope you like it.
Legacy Ascending
The Exam Begins
~ Early morning – The Hokage office ~
"Let me just ask you one thing, Hokage-sama. Have you become slightly unhinged in your age?"
"Please, at least ask me something relevant, Shikaku." Sarutobi replied nonchalantly to his subordinate's abrasive question. The old leader had been in a perpetual good mood for the past few days. People had taken note of it, but the old man had omitted a clear answer to every question on the matter. Unfortunately, Shikaku Nara seemed to think he was becoming senile.
Hiruzen couldn't really blame the man. Shikaku simply didn't have the pieces, nor was he aware of the game taking place.
Konoha's resident mastermind took a calming breath at the Sandaime's unbothered dismissal. "Very well, I'll start by asking why the hell you thought it was a good idea to invite Iwa and Kumo to this exam. Or Kiri for that matter."
"You've asked me that a few times this month already Shikaku, and to think some of the clan heads doubted they would even show up."
"Of course they showed up! We literarily gave them a free pass into Konoha. Anyone would have taken that opportunity." The Nara shook his head, disturbed by the lack of impact his words had on the man in front of him.
The Sandaime pointed to the folders sandwiched under his commander's arm. "Financial reports I take it? Give them here and I'll verify them."
The Jonin commander handed the papers over almost reluctantly. "We've reached a new low on funds: The new construction projects have proved themselves expensive – as I warned. We could at least have cut some costs by charging the stay of the participants."
"I never doubted your warnings, Shikaku, but charging their stay would be unwise." The Sandaime replied as he skimmed over the numbers. Shikaku let out another long breath.
"Hokage-sama, your recent decisions have left a lot to be desired. Certainly, Jiraiya-sama's return is wonderful news, but where do you keep the Uzumaki?" Shikaku put his hands on the desk in front of him and leaned forward to stare at his leader's unbothered visage.
The Sandaime continued to glance over the numbers.
Shikaku let out his frustrations with the man. "Why build all these new things? The arena, the apartments, why? The fact that we're going to host this vast exam of yours tomorrow is just great. My son will be there, and with so many unknowns participating I worry for his safety – him and the rest of the rookies."
The Sandaime paused in his readings to look at his commander; the man met his gaze with steely determination. Hiruzen knew Shikaku's devotion was the sole reason he still had the magnificent Jonin commander at his side. Even so, Hiruzen could identify a fraying loyalty when he saw one. The Hokage held up two fingers with the air of a man who expected things to be done.
Shikaku observed as two previously hidden ANBU's appeared in the darkened corners of the room. Both cleared out after activating a number of privacy seals behind some of the many canvases of the room.
Shikaku Nara took a seat, inwardly very satisfied with the sudden turn of events. "I take it you're finally going to explain some of this to me?" The commander guessed.
"Yes." Some of it."Five months ago, I received some . . . peculiar news from our ambassador in Sunagakure."
"And?"
"It was a simple note. It stated how he had come to realize he had several matters left unattended in Konoha. He wanted to return home to put these affairs in order."
Shikaku waited expectantly.
"Unfortunately, he never had a chance to return home. He died the day after he wrote the message."
The Nara grunted, clearly displeased. "This is why we shouldn't have stopped indoctrinating spies into our ally nations. Someone trained for that sort of scenario would have been far more able to cover his trace. Our diplomat might have survived."
"I still say we can't build our alliances on distrust, Shikaku, but I'll admit the idea is far more tempting now. In any case, I immediately had Ibiki thoroughly examine the letter. Our standard screening process never found anything, but Ibiki discovered something of note."
"Out with it." Shikaku replied. He disliked how the Sandaime had to be theatrical at times.
"There was no encrypted message, no hidden code, at least not in the actual words. However, the letter contained trace elements of things you usually don't find in paper, like pigments and paraffin."
A light of interest flickered in Shikaku's eyes. "I see, and what did Ibiki make of it?"
"He realized no amount of staring at the note under the light would help. Instead he made this." The Hokage picked out a particularly thin paper from one of his drawers. "It's a drawing. By covering the letter with this paper, Ibiki brought out the secrets by gently scrubbing a piece of charcoal over it. Very simplistic."
Shikaku took the paper handed to him, his brows furrowed. He took a long look. His eyes were grave when he looked up at his leader again.
"A snake?"
"Eating leafs? Yes. I also think it's lying on a sand dune, but it's a bit hard to tell."
"I understand how one can arrive at some conclusions from this, but still, it's farfetched." The Jonin commander seemed skeptical.
The Sandaime straightened in his cushioned armchair. "This is not shogi, Shikaku. We don't have the luxury of a bird's eye view of the entire battlefield and everyone in it. I have to make do with what little intelligence I have, and ignoring this would be the height of stupidity."
Shikaku nodded, he could agree with that. "Exactly how many knows?"
"Me, you and Ibiki. Jiraiya is also in the fold. Now, I discovered this five months ago, and as you stated, this is a bit farfetched. At the time I immediately contacted Jiraiya and gave him the gist of our discoveries. As is his wont whenever Orochimaru is concerned, he agreed to investigate."
The Sandaime let out a small sigh. "He trekked off with our young Namikaze, and headed for Otogakure."
Shikaku looked up in surprise. "The new village just above our northern borders?"
"Precisely that one. It's sudden appearance was suspicious in and of itself, and we knew Orochimaru liked to meddle. Frankly, at the time it seemed unlikely he was not involved with the village in some way. The incriminating letter we received convinced Jiraiya to look for clues after the snake, and as Jiraiya had no good leads on Orochimaru's whereabouts . . ."
"He went to a place he felt Orochimaru might have been active, not unreasonable given the situation. But did he have to bring the boy?" Shikaku questioned.
"No, but Jiraiya is of the opinion that Naruto is safest by his side. I don't really fault him for that, It's not wrong of him."
Shikaku gave a slight shrug. "The important thing is they made it out alive."
"They did, although not wholly unscathed. Naruto killed."
Shikaku raised a brow in mild interest; he hoped there was a report. "I take it Jiraiya-sama found something of note after going through so much trouble?"
The Hokage eyed his Jonin commander with amusement. "It turns out Orochimaru was more than just involved, he controls Otogakure."
The Sandaime continued on, and the Jonin commander listened with hard eyes.
"Whatever our diplomat discovered in Suna, his message was clear enough to understand. Orochimaru intends to destroy the leaf. The Chunin exams would be the perfect time to do it. To add weight to this, I have noticed several odd inconsistencies in the past few months. Did you know the Kazekage intends to bring an honor guard over twice the usual size this year? Peculiar, no? Naturally, I began to prepare."
"Then, all of this . . . the invites to Iwa, Kiri, Kumo and all the lesser nations, the apartments, the new arena . . ?" Shikaku listed.
"I knew the addition of the other nations would completely unhinge Orochimaru's carefully planned schemes. Now he has to adapt to a whole new set of players, and he can't lash out carelessly unless he wants to make enemies with the most powerful elemental nations."
Shikaku shook his head slightly in an attempt to distance himself from the situation. "You're aware this is a double edged sword, right? Orochimaru could pin a lot of the blame on Konoha in a combat scenario, we're the hosts here."
"I fully expect him to try. We just have to make sure it does not happen. What you have to realize, Shikaku, is that I intend to make Konoha seem unbeatable through these little war games we like to dub as exams. I want the public to marvel at the capacity of our shinobi this year."
"Not bad thinking, but is that image going to hold up once we get invaded?" The Nara murmured concernedly. The Hokage eyed his commander coolly.
"I'm building an 'image', because it will help deter other nations from joining Orochimaru. Anyone tempted by Orochimaru will have second thoughts after witnessing our top Genin in action. Not to mention our gracious treatment of the participants will make them feel . . . flattered and accepted. A rent-free stay in new rooms goes a far way in establishing good relations, and the new arena is crucial because we will host a far larger event this year, and it has a multitude of safety mechanisms built within."
"I can follow you on that. Except: our top Genin? Whom are you referring to? The Uchiha? Or one of the Hyuuga's?"
A small smile stretched across the Sandaime's face.
"He went beyond even my expectations. Our top contender in the Exams is going to be none other than Minato's legacy, and he's developed even faster than I thought he would."
"Naruto?" Shikaku blinked at the revelation, although, in hindsight he should have expected it. The Sandaime looked smug as he pulled out a folder from his desk. The Nara clan head received it and opened the folder with curiosity.
What he read was astounding.
"Is this . . . Is it all legitimate?" He asked in marvel.
The Hokage hummed affirmatively. Shikaku continued to skim over the Uzumaki's file.
"Why has he only been graded in the traditional combat skills? There's more to a shinobi than Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Genjutsu." Shikaku asked quietly, his attention still on the folder.
"Oh, we examined a great deal more of his abilities, but I decided to send his combat stats to the examination committee."
A small smile appeared on the Sandaime's face.
"I did not give them a name or a description along with the file, in the case of someone biased getting their hands on it. After all, that file is literary proof Naruto is worth his salt as a high-ranking shinobi. There will be no disputing it once I promote him after the exams."
Shikaku nodded slowly, not at all surprised at the deception. His eyes paused at the last sentences of the assessment. They're recommending him for the title of special Jonin, as a heavy hitter I suppose. Well, his shape and Nature manipulation is ridiculously advanced, and that would be an asset in teams who lack firepower. The Sandaime is as clever as he is underhanded.
Even so, Shikaku couldn't help but to reconsider the situation. "Are you sure you want to reveal him? He could be a great ace in the sleeve, and he will undoubtedly become an even better asset in the future. Particularly because of his Jinchuriki status. Unveiling him now is risky, he'll get targeted."
The Sandaime folded his hands under his chin and gazed at his commander in a more serious manner again. "That's how we traditionally do things with our strongest early bloomers; it is for their own safety. The thing is, I have a plan for our Uzumaki, and keeping him out of the spotlight is not conductive to that plan."
Nara Shikaku blinked. He partially opened his mouth, and then he closed it without saying anything.
"Very well." He finally let out in a tired sigh. "I should call back some of our active Jonin. We definitely need our forces here."
Shikaku rose up from the comfortable armchair, and gave his leader a questioning look. "When are the Kage's coming, precisely?"
"I invited them to bear witness to the entirety of the exam. But it seems they're only going to bother with the finale."
"So a month then, barring none of them shows up out of the blue." Shikaku was mumbling more to himself than to Sarutobi at this point. He looked up after a moment's pause to put down the folder.
"I'll take my leave then, Hokage-sama. I have work to do, a lot more than expected." How can so much change in the span of a single conversation? Was the Nara's thoughts right then.
Hiruzen nodded amiably. "Dismissed. Do what you think is best, Shikaku, I trust your judgement."
The Nara clan head gave a last dip of his head before leaving the office. Preparations were in order.
~ Same time – With Naruto ~
The Braying Mare was an inn in the red light district, and from what Naruto could gather at first glance, the place seemed used to its fair share of drinking and parties going by the worn down look of the room. Naturally, it had to be a lively place if his teacher had decided to take up residence. Jiraiya was a picky man when it came to certain things – lodging being one of them. Naruto had no doubt the tavern also catered to the more carnal desires of its clientele.
He just hoped he wouldn't find his teacher with a girl hanging off of him in his room this morning. Naruto had to have a one on one talk with him, a difficult scenario if the man was busy groping somebody.
The young Uzumaki spent no more time in the doorway and walked across the fairly empty room – a Henge concealed his more prominent features. Just as he was about to question the innkeeper, the large form of his protective guardian lumbered down a set of stairs in the back of the large, open room. He was bleary-eyed, Naruto noticed. The toad sage jerked his head at the front door. Naruto nodded back minutely and followed his master out of the dingy establishment.
Out on the streets, Naruto moved up to his teacher's side. The apprentice only threw some halfhearted looks around them. He was supposed to remain incognito until the exams by order of the Sandaime, but it irked him to lay low.
"I was wondering when you would show up." Jiraiya broke the silence first. His tone of voice was amiable, but an octave lower than usual.
"I had some errands to run." Naruto replied in the same low-key tone, and stayed in step with his master when he walked into a back alley.
He wasn't lying either, Naruto had been a busy guy as of late. His intense spar with Kakashi had made some nicks in his tanto. A local blacksmith had mended the knife for a considerable sum. Chakra conductive metals being difficult to work with pushed the price. Luckily, money was not really an issue for Naruto.
More importantly, Naruto had snuck into Konoha's Shinobi library the other day – for a whole slew of reasons. He had no access without any shinobi license, so stealth had been necessary. The fact that he was Jiraiya's apprentice was not official. Actually, his apprenticeship with the sage was knowledge only a select few people in the elemental nations were privy to. Ergo, Naruto had no shinobi license.
Once inside the library, Naruto had went about acquiring a wide variety of writings. Firstly, he had gathered some Fuuinjutsu designs and old jutsu scrolls, simply out of professional interest. Then he ventured deeper, the administrative records and Konoha's mission details resided in a section all its own, and required additional clearance. Fortunately, Naruto had bypassed the security with relative ease after first employing some recognizance.
When inside, Naruto had prioritized information regarding Danzo. As expected, there was no mention of 'Root' anywhere. Naruto had gone over Danzo's old mission details in the hopes of learning something about the man, but whenever he thought he was getting close to something substantial, he arrived at another dead end.
It occurred to him that Danzo might have enough clout to make subtle alterations to the reports. If the man hadn't outright lied during briefing or made changes afterward himself. Naruto didn't hold much beneath that man.
Even so, with ample amounts of shadow clones, the young shinobi in training had been able to scour through thousands of pages in a single hour. He learned some things, and not all of them were merely trivial. Knowledge of Danzo's preferred Taijutsu style and elemental affinity might just come in handy one day when Sarutobi was no longer Hokage.
Not everything he looked at pertained to the leader of Root. He may or may not have stolen a file regarding Uzumaki Kushina. In fact, any information regarding the Uzumaki had been closely examined. That being said, Naruto took everything in with a pinch of salt, not a lot remained of his deceased clan and village. He was always critical to anything he read about the Uzumaki, there were too many theories surrounding his destroyed clan for all of them to be true.
Someday he might go to the ruins of Uzushiogakure to look for answers himself. It would be a pilgrimage of sorts, a journey of self-discovery. A wry smile formed on his face at that.
Jiraiya brought him out of his musings.
"Errands, ey? Well, you're not the only one busy in town, I can tell you that much. I'm actually heading out to get a soak and relieve some of the tension. Wanna join?" The sage ended his monologue with a questioning glance.
"Meh, I'll pass. But I'll tag along with you for now." Naruto responded. The two were still walking through side alleys to stay out of sight from the public.
Jiraiya gave his apprentice an appraising look.
"I spoke with the old man yesterday. He was pleased with your test results to say the least." The sage said. He was clearly amused.
"I haven't seen the results yet, actually. I have a meeting with him tomorrow before the exam begins. I'll probably have a look then." "
"How much did you hold back?" Jiraiya asked solemnly.
Naruto shot his guardian a blank look.
"The Sandaime already had a rundown of what I could do, thanks to you. If I downplayed my skills much he would have noticed."
"The key-word here being 'much'." Jiraiya interjected.
Naruto dipped his head, conceding to that. "I don't know if the Sandaime told you, but Danzo was there. Can't say I like the idea of him knowing everything I can do."
"I heard. So? What did you do?" The man prodded.
"I never showed them anything unless they specifically asked for it, and I only held back when I thought I could get away with it." Too bad Tenzo had to be so insistent and thorough."I managed to keep a lid over a couple of things, but I still feel uncomfortable with that creep knowing my skillset so well."
"Hehe, which is why you've come to the one and only, the great Jiraiya-sama this wonderful morning." The toad sage spoke with the utmost confidence in his words. Naruto disliked how spot on the man actually was. He tried not to show it though.
"Yes, that's why I came to see you, sensei. So you could teach me something new." Naruto replied.
Jiraiya gave his young apprentice a knowing look. Naruto regularly called him by that title if he wanted to learn something out of the ordinary.
"I know what you're thinking kid, but it's still too early for that. Something else will have to do."
Naruto gave his teacher a sullen look.
"Why? What makes Senjutsu so difficult?"
"Well, one mistake and you're petrified, there's that." Jiraiya replied drily.
"When did I last do a mistake, sensei?" Naruto countered.
Jiraiya let out a long-suffering sigh. "Forget about Senjutsu for now, kid. That particular branch of chakra demands a large time window to master, which we don't have. I'm not gonna gamble on your smarts and pray you make it work in time for tomorrow's exam."
The two had stepped out of the alley and into a busy street. Naruto kept his eyes downcast as he walked alongside his teacher. His response was quiet, but Jiraiya picked it up even through all the commotion around them. "I was thinking you could teach me some of it after the initial phase of the exam, actually. It's your decision of course, but at least show me something of note . . . Something powerful on its own. An ace. I'll need it by the end of this farce."
"Are you implying some of the things I show you aren't noteworthy?" Jiraiya mused questioningly.
"Pretty much." Naruto grinned, but the carefree smile slipped quickly. "You know what I mean, old guy."
By now, the two of them had slipped into another of the many sideways veining through the red light district.
"So, no help at all during the exams then? No 'super sage guidance'?" If he were being honest, the exams themselves would actually be a breeze. He just happened to have a lot more on his plate than just examinations.
"Sorry to say, but I've got my own objectives. You have to go it on your own at some point, kid. At least you're gonna be on home turf."
"I'll manage." Naruto replied in earnest. "Whatever the Sandaime wants, I can do it. But I expect you to be around when this whole thing falls apart."
Jiraiya gave a serious nod. "Of course."
Instead of replying, Naruto halted in his movement when he registered something unexpected. Jiraiya quickly noticed his stop.
"What?"
Naruto answered slowly, his mind working through several scenarios as he spoke. "Something just triggered the tremor sensitive seal on my apartment door."
"Oh, you actually bother with using those?" The sage asked in bewilderment.
Naruto eyed his teacher with mild exasperation. In response, he held up a small paper seal for his lackadaisical master to see – it was a standard mirror seal. In short, a mirror seal would always mirror the effects and changes done to its mirroring partner. The one Naruto carried right now was mirroring the tremor seal attached to his front door.
Jiraiya gave the seal a quick look. A thin stream of vapid smoke rose from the elaborate patterns, and the outer edges of each kanji were slightly singed.
"It did its job." Naruto stated. Someone's at my door? Or is it something else . . ? I should head back and find out in either case.
"You off then?" Jiraiya guessed.
Naruto gave off a positive hum. He then jumped against the closer wall. The acrobatic youth spring-boarded himself further up, and then he grabbed hold of a decrepit lamppost with one hand and heaved himself up to grab the edge of the stone roof with the other. The youngster heaved and pulled himself onto the roof, he rose to look down at his teacher.
"I'd give some penalty points for bad style at the end there." The man commented with a cheery smile.
"Yeah yeah." Naruto waved that away.
"Don't get killed in the aftermath of these exams, okay? I don't want more dead students." Jiraiya proclaimed from the ground. His tone was jokingly, but the words were not.
"I don't plan to." Naruto said before disappearing in a silent shunshin.
Jiraiya stared at the spot where his godson had been. "Neither did your father, kid."
~ The Contestants Apartments ~
Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura traded glances. No one answered the door.
"Let's try the next one, Sasuke-kun." Sakura ventured carefully, to which Sasuke grunted noncommittally. The young Uchiha didn't want his teammate to read too much into this. His only motivation in coming here was to settle a debt – whatever Sakura thought was not it.
He didn't want an ominous life-debt hanging over him in the exams. The Uchiha didn't know if the odd blonde boy would try to exploit the debt in the exams or not. Nevertheless, Sasuke wanted to remove the debt quickly – there was no harm in being careful.
The acclaimed genius had expected the foreigner to seek him out to resolve the stupid debt. He had not. So, with the exams starting the next day, Sasuke had spontaneously agreed to come with Sakura that day. The girl had nagged about tracking down Naruto the last few days. Apparently, she wanted to thank him properly.
That seemed like wasted time to Sasuke, who didn't care all that much about the blonde. Naruto – as the boy had called himself, had seemed powerful. Sasuke would have probably found him interesting in the days before Itachi had ruthlessly killed off their entire clan.
Nowadays Sasuke found it hard to give much of a damn about anything, particularly people. He only desired one thing. To avenge his clan by killing the man responsible for their annihilation.
Anything not related to that muddled down to pretty much the same. Therefore, Sasuke didn't care. Period.
Sakura stepped away from the door when no one answered, and Sasuke followed her with his hands in his pockets, shoulders slouched. Actually finding the stupid blonde foreigner had proven itself a struggle.
"Are you perhaps looking for someone?"
Sasuke whirred around in a reflexive jerk. Sakura turned normally, but blinking like an owl. A man towered in front of them, not menacingly, but clearly expecting respect. He had a lithe body with an angular face. The forehead protector wrapped around his arm immediately identified him as a Kiri Shinobi.
Sasuke had half a mind to tell him to mind his own business. Sakura was faster to respond.
"Yes!" She called out in a pinched voice. Sasuke almost snorted, Sakura always stepped carefully around any authoritarian, with the exception of Kakashi.
"I – that is, we are looking for a boy our age. We think he's here for the exams."
The unfamiliar man nodded along. A few strands of dark brownish hair fell across a pair of intense eyes, also brown. "I see. How does he look like then?"
Sakura's eyebrows creased a bit, and she looked down at the ground searchingly.
"Ehm, I think he's about our height. Bright hair, Blonde. Uhm. Eyes were . . . Blue or green, I can't remember for sure . . ." Sakura trailed off and looked up expectantly at the shinobi.
The Kirigakure Jonin crossed his arms and hummed thoughtfully, as if he was pondering something more profound.
"Well, I and the rest of my team were escorted here a few days ago with a whole slew of different teams. I only spotted one blonde-haired person though, a female. I'm afraid the person you're looking for is not a resident here, he might be from one of the lesser privileged villages. In which case he's probably renting a room somewhere in the village with the rest of his team. Tough luck."
Sakura frowned and looked down dejectedly. "Oh. I see."
Sasuke gave a small shake of his head. "I don't think a guy that strong is from some outback country with no proper hidden village."
The Kirigakure team leader arched an eyebrow at the presumptuous line. He opened his mouth to respond, but paused when a small group of obvious Genin came strolling down the stairs.
The man - still unnamed to Sakura and Sasuke – gave the two of them a brief glance each. There was no intensity to his eyes any longer, and Sakura couldn't help but feel like he had lost whatever interest he'd initially had in them. He twirled around in a shinobi-like motion and stalked off. He gave a last parting comment.
"I'll take my leave now, as my team is waiting. A word of advice to you two – Don't underestimate anyone in these exams. Not even opponents from an 'outback' village."
Sasuke's pride took a dent, and he stared surly after the man. Sakura didn't know how to react, and an uncomfortable silence took place. As was her wont, Sakura began ranting.
"Er, should we try somewhere else then? It could be difficult to find him now though. Hmm, maybe the best thing is to wait until tomorrow. We're sure to see him in the exams, right? I mean, there's no way he's not going to compete. No, I'm sure we-"
"Do what you want, I'm done." Sasuke cut in.
"O-okay." Sakura hated herself for stuttering. If only she could be more composed!
"Done with what exactly?"
Both Sasuke and Sakura snapped their eyes back to the staircase.
Standing casually there was Naruto, an amused smile fixed to his face.
"You do live here!" Sakura shouted and pointed at Naruto as if he was a criminal.
"Well, yes." He answered easily and walked towards them. Sasuke folded his arms, content to watch for the moment.
Naruto threw a thumb over his back.
"Did you also run into the Kiri team just now? Their team leader seemed strange. He looked at me as if I was a ghost or something. That Genin in the front though, she seemed dangerous." Naruto gave Sasuke a bright smile. "You might have to watch out for her, Uchiha-san."
Sasuke frowned at the implied slight to his skills.
"She won't be a problem, as long as you don't trip me up with any demands tomorrow."
Naruto blinked once. Twice. Realization struck. "Oh, you don't have to worry about anything like that."
Sasuke gave him a long stare. Naruto returned it evenly.
"Well, that's good then." Sasuke finally acquiesced. He gave Naruto a last look, before he jumped onto the metal railings of the balcony. He was about to jump off when Sakura nagged again.
"Sasuke-kun! We haven't even thanked him yet, where are you going?"
Ugh. Sasuke reluctantly turned his head around from his crouch on the railings. He supposed he could spare the blonde two words of gratitude before he went off.
He opened his mouth to do just that, when he noticed Naruto wasn't even paying either of them any attention. Instead, he was inspecting one of them many doors they had knocked on earlier.
Clearly, Naruto didn't really care if he thanked him or not. Which was fine by Sasuke. He could leave if that was the case.
"Which of you knocked?"
Sasuke gave pause for the second time, now slightly annoyed.
"Huh? What do you mean?" Sakura wondered aloud.
"Sakura knocked. Why?" Sasuke replied monotonously. He was a bit curious as to why Naruto wanted to know something so trivial. How does he know we knocked in the first place? A lucky guess? Simple deduction?
"Because I'm curious. Did you use much force when you knocked, Sakura-chan?"
"Well, we've tried a lot of doors today, I might have gotten a bit frustrated and – oh, what's that, Naruto-san?"
Sasuke sighed in defeat and slipped off the railing, this had better be worth it. As it turned out, it was.
The inside of the door Naruto was inspecting had a large seal affixed to it unlike any other Sasuke had ever seen. It brought up an old line he'd heard sometime in the academy. Fuuinjutsu was not just an art. It was a science. Each line has a purpose, and nothing is ever out of place. That was Fuuinjutsu, and looking at the seal in front of him. He could only agree.
"It's my alarm system. See these blackened areas in the outer rings?" Naruto asked, gesticulating with his hands.
Sakura nodded fervently, wholly consumed by the complex seal in front of her. Sasuke unconsciously leaned closer.
"They appeared a few minutes ago, when you knocked."
Sakura blinked owlishly. "Really? How come?"
Naruto held up his mirror seal. "Well, I thought somebody had knocked down my door, I didn't really expect you two to be honest."
Naruto gestured to the seal on the door. "That's a tremor seal; it's keyed to this mirror seal. I activate the seal when I leave the apartment, and if something happens, my mirror seal will warn me."
Sasuke found himself nodding along. It seemed like useful equipment. That mirror seal is probably just as complicated as the tremor seal. Why have I never even heard of these?
"T-that's amazing!" Sakura said two octaves louder than necessary.
Naruto drew a blank at the sudden enthusiasm. "Oh, really? You think so?"
Sasuke deadpanned. Doesn't he realize how complicated and far ahead this Fuuinjutsu is?
"Of course I do!" Sakura was quick to declare. "Did you make this yourself?"
"I did. I have a lot more of this inside if you want to see some?"
"Absolutely!"
Sasuke straightened up. It was about time to leave.
"I'd actually planned to finish my set up of the chemistry lab today, but that can wait for a little while longer. I can show you some of the weapons I have, if you like?" Naruto spoke amenably, but with an undertone of excitement.
Sasuke froze in his stretch, and Sakura's comment flew over his head completely unheard.
Chemistry lab? A large Fuuinjutsu repertoire. And . . . weapons?
Sasuke turned to see his teammate shake Naruto's hand and formally introduce herself. While chemistry might not have much of an appeal on him, he knew a knowledgeable chemist could make or refine very dangerous toxins. Not to mention the Fuinjutsu . . . And besides, what kind of weapons did he have?
Sasuke took a hesitant step forward. He followed Sakura into the hallway, and he reluctantly shook hands with Naruto when he offered his.
I'll be out in five minutes, this is just to sate my curiosity.
Sasuke first managed to leave a couple hours later.
~ Day of the Exam – Konoha's arena ~
Naruto was sitting comfortably, his feet dangling from the edge of a tall spectator box. A VIP seating area, no doubt. The breathtaking view of the new stadium was something to behold from that height, but it went mostly ignored in favor of the assessment in his lap. An assessment of himself no less.
The Sandaime gave it to him that morning, after having laid down what would be Naruto's first real objective in the exams.
Looking down from his lofty perch, Naruto could only appreciate the view. Not only was the arena and the stadium massive, considerable effort had also gone into shaping the terrain the Genin would fight on.
There was a small desert zone, where dry cracked earth and jagged rocks dominated. An uneven and even rockier zone laid next to it, small hills and the occasional shrub and tree dotted the landscape there. A small lake laid at the foot of this mountainous zone.
Naruto considered the lake small, but he also thought you could probably submerge an entire house in the water without seeing the top.
A couple of small rivers and a few streams snaked their way from the lake and into a forest-like area that took up a very sizeable chunk of the arena. The green lush tree crowns so commonly found in fire country fully covered that zone. A large grassy plain stretched out from the forest, which eventually gave way to the rocky and dry desert area. A full circle.
A small and thin island surrounded by a river on either side took up the center of the arena. Naruto could see partially vanished buildings, out of place stone archways and half-destroyed statues from his vantage point. A ruin theme, it would seem. Two bridges connected the island to the rest of the arena.
Definitely going to see some property damage over there.
Despite the sarcastic thought, Naruto was impressed. Quite a few well-versed shinobi must have been working together in order to terraform the surface so thoroughly. It was a good example of how much more chakra could do, other than kill and maim others.
There was already a large gathering of Genin on the island in the center, and a slow trickle of teams was making their way towards that crowd. When in doubt, flock to the center. Naruto thought amusedly, before looking down at his assessment.
Apparently, he was good.
That did not come as a very big surprise to Naruto, but it was nice to read nevertheless. He glanced over the page yet again. For the most part, he agreed to the grades with a few exceptions.
A skill assessment of subject '9'
Grades ranges from E being the worst, to S being the best.
Ninjutsu
Chakra levels: S
Chakra control: A
Hand signs and technique: A
Jutsu repertoire: B
Nature manipulation: S
Shape manipulation: S
End notes:
Subject is capable of highly
advanced techniques and has
remarkable chakra control if one
takes the vast chakra reserves into account.
His grade in nature and shape manipulation speaks for itself.
As a final overall score, the subject is given the grade S in the field of Ninjutsu.
Taijutsu
Technique: A
Physical strength: B
Speed: A
Reflexes: A
Hand to eye coordination: A
End notes:
Subject is well versed in
Taijutsu and has reached
a significant level of mastery
with his own unique style, while also
employing two other complementary styles.
As a final overall score, the subject is given the grade A in the field of Taijutsu.
Genjutsu
Technique: C
Resistance: A
Perception: B
Jutsu repertoire: D
End notes:
Subject has a proper understanding
of how to overcome Genjutsu and is capable
of counterattacking at times. That said, an exceptional
Genjutsu poses a problem for him. Although the subject
has reportedly shown an unorthodox method of dealing with Genjutsu.
As a final overall score, the subject is given the grade C in the field of Genjutsu.
We in the examination committee recommend a promotion to the rank of special Jonin. Alternatively, we could groom him into an ANBU-cell or one of the hunter-nin teams.
Signed: Konoha examination committee leader, Yasahi Hiroki
"Grooming for ANBU, ey? No thank you." Naruto muttered to himself. He was aware an announcement to gather somewhere was being made to the Genin below, but he was too consumed in his thoughts to be bothered much by it. The grades were flattering, but a few things were noticeably absent.
The theoretical tests the Sandaime had given him for instance. Actually, quite a few things had been left out. Subterfuge and stealth had not been mentioned, weapon handling and thrown accuracy had been omitted. Even though he had been tested in all those fields.
Not even a mention of Fuuinjutsu. Strange.
Only the three big combat skills – Ninjutsu, Taijutsu and Genjutsu – had been part of the assessment. He wondered why all of the other skills had been omitted.
Whatever the case, he was running late. The exam was about to begin, or the first introductory stage at any rate.
Naruto rose up and stared at the assessment uncaringly. He was tempted to just burn it and get rid of it. In the end, he sealed it into a scroll, but he doubted he would have any use of it.
Done with his musings, Naruto took a few steps away from the edge to get some running speed. He would have tried for a less showy entrance had the situation been any different, but, apparently, the Sandaime wanted showy.
Oh yes, the old geezer had gone as far as to instruct him to be flashy.
A small but excited smile took hold of him, and Naruto kicked into a sprint. If the Sandaime wanted flashy, then who was he to deny him?
The young Uzumaki reached the ledge and launched himself into a powerful shunshin that sent him whizzing through the air.
~ The Arena center ~
Team 7 stood alongside Yuhi Kurenai's team 8, and Asuma Sarutobi's team 10. The three rookie squads had immediately huddled together upon spotting each other. A few more friendly faces in the midst of hostility made a big difference. It amused Sasuke that for some reason, a lot of the Genin present had the urge to appear menacing and hardboiled.
Just a bit off from them was a team from an unfamiliar village leaning against some of the broken down ruins that covered the island. All three were eyeing the Konoha Genin, and not in a pleasant way. There were already dozens of teams on the island, and everyone was waiting for the rules to be announced.
He glanced at his fellow rookies and former . . . classmates?
Truth be told, he'd never considered any of them as friends, so it felt wrong thinking of them like that. They were acquaintances, and he hoped they got what they wanted out of life. That said, Sasuke didn't truly care about them in any significant way, he'd never bothered to get to know any of them.
Even so, he had to admit, already a few months after their graduation from the academy, and there were notable differences in some of them.
For one, the blonde girl wasn't hanging over him like an overbearing puppy. She actually looked . . . worried. Which was good, she realized she was in a hostile area. Sasuke wasn't sure if she would have comprehended that back in the academy.
The Yamanaka clan heir stood guardedly next to her two teammates in a stance with both her arms wrapped around herself. The Akimichi boy was at her side with his customary pack of snacks, he had not changed at all. The Nara made the full trio of the team, and as always, Shikamaru looked bored despite the situation. A yawn crept up on the lazy boy, and Shikamaru halfheartedly removed a hand from one of his pockets to cover his mouth.
The Yamanaka frowned and glared at him, but said nothing. Shikamaru nearly seemed to sag in relief at that.
Sasuke was honestly curious if he was going to see the Nara actually lose his composure this time around. He doubted it.
Standing right across himself was the Aburame clan member; Sasuke thought his name was Shino. He might be wrong, but as he could count on one hand the number of times the guy had said anything in their academy years. He felt safe in saying he knew virtually nothing about him. Beside the Aburame was the Inuzuka and his pet partner.
Sasuke only barely managed to hold back a snort at the two. How the tiny dog was supposed to be any good in combat, he had no clue. However, Kiba had an unshakeable faith in his partner.
Sasuke's eyes wandered naturally to the last rookie on team 8, Hyuuga Hinata. That girl was hard to comprehend, much less get a read on.
Particularly because she had used to be so shy and timid in their first year in the academy.
Yet, that was a long time ago now. Today the Hyuuga heiress was frightening, a trait she had picked up some years ago. She wore a slim, white patterned dress, befitting of her status as the heiress to the Hyuuga clan.
A slit in the dress ran from her thigh and down the whole length to allow her mobility. Her bare feet wore some feminine, black sandals. Apparently, she noticed him studying her, and she gave him a challenging stare. Sasuke diverted his gaze quickly.
He wasn't sure what had made her do the full behavior turnaround, but he could relate somewhat. Sasuke still remembered how it was like to have a clan watch your progress with baited breath. He knew what it was like to live up to the expectations of a strict father.
There was no way Hinata would have been able to do it as a timid girl, so she had changed. End of story, at least in Sasuke's mind.
"Everyone is so tense." The sound of Kosuke's voice drove Sasuke out of his own mind. He looked around to see his former academy acquaintances attempt some conversation.
Shikamaru responded in his usual monotone. "Well yeah, there has never been an exam this big. The more people there are, the more pressure you feel. That's part of what makes crowd mentality work the way it does."
"I don't see you helping any in this situation, so don't try to be smug, Shikamaru!" Ino replied primly. Ah, she's still the same at heart. Sasuke realized, and watched as the two derailed into one of their typical quarrels.
"When does this start, I hate waiting. I only brought so much snacks with me, I don't wanna run out."
"Will you stop asking that, Chouji? I have no fucking clue." Kiba said with a shoulder stretch. Sasuke arched an eyebrow at that. When did he start cursing so openly? Does he think he's cool?
"I have told you not use that kind of language, Inuzuka." The Hyuuga heiress said clearly, and even Ino paused in her lecturing of Shikamaru at her voice.
When Hinata Hyuuga spoke, most people listened. Sasuke couldn't detect any real vitriol in her voice, but Kiba froze up a bit nonetheless. A small smirk crept onto Sasuke's face at that.
"Whipped." He enunciated clearly.
It didn't happen immediately, but eventually, a small round of laughter and chuckling began at Kiba's expense. Even Sakura and Ino succumbed for a moment. Hinata refrained from it, but a small twinkle appeared in her eyes. Kiba took it like a man and merely stood staring away with a blush.
Sasuke felt oddly good about himself after that, he had no idea why though.
Ino was the first to recover. "Ahh! That felt good, I was seriously starting to get stiff! This tension isn't good for me. Why are they staring so much!?"
The blonde threw a few looks around, and immediately wished she hadn't when her eyes met with several unsavory people.
Sakura nodded along, having shortly forgotten her feud with her rival over the laugh. "Yeah, I think it's just about to start. I wonder where Naruto is though, he's also competing today."
Sasuke blinked as something pinged in his head at that. Naruto would compete, the boy had confirmed it himself yesterday. But, if his own words were to be believed, he also had no team. Also revealed yesterday, something Sasuke envied him for.
Was he lying? Or is it possible you don't need a team for this exam? That seems odd. Every exam hosted by Konoha has always been centered around the three man Genin squad . . . Has he gotten a team together overnight?
"Who's . . . Naruto?" That was Ino.
Sakura smiled. "A friend. We met him by chance a few days ago. It was really lucky actually. He saved Sasuke-kun's life."
That brought on some looks. Sasuke looked away determinedly.
"Huh? What happened? Sasuke-kun almost died?!" Ino was the first to vocalize her surprise.
By now, all of the gathered rookies' attention was centered on team 7. Sasuke grumbled to himself and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. She just had to mention that part.
Sakura dived into an explanation of how they had run into the Suna Genin, and of Gaara's gruesome acts. She spared very few details, to Sasuke's displeasure and to the horror of the other rookies. The story also served as a warning to her friends.
"How can anyone do something like that unprovoked. . ?" Ino muttered quietly, deeply reviled.
"Someone awful." Chouji supplied. He had paused stuffing his mouth long enough to pitch in a comment. The Yamanaka girl gave him a dry look.
Kiba nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I don't wanna face that freak anytime soon. He sounded like a bad matchup."
"Ugh, this is why I don't want to be here, there's too many ridiculous opponents. It's too troublesome." Shikamaru complained.
At that, Shino gazed at the Nara in consideration.
"That is true, Nara-san, but that is the purpose, is it not? These exams are also to help us grow experienced, in addition to promote those of us worthy."
Shikamaru threw the spectacled boy a sullen look. "It's more trouble than it's worth, that's all I'm saying."
The Aburame pushed his glasses a bit further up his nose, and weighed the Nara clan heir's words carefully.
A bit of chattering began to take place. Ino was busy trying to straighten up Chouji and Kiba, whom she considered far too brutish. Shikamaru and Shino continued a back and forth discussion, but the Nara seemed more and more agitated. Kosuke and Sasuke was content to watch and not take any active part.
Sakura was standing on the sidelines as well, and was surprised when Hinata Hyuuga took a step towards her. "Sakura-san?"
"Uh, yes? What is it, Hinata?" Clearly, the Hyuuga heiress wanted something from her.
"Your story . . . Are you sure this Naruto was correct when he identified Gaara as the Kazekage's son?" Hinata asked quietly, but intently.
"Uhm, yes. I mean, Gaara seemed to admit it. How come?"
"Nothing in particular, it's just worrying. That's all." And with that, the Hyuuga heiress stepped away, much to Sakura's bewilderment.
All conversation was stopped when a loud voice, no doubt amplified several times with chakra, made itself known.
"Attention, all Genin! The exam is about to begin. I can see that most have already correctly assumed we're starting this off on the island in the stadium. Good! Please move to the center there. The rules will be explained in details by our panel. That is all!
Hyuuga Hinata strode off before the end of the speech, and Kiba and Shino were quick to pursue once they realized she had disappeared. The two remaining teams traded looks as the mass of Genin in the area began to move out.
Neither parties wanted to say anything, but there was a sort of understanding taking place. If they met in the exam, they would be competitors.
"Let's just follow the crowd and get to the panel." Sasuke decided, and both teams unanimously decided to walk there together. Still allies for the moment.
xXx
Morino Ibiki looked on as more and more Genin gathered at the open stretch of grass in front of him. Most came walking into the big clearing, some a bit leery at the sudden lack of cover. A few people, Ibiki noted bemusedly, came out of the scenery like cockroaches out of woodwork. Sliding down the stone constructs, and strutting down the vertical walls like it was nothing. A few utilized the Shunshin to appear in the midst of the clearing, a small power play Ibiki found even more amusing.
The commanding officer of Konoha's torture and interrogation force studied the aspiring Chunin as they moved up toward him and the rest of the panel. Seems we have some quality crop here today. It would make sense of the other nations to bring the best this year. Those not up to par won't last long.
Things would become interesting very quickly now. Heck, Orochimaru's agents were probably standing somewhere right ahead of him, Ibiki's scarred face scrunched up in slight frustration. They're probably looking at me smugly right now.
None of the Genin dared step any closer to the panel, where the gruesome looking Konoha Jonin stood at point. In comparison to him, the other Jonin's beside him lacked presence.
Morino chided himself for the slight slip up. He had to maintain a more collected façade. All the attention was on him now, and nothing was guaranteed to go on rails. A certain level cunning and self-control was necessary to orchestrate the exams to Konoha's benefit. The Hokage had picked him for this job specifically with that in mind.
"Will you do the honors then, Ibiki-san? You are the proctor of these Exams after all."
Ibiki gave the frivolous man to his right a piercing look. He was one of the judges. What are the odds of him being a mole sent by Orochimaru? It's not zero, I don't care if Anko thinks I'm paranoid.
Ibiki wrestled his eyes back from the judge, and took half a step forwards. The small wooden podium beneath him creaked.
"Come on, don't dawdle! We don't have all day, move up so everyone can hear me clearly. There's two-hundred Genin competing here this year! The front has to move up so the backline can hear me."
The group moved up to the wooden platform albeit slowly and reluctantly. Many stares were drawn to a massive object situated behind the rickety wooden platform. No one could tell what it was however, as it was completely covered by a white fabric.
Ibiki continued to make good use of his heavy baritone voice. "Good! Now, My name is Morino Ibiki, and I will be your proctor for the first stage of this exam. I'm sure you're excited to participate, and I will explain the first test in a moment, but first, I have some announcements."
Ibiki paused for a moment.
"Firstly: allow me to introduce our judges. The panel, if you will."
Everyone looked on in silence as Ibiki kept talking. "Each member of the panel has been selected to give you a fair evaluation of the first stage of the exam. You might have noticed their headbands, there is one judge from each of the big five nations. I will represent Konoha as judge. This is purely to avoid claims of favoritism; although I'm sure you'll come up with some complaints anyway."
A few weak chuckles began at that last line, but a share of the gathered Genin stared hard at the judges. There were no representatives from the lesser nations, and they seemed to be taking it poorly. Ibiki spent no time dawdling before moving on.
"Secondly: And I'll be blunt here. We're gonna break up your teams."
The instantaneous outcry was powerful, and Ibiki allowed them a few seconds of outrage.
"Quiet! This exam will have a team-based test of sorts, yes, but you're not going to face it with the team you came here with. Instead, you'll have to learn how to cooperate with someone else, someone you don't know. A swift adaption into your new, temporary team will be the key to victory. The teams who can overcome their differences and work together towards a mutual goal will win. Those who are unable to set aside their petty squabbles will lose, plain and simple."
That tirade seemed to mute the most zealous of the bunch, but there was still a fair share of angry comments being thrown around.
"And lastly: Let me introduce you to your victory condition for the first phase. You may have noticed the big object behind us. Well, let's have a look." Ibiki gave a nod, and the closest judge was quick to unravel the object.
Now revealed, an enormous blackboard stood erect in-between two wooden support beams. The thing was three times the usual classroom sized blackboard. Written on it, in large block letters and neat tidy lines, were names.
"Oi . . . what's that?"
"It's a blackboard?"
"What? Wait, I don't get it, that's our victory condition?"
"Hey! It's got my name on it!"
"Really? Can you see mine?"
More voices began to bubble up, and the squabbles became difficult for Ibiki to drown out with his own voice. Ibiki paused however, when he felt a chakra disturbance some distance away, but approaching rapidly. Something's coming?
The interrogation specialist looked up warily. An attack so soon? It can't be . . ?
A formless blur shot over the crowd and promptly slammed into one of the large statues on the outskirts of the clearing. Surprised shouts immediately followed. The impact had enough force behind it to tip over the statue, a small quake in the ground caused even further uproar among the Genin.
Most turned quiet when the earlier blur revealed itself to have been a boy. He wore a dark shinobi outfit, and was equipped for battle going by his many pouches and readily available thrown weapons. He sported no sign of allegiance to any village or country, and his color neutral outfit only added weight to that observation.
Naruto skipped off the fallen statue in a smooth motion and walked into the field with a light step. He turned his head to the panel and those clearly in charge.
"Hey, I heard there was an exam here? I hope I'm not too late, I lost track of time and well, I tried to get here fast. Sorry." Naruto spoke loudly to be heard over the small din of whispers. He managed to ignore the looks and gazes people gave him.
Ibiki relaxed his stance minutely when he realized there was no attack. Instead, there was a boy in front of him, and he was expectantly waiting for an answer. Some of the crowd was actually gaping at his ridiculous statement.
Ibiki released a small sigh. That was not the power level of a Genin, he shouldn't be here. "Who are you, kid? Unless your name is on that blackboard, you're not going to compete."
"I'm sure it's up there somewhere. I was invited like everyone else here." Naruto answered self-assuredly. "Please keep going, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."
Ibiki narrowed his eyes at the annoying young boy. The kid was a complete wildcard, and he hated that. The interrogation specialist hadn't the faintest idea of where the boy was from and who he was. Ibiki only knew one thing; the kid was overqualified for the exam. His choice of entry had revealed that much.
Those things alone warranted suspicion. He didn't care if the kid's name had gotten on the list of participants, if he could stop him from competing he would . . . Well, maybe there was a way.
" . . . Brat. You're late, you've already destroyed some of the arena grounds, and you've interrupted my speech. I hope you understand we can't let this slide."
"Of course you can. You just let it slide." Naruto replied stubbornly, and Ibiki bit down hard at the pompous reaction. At this point, the crowd of Genin were watching the two with rapt attention.
Ibiki smiled with gritted teeth, this was an overconfident moron of a boy. He was going to remain stubborn to the very end, Ibiki had an idea that might just do the job for him.
"Well, I'm a gracious man. I will give you a chance to remain in the exam." Ibiki turned his attention back to the crowd for a moment. "The last of our preparations are being finalized out there, in the meantime, I'm going to issue a test right here. Consider it free entertainment, or a warning."
"A test? Just for me?" Naruto asked, caught a bit off-guard at the sudden development.
The division leader smiled again, but it only looked grotesque on him. "Yes, for you only. A test, if you lose it I'll simply wipe your name of off this board and be done with you."
Naruto looked at the man with expressionless eyes. "And if I win?"
"I'll allow you to compete." Ibiki responded as if no better reward existed.
"In other words." Naruto took a few more steps towards the panel of judges. "I have no choice but to accept your test."
"That's right. Take it or leave it." Ibiki smiled st him, completely uncaring.
The two stared each other down for a few silent seconds.
"Well, then." Naruto finally said. "Let's get started."
A/N And there we're done. The longest chapter as of yet, clocked in at 10 k words. I'll proof read it more thoroughly later. I'm pretty happy with it, but I feel the next piece is going to blow this one out of the water, I have so many good scenes in mind. Either way, I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Follow the story and stick around for more chapters, write a small review if you want to leave a comment for me. Thanks.
Some of you wanted to know my update schedule, and that warms my heart but honestly, not even I know when I'll update. It will happen, That's all I can say.
The Epic Pen, signing off.
