Yo everybody! I'm back with another chapter. The start of the Chūnin Exam and all the interesting things I have planned.

Chapter Three: The Chūnin Exam Begins

"I can't believe this! He's late again!" Naruto growled, annoyed at Kakashi and his chronic tardiness.

It had been nearly two months since Team Seven had passed Kakashi's bell test and begun their careers as genin. Of course, all of their missions for the first two weeks had been nothing but mundane D-ranked missions. But that changed after Naruto decided to complain about the quality of their missions to the Hokage, who in return gave them a simple C-ranked mission.

Or so it had seemed.

Their mission had been to escort and protect a bridge builder to the Land of Wave. However, to save money on hiring a team of ninja Tazuna, the bridge builder, claimed he only need protection from bandits and thugs in the area.

In reality he was the target of a much more dangerous group. A shipping magnate and crime boss named Gato who had the entire Land of Waves more or less under his control through his monopoly on their shipping industry. He clearly saw the threat that the incomplete bridge represented to his control of the small nation and hired an extremely dangerous missing-nin from Kirigakure, Zabuza Momochi of the Seven Swordsmen of the Hidden Mist Village. He, along with his comrades, the Demon Brothers and a teen named Haku, who possessed a kekkei genkai.

Their encounters with the Kiri missing-nin had been brutal battles, with Kakashi becoming injured in their first battle with Zabuza and Sasuke nearly dying in their final encounter.

But in the end, Haku had been killed and Gato betrayed Zabuza, who killed the crime boss before dying from his wounds. With the bridge complete and Gato dead, the Land of Waves economy had begun to rebound, slowly returning to its once prosperous state.

"Yeah! Why is Kakashi-sensei always late?" Sakura added as Naruto paced back and forth across the bridge that was Team Seven's meeting place. "If I had known he was going to be this late, I would have taken my time this morning and properly done my hair!"

Naruto stopped his pacing. "Same here!" he yelled, thrusting his arm in the air. "I would have slept in another hour and brushed my teeth this morning!"

Near from the pair, Sasuke stood, leaning against the bridge railing while Kenshi sat on the railing next to him. "Oh… Sakura is going to hit Naruto in ten seconds," the brown haired genin whispered to his stoic teammate.

"Gross! How often do you brush your teeth?" the pink haired kunoichi exclaimed.

Naruto paused, scratching his chin in contemplation. "About three times a week," he answered after a moment.

Kenshi began counting down from five on his fingers.

Five…

Sakura stared at Naruto in disgust and disbelief.

Four…

"Naruto…You…are so disgusting!"

Three…

"And you've been trying to ask me out on a date with that kind of hygiene?"

Two…

"But Sakura…I-"

One…

WHAM!

Kenshi started to laugh as Naruto clutched his head, moaning out a constant stream of "Ow…" Sasuke, on the other hand, merely rolled his eyes at their trivial antics.

At that moment, Kakashi appeared at the end of the bridge in poof of smoke. "Morning guys!" the tardy jonin greeted. "Sorry for being late, I got lost on the road of life."

"Liar!" Naruto and Sakura shouted in unison.

Kenshi snickered. 'Well… It's certainly one of the more interesting excuses he's come up with.'

Sasuke said nothing, merely looking at the jonin in annoyance.

Kakashi coughed. "Anyway, I have some big news for you all. I've decided to recommend all of you for the Chūnin Selection Exams."

The four genin stared at their jonin-sensei in disbelief, trying to figure out if he was speaking the truth or if this was some kind of test.

Seeing their hesitation and confusion, Kakashi pulled out four application forms. "Yes, it's the real deal," he said. "Now this Exam is entirely voluntary, so the choice to participate is yours and yours alone. But if you are going to compete, than fill out these forms and take them to the Academy tomorrow afternoon by four o'clock, room 301."

One by one, Kakashi handed the forms to his students. Naruto jumped up and down cheering as he held the sheet of paper while the others were considerably quieter compared to their blond haired teammate. Sasuke was stone-faced as he received the application. Both Sakura and Kenshi shared similar looks of surprise and awe.

"Also, I should warn you, because there are four of you instead of three, you should expect to be handicapped in the first stages of the Exam to even things out. If of course all of you choose to compete," Kakashi added. "So be prepared to work a little harder than everyone else. But I think you can handle it. That's all and good luck."

With that, the jonin disappeared in another poof of smoke, leaving the genin alone on the bridge.

"Wahoo!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs, jumping up in joy once more. "Chuunin Exams here we come!"

"Once again he's ready to jump head first into the thick of things," Sakura muttered, annoyed at Naruto's constant hyperactive demeanor.

However, her annoyance was just a mask for her fears and concerns. Truthfully, Sakura wasn't too sure if they were ready for the Chūnin Exams.

"Yeah… Those genin from the Sand Village were something else," Kenshi added, voicing his own concerns. "They're just one team out of who knows how many genin teams competing in this thing. This Exam is going to be difficult to say the least."

Yesterday the four of them had an interesting encounter with a group of genin from Suna. The girl and the guy with the painted face were intimidating, but compared to their teammate Gaara they were puppy dogs. There was something in the redhead's eyes that unsettled them all.

"Then don't sign up," Sasuke coldly replied as he started to leave the bridge. "As Kakashi said, it's voluntary."

"Thank you Iruka-sensei!" Naruto cheered a second before he began digging into the bowl of Ichiraku ramen before him.

His former teacher let out a snicker before he began eating his bowl, though with only a fraction of the gusto Naruto possessed. It had been weeks since they had last had lunch together and Iruka wanted to visit with Naruto and hear how he had been progressing.

But that wasn't his only reason for buying the genin lunch. "So Naruto, I hear you're entering the Chūnin Exams today," he said after consuming half of his bowl while Naruto started his second.

"Yep!" the blond replied in between mouthfuls of ramen. "And I'm going to win it and become a chūnin. Just you watch, Iruka-sensei."

The chūnin chuckled, hiding how he really felt. He was worried about Naruto's safety. The tests of the Chūnin Exams were dangerous and potentially deadly tasks. Iruka knew that Naruto would one day compete in the Exams, but he never thought it would be so soon. Even the idea of him signing up for the next Exam in six months seemed too early. "Well Naruto… you know that the Chūnin Exams are a lot tougher than what you're used to. I had to go through four of them before I finally was able to prove myself."

"I won't have to!" Naruto boasted, determination in his voice and eyes. "I'm going to beat this Exam in the first try!"

Iruka didn't have the heart to tell Naruto that it wasn't just one's strength and power they looked for when decided who would become a chūnin; nor that winning the tournament at the end of the Exam guaranteed a promotion to chūnin.

"But this will be a lot harder than what you've done before. It will be only you and your teammates, and Kakashi won't be around to help you when things get dangerous," Iruka warned. "Your competitors will include genin with far more experience, techniques and skills than what you have."

The grin slid from Naruto's face. "I know," he said, his tone serious. "Sure I'm a nervous about the Exam and the other guys taking it." The image of Gaara and the other Sand genin entered his mind for a second. They were strong, especially the redhead; he could tell that much. And they were only one team of genin among dozens upon dozens of teams. However what truly scared Naruto wasn't the idea of them being the strongest team, but rather the idea of them not being the strongest team participating in the Chūnin Exams.

Though on the other hand, competing against some of the strongest genin of Konoha and from other Hidden Villages would be prefect chance to prove himself and get some real recognition from everyone.

The grin returned to his face. "But if I'm going to become Hokage, I can't back down from any challenge, no matter how difficult it is!" Naruto proclaimed, thrusting his fist into the air.

Iruka stared at his former pupil, studying the boy. Mentally, Naruto was about as ready as he was ever going to be. However, Iruka was still worried about how he would fair with his lack of techniques and experience. Sure he had the Shadow Clone Technique, but other than that, he really had nothing. Iruka didn't doubt that Naruto stood a good chance against the other rookies from this year. Against even last year's rookies however…

He didn't want to even think about it.

But if Naruto was dead set on entering the Chūnin Exams there was little he could do.

Gripping the wooden sword with both hands, Kenshi raised it up in front of his face, taking a deep breath. Before him stood half a dozen training dummies, ones designed to swing their own wooden weapons after being struck.

Exhaling, he struck, hitting the dummies one by one while dodging and avoiding the swinging weapons.

But as he sidestepped the sixth dummy's weapon, a staff slapped in his moving left ankle. It threw off his balance, causing him to fall on his face.

"Not bad, but a ninja must always expect attacks from anywhere and everywhere while in battle," Kenshi's mother, Shuzaya Mitsurugi, said as she pulled back her walking stick.

Kenshi spat out some grass as he sat up. "Must you always do that while I train?"

His mother chuckled. "Until the day you anticipate all of my attacks," she replied. "Only then will I stop."

The young genin stared at his mother. Back in her day, Shuzaya Mitsurugi had been a formidable jonin of the Leaf Village. But now she was retired and working as a blacksmith, supplying weapons and equipment to the shinobi of Konoha.

She wore a plain sleeveless dark blue kimono and matching hakama with a leather blacksmith apron while a leather satchel hung at her side. Her long blond hair was pulled back, tied into a loose ponytail. Underneath the edge of her gray left eye was a scar, running down her left cheek. Resting in her right hand was a wooden walking stick.

The reason for the cane and one of the reasons for her retirement was evident as soon as one looked down at her right foot, or rather where her right foot had been. All that remained of her right foot and most of her right shin was a simple wooden prosthetic limb.

Shuzaya's expression turned serious as she studied her son. "You're signing up for the Chūnin Exams," she said.

Kenshi nodded his head. "Yes."

"You know that people have died during the Exams in the past," his mother commented. "Each and every Chūnin Exam is filled with countless dangers, designed to weed out the weak and ill-prepared, and that's before the finals where you will fight older, more experienced genin than a mere rookie like you. That's a reason why first year genin rarely ever enter the Exams, they are seldom prepared for it. So are you absolutely sure that you're ready for this?"

Kenshi would be lying if he said that he didn't have a single doubt about entering the Chūnin Exams. If the team from Suna they encountered the other day was any indication, there were going to be plenty of tough teams out there. And of course, his mother's words did little to calm his fears and doubts. Anyone of them could get killed over the course of the Chūnin Exams. But he wasn't about to let his teammates down by backing out.

Kenshi stood up. "You've always told me that to be a ninja, you need to be prepared to face risks, both known and unknown," he said. "I'm going to enter the Exam with my teammates."

Shuzaya nodded, reaching into her satchel. "Well then, you're going to need this. Catch!"

Kenshi reacted purely out of instinct, catching the object she had thrown. His eyes widened as he realized just what had been tossed at him. "You threw a sword at me?" he exclaimed.

"Oh quit being a baby. You're a genin after all," Shuzaya replied, dismissively waving her hand. "Besides, it was sheathed."

The genin grumbled, annoyed as his mother's antics. He drew the katana from its sheath, studying it carefully.

From as far back as he could remember Kenshi had helped his mother with her blacksmith shop. At first, it was just cleaning up around the shop, later; he actually began learning the craft itself. As a result, the one thing he knew more than his teammates was weapons, how to use them, how to look for quality, even how to make them.

But this sword… this sword was something special, far beyond the normal swords his mother made. "It's lighter…but stronger than steel," Kenshi commented, running his finger over the blade. "The craftsmanship is… amazing."

Shuzaya watched as he began performing a series of two-handed swings, the blade slicing through the air. "Not long after you were born, your father forged that blade," she said. "It was the last weapon he ever forged."

Kenshi stopped abruptly, turning to his mother, a stunned look on his face. "Dad made this?" he uttered unconsciously gripping the sword tighter.

His father died years ago, back when Kenshi was just a toddler, leaving him with not even a single memory of the man.

"He wanted to give it to you when you first took the Chūnin Exams," his mother continued. "I know that if he was here, he'd be proud of you for having made it this far, just as I am."

A smile spread across the young teen's face as he sheathed the sword, renewed confidence and a swell of pride filling him. "Thank you," Kenshi said.

"Now, we have one final thing before you leave for the Exam," Shuzaya added, pulling out a familiar small leather bag from her satchel. "Roll up your sleeves."

Sakura nervously walked towards Team Seven's meeting spot where her teammates would be waiting for her, if they were going to take part in the Exam. Well, actually she already knew that both Sasuke and Naruto would. Kenshi was the only one that seemed hesitant about signing up.

'Besides me,' she thought.

When Team Seven was first formed, Sakura had convinced herself that Naruto was the weakest among them. But after the events in the Land of Wave, she had begun to doubt her initial belief. Together with Sasuke, they had beaten back Zabuza that first time, rescuing Kakashi while she and Kenshi had just sat on the sidelines. Then later, during their battle with the Mist missing-nin and his partner on the bridge, she again stood helpless on the sidelines as Naruto and Sasuke fought for their lives.

Sure, Kenshi did little during their mission in the Land of Waves as well, but he had one thing that she didn't. He had been born into a family of ninja; she hadn't been so lucky. Sakura was merely a rookie kunoichi born into a normal civilian family. There was absolutely nothing special about her in slightest.

"C'mon! I just want to hold it for a minute," she heard Naruto call out, breaking her from her thoughts.

Sakura looked up at the bridge. The rest of her team was there. Sasuke was leaning on the bridge railing as usual while Naruto and Kenshi were talking. "No. Knowing you, you'd start screwing around and poke someone's eye out or worst, damage it," Kenshi said, pushing the eager blond back a step with his finger.

Sakura could see what Naruto was so interested in quite clearly. Held by a leather belt running from his right shoulder to his left side, was a sheathed katana. The sword's handle was a dark blue color while its matching hexagonal guard was trimmed in silver.

"What? No I wouldn't!" Naruto argued.

"Either way, I'm not taking the chance," the brown haired genin replied.

"Ah… Come on," Naruto whined. "At least show me some cool moves."

"No. It's not toy," Kenshi said, his expression changing to one of annoyance. "I'm not just going to pull it out for your amusement."

"Fine," Naruto grumbled. "Probably doesn't even know how to use it anyway," he mumbled.

Kenshi's face instantly changed from annoyed to outright angry. "What did you say? Cause it sounded like you think I'm useless with this sword."

Naruto opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Kenshi drew his sword and swung it at him. The blond snapped his eyes shut on instinct, but he felt nothing.

Slowly, Naruto opened his eyes. Kenshi stood in front of him, holding up a cut lock of his golden hair in one hand, his sword in the other. "Would you like to change your mind?" he asked, smirking.

"Okay, you're good with a sword," Naruto admitted.

Kenshi chuckled as he sheathed the sword. "You should see my mom. She could shave a person's head bald with just five swings and without leaving a mark." He paused, noticing Sakura as she approached them. "Hey Sakura," he said, nodding.

Naruto spun around, grinning. "Hi Sakura," he greeted.

"Hi," she replied, trying to sound positive. "So you've all decided to take the Chūnin Exams?"

Sasuke silently nodded his head.

"Yeah," Kenshi replied.

"Of course!" Naruto cheered.

"What about you Sakura?" Kenshi asked. "Are you going to sign up too?"

"Yes," she answered, again trying to hide how she felt.

"Well then, we better get going," Kenshi said, turning to the other end of the bridge.

With that the boys of Team Seven started walking, heading the direction of the Academy. Sakura however hesitated, watching her teammates walking off, leaving her behind.

She hung her head, looking dejectedly at her feet. 'Who am I kidding? Sasuke, Kenshi, Naurto… I can't keep up with any of them. And now we're in the Chūnin Exams… How can I be anything but a burden to them?'

"Hey Sakura!" Naruto called out. "You coming?"

"Yeah!" Sakura yelled back, pushing back her doubts as she started running after her teammates.

Unbeknownst to the shinobi, they were being watched another group of genin from inside Konoha's Ninja Academy. They were all clad in black hooded cloaks with a red marks on the fronts of the hoods. The symbols were the outline of a taloned hand reaching out as though to grab something. The three stood together in a circle, one holding up a small crystal orb in their hands.

"So that is the Uchiha," the first mused as watched Team Seven through the orb. "The one that the snake is interested in."

"We need his blood," the second replied, his tone quiet and rasping, holding the glowing orb. "The Lord Patriarch commands it. And it is by his favor that we are even allowed to partake in what is to come."

"We know that!" the third snapped. "His orders are that of a weakling! He allies us with those feeble nin, tells us to obey his orders, and to play these pathetic games of the other Villages. And for what? So he can improve his standing within the Council."

"Calm yourself brother," the first said, raising his hand. "Our Lord is wise and cunning. While he may have many defects, our Lord is no fool unlike these… shinobi. Look at them. They know nothing of true strategy, of true cunning and power. If they see wall, they will smash it, or climb over it. If they see an army, they attack it. But if we see a wall, we will laugh and remove it from within. If we see an army, we will simply not be there for them to attack us."

His comrade snarled in response.

The leader of the team broke away from the circle, walking towards a nearby window. "Look at this feeble Village," he proclaimed, waving his hand before the numerous houses and buildings that stood before them. "They call it a 'hidden' village and yet here it stands. Amid a forest, under the gaze of their stone lords, for all the world to see. How can anyone consider this a Hidden Village? Or any of the other Villages for that matter? And look, they walk alongside non-shinobi as though they were equals." He paused, laughing in contempt for a moment. "It's the same as saying a wolf is equal to a sheep, that the predator is equal to the prey."

He shook his head. "Such a foolish notion," he commented, turning to his teammates. "But even more foolish, they freely welcome shinobi from other Villages within their walls, letting them wander as though it was their own village. They're completely obvious to the threat that very notion poses to them. Even if we weren't planning what we are planning."

"All the more reason why we should destroy this weak Village and enslave its people," the ever angry member of their team shot back.

"Patience brother," the leader replied. "The Leaf will burn in due time. Enjoy these games of theirs. Consider it practice for the sport that is to come."

It didn't take very long before Team Seven found themselves standing amid a large group of genin. Most were from Konoha but there were a few teams from other Villages.

"Ha! You think that a talentless hack like you actually stands a chance in the Chūnin Exams?" a voice called out from ahead of them. "You should just quit now while you're ahead."

"Yeah," another voice added. "You're just gonna end up losin' anyway."

The four genin, curious as to what was happening, made their way through the group and towards the voices.

When they reached the front of the group of genin, they found a pair of slightly older Leaf genin standing over a third beaten up shinobi in front of a door numbered 301.

The first of the two had dark hair and eyes with some bandages on his cheeks and chin while a pair of oversized kunai knives were strapped to his second genin wore a blue Leaf bandana that covered his entire head and oddly, the neck of the black undershirt he wore was stretched over his chin. Both wore similar outfits of gray and navy blue.

But the boy on the ground was by far the strangest looking one of the three. He wore a green skintight bodysuit with bandages wrapped around his forearms and hands and bright orange legwarmers. His forehead protector was being used as belt. The genin's black hair was styled in a bowl-cut and his eyebrows were oversized, looking more like a pair of furry caterpillars.

A girl in front of the group of gathered genin moved to Bowl-Cut's side. The girl's brown hair was styled into a pair of small buns that rest on her head. She wore a sleeveless pink shirt and dark green pants. "Come on. Please just let us through," she pleaded.

"Hmph. Listen, we're trying to help you here," Bandage-Face replied. "The Chūnin Exam isn't easy. We've already failed it three times in a row. And we've seen it all. Genin that have been broken by the Exam and quit being ninjas, others become crippled and are forced to retire, and of course those that die in the Exam."

"And even if you do become a chūnin, it's not like things will be any easier," Bandana added. "Chūnin are often given the role of squad leader. The success of the mission and the lives of the team are all on their shoulders. Are you ready for that?"

At that moment Sasuke, who had grown bored of the exchange, stepped forward. "How about you let us pass and remove the genjutsu you've put up," he said. "We're going to the third floor."

Most of the genin in the hallway shot the Uchiha questioning glances. "What? What's this guy talking about?" one muttered.

"Who knows," his teammate replied.

Bandage-Face and Bandana however smirked at Sasuke. "Heh… So you noticed," the first of the pair commented.

"It was easy to spot, right Sakura?" Sasuke retorted, glancing at his female teammate.

"Huh?"

"You have the most analytical mind as best understanding of genjutsu of our team," he explained. "You were probably the first out of us to figure it out."

Sakura paused, realizing what her crush was doing. He was showing her his confidence in the few abilities she had, boosting her own confidence in herself. 'Sasuke…thank you…'

Sakura cleared her throat. "Of course," she answered. "It's quite easy to figure out. After all, we're on the second floor."

All but a few of the other genin present, stared at her in surprise as they themselves realized the utterly simple fact that had eluded all of them.

A grin spread across Naruto's face. Like those few others, he had also realized the truth of things. "Yep," he said, nodding his head in agreement.

Kenshi snickered, grinning like the rest of his comrades. "A bit of advice fellas, it's actually much easier to go to the third floor and swap out the room number plates," he added. "And it's less obvious than making the second floor the third."

The pair dispelled their illusion, revealing the room's true number, 201. "Hmm… Not bad," Bandage-Face commented, studying Sasuke.

Suddenly, before most of the ninja present could react, he swung his leg upwards, aiming for Sasuke's head. "Now try this!" he shouted.

Unfortunately for him Sasuke was able to react in time, swinging his own leg, intending to counter the kick with his own.

However their legs did not meet…

In an incredible feat of agility, the Bowl-Cut genin appeared between them, catching both of their legs with his hands; completely stopping their attacks to the amazement of everyone save his teammates.

'Catching our kicks with his hands…' Sasuke contemplated, carefully studying the green-clad boy. 'He's a completely different person from the boy that was getting beaten up moments ago. This one is definitely someone to watch out for.'

Similar thoughts were running through the minds of Sasuke's teammates, though unlike him, they were unable to keep their expressions of surprise and awe off their faces.

Without saying anything, the dark haired boy dropped their legs. Bandage-Face back away, moving back to his comrade's side as another boy approached the other two. "Hey, what happened to the plan?" he demanded, his lavender eyes marking him a member of the Hyūga Clan. "You were the one who said we shouldn't draw attention to ourselves."

"Well…" the boy started before glancing off at Sakura, a blush appearing on his cheeks.

Without saying anything else, he headed to where she stood. "Hi," he greeted a smile on his face. "My name is Rock Lee, and you are Sakura, right?"

"Yes," Sakura replied, unsure of what he wanted.

"Sakura, will you please go out on a date with me! I vow that I will protect you with my life!" Lee proclaimed, giving her a thumbs up and a wide smile, causing one of his teeth to shine brightly for an instant.

"Definitely…not…" she uttered, creeped out by the boy's proclamation and by his appearance.

Before Lee could respond, Kenshi stepped up to the pair. "How did you do that?" he asked.

Lee turned his head to him. "Hmm?"

Kenshi shook his head. "Not the catching of their kicks, but that tooth shine thing. How did you do it?"

At that moment, aside from Lee, every other genin in the hall could gape in disbelief. "WHAT? You want to know that?" Naruto exclaimed, summing everyone else's thoughts. "What about how he managed to block Sasuke's and Bandage-Face's kicks?"

Kenshi waved a hand at Naruto dismissively. "Oh anyone can do that if they're fast enough and strong enough. But that tooth shine thing…" He shook his head. "That's gonna dive me nuts until I figure out how he did it."

"Wait! You want to learn how to do some stupid tooth thing?"

"Of course not," Kenshi replied. "I just want to know how it's done. Cause it's not normal for a person to smile and have a tooth shine like that."

The Hyuga turned his attention from the brown haired genin to Sasuke. "Hey you," he said, drawing the attention of everyone. "What's your name?"

Naruto scowled as another person expressed interest in the arrogant Uchiha over him, the future Hokage. 'Damn it! Why is it always Sasuke?'

"When you want to learn someone's name, you should always give your name first," Sasuke retorted.

"You're a rookie, right? How old are you?" the Hyūga replied.

"I don't have to answer you."

The two glared at each for a moment. Without another word, they turned, heading for their teammates.

Together, Team Seven started walking away from the group of genin, heading for the nearest set of stairs. The other genin teams began to do the same, heading for one of the stairwells. Unnoticed by the leaving ninjas, the two genin that had set up the genjutsu and started the whole mess entered room 201. "So those were Kakashi's and Guy's pupils," the first 'genin' said as they both formed hand seals. "I guess they pass the unofficial test."

Twin plumes of smoke consumed the pair for a second before dissipating, revealing their true adult forms.

"This year's Exam looks like it's going to be interesting," the second chūnin added.

The members of Team Seven stood in a large room on the third floor, staring out through the windows at Konoha. They still had some time to kill before they were suppose to hand in their application forms and start the Exam, so they had decided to wait in this empty room rather than in 301, where undoubtedly dozens of other genin teams were preparing for the Exam as well.

However, they weren't about to be alone for much longer.

"You with the attitude and dark hair!" a familiar voice called out from behind them.

Naruto, Sasuke, Kenshi and Sakura turned together to the voice.

It was Rock Lee, standing on the balcony that overlooked the room.

"What do you want?" Sasuke asked.

Sakura shivered, not wanting to deal with Lee again after his attempt to ask her out while Naruto shook in barely contained anger and annoyance as another person expressed their interest in Sasuke over him. Kenshi sighed, shaking his head. The Exam had not even started and people were already after them.

"I wish to fight you," a determined Lee answered.

Sasuke paused for a moment, thinking over his challenge and what Lee had done minutes earlier. "A fight right now?"

Lee nodded. "Yes."

With that, the boy leaped down from the balcony, landing on the floor below. "My name is Rock Lee," he said, politely introducing himself to Sasuke. "When you want to learn someone's name you should always give your name first, right Sasuke Uchiha?"

"So you know who I am," Sasuke replied.

"Yes. I want to my ability against that of the famed Uchiha Clan," Lee eagerly explained. "Plus…"

Lee turned to Sakura, the blush returning his face.

She screamed, wanting nothing more than to get away from the love-struck boy. "Those huge eyebrows are so gross!"

But her reaction and words were lost on Lee. "Sakura, you are an angel sent down to Earth," he said before he began blowing kisses at the object of his affection.

With surprising speed and flexibility Sakura began dodging his kisses, shrieking as she moved. Mercifully, the assault of kisses ended swiftly, leaving the girl sweating and gasping for breath but thankfully kiss-free.

"Hey! Keep those creepy kisses to yourself!" Sakura angrily shouted at Lee once she had regained her composure.

"You do not have to be so mean Sakura…" Lee said in a sad and hurt tone.

"You know about the Uchiha Clan, yet you're challenging me," Sasuke said, turning everyone's attention back to him. "You must be even crazier than you look. But I accept your challenge. I'll show you the power of the Uchiha Clan."

Lee slipped into a fighting stance, holding his left hand behind his back while bringing his right hand up in front of him, almost in a taunting gesture. His eyes burned with fires of determination. "Bring it," he said, ready for the fight.

Done! And once again, I must give my thanks to my absolutely wonderful beta, Amiriah. Unfortunately, she's going to be away for the month of July, so I'm looking for a temporary beta reader for July, if anyone is interested.

While I don't expect to get many reviews at the moment, at least not until the Forest of Death and the Prelims, I do like to hear from you, my fans. So if you want to hit that little button, it would really make my day.