Jinchuriki of the Leaf Chap. 2
A full week has passed since Naruto had discovered the existence of other Jinchuriki. A week has passed since Sasuke and Sakura began training almost all day and all night in order to compete with Naruto's red chakra. A week has passed since they were told they would be participating in the Chunin Exams. Now, it was time.
The three Genin of Team 7 stood outside the exam building. They had trained hard over the week, and none were as ready as Naruto. He was prepared for anything he may be facing, He was, however, concerned for his two teammates.
They were exhausted for some odd reason. He didn't think that the training would leave them so drained, but then again they didn't have his massive vitality. He just hoped they were well enough to see the exams through to the end.
"C'mon you two! Let's get going!" he said happily, earning a groan from Sakura and a glare from Sasuke. He sweat-dropped. He had a bad feeling about this exam.....
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Upon entered the academy – where the first exam was being held – they couldn't help but gawk at the sheer amount of Genin participating in the exams this time around. 'Oh my God there's at least a thousand of them!' Naruto screeched in his mind. 'At least this may make this enjoyable.' Kyuubi replied. 'Ah, quiet you mangy hairball!'
They came to a stop as the majority of the Genin were protesting against something. Curiosity set in as they heard someone being hit to the ground. They looked to see a Konoha kunoichi wiping her cheek in frustration. Standing above her were two older looking Genin, blocking the door to the exams.
At least, that's what it looked like at a glance.
Naruto's chakra sensory capabilities allowed him to easily see through the ruse. Grabbing his teammate's by their arms (much to their annoyance and chagrin), he began to push his way though the crowd. This didn't go unnoticed, however.
"Hey, you three! Where do you think you're going?" one of the older Genin asked.
"If you have to know, we're going to the third floor, where the real exams are being held." Naruto replied smugly. Suddenly, the number above the door changed from 302 to 202, signifying that they were only on the second floor. Everyone stared at the blonde in surprise, including his two teammates.
"Nice try, guys. Maybe next time." he said, turning back to the stairway in front of them. The two pseudo-Genin were not going to suffer this embarrassment, however. Not from the demon of Konoha.
"You seem awfully confident for a rookie. I think we should beat that out of you!" he said, preparing a punch aimed at the back of the blonde's head.
His teammates saw the attack coming, but before they could even warn him, he ducked under the fist, grabbing his assailant's arm in the process. With a mighty swing, he brought the older man forward in a frontward slam into the ground.
"Is that all you got? It's hard to believe that you're a Chunin." Naruto chided, adding insult to injury. In a puff of vapor, the two revealing themselves as adult Chunin. Again, much of the room was in surprise that this rookie was able to easily see through their ruse and counter a blow from behind like he had.
Ignoring the slack-jawed stares from his teammates, he motioned for them to move with his hand.
"C'mon! If you all just stand there, you'll miss the exams!" he called out to the entire room. Mass chaos followed as the Genin all charged for the stairs.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Three young Genin from Kumo watched Naruto with fervid anticipation. Was their mission dependent on this boy? Was he the one they were searching for?
"Do you think that's him? The one with Kyuubi?" one of the boys asked. He had spiky, crimson red hair and matching eyes, complimenting his tanned skin tone. He wore a red tank top with two brown belts strapped around his torso and white cargo shorts with bandages around his legs. A sword was strapped to the back of the belts, while the front of the belts held two pockets in which he held summoning scrolls. Rather than possessing a headband, the symbol of his village was emblazoned on his chest, above where the belts crossed.
"I don't know, Takato-kun, maybe. It's obvious he's a Jinchuriki. Otherwise, he wouldn't have seen through that ruse." the female replied. She had long black hair reaching her back, with a pair of dark green eyes that seemed to peer into the soul. She had on a black tube top with a white design sewn into the fabric. She wore white gloves that reached her elbows, with a similar design along them in black. To complete her outfit, she wore black Capri's and sandals, while her headband was around her waist.
"What if he doesn't even know he has a demon sealed in him?" the second boy asked. He had messy dark brown hair and red eyes like Takato. He wore a dark green shirt with light brown short sleeves with black cargo pants and a white belt around his waist. His headband was tied around his arm.
"He probably does. It seems like he's harnessed whatever spirit he houses." Takato replied.
"Yeah. Either way, we should keep an eye on him." the girl said.
"I get ya, Rika-chan, but what if he isn't who we're looking for?" he asked again.
"Then we tell him about our mission and see if he would help us." Rika said.
"Yeah, Takuya-nii-san, you knew this to begin with." Takato said, chiding his brother.
"Shut it, Takato! Don't forget that I can easily kick your ass." Takuya replied, earning himself a glare from his brother.
"You think so, don't you? You wanna give it a try?" he asked.
"Both of you knock it off or I'll personally guarantee that you both will need surgery before we head home!" Rika said, ameliorating the heating argument between her male teammates. Damn testosterone. Regaining her composure, she put on a small smile.
"Listen, we all know exactly how important this mission is and how many Jinchuriki there are. We need to make sure that we are prepared when the time comes, otherwise the prophecy will not come to pass." she said calmly.
"Yeah, and then we're all screwed." Takuya added. Rika rolled her eyes in annoyance.
"We know that! If the Jinchuriki are unable to band together, then things won't turn out too well for the world. All things considered, we should start with this kid. At least then maybe he won't feel so alone....." she replied. Everyone looked down solemnly as they headed down the corridor to the first exam, lost in thoughts of their own.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
The three Kiri Genin looked on in surprise. This was going to be a very intense exam. The male of the team was visibly concerned. Beating that blonde kid was definitely going to be difficult, even with the three of them at full strength. His teammates seemed to have read his thoughts, for they glanced at him in concern.
"I know that he looks strong, but if we play our cards right, we should be able to beat him." one girl said. She had long light blue hair and violet eyes, wearing a purple flask jacket over a black t-top and black Capri's. Fishnet arm wraps touched from the sleeve of her jacket to the edge of her wrist, revealing a small hint of her light tone. Her headband was wrapped around her head like a bandanna.
"I know what you mean, Umi-chan, but still.........there's something about him that I can't quite place my finger on." he replied. He had spiky auburn hair and deep blue eyes, a perfect compliment for his tanned skin. He wore a dark blue and black jacket over a white t-shirt with matching pants. His headband was wrapped firmly around his forehead, displaying his village symbol with pride.
"You're just being paranoid Masato. He's just another competitor in the exams, and we still have to beat him." the second girl said, scolding her friend. She had short green hair and light blue eyes, with a dark tan skin tone that made her appear from the tropics. She wore a green sleeveless vest with a pair of black shorts and a white skirt over them. Her boots came to her knees, while fishnet coverings ran down her forearms. Her headband was around her neck.
"Maybe so, Naito-chan, but I can't help feeling this way. I swear I've meet that boy before......" Masato pondered aloud.
"Well, I hope that won't interfere with our progress in the exams." Naito said.
"Of course not. I'm ready for anything." he replied.
"Good thing, since we're going to be late if we dawdle any longer." Umi pointed out. The trio headed for the examination room, where they would begin what would be the adventure that changed their lives forever.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"I don't want to do this." he admitted to them. There. He said it. They had known that he had no desire to partake in Suna's political affairs, but orders were orders.
"Kouen, we know there is no choice. We have to do this, whether we like it or not." his teammate said. He had dark brown hair and deep yellow eyes, wearing a dark brown vest over a white shirt with white cargo shorts. He had black leather gloves adorned on each hand, with his village symbol engraved on the back of them.
"But, Subaru, we don't have to do it. We have no reason to -" Kouen attempted to rebuttal, but their female teammate silenced them.
"We can't speak of such things lightly in public. I don't want to either, but like Subaru-nii-san said, we have no choice." she said, agreeing with her cousin. She had long purple hair and yellow eyes, wearing a red-orange Chinese style dress with a black dragon design on the front and black shorts. Her headband was wrapped around her forehead.
"But what reason could justify this? Why would Kazekage-sama just randomly attack Konoha for no reason? Can you tell me that, Hikari-chan?" he asked again. He had messy tan hair and crimson eyes. He wore a dusty brown t-shirt with blue sweatpants and brown fingerless gloves on each hand. His headband was wrapped around his shoulder. Hikari looked down dejectedly.
"I just......I don't know, okay? But we have to follow orders, no matter how inane or phlegmatic they may be." she responded.
"No one wants a war. It's something that every person dreads, yet it is inevitable in every society. The more we struggle for peace, the greater the chance for war, and the sooner politicians learn that, the sooner such calamities can be put to rest." Subaru stated. His team was silent as they entered the examination room.
(Current Day: Examination Room)
Once inside the room, Team 7 once more gawked at the sheer amount of Genin present. And all of them were impressed by Naruto's skill. Whispers began to fly about the second they entered the room.
"Hey look, it's that one kid!"
"You mean the one that beat those Chunin?"
"Yeah him! He's definitely someone to look out for."
"Oh my God, there he is! That one kid!"
"You know, he's kinda cute."
"What a hunk!"
"I would love to see how well he can fight."
"I wouldn't. I'd probably lose against him."
All of these comments were noted by his ever-jealous teammates. They were just as talented as he was, if not more, so why was he getting all the attention? Their thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice ringing out.
"Well, well, well, look whose the talk of the town?" someone said in an anxious tone. Naruto recognized the voice and turned to greet the new arrivals.
"Hey you guys! How are you?. It's been awhile, hasn't it?" he asked. His calmness surprised the three Genin of Team 8. Kiba swore that the blonde dobe would be spewing insults left and right while flailing about like an idiot. Yet here he was, reminiscing on their childhood in a dignified manner. He wondered if they had entered the Twilight Zone.
"Um......w-what you did outside, Naruto-kun, t-that was very i-impressive....." Hinata stammered shyly. He smiled at the young girl, causing her to blush and look down with a sudden fascination with the floor. 'Why does she do that?!?' he asked himself. Her timidity was starting to annoy him, and he wanted to help her get past her shy state. 'You really don't know?' Kyuubi asked. 'Would I be asking if I did?' he replied. 'It's obvious she harbors some kind of respect for you. She is of the more timid of your human species, and as such she tends to fidget and get nervous around someone they admire.' the demon fox replied.
Before the mental conversation could continue, he was brought back into reality by a grunt of annoyance from his stoic teammate. Upon turning, he saw a certain Yamanaka with her arms wrapped around his neck. He looked none too pleased with her actions.
"Let go of Sasuke-kun now Ino-pig before I make you!" Sakura threatened her ex-best friend. The blonde girl scoffed at her.
"Like you could Billboard Brow." she replied. Sparks literally flew from her eyes as she pulled her off of him and started a small wrestling match on the floor. Naruto hung his head in shame and pretending not to know either of them.
"How troublesome........" Shikamaru muttered lazily. He knew taking this exam was going to be a real drag, but having Asuma train them 24/7 for the next two months seemed like the greater of two evils.
"You know, it isn't a good idea for rookies such as yourselves to draw attention from the crowd. You won't be making any friends that way." someone said. The nine Genin turned to see a young man with silver hair in a small pony tail with obsidian eyes and glasses. Naruto grew wary of his presence. His chakra signature was definitely not that of a normal Genin.
"And who, may I ask, are you?" he asked, his glare going mostly unnoticed.
"My name is Yakushi Kabuto and I just wanted to give some fellow Konoha ninja some advice." he introduced himself. He highly doubted that, but he had nothing to lose. With his guard still up, he nodded in recognition of his introduction.
"How many times have you taken the exams?" Sakura asked, generally curious.
"This is my sixth time in a row, my past failures allowing me to gather information on the competition beforehand. Allow me to share my findings." Kabuto said. He drew a large stack of cards from his pouch and held them in front of him.
"These info cards contain the every detail of each Genin entered in this exam. Is there anyone particular that you have in mind?" he asked.
"I do. Uzumaki Naruto." Sasuke responded, earning himself a glare from said blonde.
"Don't talk about me like I'm not here, teme, or I'll make you regret it." he warned. There was something in the tone of his voice that make all listeners flinch at the message he sent. A small gasp from Kabuto diverted their attention back to him.
"According to this card, he has the fire power to back that claim up. It says that, while your genjutsu is practically non-existent, it seems that you are a ninjutsu specialist. I've never seen such a high reading before." he said, showing the card to the others. The ninjutsu data listed on the graph was well above the highest value written. What surprised most, however, was listed in the mission column.
"You completed an A-Rank mission!?!?" Kiba asked in horrid shock.
"It was tough and very confusing, but we made it back. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for the ninja we fought." he replied. A ping of sadness was evident in his tone. Sasuke and Sakura shared similar expressions as the gory memories of the Wave Village mission resurfaced after a week of neglect. The others sensed that death had made itself known to the members of Team 7.
"That doesn't surprise me. It even says right here....." Kabuto trailed off as a small but powerful amount of killer intent was released from a certain blonde boy.
"I suggest you think before you continue speaking, otherwise this kunai might find itself lodged into your neck." he warned with a malevolent glare. The others noticed his fingers lacing around the handle of a kunai. He wasn't joking. Whatever was on that card was something he didn't want anyone to know. 'Is that really Naruto?' Sakura couldn't help but wonder.
Suddenly, in a puff of vapor, a large man appeared at the front of the room. He wore a large black cloak with a bandanna around his scarred head. His glare could pierce through steel.
"Alright you little maggots! Time for the Chunin Exams to begin! Take your seats to begin the written portion of the exam." he announced. Two of the three members of Team 7 wanted to bash their heads against the wall while five of the nine Konoha Genin felt a pang of sadness and regret for them. One of these nine was too busy feeling nervous for the other, while the other thought it couldn't be easier.
Sasuke and Sakura mentally groaned. Written exams were never Naruto's forte, his grades being among the lowest in the Academy, if not the holder of that title. They were taken from their thoughts by a comment from Shikamaru.
"Who is this guy anyway? He seems way too troublesome to deal with...." he stated lazily.
"My name is Morino Ibiki, the proctor of the first exam." the man said, almost as in response to the young Nara's inquiry. Naruto's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets upon hearing the name.
"Oh man, we are in so much trouble!" he said in a panic.
"Why is that?" Sakura asked, acting like she knew the answer to the question.
"You don't know who that man is?!? He's the head of the Konoha Interrogation Squad and a master of mental – and physical – torture!" the blonde replied.
The majority of the Genin who had heard his outburst paled at the revelation as Ibiki put on a silent smirk. 'This kid seems to know that I don't take things lightly, seeing how he freaked out at the mention of my name. This may be a good crop of students this year.' he thought. He decided to reinforce the boy's claim.
"Oh, and by the way, anyone not in their seat in the next sixty seconds is disqualified from the exam for insubordination." he stated nonchalantly.
The next minute was nothing more than mass chaos.
The scores of Genin were quickly running left and right to get to their seat in time. Had he not been a trained professional, Ibiki would have been on the floor laughing until his gut hurt. However, since he was, he decided that a hardy laugh would suffice.
They had all reached their designated spots within the time limit, so none of them were disqualified. That was a relief to the participating students. Naruto was sitting towards the front of the room, almost staring down Ibiki face-to-face. 'Aw crap!' he thought. 'Don't freak out. If he tries anything funny, just use my power and tear his head from his neck.' Kyuubi replied nonchalantly. 'I can't exactly go demon here, baka no kitsune, and even if I could I wouldn't.' Naruto responded.
The papers were handed out to the participants as Ibiki explained the rules of the exam. As he continued, Naruto couldn't help but pick out several flaws in the set guidelines. You only got a two point deduction if found cheating? They didn't just throw you out of the exam? He glanced down at the paper in front of him. Upon skimming through the questions, he found that none of these questions were capable of being answered by a Genin – unless he or she was a genius.
'These guys play a smart game, but they need to do better if they wanna fool me!' he thought. 'So how do you propose we do this?' Kyuubi asked. 'Just leave that to me.' he replied.
Hinata was currently glancing nervously between her paper and the boy sitting next to her. Of all the people she had to be paired with, Naruto was right there next to her! Her heart had sprouted wings and was about to take off when she realized the exam had started. She quickly came to the same conclusion as Naruto did and activated her Byakugan.
She found someone who had the answers written down somewhere behind her, and quickly copied them from him. By the time she finished, she noticed that Naruto didn't have a single answer written on his exam. She didn't want him to fail at something that would mean so much to him.
"Um.....N-Naruto-kun..." she stated softly, getting his attention.
Naruto was admittedly surprised at hearing someone say his name, but seeing Hinata sitting next to him cleared up his misconceptions.
"Ah, Hinata-chan, I didn't think we'd end up together." he stated. She blushed brightly at his equivocal remark.
"W-Well.....I-I saw that you d-didn't have any answers, so....w-would you like to copy them from m-me?" she asked shyly. He seemed surprised at her offer, but smiled warmly.
"Thank you, but I don't want you getting in trouble because of me. Besides, I already have a plan on how to get the answers. Don't worry about me, okay." he replied. She blushed deeply as she realized what he meant. 'He cares about me!'
'Okay, here goes nothing.' he thought as he performed the hand seals underneath his desk. This would be the first time he used Kyuubi's chakra in a jutsu, thus making this his first Demonic Art technique, but it was worth a shot.
'Demonic Art: Spirit Puppet!' he thought. A mass of invisible chakra left his body discreetly, controlled by thin chakra strings that not even a skilled Jonin would be able to detect. It sailed throughout the room, collecting the answers from various sources in a coded form. Upon returning to its master, it decoded the messages it received, allowing Naruto to discern what the words meant. Soon, his test paper had been filled with all the answers. Little did he know, a certain Hyuga had seen his flight.
Hinata was breathless. Her Byakugan, being active, had picked up the chakra Naruto had used. How long had he been able to do that? More importantly, how had he been able to do that? That was a special type of chakra, she could tell. However, she felt as though she had felt it before. Why did this chakra feel so....welcoming and warm to her? Almost as if it belonged to a long-lost loved one......
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Sakura knew she could figure out the answers, but she was too exhausted to think properly at the moment. All her late night training had left her drained both physically and mentally. What the hell were they thinking doing what they did? She knew that Sasuke would be mad at her if they failed because of her, however, so she continued to take the exam, despite her own exhaustion.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Sasuke was not faring much better than his pink-haired teammate. His Sharingan would not stay active for more than a few minutes due to his overuse of his body during the past week. He had made a mistake and was now paying the price. He refused to be the weakest link on his team, so he continue to steal what little answers he could.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Naruto knew that his two teammates were probably too exhausted to continue with the exam much longer. Summoning his spirit puppet once more, he implanted the answers inside it and sent it out to his teammates. He just prayed that the messages would make it across in time, otherwise the exams would be forfeit.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Sakura suddenly felt more awake and alert, almost as if someone had given her about ten grande cups of coffee. Somehow, the answers were coming to her clear as a bell. She scribbled them down quickly before they left her. As soon as she was done, she had no idea how they got there and what that massive boost was. However, she wasn't complaining.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Sasuke sat up as a new vigor ran through his systems. Someone was giving him the answers, he knew it straight off the bat. Not particularly caring who it was, he wrote them quickly, making sure to remember each one before this boost wore off and he crashed worse than before. After completing the exam, he sat back and let the rest of the pieces fall where they would.
(A few minutes later)
Ibiki looked around and saw that many of the participants were still remaining. Considering how many participants there were to begin with, it was to be expected. It was time to pop the final question and see how many of them would wimp out.
"Okay you maggots, time for the final question! This question is given at the end of the exam since you have the option to take it or not. Those who don't take it are disqualified from the exam and can take it again in six months. However, if you take it and get it wrong, you will never be able to take the Chunin Exams again." he explained.
One by one, teams began dropping out, cracking under the pressure. Naruto knew that he could handle it, and his teammates would be fine now that he had given them a temporary boost of chakra to jump start their systems. He glared at Ibiki harshly and with unwavering determination. He slammed his hand down on the table in front of him to garner the attention of the room.
"If you think I'll be scared off by some little exam, you're dead wrong. I have my goals and dreams in this life and there's no way in hell that I'm letting you decide whether or not I achieve them. Go practice your torture methods with someone they'll work on, for you'll not scare me away." he said with an ardent will.
Ibiki was thoroughly shocked. Not only did this little blonde gaki tell him off, but he encouraged the other teams to stay. Then, he noticed something that made his eyebrows zip past his hairline (if he had one). The spot where the boy's hand had slammed down was slightly splintered. Smirking slightly, he looked at the remaining Genin.
"Let me be the first to say.......congratulations, you've passed the first exam." he said. Every Genin in the room deadpanned.
"Then what was the point of that whole thing?!" one Suna kunoichi asked.
"The test itself was never the exam. This was testing your ability to retrieve information and share it with your teammates discreetly. There are times when information is a shinobi's most valuable asset, and it can be the reason a village is saved from destruction. As Chunin, you may be required to obtain or protect important information from enemy units with your very lives." He unwrapped his bandanna, revealing gruesome scars, wounds and gashes on his scalp.
Naruto grimaced at the sight of it. This man must've been through hell and back. His thoughts were cut off as someone crashed through the window, ostentatiously presenting a large banner which read "Mitarashi Anko, Proctor of the Second Exam!" in large gold letters.
"Alright, listen up you little maggots! The name's Mitarashi Anko and I'll be the proctor of the second stage of the Chunin Exam!" she announced. Naruto (and about half the room) sweat-dropped at her overly-dramatic entrance.
"We can read you know....." he mumbled under his breath. Anko quickly surveyed the room and, like many before her, was baffled by the amount of remaining participating Genin there were. She turned to Ibiki, smirking slightly.
"Ibiki, you've gone soft." she remarked.
"Or maybe this is a good crop of candidates this year." he responded.
"Well, when I'm through with them, less than half with remain." she boasted. Turning to the crowd of students, she put on a fierce glare that silenced any chatter in the room.
"For the second exam, report to Training Area 44 in one hour! If you have no idea where that is, ask your sensei for direction! You are dismissed!" she announced.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Takato, Takuya and Rika met outside the examination building. They had all felt that chakra and knew exactly what was in store for them.
"You guys felt it too?" Rika asked her male teammates.
"Yeah. I think that kid really is the Kyuubi's Jinchuriki." Takato admitted.
"I don't doubt it, but what if we have to fight him? He's pretty strong." Takuya offered.
"We stall for time and attempt to reason with him. Just mentioning we know his secret would probably have him stop the fighting long enough to listen." Rika replied.
"You have a point Rika-chan." Takato agreed.
"Personally, I like this kid." Takuya remarked, smiling warmly. His teammates smiled as well.
"Yeah, he seems like a nice guy, and very determined to reach his goals." Rika said.
"Not to mention very intelligent. Remember that one outburst he had? About who the proctor was? I would've never known that had I not heard it." Takato said.
"Although, with how the exam was rigged, we might have figured that out on our own." Rika said, laughing lightly. The others joined her laugher. It felt good to let go like this. They couldn't remember the last time they could just joke around and laugh together.
"So true. Is it agreed then? That we try to befriend this kid?" Takuya asked.
"Yep! Even if he's not a Jinchuriki – we could be wrong – he'd still be a nice kid to know." his brother replied.
"Maybe we can talk to him before the second exam." Takuya suggested. The others shrugged. It was worth a shot.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
"Wow, I wasn't expecting such an outburst." Masato admitted.
"I don't think anyone was. He's definitely not an ordinary child." Umi stated.
"Umi-chan, there's no such thing as an ordinary child. Everyone is weird in their own way." Naito said.
"Yeah, yeah, I know." she replied. This boy seemed to be the type of person you'd want to have at your back. Not to mention he inspired them to continue despite the consequences of both situations.
"I propose we try to become friends with this kid." Naito suggested.
"Why so sudden?" Umi asked. Naito had never been one to seek friends out, normally a loner with few true friends.
"There's just something about him that I can't help but like. Call me crazy, but it's like I knew him in a past life." she admitted. Masato nodded, feeling the same.
"It definitely feels like I've met him before. If we meet during the second exam, I'd like to speak with him." he stated.
"Alright then. It seems like we're going hunting during the second exam." Umi joked.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Kouen looked at his two teammates nervously. That was a prime example of why they shouldn't attack Konoha, yet their opinion changed very little.
"Are you serious!? You're still willing to go through with this after seeing that?" he asked incredulously.
"Like we said before, it's our mission! And don't you dare think for a second that I enjoy the idea!" Hikari said, glaring at him accusingly.
"It's a shame we didn't catch his name. It would be easier to talk to him." Subaru stated.
"About what? You want to confess the plan?" Kouen asked hopefully.
"I didn't say that. Talking with someone doesn't necessarily have to be a strategic play." he replied. The tan haired boy sweat-dropped in response.
"If we run into him, we'll probably have to fight him. I hope you know that." Hikari said.
"We might not last too long against him, but at least it'll be an interesting fight." her cousin replied. Kouen was unsure of the whole thing, but decided that his teammates knew best for now.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Three young Konoha shinobi were walking out of the examination room. All three were anxious about the upcoming second exam, and they couldn't wait to show how strong they had gotten.
"So, you guys excited about the next exam?" one boy asked. He had spiky, dark blue hair and vivid green eyes. He wore a red short sleeved jacket over a yellow undershirt, with black fingerless gloves on each hand. He wore the common blue zori sandals of a shinobi, along with black sweatpants. He wore a black headband around his forehead, proudly displaying his village symbol.
"Of course we are Taiyou." his female teammate replied. She had shoulder length blonde hair and light green eyes. She wore a pink sleeveless shirt with white shorts and black knee high boots. The symbol of Mars was sewn into her back. A black leather belt was wrapped around her waist, which a fanny pack was attached to. Fishnet coverings adorned her arms, and her village symbol was emblazoned upon the upper right portion of her breast.
"Who wouldn't be excited about this? We're in the Chunin Exams. This is a big step up in our ninja careers." the other boy said. He had auburn hair, going down the nape of his neck, reaching shoulder length and deep forest green eyes. He wore an olive long sleeved jacket over a dark orange shirt with matching cargo pants. A similarly colored headband was wrapped around his forehead.
"I hope you two are ready, Natoyo, Aki." Taiyou replied.
"Again, naturally." Natoyo replied.
"Bring it on." Aki said, cracking his knuckles.
"Do you think Aoba-sensei knows where Area 44 is?" the bluenette boy asked. His teammates shrugged while shooting him a 'why-would-we-know' look.
"He should, but he's a bit aloof and somewhat out there, so maybe not..." Aki admitted.
"Well, either way, we'll get there and show everyone exactly what Konoha is made of!" Natoyo exclaimed excitedly.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Naruto had taken a temporary break from the spotlight (in the form of inquisitive Genin wanting to know how he got so strong) and was currently sitting under the shade of a large sakura tree. It had been so long since he was able to relax and not have to worry about the problems he faced. Now he was just Uzumaki Naruto. An ordinary kid.
He was nearly drifting to sleep when suddenly his senses flared up. He sat up quickly and turned around, facing the direction where the chakra source was located.
"Whose there?" he asked. Slowly, Hinata emerged from the brush. He blinked in slight surprise.
"Hinata-chan? What are you doing here?" he asked. She tented her fingers nervously
"Um.....I saw that you were b-being annoyed by the o-other Genin, s-so I thought I w-would come to see if you were okay....." she stated.
"Oh.....If you were anyone else, I probably would've chased them off. Do you wanna sit here with me?" he asked. She blushed feverishly before nodding and sitting next to her crush. 'Oh my God I'm sitting next to Naruto-kun! Okay Hinata, just don't faint, no matter how dreamy his smile is or how gorgeous his eyes are, or.......' Her mental pep-talk was not working in the slightest.
Naruto decided to strike up conversation with the young heiress. He may not have known her all that well, but he was willing to make a few new friends during the exams.
"So, how have you been doing in the exams?" he asked.
"W-Well, we've all made it t-to the second exam, so that's a good thing." she replied.
"I definitely wouldn't want to run into you during the exam!" Naruto proclaimed. Hinata frowned and looked down. Did he really not like her? Had she done something to offend him?
"I'm pretty sure if we met, we'd have to fight and I really don't want to fight you of all people." he continued. She perked up immediately, with a hopeful gleam in her eyes.
"R-Really?" she asked. He glanced at her quizzically before smiling.
"I'd rather fight my own teammates before fighting you!" he said happily. She smiled and giggled lightly. He smiled warmly as well. 'She has a really cute laugh.' he thought.
"Hey, after the second exam, you wanna hang out sometime?" he asked.
"That would be nice. I would love to." she replied. She congratulated herself for not stuttering. Naruto stood up from his spot, turned to her and extended his hand.
"C'mon, let's go to the exam together." he said smiling. She smiled as well and took his hand. He pulled her up from the ground and together they headed for Area 44. Little did they realize, they held hands the entire way there.
(Current Day: Training Area #44; the Forest of Death)
Anko stood at the main gate, the Genin participants spread out in front of her. Oh, if they only knew how torturous the experience would be, they would probably back out now. Except for that one blonde kid. He would probably go in there. Then again, he'd convince everyone else to go in there too.
Okay, so maybe they wouldn't back down.
"Alright, listen up you maggots! This is the training area numbered forty-four here in Konoha. Codenamed: the Forest of Death." she announced.
"Geesh, what a drag....." Shikamaru mumbled. The Rookie Nine had grouped together, yet they lacked two certain members.
"Where is Hinata? She's never late." Kiba said, concerned for his frail teammate.
"And Naruto's nowhere to be seen." Sakura added.
"Hey guys! Sorry we're late!" Speak of the devil.....
The young blonde and Hyuga heiress came up to the ground, with Hinata blushing slightly and Naruto smiling his foxy grin. Some of the other Genin raised an eyebrow in question.
"Um....where were you guys?" Kiba asked.
"Just hanging out." Naruto replied.
"Really? Just 'hanging out?'" Ino asked, eying their intertwined fingers. Both Genin looked down, turned an interesting shade of crimson and released their grip, causing all witnessing to burst into laughter (except Shino and Sasuke).
"Ah, leave it to Naruto to keep everyone entertained." Shikamaru said, still smirking slightly.
"I thought it was cute! They would make a cute couple!" Ino protested, making the two turn an even deeper shade of red. Their attention was once more garnered by the proctor, who proceeded to explain all the rules and regulations regarding the exam.
Team 7 received a Heaven Scroll, and now must obtain an Earth Scroll within the allotted time and return to the tower in the center of the forest.
Naruto and his team waited outside their designated gate, anticipating the upcoming battles they were sure to face. He knew that, in some way shape or form, he would find the other Jinchuriki sometime during this exam. They were there. He knew it. He just didn't know who they were. The bell rang out across the field and the gates opened. As soon as they opened, each team sped into the forest, hoping to gain an early advantage over the others.
For Naruto and his team, they would never be the same.
(Later: Forest of Death)
So far so good. No enemies as of yet. Naruto had been scanning the surrounding area annually with his chakra sensory capabilities in order to prepare for a counterstrike against possible attackers.
Sasuke and Sakura were lasting with his temporary chakra boost, but it would not last much longer. They were already showing signs of fatigue once more. They needed to find a safe shelter for the night and quick, otherwise they would be in no shape to fight against anyone.
Walking through a clearing, his senses suddenly flared up. Something was coming.
"Guys, get down!" he shouted, ducking under a massive gale of wind that shook the entire clearing. His teammates had taken cover at the last minute, avoiding the deadly attack. As soon as the winds subsided, Naruto stood up and glared at their attacker.
"Whoever you are, you better come out now or I'll be forced to make you!" he threatened. A dark, evil laughter rang through the trees, making the Genin of Team 7 shiver due to the chill it brought.
"I suppose I could play with you a bit before I get to business." the voice said. As the Genin emerged from his hiding place, Naruto knew that this was no ordinary Genin.
"What are you?" he asked quietly under his breath, his eyes wide.
"My name is Orochimaru. I hope you're ready to die." he replied. The blonde took a step back in surprise, 'O-Orochimaru!?! One of the Sannin and an S-Rank criminal from Konoha! What is he doing here?!?!' he mentally shouted. 'I dunno kit, but if something isn't done soon, we're toast!' Kyuubi agreed. 'Any bright ideas?' 'You're the strategist! You come up with something!' 'Oh real mature ya damned hairball!'
Orochimaru bit his thumb and pressed it down lightly on the ground. In a puff of vapor, a gigantic snake appeared, with him riding on the head. The three gawked at the monstrosity before them.
"How are we supposed to fight that?" Sasuke asked.
"I dunno." Sakura replied. Naruto stepped out before them, his back turned to his teammates.
"You two get as far away from here as you can. I'll hold off snake breath over here." he said.
"You dobe, there's no way that you could-" Sasuke attempted to rebuttal, but Naruto's fierce glare stunned him into silence.
"That wasn't a request, it was an order! Now GO!" he shouted forcefully. His teammates were disturbed by this sudden show of aggression. Their teammate was becoming more and more of an enigma everyday.
"....Right. You better not die on us, dobe." the stoic Uchiha replied as he and Sakura fled. Naruto glared up at Orochimaru, his eyes beginning to change color. This was going to be a very difficult fight.
Orochimaru noticed his main target escaping and sighed. Why must the prey always try to run from their fate? Oh well, what fun would it be if they lied down and died right away? However, before he could pursue the Uchiha, a powerful kick found itself in his gut.
He flew off his perch, righting himself in midair before landing on the back of his summoned snake. He glared at his attacker to find the little blonde dobe standing where he once was. Now, however, there was a noticeable difference.
His hair was more disheveled, almost as if he had been fighting all day. The nails on both of his hands had extended to claw length. The whisker-like birthmarks on his cheeks had become more defined and thickened than before. However, most striking were the boy's now blood-red eyes. Orochimaru put two-and-two together. 'This must be the Kyuubi brat I've heard so much about. Hehe, maybe this shall be more interesting that I thought.' he thought.
"I don't know what a snake-in-the-grass like you is doing back here, Orochimaru, but I will guarantee the failure of your plot." Naruto said seriously. The snake Sannin laughed malignantly at this.
"You? Defeat me? I'm afraid that you're quite mistaken. You're welcome to try if you wish." he replied. The blonde clenched his fists and jumped down towards the traitorous ninja, only to have his target disappear from his sights. Being caught off-guard, Orochimaru was able to slam the boy into the ground below with a swift kick to the back of the head.
As Naruto sat up from the attack, his opponent had regained control of his summon.
"I would love to stay and play with you for a little longer, but I'm afraid that I must attain to more....pressing issues." he said, glancing in the direction Sasuke and Sakura had fled.
"I won't let you get away!" Naruto declared.
"I beg to differ. Perhaps you'd prefer my pet instead? He gets so restless sometimes that I just don't know what to do with him." he replied. The snake roared loudly as Orochimaru pursued the other members of Team 7.
Before Naruto could prevent him from leaving, the snake charged forward, it's gargantuan jaw threatening to consume him. He flipped away at the last second, avoiding the snake's mouth. It quickly recoiled from the miss and leaped at the boy again.
He catapulted himself into the air using a fallen tree as a springboard, avoiding the snake once again. 'Time to test out that training!' he thought. He began to focus the Kyuubi's demonic chakra to his hands. Soon, they began to glow in a soft crimson glow, coating them like a glove.
He flipped several times in a frontward direction, building momentum for his attack. Upon getting into close enough range, he brought his chakra-empowered claw down onto the snake's head, shredding it from the rest of it's body. The corpse disappeared in the same manner if had appeared.
"Okay, that takes care of that. Now, just to find Sakura and Sasuke." he said aloud. Knowing time was of the essence, he rushed to find his teammates before Orochimaru did. If he wasn't in time, then was all Hell gonna break loose.
OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo
Sasuke and Sakura were standing across from Orochimaru, who had appeared only a moment earlier. Both were fearing for their teammate and themselves. Sasuke, however, was not about to let this sicko kill him without a good fight. Preparing to battle, he took the basic stance for the Uchiha 'Inceptor Fist' style of taijutsu. The mysterious Genin only chuckled in response.
"I'm afraid that won't work. Now, let us behold the glory that will be your deaths!" he said. Reaching up to his eyes, they suddenly changed to something akin to demonic.
That's when it happened.
They never saw it coming. Suddenly, the two Genin were watching themselves being hit, their blood splattering unto the cold ground around them. They watched in horrid shock as the images of their own corpses falling over, kunai implanted in various places, mostly in the chest. Suddenly, the image shifted to their enemy throwing two kunai at their foreheads. They were unable to block, unable to scream, unable to think, before they felt the cold metal pierce their skin.
The illusion over, both Genin fell limply to the ground, their eyes shadowed over by the hair. They were both in shock, speechless after that display of malicious intent.
Orochimaru licked his lips in anticipation. Now that the Uchiha's will was broken, administering the curse seal would be that much easier.
"Sasuke! Sakura!" the shouts of the blonde Jinchuriki irritated the Sannin. This boy was becoming a real pest.
Naruto landed in the clearing next to his two paralyzed teammates. He knew they were put under some kind of genjutsu, but otherwise they were unharmed. He glared up at Orochimaru, a massive killer intent coming off in waves.
"You must have a death wish." he muttered coldly.
"Persistent little brat, aren't we? Well then, I'll just have to fix that!" Orochimaru said, charging forward at the blonde. He prepared to duel the older ninja when suddenly Sasuke caught his opponent's fist. Both parties were confused by this movement.
"How can you move? That genjutsu should've......" Orochimaru then took notice of the Uchiha's eyes. Now, instead of their normal obsidian black, they were a deep, reptilian green.
"Pathetic. Now, go away." he said in a dark voice. With a quick flick of the wrist, he threw Orochimaru onto the ground thirty yards away from the boys.
Naruto was in shock at this action. His teammate wasn't himself, that much was obvious. Someone – or something – was controlling him.
"S-Sasuke......w-what are you....." he stammered to get out. 'Sasuke' turned to him, quite pleased to see him.
"Ah, Kyuubi. I've been meaning to have a rematch with you." he replied. Upon hearing the name of his inner demon, Naruto paled. Suddenly, Sakura rose from the ground, her eyes still shadowed over.
"Sakura! Get away from him! That's not Sasuke!" he exclaimed.
"I know that's not Sasuke." she replied in a voice that chilled him to the bone. His eyes widened further upon seeing Sakura's normal emerald green eyes transformed into the dark pink that now glared at him in hatred.
"W-Who are you guys?" Naruto asked, his mind running through the possibilities. 'Sasuke' and 'Sakura' smirked evilly.
"Aw, you can't remember you're old playmates Hachibi and Shichibi?" 'Sasuke' asked, sounding offended. A wave of shock and fear swept through him. His mission had started. Just not the way he had foreseen it.
"Sasuke......Sakura.......they're Jinchuriki.......like me......" he stated in shock.
"At least he has a brain." 'Sakura' commented. Suddenly, the blonde glared at them fiercely.
"Release them! Unless you wish to suffer the wrath of the Nine Tails, you'd best do as I say!" Naruto demanded. 'Kit, you can't control my powers that well yet! Don't forget we still have Orochimaru to deal with too!' Kyuubi mentally chided him. 'I know what I'm doing.' he replied.
Orochimaru rose from behind the two possessed teens, his anger now seething. No little brat was going to get away with that, no matter who they were!
"You little brat! I'll make your death long and insufferable!" he threatened. 'Sasuke' just scoffed at him.
"If it isn't the snake-in-the-grass. I'm afraid your 'precious' Uchiha isn't here at the moment, but I'll make sure to give him a message after I send you to Hell." he replied. Naruto had just about enough of this back-and-forth.
"I don't care who you are! If you're threatening my friends, I'll have no choice but to kick all your asses!" he exclaimed, his anger at a boiling point. 'Sakura' turned to him.
"I hope you're prepared, Kyuubi. My vengeance is at hand." she stated. Orochimaru glared at the three Genin before him.
"Before this battle is through, you will all lie dead before me!" he boasted. Naruto took an offensive stance, ready to battle against his friends and enemies.
"I will free Sasuke and Sakura, and I will defeat you, Orochimaru! You can count on that!" he exclaimed.
"If you're in such a hurry to die, I'm accommodate you!" 'Sasuke' said. 'Sakura' glared at him harshly.
"Sorry reptile-breath, but Kyuubi is mine. You can have fun with the snake." she replied.
"I don't think so." he said, returning her glare. Naruto knew that this was going to be the toughest fight of his life. But, this was a battle he knew he could not afford to lose!