Welcome back for the next chapter, hope you all enjoy.
I don't own Naruto. My only possessions are a few guns, the computer I write this on, and a half empty pack of smokes. If I owned Naruto, then I would have several guns, my computer, and a fucking carton of smokes.
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Almost a year has passed after Naruto's promotion to ANBU captain, with Delta squad running as a 3 man squad, since they hadn't found a suitable replacement as of yet. Even a man down, they had kept up the 'gold standard' of never having failed an assignment. (Even if Naruto still considered the loss of Mumei a failure.)
The time had passed relatively trouble-free, if you consider a constant flow of A to S-Rank missions normal. Naruto, in his short tenure as captain, had gained quite a reputation for himself at only 12 years old; he was almost at Sannin level, and never seemed to stop growing stronger.
Sasuke had also made a name for himself; though he wasn't a captain, people still respected his skills, putting him at elite-jonin level.
Yugao, while always respected as a kenjutsu master, had spent the last year diversifying her fighting style, making her even more feared.
Long story short: When something needed done, Delta was the team for the job.
Hinata continued training with Kurenai and Anko on a near-daily basis, now coming in at high-chunin level.
Itachi was enjoying his retired life as an elite-jonin, and would even be picking up a genin team tomorrow; which brings us to where we are now.
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"You called for us Hokage-sama?" Naruto asked as he stood beside Sasuke in front of Hiruzen's desk.
"Yes Naruto-kun, I have a long term mission for you two."
"What is it?"
"We have confirmed that in the chunin exam finals, that Orochimaru intends to attack our village. You two will pose as genin on a team alongside Hinata so you will be stationed inside the chunin exams, should he try anything."
"I see. So we will be genin for the next 7 months?"
"That is correct. Do you accept?"
"Of course, anything for the good of the village."
"Thank you Naruto-kun; be at the academy tomorrow at 8 AM for the genin exams."
"Yes sir." Naruto said as he and Sasuke left the room via shunshin."
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"Well I never expected that." Naruto said as the pair walked down the road.
"Neither did I. Damn were gonna have to do D-Ranks for the next 7 months." Sasuke pouted.
"Shit."
"No kiddin."
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The next morning
"Well hello Naruto, Sasuke, it's been a while since I've seen you two." Iruka said as the two 'students' made their way into the crowded classroom.
"Yea, we've been home-schooling." Naruto answered as they made their way to 2 empty seats in the front of the room to wait for the exams.
"Alright everyone, it is time for the start of the written exam." Iruka said as he began to pass out papers. "Please turn them in on my desk and wait out on the training field when you are done, you have 1 hour to complete the test."
He handed out the last one and turned around just in time to see Naruto stand up and walk towards his desk.
"Naruto did you have a question?"
"Nope, I'm turning my test in." Naruto replied as he laid the test down and left the room. Iruka figured he had just given up and left, so he picked the paper up and looked it over.
"Holy shit… they're all right. How did he-" Iruka thought, but was interrupted as Sasuke sat his test down and left the room as well. Iruka quickly picked his test up as well to check it.
"Damn, he got them all too, though it's different enough that I know they didn't cheat… What kind of homeschooling did these kids have?"
Out on the training field, Naruto and Sasuke waited for 20 more minutes for the next person to finish; which happened to be Hinata.
"Hey Hinata-chan!" Naruto called out to her with a wave before she turned and walked towards them. "So how did you do?"
"I believe I did good Naruto-kun? How about you two?"
"100." They both stated simultaneously.
"And how are you so sure of that?"
Naruto pointed to himself and said "Most respected ANBU captain in the village taking a genin test?"
Sasuke followed suit and said "Elite-Jonin here. We just have to show up to keep up the act, since no one besides you and Ino know about us."
"Yea I guess you're right.
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1 hour later
All the students had now finished the written part of the exam and were sitting in various places when Iruka walked out to announce the next part of the exam.
"Alright everyone, now will be the taijutsu portion of the exam, please gather around." Iruka said as the students moved in closer to the circle drawn on the ground. "Alright, the rules are pretty simple: When I call your names; step forward and bow to your opponent. You will be judged by myself and Mizuki; the first to be knocked out of the ring, or to submit will be the loser."
Iruka then proceeded to call out names as the students battled each other.
"Sasuke Uchiha, Naruto Uzumaki, please step in."
"Actually; it's Naruto Namikaze now." Naruto said as the 2 stepped into the ring and bowed.
"As in Yondaime Namikaze?" Iruka asked with surprise evident in his voice.
"Yes, I'm his son."
"Oh… umm begin then." Iruka said as Naruto and Sasuke blurred from existence.
Everyone in the area was shocked at their speed as they met in the center of the ring with a loud crash.
They kept this up for several minutes before Iruka decided to call it a draw and pass them both, before calling out more names.
After all of the students had their spars, Iruka spoke again. "Alright, now will be the Ninjutsu portion. Please form 2 lines; one in front of me, one in front of Mizuki. When it's your turn, step forward and perform a bunshin, a kawarimi, and a henge, as well as another jutsu of your choosing."
Once again, the students went through the lines and did the test, until only Naruto and Sasuke remained. They stepped up in front of Iruka and Mizuki respectively before looking at each other and nodding.
Naruto formed a shadow clone, and it henged into Iruka, and kawarimi'd with him, while Naruto began doing hand seals.
Sasuke did the same thing, except with Mizuki instead of Iruka.
"Futon: Furyuendan!" Naruto said as he exhaled a large tornado that took the form of a dragon.
"Katon: Karyuendan!" Sasuke said as he blew out a large stream of fire in the form of dragon.
The two attacks launched high into the air, circling each other as they went, before they finally collided and caused a huge explosion of white-hot flames.
"Damn. There's no way these two are genin…" Everyone in the field thought as they stared at the fireball in awe.
"… You… pass…" Iruka said as the two boys walked off with grins on their faces.
"Well, everyone, you are dismissed for now, be back at noon for team assignments." Iruka said before the students began to disappear.
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Noon, back in the classroom
"EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" Iruka yelled as the class quickly became attentive.
"Ahh, it feels good to say that to them one last time."
"Okay everyone, first off, I'd like to congratulate all of you who remain, it has been an honor teaching you for these years, or weeks in some cases. Now without further a due; team 1 will be…"
He continued reading the list as Naruto and Sasuke both tuned out, they were already aware of who their team would be.
"Team 7 will be Naruto Uzu- Namikaze, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyuga. Your jonin sensei will be Itachi Uchiha."
"Dammit! I wanted to be on Naruto-kun's team!" Ino cursed in her mind.
"Eep! I'm on the same team as Naruto-kun!" Hinata mentally cheered.
That one broke the kids out of their daze; they knew who their other teammate would be, but having Itachi for a sensei broke them from their thoughts.
"What the fuck?" Sasuke and Naruto said simultaneously.
"Team 8 will be Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Sai. Your sensei will be Kakashi Hatake."
"Team 9 is still active, so Team 10 will be Shikamaru Nara, Choji Akimichi, and Ino Yamanaka. Your Jonin sensei will be Asuma Sarutobi."
Just as Iruka finished; Itachi, Asuma, and Kakashi all appeared in the room via shunshin and Itachi stepped forward.
"Team 7. Hokage's office. Now." Itachi said before he disappeared in a flock of ravens, with Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata following suit.
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Hiruzen's office
Team 7 appeared in front of Hiruzen's desk all at roughly the same time, with Itachi speaking up for them.
"Team 7 at your service, Hokage-sama."
"Thank you Itachi-kun, at ease." Hiruzen replied as the 4 members of team 7 stood up.
"Now then, as I've already said to Naruto-kun and Sasuke-kun, this is a 'special' team. Hinata, you are above the level of the other genin, which is why you were placed here. We were privy to some information concerning the chunin exams, and we needed some people on the inside." Hiruzen said, earning a nod of understanding from Hinata. "For the next 6 months or so, your team will go on a few C to B-Rank missions, but I want most of the time spent training; all four of you need to be the best you can be by then."
"Understood." Came the reply of all 4 members of team 7.
"Alright then, Sasuke, Hinata, you are dismissed.
The pair simply nodded and walked out the door.
"Alright you two should know this situation better; Jiraiya's spy network has picked up some information concerning Orochimaru, as you already knew. They say he has been making frequent visits with the Kazekage, but the stopped about 2 weeks ago; and now Suna says that the Kazekage is acting different. We believe that Oro is somehow controlling the Kazekage to gain their aid in his attack. Sources also say that he is interested in gaining the Sharingan through some new technique he developed in order to switch bodies." Hiruzen paused for a moment to let the information sink in, while Itachi and Naruto both let a miniscule amount of disgust flash across their faces.
"That being said; your team may specifically be targeted because you will have two sets of them. Itachi is far beyond Orochimaru, so he will target the 2 of you if he tries to obtain them; so keep in mind that you may have to face off with a Sannin. Aside from that, Suna also has an unstable Jinchuriki that will be entering the exams; they may use him as a weapon. I believe that is all I have for now, so you may be dismissed."
Itachi and Naruto nodded before disappearing in a flock of ravens and a vortex of flames respectively.
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Later; Namikaze training field
"Dammit!" yelled Naruto as he messed up another attempt at his jutsu that he was learning.
"I don't see what I'm doing wrong… and the only person who could help me is dead… How am I supposed to do this…" Naruto thought as he sat down against a nearby tree.
"How do I do this?" He asked himself out loud as he thought over the contents of the scroll he had read.
Hiraishin no Jutsu
Space/Time technique
Rank: SS
Namikaze clan secret technique
The user opens a rift in space using a special seal, such as on a thrown kunai, and teleports themselves to the seal while simultaneously rolling time back; making it seem as if the user is in several places at one time.
To effectively use this technique, one must have a clear mind. Just relax, and roll with the flow.
When the seal is 'activated, you will be aware of it's existence and general location within your mind. When you 'hone in' to one, you must simply 'ask', and you will 'receive'
"What the hell does it all mean?!" Naruto yelled out loud as he threw one of the 3 pronged kunai across his yard.
"I'm not aware of anything!" He yelled once more. "Shit!"
He then just sat back against the tree and stared up at the sky for a moment, before he began to 'feel' a 'tugging' on his mind in the direction of his most recent kunai.
"One must have a clear mind. Just relax, and roll with the flow." Naruto thought as he mentally face-palmed.
"So I've been trying too hard… Figures." Naruto said as he stood up and relaxed, before throwing a kunai across the field. He then felt the small tugging sensation as it flew.
"You must simply 'ask' and you will 'receive'…" Naruto thought for a moment, before he flared his chakra and willed himself to the kunai. The response was 2 simultaneous flashes of yellow light as Naruto landed on the other side of the field, holding the kunai while he panted on the ground.
"Wow I put way too much into it." Naruto said as he stood back up.
"Just relax, and roll with the flow." He thought as he let another kunai fly. Again he felt the tugging sensation, but this time, he just mentally connected himself with the beacon, and once more disappeared in a flash.
"YES!" He shouted as he appeared back across the field, feeling almost no drain that time.
"Kagebunshin no Jutsu." He said as 10 clones appeared around him in a circle, about 50 feet apart, all holding 3 pronged kunai.
All of a sudden the clones all threw their kunai at each other, and in what seemed like one flash of light, all 10 clones were dispelled.
He then made 100 more with no kunai, and had these spread across the field. Naruto looked them all over before leaping high into the air and doing a few hand seals. "Tajuu Kunai Kagebunshin no Jutsu." He said as he pulled out a single 3 pronged kunai and threw it, before it multiplied into over a hundred. He was then gone in a flash, destroying the clones every way he knew how. It took only 1 minute for the clones to be gone.
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Uchiha district
"Try again." Itachi said as he looked at Sasuke with an expressionless face.
"Grr. Katon: Uzumaku Hono no Jutsu!" (Swirling Flames) Sasuke yelled out as he inhaled deeply and released it, blowing out 3 streams of fire that twisted together briefly before straightening back out.
"You need a better mastery over your element for this technique. Watch." Itachi said as he took a leaf from a tree and incinerated it in his palm. "Now you try."
Sasuke then went over to the tree and grabbed a leaf down and held it in his palm. He channeled fire chakra into the leaf for several minutes with nothing happening.
"Hotter. More concentrated." Itachi said as he watched Sasuke struggle.
"Dammit." Sasuke said as he tried harder to burn the leaf. He concentrated on the fire for several hours until the leaf began to smoke a little bit. He smiled at his progress and turned to Itachi to ask what was next, only to fall on his ass and crawl away in fear.
"Who the hell are you?" Sasuke yelled out
"Umm… I'm Itachi, foolish little brother."
"Bullshit! My Itachi-nii doesn't smile!"
"Am I really that bad?" Itachi thought as he sweat-dropped.
"It really is me brother, I am pleased with your progress today."
Sasuke looked at him skeptically for a moment, before Itachi walked up and poked him in the forehead, sealing the deal.
"We're done for today, good job." Itachi said, back to his stoic persona.
1 month later
The team had spent the last month vigorously training every day, and today had decided to 'take the day off' by getting a mission.
"Hello there team 7, good morning, what can I do for you?"
"We are here requesting a mission, Hokage-sama." Itachi said.
"Very well, let's see what we have here…" Hiruzen said as he began to go over the mission list. "I have a-"
"Hokage-sama, we just received word from team 8 requesting backup immediately! They were attacked by Zabuza Momoichi and Kakashi is injured!" A chunin messenger yelled as he burst through the door.
"Well it seems I found your mission. Do you accept?"
"Of course, we will depart within the hour." Itachi said as the group shunshinned away.
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I really hate this chapter, I think it turned out bad… so I hope you all like it better than I do. Until next time, enjoy your lives. But only do so after you review, fav, and follow this story.