Chapter 11
Intermissions
"Ah, it's good to be home again," Naruto happily declared as they reached the main gate of Konoha. As always the same two Chūnin manned the check-in station, "Hey! Kotetsu-san, Izumo-san!" Naruto shouted over to them as they approached the small wooden booth. While other villages had guards stationed just outside the entrance, Konoha preferred their check-in station just within the villages outer boundaries. It didn't mean no one was guarding the entrance however, there was normally an ANBU squad nearby. Konoha preferred to encounter potential threats far from the village through its substantial patrol schedule.
Nations like Kumogakure didn't have to worry about this issue quite so much because their land border with other nations was tiny compared to Hi no Kuni's.
"Hey, Naruto-san, how'd you do? The blonde gave them a thumbs up, "We all made the finals, just like I told ya," he proudly proclaimed. Naruto had been somewhat relieved they'd all made the finals since he may have spent the last few days before they'd left telling everyone who would listen that they were going all the way.
Genma signed them all in and turned to face them. "Ok, you three, go home, I'll brief the Hokage on your performance. Take tomorrow off too. Now I remember you mentioning that you'd made prior arrangements over who'll be training with you for the next few weeks but if you want me to help then you know where to find me."
"Hai Sensei," a curt nod from Genma was followed by a swirl of leaves as he shunshined away.
"So who's doing what?" Naruto asked turning to his teammates. "I was going to train with Gai-sensei but Fū becoming my second round opponent changes things. I think I'll ask Hiruzen-sama-sensei for help on this one." Naruto nodded, "Itachi?"
"I was going to train with Kaa-chan. But I think I'll need to train with Gai-sensei too, I have a feeling speed will be important against Deidara."
"Yeah, I think your right, there's something weird about him. Probably best to expect the unexpected."
"What about you, Naruto?" Itachi asked. "I'm not really sure, my first two rounds seem somewhat easier than yours. I guess I'll ask Tsunade-sensei, maybe she'll teach me those chakra enhanced punches of hers," he joked.
"Maybe," Tri laughed. "Anyway I'm gonna see if Hiruzen-sama is free, I have an idea I want to run by him. See ya both around," he finished, throwing a hand over his shoulder.
-Sarutobi Compound-
"Tri-kun, this is unexpected," said a surprised Hiruzen. He'd been reading through various reports for most of the morning but the sudden appearance of one of his quasi-students these past few years gave him an excuse to ignore them for a while. "Hiruzen-sama-sensei," Tri respectfully greeted the Sandaime Hokage before sitting down in front of the aged man.
"How did the exams go? I heard you were the only Konoha team to make it to the second test."
"They went well, thank you. We're through to the one vs one finals, it's this that brings me here today. My first round opponent I have no issue with, they seem to be the average run of the mill Kumo Genin. It's who my second round opponent will likely be. They feel different from all the others."
"Different how?"
"As you know, I have a knack for sensing when someone's chakra is different, Itachi agrees there's something different about her. Despite that, her chakra feels kind of familiar, not the same but I do get a sense of familiarity from her."
"How is it familiar, familiar to someone you've met?"
"Yes, it feels like Rezano."
-A few days later, Uchiha Compound-
"Ok Itachi-chan, your skills are fine so let's focus on your opponents. First is this Sajin, tell me what you know from just observing him."
"Hai, Kaa-chan. Sajin is the only Genin from Suna competing in the finals, he had to win a playoff match to qualify so I got to see him fight. He seems to be a Taijutsu orientated fighter. Except for a regular Bunshin, however, I saw no Ninjutsu or Genjutsu techniques. To be honest despite watching him fight, I learnt very little."
"Yeah that's not a lot to go on. But we can discern some details simply from his being from Sunagakure. We can assume at the least an understanding of Fūton or wind based techniques and you have experience combating Fūton Ninjutsu thanks to your teammates. Your Katon is also highly effective against Fūton so there is a good chance you'll have the Ninjutsu advantage. So what are you thinking Itachi, how are you going to end this fight?"
"Quickly Kaa-chan, there are too many unknowns and assumptions to allow the fight to drag out." Mikoto inclined her head at her son's decision. "Now what about your second round opponent? First, let's assume it's this Deidara."
-With Naruto and Tsunade, Training Ground 27-
"Okay Naruto, that's the first two rounds done, now what about the semi-finals? Who do you think will be your opponent out of this Atsui, Senba, Kurotsuchi and Kegon." Tsunade asked. "Kurotsuchi, that'll be my third challenge and she'll be by far the toughest of the three."
"Why?"
"She seems to be in a different class to most of the other Genin competing. I consider her as much a threat as Itachi and Tri, maybe her teammate Deidara too, but he would have to beat both Itachi and Tri before he could face me." He neglected to mention the pink eyes he found so entrancing as Tsunade continued her questioning. "Okay, what do you know about her?"
Naruto closed his eyes and thought a moment, compiling all he did know, which admittedly wasn't very much. Opening his eyes again he began talking. "She's the granddaughter of the Sandaime Tsuchikage so it would best to assume she is strong."
"A correct assumption, the fact that she was allowed to compete in a Chūnin Exam held anywhere that isn't Iwagakure is a statement in and of itself. The Tsuchikage is declaring that his granddaughter is powerful, a force that foreign nations will need to take heed of in the years to come. So what do you know about her skills, her abilities?"
"Frustratingly little, despite seeing her fight a little during the second test I didn't learn much. I know she uses Doton but we could have guessed that anyway, her being from Iwa and all. She's quick and agile and I reckon she's intelligent, whether she's as smart as my teammates I don't know but I'd put her down as smarter than me."
"Interesting, unfortunately, it's difficult to get intel out of Iwagakure so I can't add anything, I don't think even Jiraiya could help all that much right now. I have a feeling this fight could last, you have the chakra and physical stamina to go for a while but you're going to need an ace card, something that'll end a fight."
A wide grin appeared on Naruto's face, "Tsunade-Sensei, I know just the thing."
-Sarutobi Compound-
"Ok, onto the semi-finals. Itachi?"
"Itachi."
"Why Itachi?"
"He's the most intelligent person in this finals. He excels at everything, Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu. I'm faster, but his Sharingan take the edge off of it and mitigates my advantage and he'll never let me get near him long enough to use seals. There is, however, one area I'm superior in."
"Which is?"
-Uchiha Compound-
"Tri, I believe presents me the greatest challenge, he's quick, so quick that he can outrun me easily and his stamina far surpasses me so I need to shut down his movement, he's schooled in Genjutsu and he'll never look me in the eyes so that's out. Taijutsu is of no use if his speed is uninhibited. It needs to be Ninjutsu, he's never been able to best my Gōkakyū no Jutsu."
"Really? How?" Mikoto asked in surprise. "Hai, no matter what he tries he's never been able to overpower it. He knows Jutsu from three different natures, Katon, Fūton and Suiton. But Suiton is his weakest, he can't use Fūton for obvious reasons and his Katon isn't as strong as mine but I can't drag the bout into a Ninjutsu slug-fest, he has way more chakra than me."
-Sarutobi Compound-
"So you have far more chakra to draw on but you've never been able to beat Itachi's Gōkakyū no Jutsu?"
"Hai, but I have a potential solution, I have something that I think will allow me to overwhelm it. He needs to force me to stand still but in turn, he makes himself stationary." Sarutobi yet again was astounded by the boy in front of him, he was ten years old but could analyse himself and his opponents strengths and weaknesses.
"Okay Tri, you make it sound like you need to use your ability to dictate the fight, so what's the plan this time."
"I need to show you outside, it's too dangerous to try it in here, especially since it isn't complete." They both stood and headed for the door that would take them out to the training grounds.
-Uchiha Compound-
"Okay, so is that the plan? Force him stationary then totally overpower him with the Gōkakyū no Jutsu?" Itachi asked. Mikoto stood, "Not quite Itachi, come with me, I'm going to teach you a Jutsu stronger than the Gōkakyū."
-A fortnight later-
Tri dispelled the last of his clones, a rare wide grin stretching from ear to ear as he breathed heavily. It had taken most of the last two weeks and nearly fifty clones at a time practising alongside the original but he'd finally completed his counter to Itachi's Katon. Hiruzen looking on, "You'll need to keep practising, you still lack control over this Jutsu, you want to counter and overpower Itachi's Katon, not kill him."
"I know but given what this Jutsu is, I don't know how much more control I can learn to exert over it with what time we've got left. It's taken me this long to manipulate it properly."
Tri's plan to combat Fū was actually fairly simple planning wise and hadn't taken too long to learn, it hadn't taken more than a day, despite that he'd left a few clones practising it. His plan to beat Itachi had proved far more complex and now that he'd completed the Jutsu, he barely had any time left to refine it. They were returning to Kumogakure tomorrow, this time the convoy they were travelling with was far larger so it would take nearly a week to arrive.
There was a meeting in the Hokage's office later to decide who was going, 'That'll be fun' Tri thought to himself. "Tri, we've not long left. Again," Hiruzen ordered, several dozen clones appeared and they started work once again.
-A few hours later, Hokage's Office-
"As most of you already know I've called you here so we know who's going to Kumo for the Chūnin Exam finals," Minato stated bringing their meeting of sorts to order. "Now I can be pretty sure that our finalists will be in attendance with their Sensei," he half-joked, he got a few laughs for his efforts. Tri, Itachi and Naruto were against one of the walls with Genma next to them.
In the room with them against the opposite wall was Tsunade, Shizune, Gai, Kakashi, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, Kushina, Mikoto, Rezano, Sasuke and finally Minusha in Kushina's arms behind the desk.
"As Hokage, I'll be attending. Kakashi and Jiraiya will be my guards. Tsunade, Gai, Hiruzen, Mikoto and Shizune have already told me they'll be going. But I and Jiraiya both think it'd be best if you remain in Konoha with Rezano, Kushina-chan." Now if this conversation had taken place a few months perhaps a few weeks earlier, Kushina would have agreed without question, but.
"No." Jiraiya and Minato spun to face the voice. "What do you mean Kushina-chan?" Minato asked his wife. "I'm not staying here," she stated defiantly. "Kushina," Jiraiya said taking a step towards her, "It's too dangerous, we can't take any chance of an assassination attempt on Rezano, he's much more important, I'm sure they'll understand."
"Important?" she growled, her legendary temper surfacing as she handed Minusha to Mikoto before confronting the white haired Sannin, "Important? What's important is that in listening to your asinine advice, MY TWO ELDEST SONS ARE COMPLETE STRANGERS TO ME," her voice rattling the windows. "Because I was stupid enough to listen to you and take your 'advice' to heart! I wasn't there when they joined the Academy when it meant so much to Naruto-chan, I wasn't there when they received their Hitai-ate's despite saying I would be! I wasn't there to help them come to terms when they were blooded, all because I listened to you, because of you I utterly ignored them over my two youngest. So don't you tell me what's important!"
As she spok... shouted she had walked to stand in between Naruto and Tri, a hand around each of their shoulders. "And I'll be damned if I miss them fight in these finals. And Kami be damned if I'm missing them show me just what they are capable of, what I've missed." Jiraiya scoffed despite her anger, "They're only rookie Genin, what can they possibly do that's going to be so impressive," he said dismissively. This time Tsunade stepped in front of him, "Maybe you should read the reports Jiraiya, their mission reports from Genma are flawless and are positively glowing in their praise of their professionalism, maturity and ability."
"And if it's impressive you want, then imagine my shock when I found out that my own son…" Kushina said tightening her grip around Tri, ".. already possesses a level 7 knowledge in Fūinjutsu." Jiraiya scowled at her declaration while Minato's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Kushina tightened her grip on them both, "And because of my stupidity, it's only now that I understand and can truly appreciate how special my boys are. I'm going and that's final." Minato knew better than to argue the issue with her, especially when she was this wound up. "Ok, Kushina," he conceded.
"I guess we're all going then," Tsunade noted as she quickly left the room, if she stayed she might end up putting Jiraiya through a wall, it wouldn't have been the first time, that was if Kushina didn't beat her to it. Minato sighed, "Guess we're done here. Genma-san, could you stay a moment," he asked his longtime bodyguard as everyone else made for the door while Jiraiya and Kakashi went out the window. After they had Minato asked him a question, "How good are they?"
"They are Genin in name only, the title of 'Prodigal Three' is rather appropriate when discussing the three of them," was his reply. He bowed slightly before leaving himself.
Kushina sat on a park bench, Minusha in her arms. Tri and Naruto were either side of her while Rezano sat in Naruto's lap. Naruto hadn't been this happy to be with his Kaa-chan in a long time. For the first time in years, he felt important to her. He leaned his head against her shoulder with a cheerful smile on his face. "When we come back, us three and your Tou-san are going to have a long overdue talk, ok?" she reassured them both. "Ok, Kaa-chan," were their jovial replies.
"Kaa-chan, does this mean we get to watch Tri-nii san and Naruto-nii san fight?" Rezano asked from between Naruto's arms. "Yes Reza-chan, we'll be going to watch them both," Rezano let out an excited giggle as he snuggled deeper into Naruto's shoulder.
-The following day-
The convoy was assembled at the main gate, ready to depart. One Genin team, two Sannin, two Kage, a group of Jōnin, hopeful parents and excited siblings. And that didn't include the merchants and traders that comprised the large majority of the convoy bound for Kumogakure.
"Hokage-sama, We're ready to depart," a reporting Jōnin informed him. Minato turned to look over the line of horse-drawn wagons, "Okay then, lets delay no longer."
"Hai, Hokage-sama," they said disappearing in a swirl of leaves.
End Chapter
I know this is a short chapter, the next two are much longer than the average. But I wanted something to bridge the gap between the second and thirds Exams.