Naruto bounced impatiently on the balls of his feet as their proctor, Anko, explained the next test. It was just like Minato said, he, Sakura and Sasuke had to take the scroll they were given plus its sister scroll to the checkpoint in the middle of the forest of death. The forest was full of man eating beasts, other genin teams striving to become chunin, plus the added temptation of not opening the scroll. Naruto was just itching to get started and the crazy lady's rambling weren't helping his short attention span.
"So are there any questions?" Anko asked with her hands on her hips and a wicked smile on her face.
"Yeah!" Naruto called causing everyone to turn toward him. "Can we start now?" he received a sharp elbow to the ribs from Sakura while she looked at the other teams apologetically.
"Well, aren't we eager?" she chuckled and pulled out a stack of papers. "Before we begin, I'll need you all to fill one of these out in case you die, otherwise it'd be my responsibility." She handed the forms to Kabuto, the Leaf ninja they had met yesterday, who began to pass them out. "After you and your team have filled them out, you'll line up at this booth and receive your scroll. After that each team will pick a gate around the forest and wait for the signal to begin the second test."
Naruto snatched three forms out of Kabuto's hand, gave quick thanks and began scribbling down on the paper in what was probably his messiest handwriting to date. He waited impatiently for all of thirty seconds before he started hurrying Sakura and Sasuke along. This of course ended in a few insults from Sasuke and a few well aimed punches from Sakura. After three agonizing minutes, team seven had finally completed their forms and Naruto dragged them to the booth where they received a Heaven Scroll.
"Naruto!" Sakura called as she tried to keep up with him and Sasuke. "Naruto! Slow down!"
"Why are you in such a rush anyway?" Sasuke asked him as he ran beside him.
"The faster we find a gate the more time we'll have to plan on how we're gonna get the other scroll." He said right before abruptly skidding to a halt in front of a gate marked twenty. The chunin standing there gave a raised eyebrow but said nothing more.
"How would more time before the test even starts be an advantage?" Sakura asked, hands on her hips as she came to stand beside Naruto and Sasuke.
Before Naruto could say anything Sasuke interrupted him. "Actually," he said, his eyes never leaving Naruto. "He's right."
"You hear that Naruto!" Sakura said her hand on her hip, already in lecture mode. "Wait, what?" she turned to Sasuke, confused.
"Think about it, if we have more time to formulate a plan before we start getting attacked for our scroll, then that gives us an edge." He said. Naruto tried to ignore the curious look he was giving him. "Why did you choose this gate?"
Naruto turned and pointed beyond the gate. "It's right next to the river that runs through the forest." He pulled the map that they had been given out and pointed to the southern gates on the opposite side of the river from the checkpoint. "All the teams at these gates will have to cross the river at some point and the river is the easiest source of food, we can set up traps, either to get an Earth Scroll or eliminate competition."
He looked back up from the map at his teammates who were looking at him like he was crazy. He honestly thought it was a pretty good plan.
"Naruto," Sakura said softly. "When did you get so smart?"
Sasuke spoke up before Naruto could puff out his chest. "That's a good plan, but what about something more proactive too?"
"Like what?" Naruto asked.
"How many shadow clones can you make?"
Naruto ignored how the chunin's head whipped toward them at that question and gave Sasuke a wide toothy grin. "How many do you need?"
Sasuke donned a smirk, one of the few smirks Naruto had ever seen from him. "Overwhelm the enemy, Kakashi once told me that when a shadow clone is disposed of the ninja retains all the information of that clone. If you can make enough to keep everyone busy, then Sakura and I can set up traps along the river."
Naruto wanted to high five Sasuke for his brilliance, but knew that it was more than likely he would be left hanging. He turned to Sakura, "What do you think Sakura? Do you think it will work?" he asked excitedly.
Sakura was frowning and looking a little put out but immediately perked up when Naruto asked her opinion of the plan. "I think it's a great plan," she paused and then added. "Maybe it would be a good idea to bury the scroll next to our door at the checkpoint, that way if any of us are caught or someone attacks, then there's no chance of another team getting it." she added hopefully.
"Good idea Sakura." Sasuke said. "We will do that before setting traps while Naruto gathers information on the other teams."
She beamed at both of them and was about to say something when the chunin at their gate spoke. "Okay you three," he said as he began to open the gate while looking down at his watch. "It's time for the second test to begin."
And with that Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura all jogged through the gate about ten feet in.
"Are you ready Naruto?" Sakura asked as she began to hurriedly sketch a crude copy of the map for Sasuke and herself.
"Yep." He said and took the stance Iruka-sensei had taught him in Academy to gather chakra.
Sakura stuffed the original map into Naruto's pocket before stepping back to stand beside Sasuke.
Naruto placed his hands into the appropriate seal and concentrated as a good portion of his chakra into the jutsu. After another second he snapped his eyes open and shouted "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
XxX
Anko smiled as her watch struck noon, the second phase of the exam had officially begun. Pretty soon there would be screams and explosions from the forest, her favorite part. She was about to turn around when a huge cloud of smoke rose above the forest. Anko took an automatic step back as the white smoke began to mushroom outward and past the twenty foot fence.
"What the hell was that?" she muttered. It couldn't have been an explosion and no genin had enough chakra for a summoning, so what the hell was it?
The smoke began to clear and she took a few steps toward the forest to get a better idea of what had just happened. Running through the tree tops and on the ground she saw hundreds of short little blonde, whiskered kids. She blinked, not noticing that her mouth had dropped open. What kind of genin could make that many shadow clones. Scratch that, what kind of ninja, Hokage or Sannin, had enough chakra to make that many shadow clones?
XxX
The original Naruto along with Sasuke and Sakura had set up camp in the high and hallow trunk of an old tree. Unless Shino had his freaky bugs out, then there was a good chance they wouldn't be found. They had to forego a fire, because not only would it attract the freakishly huge animals but also other ninja.
"Do you guys think it would be okay to go look for barriers and stuff to eat tonight?" Sakura asked holding her stomach, hoping it would muffle its growl.
"Wait!" Naruto said and began digging around in his pockets, pulling out scrolls from everywhere. "I have food!"
"Keep quiet Naruto, a hiding place won't work if the enemy can hear us." Sasuke hissed out.
Naruto ignored him and began unrolling scrolls to see which one had the fruit and vegetables, the meat would have to wait until they could afford a camp fire. Next time he would have to mark these on the outside so he would know which one was which.
"Ha! Here we go." He said and laid four scrolls out in front of him.
"Naruto," Sakura said exasperatedly. "That's not-"
But she cut off when she saw Naruto began to pump his chakra into the middle of the seal, there was a poof of white smoke and three apples and some blueberries appeared on the scroll. He did the same thing to the other three scrolls to summon the food hidden in them.
"How did you know to pack rations, Naruto?" Sasuke asked.
"I didn't," he lied easily. "But I've been studying seals, and so far I've learned to make my paper bombs have bigger explosions," He took a bite of an apple. "And to seal weapons and food without the food rotting."
"Who's teaching you seals?" Sakura asked.
Now Naruto knew he wasn't supposed to tell anyone about the Fourth Hokage's ghost training him not only in sealing but in every aspect of being a ninja, but right then he just wanted to tell them. To see Sasuke get jealous and Sakura fawn over him. But he made a promise and he couldn't go breaking that promise.
"The same person who taught me everything else I know, myself." He said a bit dryly.
"And why would you think you'd be any good at sealing?" Sakura asked. "In Academy, Iruka-sensei said it was one of the hardest things to master, in fact the only seal masters from our village that are still alive are the Hokage and the Three Legendary Sannin."
"Because I'm the last Uzumaki from the fallen Village Hidden in the Whirlpool!" he said proudly. "The Hokage gave me a book all about Uzu; it said the Uzumaki Clan was known for its longevity and mastery of seals."
"Well, that's all very nice, but let's get back to our mission." Sasuke said. Naruto figured he was just pissy about not being the last of a clan anymore. "Its two hours past dark, do you have any clones left?"
"Yeah, I still have a lot." Naruto said popping some berries into his mouth.
"I think it's time to release the rest of them so we know who has what." Sasuke said.
Naruto nodded and concentrated, the flood of new information was a bit overwhelming and it took him a few minutes to sort through it all. "Okay, the other rookies all have heaven scrolls along with bushy brows team." He paused with his eyes scrunched shut in concentration. "There's three teams nearby with Earth Scrolls, they are all pretty much worn out thanks to yours truly."
"Should we attack them now or wait?" Sakura asked.
"Let's rest for now and attack in a few hours." Sasuke said. "If we can't manage to get a scroll from them then we'll check the traps in the morning."
Naruto put his hands to his temple. "Wait, we don't have to do that. One of my clones found someone in one of our traps and they had an Earth Scroll, the clone took it off the guy and buried it nearby."
"Great, let's finish eating and then go get it and go to the checkpoint." Sakura said.
"Yeah! We'll be the first ones done!" Naruto shouted, only to be smacked on the head by Sakura.
"Try to keep it to a dull roar, loser." Sasuke said as he stood up and peeked out of the rotting tree. "Looks clear, let's go."
Naruto and Sakura followed Sasuke out and stood on the tree branch next to him. "So which way Naruto?" Sakura asked.
"Well, um," he said and scratched the back of his head sheepishly.
"You don't know do you." It was a statement not a question.
"It was the trap with the two logs and vines." He said hoping they knew where it was.
"That was the one to the east of here." Sasuke said looking in that direction.
Sakura pulled the map out. "If we don't run into anyone, then it should only take us about an hour to get the scroll and get to the checkpoint." She said. "Well, unless Naruto forgot where he buried it."
"I know where it is, I just didn't know how to get there from here." He said folding his arms over his chest.
"Let's go, and Naruto, try not to talk." He said before leaping off the branch and into the dark.
A/N
Ok this chapter is a little longer but not much hope you enjoy! Please review!