Difficulties

Naruto wished that he could go on a reconnaissance mission in another part of the continent then taking a chuunin test with Ibiki and a bunch of soon-to-be chuunin. "I'm not going to explain this again, so listen closely, pigs. If you don't obey, you will automatically fail." Ibiki looked especially at the Sound nins. The ninja taking the test, gulped involuntary as they watched him.

"You will pick a piece of paper and sit in the seat you are assigned in. After you go to the right one, we will hand out the exams."

Naruto simply stared at the papers. 'You got to be kidding me! I'll get you later and you better watch your back.' He directed his glare at the man.

Everyone went to their seat. The blond looked at the people next to him. 'So…Hinata is the only one close to me.' Ibiki tapped the board with chalk. "Do not turn your tests over and pay attention. I'll write it on the board but you cannot ask questions what so ever. First off you start with 10 points…."

Naruto yawned in only the first thirty seconds of the explanation. 'Just hurry up and get this thing over with.'

"….Since there is ten questions on the test; they are worth one point each. Second rule, passing depends on your teammates. You combine each of your score which equals thirty. So if you cheat a few times, let's just say you and your team fail."

Sakura's jaw was on the floor. Inner Sakura punched a Naruto dummy. 'You better not fail, baka, or I'll personally drag you to hell!'

"The exam will last one hour. Begin!"

Naruto skimmed through the first question. 'Wow…this is easier then I thought.' He kept writing until he nearly filled the whole page. 'Some of these questions are very hard to answer for genin since they lack experience. Wait a second, do I count as a genin? There is no way someone...could answer these unless…' He turned to the proctors near the wall eyeing everyone like a hawk. '…we cheat. Ibiki-teme said 'if you cheat a few times, let's just say you and your team fail.' A few times… He meant we could do it but don't get caught or you'll fail. Look underneath the underneath. I think some people figured that out.'

Naruto glared flames at the paper. 'What's this about the tenth question?' He glanced at the clock, there is five minutes left. A kunai flew past him and hit the desk behind him.

Kotetsu smirked, tapping on his clipboard. "You cheated three times. You fail."

The boy in the desk behind the blond clenched his fist and left along with his teammates. Many genin failed from cheating and left.

"Now for the tenth question…." Ibiki watched everyone with intensity.

In the hokage tower, the jounin instructors relaxed in the lounge. Kakashi sighed, "There's nothing to do. I miss making my students angry."

"Hmph." Asuma blew smoke from his mouth. "I wonder how you could enjoy that. You know, I heard Morino Ibiki is the examiner for the first test."

Kakashi had a bored expression on his face and waved it off. "It doesn't matter…That sadist against the Anbu captain."

Kurenai frowned in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

The silver haired jounin leaned back. Asuma answered for him. "Ibiki is the captain of torture and interrogation squad. On the other hand…."

"One of the genin in rookie nine, is an Anbu captain. The two obviously know each other. You'll meet him soon."

(AN:We all know how this goes)

The blond had a triumphed look on his face. People in the room lost their nervousness and stared at Ibiki, who is studying them carefully. "Fine, you pass."

Naruto kept glaring at Ibiki, he too glared back at him. People thought they are just having a glaring contest but actually they were arguing with just eye contact.

'Now, I know who you are, kid!' Ibiki mentally shot daggers. 'The teichou of the Anbu force! I recognize your behavior!'

Naruto smirked at him, 'I win! Admit it, Psychopath!'

'I think your mask is bigger than your head, gaki! I still remember your prank!' They went from hostile to friendly in a second. He grinned thinking about Naruto when he was younger. Then, they were interrupted by a certain purple haired kunoichi, which involves a giant banner, alot of smoke, and flying though the window.

The blond cursed under his breath while staring at her. 'Correction, she is more psychotic.'

"I'm Mitarashi Anko! I'll be your second excecuti-I mean, proctor. "

"Bad timing, Anko." The man ripped the banner down, and Anko had a pissed off look on her face.

She counted how many people are in the room, excluding the examiners. "You left 26 teams? You got easy on them Ibiki!"

"There were a lot of excellent ones, this time…."

The kunoichi put a sadistic smile on her face. "Oh don't worry. I'll cut those numbers in half in the next part of the test." The temperature went down a few degrees.

Then, she had an innocent look on her face. "Follow me, shrimps."

Naruto made a kage bunshin to get some stuff for a certain test from his apartment.

"Welcome to the Forest of Death." Anko pointed to Training Grounds 44, "You'll find out why it is known that way."

People stared at the forest like it is going to come and eat them. "Who are you kidding? Why would we be afraid?" Everyone turned to Naruto thinking that he is out of his mind.

In a blink of an eye, a kunai whizzed by and grazed his cheek. He kept his face emotionless when she came behind him, licking the blood dripping down his face.

The blond's eyes went cold. "Like what you taste? Enjoy it while it lasts because I'm not going to do this again…ever." He murmured low enough that the genin can only see his lips moving.

Anko nearly jumped and it clicked in place. 'What is that brat doing here? Son of a-'

"Here's your kunai." A man had the kunai wrapped around his long tongue.

'What the hell?!' Naruto didn't even hide his surprise. 'Who is this man?'

"Thanks." Anko smiled. "But don't sneak up on me unless you want something to happen."

The man tipped his straw hat down, his tongue slithered back to his mouth. "I get excited when there is blood plus someone cut my hair…" He trailed off looking around before walking away.

"Now…Where was I?"

(Insert Explanation here)

Naruto POV

They gave us the Heaven scroll will Sasuke carrying it. Sakura is clearly shivering from fear or excitement. Then the examiner unlocks gate and we rushed inside. For some reason I have a bad feeling about this.

"Dobe." I snapped out of my daze, realizing my teammates are ahead of me. Screams filled my ears. Sakura had a look of terror on her face, jumping from the noise. We just went in and we already hear screams.

I sighed feeling chakra coming from my radio. Now? "I'm got to do my business." I secretly begged for Sasuke to believe my lie.

"Sure, but don't get lost."

I smiled while walking away, twitching with impatience. "Well don't do it in front of a lady, baka!" Sakura yelled waving around a fist. She might attract attention.

'Wasn't going to…you don't act like one.' "Got to go."

"Wait, dobe! You have…." I kept going not listening to him. I ran behind the bush and then walked pass the branches of a fallen tree. I put the radio on my ear. "You called?"

"Teichou, we found three dead bodies outside of the forest. They are Grass nin." I gritted my teeth trying to keep my cool.

"Urufu, describe them."

"Their faces are wiped off. Blank. We do have their identification though. One has long black hair and a womanish face…"

"I saw that kind of man earlier."

"Anko reported this to the hokage. Keep alert, we were ordered to apprehend them. One of them is suspected as an S class criminal....Orochimaru."

"Nani?!" Sweat dripped down my forehead, everything has gone downhill.

"Teichou, I know this doesn't have anything, but everybody including the hokage, think that you should not hold back in the exams! You have his permission."

"Thank you, Urufu-san." I turned the radio off, then explosions came from their direction. "Shit!" I was about to run until I saw a giant snake blocking my path.

Urufu turned off her radio. She recently talked to her captain who is in the Forest of Death. There was an S ranked criminal currently in the testing area and they cannot do much about it. "Why can't we help him?" Kame says staring at the bodies before him.

"Did you think we could do anything during the Chuunin exams? It could cause panic if they see Anbu wandering there. Though, I don't see what Sandaime is thinking."

Kuma was silent. "We could only send in a few people but they might be no match. The genin are in danger..."

"Teichou will find a way to keep them safe from him but not amongst themselves." Kuma replied, staring at the direction of the forest.

Sasuke didn't know what to think of this man. He survived most of his fire techniques and even fell down a hundred foot tree landing on his head which should have killed him. Sakura is creeped out by the man since he ate the scroll they need whole. His killer intent is massive.

The man summoned a giant snake. "Shit..." Sasuke said out loud. The snake opened its jaws and went to the branch they stood on at high speed.

An orange blur shot through the air and landed on the snake's head, hard. You could hear an audible crack before poofing away. Naruto did a back flip in mid air before landing on the branch next to them. "That isn't fair... a humongous snake against them."

"Showoff..." Sakura muttered. 'But I'm glad we have him...' Naruto crossed his arms assessing the situation in full anbu mode. "I don't think I could last against a Sannin yet but if it's to protect them, I'll fight you!"

The man is shocked that he knew his identity although he didn't give a name. He gritted his teeth as he did handsigns. He extended his neck at a fast rate and bit Sasuke's neck. Naruto gasped and ran like a blur to slice the Sannin's neck. He only missed and watched helplessly as Sasuke collapsed from pain.

"Didn't you say you'll protect them from me?" He chuckled, when his neck returned to normal. Naruto stared at his neck, a seal began to form. "The Curse Mark?"

"He come to me for power and vengeance."

"Stupid... Sasuke is stronger than that I believe." Naruto growled touching a concealed wrist band with a seal on it. Smoke popped around his hand which turned out to be the Zanbatou. 'At least I didn't get the wrong one.'

Sakura gasped recognizing the sword. "Didn't you give the Anbu Captain the sword?"

The blond smirked at her. "He said I needed it more than he does." He charged at the Snake sannin who is melting to the ground. He caught him just in time to injure his shoulder. Orochimaru jumped thirty feet away from Naruto. They puched and kicked each other. Orochimaru roundhouse kicked him in the side. Naruto ducked and did a swept from below but missed. They separated a hundred feet from each other.

"Damn, gaki." Before he knew it, two clones of Naruto grabbed each of his arms. Two others ran to the front of him. They both did different handsigns. They both breathed in. "Katon:Endan!" "Fuuton: Daitoppa!" Wind and fire combined making it a devastating attack at close range. It hit the Orochimaru scorching him. The clones dispersed while the real Naruto thought for a second when the clones memories came to him. Then he it got to him but the man stood on his right badly burnt. His bits of skin showed on his face but it revealed to them his real face.

"I'll kill you for that... You'll interfere in the future." He lifted his palm and snakes extended towards Naruto. He blocked it with his Zanbatou. It pushed him forward, with them snapping their jaws at him. An idea popped in his head. 'There may be as risk doing it since it might waste chakra.'

Using one hand to hold the sword, he used the other to do a series of handsigns stopping at the Tatsu(dragon) sign. "Fuuton:Kazekiri!" Winds sliced them in half and Orochimaru jumped out of the way. Naruto smirked at the results. 'It doesn't have the control as the regular on but that makes it powerful.' Something gripped his leg and it was another snake keeping him from moving.

"Looks like you are strong Naruto-kun but..." He smirked melting into mud. Naruto was in alert. "Naruto! Behind you!" Sakura screamed as Orochimaru had a sword in his mouth, his neck extending towards Naruto. He jumped but not fast enough. It pierced through his stomach where his seal is. He spat out blood as Orochimaru twisted the Kusaragi in his wound before pulling it out.

Naruto glared at the Sannin as he fell on one knee. "How... could you defeat me? I used jutsus and...I get defeated by a swor-" His face met the dirt as he kicked to the ground. He put more pressure on his head with his foot. The Kusaragi near his neck. "Kukuku...You still have a long way to go Naruto-kun..."

"Naruto!" Sakura gripped on Sasuke debating to fight, run, or stay where she was.

Naruto snorted though he is on the ground. "Judging by how beat up you are? You know there are other shinobi in here Orochimaru..."

Stomping on his head to make him quiet, the Sannin leered at him. "You will pay when I see your face again, kyuubi- brat."

He melted into the ground. Naruto feared about the fox but looked to see the wound closing and the seal intact. The blood is still there but the wound is not there.

Darkness surrounded him as he lost consciousness....

Gomen, I didn't update for a while. I didn't really like how I did the end of this chapter. :-(

There was a strange mission request that came to Anbu. Kitsune scanned the paper intently which made each of the members look at him mystified. Finally he looked up at them and tossed the paper in the 'junk' pile. "This involves catching a tiger that is loose in our headquarters." The blond sighed as Kame had an aura of fright.

"How could a tiger get in here?!" Urufu yelled seeing that they were anbu members and not zookeepers.

Kitsune paused for a moment. "T-O-R-A." He spelled simply. "That beast got away from the genin and slipped in here..." The blond pointed at a ginger cat sitting on his cabinet swishing its tail. "Go catch it but be ca-

"I'll get it no problem!" Kuma ran to it with his big arms in front of him. He attempted to grab it but Tora clawed his mask multiple times before chomping down on his hair.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" He ran around his head with a cat trailing behind him. They sweatdropped at the comical sight before them.

"WTF!" Urufu stared at the cat who seemed to be enjoying this. Naruto smacked his forehead. "To think that a cat could beat even Anbu members..." He muttered as Kijuuki pat the cat who is purring.