Chapter 1 Special Case Examination

'I hate this job.' Tsunade inwardly growled while signing her name once again at the bottom of a paper. She once looked at it on the bright side that it was like signing an autograph to some fan, only that light died out a long time ago.

"Shizune, get rid of these blasted papers." Tsunade instructed tiredly to her long time friend next to her.

"Hai. Perhaps you should take a break Tsunade-sama?"

"Got sake?"

Shizune simply sighed while rising a bottle of the god sending drink, "Don't drink too much Tsunade-sama...you are on duty remember?"

"I am the hokage, I ALWAYS am on duty!"

Shizune jumped back with chattering teeth at Tsunade's growling response, "H-Hai!"

Shaking her head, Tsunade took the bottle, "Just go already." When Shizune had closed the door, Tsunade smelt in the fumes of the alluring beverage and let out a childish giggle of delight.

'Ahh...I guess this is the highlight of the job.' Before she was about to take a sip, the loud knocking of the door made her frown.

'Damn it!'

"Enter!" She announced with an annoyed growl at the end, delaying the person on the other end from opening the door for a split second.

Once recovered, the door fully opened to reveal Sakura and Lee. Eyeing the bottle that was poorly placed to the side of the desk, Sakura inwardly cringed, 'Oh no...maybe she won't be in a good mood.'

Both coming in to the centre of the room, Sakura bowed, "Sorry for interrupting you in the middle of your break Tsunade-sama, but we require your assistance."

Tsunade hung her head with a disgruntled sigh, "Very well, what do you wish to talk to me about?" Arising herself, Sakura gestured Lee to come forward.

Lee stepped forward and bowed his head, "My humble apologies Hokage-sama, but I would value your aid in something."

Tsunade blinked blankly, "Go on."

"I wish to be offered exemption from having to undertake the chuunin exam with a team."

"That cannot be done." Lee and Sakura looked in surprise to Tsunade's automated answer.

"It is a general rule that must be enforced. You must assign yourself to a team that is participating the exams. I am sorry."

Sakura stepped up, "But Tsunade-sama, while that is true, you wouldn't attempt the exams that emphasize teamwork and trust with strangers you do not know in a life or death situation. You would want to work together with comrades you know, Lee-san is by himself amongst us."

"You're asking me to change the rules that have been agreed upon by the five kages long ago. I cannot do that even if I wanted to Sakura. It also seems both of you have forgotten that chuunin are expected to work with others they are unfamiliar with. To still work with people you know and trust so well is considered a luxury...not a requirement."

Seeing Lee's head hung made Tsunade ran her hand through her hair. "But..."

Both teens looked up from the floor to meet her nibbling her fingernail, "There are special cases. Frankly I believe you were punished far too severely by the Iwa judges."

"I was not assessed by a Konoha judge?"

"It was agreed that a judge from another village assesses other countries candidates. This is done so bias is avoided by a generous marker for the same village, of course there is still a bias involved, but to balance that, we assess the other village as well."

Both teens were wide eyed in interest to this information, as Tsunade continued, "Honestly, I feel the Iwa marker was angered by what you did to their top candidate, and looked for the most pitiful excuse possible to disqualify you. You should have received the approval of promotion with everybody else by far. Unfortunately my hands were tied in the matter, I could not do anything, despite my protests of another country marking you. It is a flaw in the system that needs to be rectified."

Not caring anymore, Tsunade brought up her sake bottle and took a sip before continuing, "Moving on to what I was saying, there are special circumstances that can be made for candidates in a position where they are by themselves. Usually it is given to those who teammates were killed, but that is not the only reason. Instead you have to carry out the first and second tests in another way, if you're results are satisfactory, then you automatically are placed in the third test as a contestant."

Lee was taken aback, but tightened his fist at the news and bowed his head again, "What is it I must do Hokage-sama?" Tsunade let out an amused 'Hmmph' at Lee's positive attitude, and continued.

"You must undertake over one dozen C or B ranked missions, which you must succeed in completing. The reason for this is because it is the expected level of difficulty every chuunin must be able to undertake. In each mission, you are to be assessed by your comrades to see if they approve in how you handled yourself. You will be joining other chuunin's and possibly jounin's, since you are effectively on probation to see if you can handle what is required to be a bearer of the chuunin rank. Once your twelve consecutive missions have been completed and accepted, You then join the others in the third exam."

Taking another mouthful of the sweet drink, Tsunade continued, "You however will not be able to attend the next round of exams, instead you must wait until it is hosted within our own walls, which is in a year's time."

Tsunade concluded apologetically to Lee, who formed a firm line, "I cannot attend the one in Kumo?"

"You are effectively being assessed in house like a jounin is, so you unfortunately have to wait until Konoha hosts the exams. Consider it ample time to ensure you are ready for them. You know the opponent you drew with actually was in the same boat as you are now?"

Both Sakura and Lee eyes flickered in memory of the rock nin that practically walked all over the competition, even defeating Neji before Lee's match up. Had Lee not used the celestial gates, it never would have made it to a draw.

"R-Really?!"

Tsunade nodded to her shocked apprentice, "That shinobi had to wait an entire two years before he could enter the exams, which was why he was so much higher calibre to everyone else, and neither of you were aware of him before the third exam. Of course he was promoted by us, but it seems Iwa weren't willing to acknowledge that a second time candidate from Konoha made it a draw."

Lee just nodded his head at the overload of new information, "None of my previous recorded missions count?"

"No. What happened previously is not valid, you must prove to me that you are fit to be a chuunin as of today. While I can argue that you are a high tier chuunin in strength if not more with the celestial gates, you must prove to not only me, but to your comrades as well, that you are at least a chuunin mentally. You could be the strongest person in the world, but if your mind is not focused and aware, then you are a waste of space and will fall to those below you who outwit you."

Lee stood firm at attention, "I accept the terms and am beyond eager to commence my substitute exams Hokage-sama!"

Sakura smiled at Lee's eagerness and felt her assistance was no longer required, "I am sure you will do well Lee-san, but I wish you all the best."

"And just where do you think you're going Sakura?"

Sakura froze in mid turning for the door and looked in question to her master, "I thought you were going to discuss with Lee-san what he has to do next, so I was going to leave you both in priva-"

"Oh no you are not."

Sakura shot a blank expression to Tsunade who grew a smug grin, "I have a feeling YOU, were the one responsible for bringing Lee into my office to discuss this. Since you were so keen to help, you just got assigned the duty to be Lee's first examiner."

"I-I-What?!" Tsunade chuckled at her turning back apprentice, and ushered her over to the side of the desk.

"Did my apprentice just forget she is a chuunin now? It is time to take some responsibility, and what a better way than to start off your first mission as chuunin with a long term assignment."

"There surely must be someone better than me for the task? I don't want my screw up Lee-san's opportunity."

"I have faith in you Sakura-san!" Sakura looked to see Lee giving a beaming nice guy pose directed to her, which made her sigh through a soft smile while turning back to her master.

"Ok, What do I have to do Tsunade-sama?"

"You must be sure Lee is aware of the qualities that make a chuunin, since you are one yourself, you are well aware of what to look for already, correct?" Sakura let her mouth hang open, and couldn't help but get that feeling she was just given a surprise test on a topic she knew nothing about.

"I-Umm-I-"

Tsunade's laughter made her pause in confusion, as her master stood up and ruffled her hair, "You never get boring to tease." She stated, while shifting to a filing cabinet on the other side of office, ignoring her apprentice's sheepish features and mumbling.

Once she pulled out a file containing a document, Tsunade closed the long drawer and handed it to her apprentice.

"These are what examiners look for when judging a candidate, during the four missions you will undertake with Lee, you are to observe for any of these qualities."

"Four?"

"We don't exactly have the luxury to assign Lee to a different member for each mission he will be assessed on, but we have to at a minimum have two different assessors for him to qualify for entry to avoid possible bias. Or am I overestimating your abilities?" Sakura knew when her sensei was setting bait for her, and bit her tongue to think first.

Looking back at the neutral expression of Lee made her shoulders slump, "I will work together with Lee-san on as many missions as you will allow me to do then."

"That's what I like to see in my apprentice! " Tsunade chirped while sitting back at her desk.

"Then you will be working with Lee throughout all of his missions then. Any mission's where you will both be working with other shinobi, you will have to personally ask them for their own opinion on Lee's abilities. This way, we satisfy the requirement of numerous people's approval, but at the same time, only one person will know what it is they have to do."

Sakura looked back at the documents and nodded, "I understand then...I will do it."

"Excellent. I will have assigned a mission that is suitable for both of you by tomorrow morning, come back then."

Lee bowed and turned to leave, "Is this what you plan to make him do when he returns to Konoha?"

Lee turned to see Sakura looking at Tsunade in question, who grew a smirk, "I distinctly remember telling you 'We have two years, I will think about it'...so I am still thinking."

'Is Sakura-san and Hokage-sama talking about Naruto-kun?'


Leaving the Hokage's office together, Sakura began flicking through the thick document she was going to be up most of the night reading and studying with a groan.

'So long...do chuunin examiners really have to keep all this in mind?'

"I apologise for taking up your busy time with this Sakura-san."

Smiling, she looked to the apologetic toned Lee, "There's nothing to be apologising about Lee-san, I am more than happy I can help in some way."

"May I at least find some way to show my gratitude then?"

Sakura chuckled while shaking her head, "Don't be silly Lee-san, it's not as if I do anything else but train since my teammate's- I mean, Naruto is not here..."

Lee watched as Sakura flickered through several different emotions, before looking down at the floor as they walked appearing in deep thought.

The spandex wearer perked an eyebrow and tried to relate. He would feel a little down if his own team were not here, one going for two and a half years, and the other being a question of ever coming back could explain some of Sakura's down attitude. But the traces of pain in her dull jade eyes was something the miniature Gai could not bear to see.

"You miss Naruto-kun don't you Sakura-san?"

She took a minute to reply, but eventually let out a low 'ah.'.

Deciding to cheer her up as they exited, Lee beamed, "Sakura-san! please allow me to buy you a late afternoon meal. I will not accept no as an answer!"

Sakura ginned while shaking her head, "Is a 'no thank you' a valid answer?"

"Don't be so hip, I must treat my superiors with respect and ensure my comrades are sparkling with the happiness of a glorious day!"

Sakura chuckled at his antics while smiling, "Trying to earn points already...nice. But its late afternoon, and I am happy Lee-san?"

"Sakura-san, you are as always a bad liar."

Sakura's smile softened a little to reveal slight hints of sadness behind it at his words. Her mouth though soon after perked at the edges again to show a more genuine smile, "...A paid dinner would be very nice, Lee-san."


Lee decided to let Sakura choose where to eat, and stuck to his iron willed words and payed for everything, despite her protests. He never asked her what was bothering her in respect to her privacy. Instead he tried to cheer her up with some stories he knew would at least crack a smile or a giggle from his times with team Gai. Lee was very glad to see his efforts had some impact to bring a genuine smile to the kunoichi that she wore for the rest of the evening.

"Thank you Lee-san...I had fun."

"You're most welcome Sakura-san." Lee beamed as they exited the restaurant, his impossibly shiny teeth sparkling.

"May I escort you home?"

"That's ok Lee-san, I enjoy a nice long and quiet walk."

"As you wish then, I will see you tomorrow."

"Good night Lee-san." Sakura turned and departed, as Lee began walking the other way while forming a tight fist to a stray tear falling.

'I executed in comforting an important comrade when they were in need of cheering up perfectly! Gai-sensei would explode with praise!'

He could hear his sensei's approval loud and clear ringing in his ears, "Splendid work, Lee!" Lee jumped in surprise to a giant hand resting on his shoulder, making him spin around to see it wasn't just his minds musing that said that.

Gai winked, while giving his student the thumbs up with a sparkling teeth revealing smile, "I never thought I would see the day a woman would recognise your impeccable resolve and radiating spirit, which glows with your youth, to then fondly embrace it."

Lee blinked at Gai's words, and shook his head, "It was not for that Gai-sensei." Gai mouthed an 'oh' while forming a neutral expression to Lee's concern.

"Sakura-san was upset, so following your advice, I decided to comfort her by offering a paid meal and told her some inspiring but humorous stories to calm her thoughts."

"Oh..."

The older nin's thumb shot up again, bundled with his smile, "How gallant of you Lee! You have a warming and inspiring heart that will bring a smile to many with such a blossoming conscience!"

The tears fell again as Lee nodded his head furiously, "Hai! Thank you Gai-sensei!"

Once Lee had calmed, he now wondered, "What are you doing here anyway Gai-sensei?"

"I was too occupied earlier to think clearly, and came to you to discuss how we were going to handle the next chuunin exams."

"No need Gai-sensei, it has been taken care of-" Lee then explained what was happening to Gai, who suddenly poured down tears of joy.

"Taking the initiative yourself! You never stop surprising me with your determination, Lee!"

"Sakura-san and myself are starting the first mission tomorrow morning, so if you do not mind Gai-sensei, I must ensure I am in top condition by the next morning."

"Absolutely Lee."

"...But not after a good one hundred lap winding down sprint around the village of course."

"Hehe, sounds like a race to push our bodies on the line."


Bidding her fair wells to her mother, Sakura opened the door that lead to the early morning streets of Konoha. She was taken aback though to see she had someone waiting for her across the street but soon grinned, "Lee-san? This better not be to suck up to me, because you know I have to try and keep bias out of my assessment."

The spandex wearing miniature Gai gave a wide smile, kicking himself off the wall he was leaning against, "Of course Sakura-san, I am just showing common courtesy to my superiors."

Sakura laughed as they walked side by side, "So basically...trying to score more points...I would probably do the same anyway."

"How are you this morning Sakura-san?"

"Good Lee-san, thanks for asking. You?"

"I am keen to begin my first mission test!"

"Hehe, so I figured."

"Did you're reading go well?"

Sakura groaned, "I feel like a genin again to be honest. Seriously, some of things that examiners look for even bewilder me to no end. I don't even know where I demonstrated half the stuff mentioned in the exam to earn the rank."

"Oh..."

"Don't fret Lee-san, just be yourself, and you will be fine. Remember it is only twelve missions, and I strongly doubt you are expected to show something outstanding in each and every one. If you also stop sucking up to me, I will be sure to point things out along the way."

"Wouldn't you get in trouble for that Sakura-san?"

"No, Tsunade-sama said I have to ensure you are aware of the qualities remember? So Frankly, I will help you in any way I can. You won't even realise how much of it is done without even considering it."

"Wait!"

Both stopped when they heard a distant voice echo through the mostly abandoned streets, while then turning to the source.

Sakura almost tripped over her feet when she saw the large dust cloud kicking up into the sky, which lead to a sprinting Gai, "Wait!" He shouted again, while Sakura started to pale.

'Uh oh.'

When Gai instantly stopped a mere meter away from them, he blinded Sakura with arguably a sun equivalent blinding lens flare sparkle from his impossibly pure white teeth.

"Good morning Sakura."

'Oh boy...'

"Good morning Gai-sensei?"

"I just wanted to personally thank you for going so far to help Lee blossom into the next stages of his youth!"

'What in the hell does that mean you crazy idiot!?'

"Umm, I am more than glad to help out Lee-san."

'Just say thank you...and leave me alone.'

"I do however hope you will assess Lee as fairly as can be." Sakura almost yelped when he seized her hand and enclosed it with both of his bear sized paws. She had to restrain herself to not gulp the lump at the back of her throat when she was met eye to eye with the sensei, his arguably thicker than kunai hilt eye brows intimidating her.

"I really hope you will ensure Lee is given the grand assessment he deserves!"

Gai beamed, although Sakura was willing to swear she was receiving behind that smile the slightest of warning or even a threat...

...The unified eyebrows spoke the hidden truth to put it bluntly.

"O-Of course Gai-sensei!...Is that Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura stuttered, while looking behind the crazed jounin. In truth, they were the only ones out on the early morning street, but all sense of reality seemed to not matter when you mention the word 'Kakashi' to the furiously competitive older spandex wearer.

Gai immediately turned and pointed with an accusing finger down the street, "SO WE MEET AGAIN MY RIVAL!...eh?"

Gai blinked at the empty street, "...Must have missed him, so where was I-..." Gai turned back to see both Sakura and Lee had vanished, with him being the only person now in the street.

"...GAH! SHE IS BECOMING AS HIP AS HER SENSEI!"

Both Lee and partly shaken Sakura continued to briskly walk in silence, as they trekked up the Hokage tower, and knocked on the door to Tsunade's office. Sakura tried again after a good minute with no response, 'Maybe she has gone out?'

Opening the door and murmuring a questioning 'Tsunade-sama?' Sakura peered inside to go partially agape then chuckled softly.

"Come in quietly please Lee-san."

Sakura half whispered, opening the door to reveal a sleeping Tsunade. The Hokage's head was laying down on top of some files, the only noise being heard was what sounded like a snore emitting from the slug sannin.

Sakura came around and shook her master on the back gently, "Tsunade-sama?" She called, while the hokage stirred.

"Mmm?" Drifting her head up, she squinted her blurry eyes to see an at attention Lee in front of her and suddenly jolted awake.

"T-The Hell?!-"

"Pulled another all nighter Tsunade-sama?"

Sakura's soft voice made the sannin slump in her chair in relaxation while moaning, "I hate this job."

Sakura simply chuckled at her masters curses while stroking her back, "Would you like me to get you some tea?"

"Got sake?"

"Tsunade-sama...."

"Bah, fine then!" The sannin barked, earning more suppressed chuckles from Sakura, while Lee respectfully stayed out of their discussion. He couldn't help but relate their exchange to a parent and a child argument, and not in the order most would think at first glance.

Ensuring she was decent, Tsunade straightened up and accepted her apprentices steaming serving of tea and took a sip, "Lee, if you tell anybody what you saw, you are instantly going to fail your examination."

Lee stood even straighter at attention with no threat, "See what Hokage-sama?"

"Hmmph, we have an understanding then."

After taking another sip, Tsunade flicked through some files on the side of the desk, "Now where did I put that mission?" She murmured to herself, finally finding it.

"Since this is your first mission as leader Sakura, we will do something light. This mission is a C rank escort mission, with a low possibility of bandit encounters. Your task will be to protect a trader who wishes to sell merchandise by travelling to several major locations throughout the fire country. The mission will take roughly a week's time assuming you run into no trouble. Interested?"

Sakura liked the sounds of it, but the lengthened time was a bit of a turn off, "You are giving me a choice Tsunade-sama?"

"Of course, you are my apprentice after all-"

Tsunade paused to give an 'innocent' smirk, while continuing, "-Or should I treat you like everybody else and force you to do it?"

Sakura gulped and waved her hands in a blur, "N-No! Thank you for asking. The time seems a little...long."

Tsunade chuckled at her apprentices nervous tone, "Of course, this actually is a mission that would be assigned to a genin squad and jounin instructor, but since it is just the two of you, this mission applies in your case too...the entire lump sum that would usually go to both the three genin's and jounin included." Tsunade hinted suggestively with a wink, which made Lee just blink in puzzlement, but the kunoichi had dollar signs flash in her jade eyes.

'A genin's team payment and jounin's split between us...SHANNARO! That's easily five C rank missions I did in team seven put together for one task!'

"We accept the mission!"

'I am going to be so rich when this is over!' Sakura wasn't greedy by nature...it was just that irresistible satisfaction of seeing so many of those fine, but delicate pieces of paper that were worth so much huddled in your own wallet that made the kunoichi gleam.

Tsunade had to control herself from laughing at Sakura's very ecstatic response, but an amused chuckle escaped, "Your client is called Chokichi, he is waiting for you by the public park, go to him to sort out the details immediately...and do not forget what you need to look out for Sakura."

"Hai!" Both teens exited, and on the door closing marked the beginning of their first mission. As if calming down her nerves from the rush of being leader for the first time, Sakura breathed in, and slowly exhaled.

'Ok. Let's do this.'

"Alright Lee-san, we will meet with our client first. Then once we know our destinations, we will plan out our trip...do you agree?"

"Hai Sakura-san!"

'This may be a lot easier than I thought.'