AKT Chapter 7

I just want to let you guys know that I'm not going to be technically pairing Naruko with anyone. She will have relationships with people, there will be sex with said people, but I'm not going to have her in a permanent, lifelong relationship. She's too damn young to form one of those. For now, she's with Haku, but that is subject to change.

And if for no other reason than to keep my fic from becoming bad cliché, I will never have Naruko date Sasuke.

I'm only going to clarify this once, so pay attention:

"Speech"

'Thoughts'

'Kyuubi's thoughts/high powered beings thoughts'

"Empowered beings speech"

"Whispered speech"

The victorious leaf shinobi plus one left wave country a day and a half later, after they had buried Zabuza and burned the rest of the corpses. Naruko spent her time on the trip home walking with Haku, who had been traumatized by seeing the violent death of his mentor, and getting spattered by his blood. Luckily, he already showed signs of snapping out of it, and would probably not develop any long term mental issues.

This was good news for Naruko's love life, as she had decided to tell Haku that she was willing to date him once they got his trial and immigration over with. A catatonic boyfriend usually isn't very good in bed.

Naruko was carrying a sealing scroll which contained the executioner's blade she had picked up, as well as another scroll containing the dragon's fangs, and finally a third scroll with proof of her missing nin kill. She already had plans for hanging the weapons on her wall in her room as trophies.

The return to Konoha was utterly uneventful, much to everyone's relief.

XXX

After a few uneventful weeks, and more D ranked missions with one uneventful C ranked mission to liven things up, Naruko was starting to wish for the excitement of the C turned A ranked mission in Wave country. She decided to voice her displeasure to Kakashi as team 7 was walking back from a mission.

"Kakashi sensei, when can we get another mission like the one in wave country?"

"The mission in wave country became an A ranked mission. Genin are not expected to be able to handle A ranked missions. That is why genin are primarily assigned D ranked missions, with the occasional C ranked mission."

"Huh. Okay, then how do we become Chuunin so we can be sent on higher ranking missions?" Naruko asked.

"Well, Genin are usually promoted to Chuunin during the Chuunin exams. Luckily for you three, the Chuunin exams are being held soon, and when they are, I will nominate you three to take them."

Jumping in excitement, Naruko let out a cheer, "YES! We are going to demolish those Chuunin exams, and when we do, no more catching Tora for me! Kakashi, I would like the rest of the day off to train for the Chuunin exams."

Kakashi looked up, seeing a messenger hawk fly by, a single feather falling to land on the open page of the orange covered book he was reading. Recognizing that as a summons, Kakashi acquiesced to Naruko's request.

"Okay you three. We're done for the day, so you can go ahead and practice. It looks like the exams are coming sooner than expected too." Kakashi held up the feather, then bid the three goodbye and shunshined away.

"Alright you two, try to take a little time off from 'restoring Sasuke's clan' so you can get some training in today. I'm going to meet up with Anko neechan to train." With that, Naruko also disappeared in a shunshin.

XXX

Naruko was wondering why the training was so different today. Anko neechan had said that she was going to have the blonde work on her situational awareness and using the terrain to her advantage. Tossing a map with several red X marks on it, she said, "This map marks several of the most dangerous parts of training area 44. I expect you to memorize this map, so that you can set up traps to try to lead me into one of these areas, without entering them yourself. Normal rules apply, plus the added rules for the goal areas. You win if you can force me into any of these areas." With that, the game was on. Naruko didn't know that Anko was trying to prepare her favorite 'little sister' for the upcoming Chuunin exams in her own devious way.

XXX

The next day, Kakashi gave the three members of team 7 their papers for entering the chuunin exam, and told them to report to room 301 the next day at 4pm.

All three of them were excited, as they all believed they were ready.

Sakura had sought out Kurenai Yuuhi for instruction in genjutsu, and had been sparring with Sasuke since they had begun 'sparring' together, if you know what I mean. The result was that she was able to use one high level genjutsu, as well as a myriad of mid to lower level genjutsu, and was able to hold her own in the team sparring sessions.

Sasuke had made use of his access to his clan's jutsu library, learning a couple of new techniques. His sparring with Sakura also served as Sharingan practice.

Finally, Naruko had been training with Anko Mitarashi in her spare time, and was by far the strongest member of team 7 anyway.

XXX

As the members of team 7 reached the top of the stairs they noticed two older teens keeping a crowd of genin out of a room marked '301' and had just finished knocking a girl in a Chinese style shirt to the ground. There was another leaf genin, this one dressed bizarrely in a green spandex jumpsuit, with orange leg warmers, and his leaf headband worn as a belt. Sasuke tapped his two teammates on the shoulders, and quietly informed them of the genjutsu on the door sign, and that they were currently on the second floor. Naruko decided to bypass the entire group, and simply head for the third floor.

This did not go as planned, because the weirdly dressed kid and what appeared to be his third teammate asked loudly where the rookie team was heading.

Sasuke answered, "The third floor."

Everyone looked at him like he'd grown a second head, until it slowly dawned on them exactly what that meant.

In the confusion, team 7 was able to make good their escape, and reached the real room 301 without further incident.

Just before they entered however, the kid in the green jumpsuit, who quickly identified himself as Rock Lee, caught up to them, and challenged Sasuke to a fight. Sasuke checked the time, seeing that they had about fifteen minutes, and agreed.

They backtracked to the landing area by the stairs to the third floor, and Sasuke took a stance and activated his sharingan.

Not wasting any time, Lee dashed forward at an incredible speed, sasuke's eyes going wide when he realized that while his sharingan let him read his opponent's moves, he could not physically respond fast enough to do anything about it.

After getting kicked around for a bit, Sasuke got hit with the falling leaf shadow combo, and was about to eat an initial lotus until a bigger version of Lee interrupted the fight, scolding Lee for using that technique.

With the fight over, everyone headed to the examination room.

XXX

When Team 7 entered the room, Ino Yamanaka squee'ed and draped herself over Sasuke (who quickly shook her off and moved over to stand closer to Sakura, much to Ino's distress). This caught the attention of the entire room full of over one hundred slightly disgruntled genin. Feeling the relatively weak Killing Intent coming from the crowd, Naruko slipped into her mindscape.

'Hey furball' Naruko called out, walking past the floating ball of purified Kyuubi chakra to stand before the sealed cage of the Kyuubi's mind.

'What do you want?' Kyuubi sneered, 'Have you not taken enough from me already, mortal?'

'Well, I figured that even though I'm your jailer and all, that doesn't mean we can't get along. Besides, this is my mindscape, with a little meditation, I could set it up so you could watch through my eyes and we can talk when I'm outside of my mindscape. Also, I have a request you might like.'

'I have got nothing else to lose, I am listening.'

'Well, I remember that you have got some amazing Killing Intent. I figured that in exchange for reworking the accommodations so you have something to entertain you, you would be willing to let me access your KI from time to time. Think about it, Is there ever a time when using KI does not amuse you?'

'… Okay kit, that actually sounds like fun. I've been stuck here in the dark for the last few months with nothing to do, and if you prove to be entertaining, I could also give you advice from time to time. I take it you want some of my intent now?'

'Yep, about enough to make an entire room of genin soil their pants would be great. One moment.'

Naruko quickly sat cross legged, and after a moment, the scenery changed, brightening as a giant screen appeared in front of the cage. The cage then transformed into a transparent barrier with the seal now located on a single wooden post.

'There, this screen can display a few different things. One of which is my memories. I can block you from viewing certain memories, and I can also prevent you from seeing what I'm seeing if I want to, but for the most part, you have free reign to view whatever. Just focus your will on the screen to change the view. We can now also talk to each other when I'm outside my mindscape. Again, I can sever the connection if necessary, such as when I need to concentrate. You like?'

'I may have misjudged you, kit. Perhaps we may be able to get along.'

With that done with, Naruko returned from her mindscape to the matter at hand. The entire exchange had only taken about twenty seconds.

Naruko then glared at the gathered genin, stepping to the front of the gathering of leaf genin (the other rookies and team Gai had joined them while Naruko was in her mindscape), and released a wave of KI that washed over the crowd, causing the vast majority of them to flinch back in terror, suddenly seeing gruesome images of their own deaths.

'I think I may like that one,' Sabaku no Gaara thought to himself, his demented grin sending shivers through his teammates.

Meanwhile, another leaf genin walked up and introduced himself as Kabuto. He had black eyes with grey hair kept in a ponytail and circular glasses. He wore a dark purple shirt with a white undershirt and a white obi around his waist worn at an angle. He had dark purple pants and a shuriken holster on his right leg. [Description courtesy of narutopedia]

Kabuto talked about how this was his seventh chuunin exam, and how he had gathered information on the shinobi taking the exams. He then asked if there was anyone they wanted to find out about.

Sasuke asked about Neji Hyuuga, and Rock Lee.

After giving the information, which Naruko found profoundly boring, the conversations going on all over the room were suddenly interrupted by an explosion announcing the entrance of the examiners.

"Quiet down you worthless bastards! And who the hell was throwing around KI like they wanted to slaughter the entire village! I could feel that shit from three rooms away!" yelled a large and imposing man.

The majority of the genin in the room pointed Naruko out, then flinched again as she released another wave of KI at their actions. Even Ibiki had to suppress the urge to flinch due to the intensity of the KI that the blonde girl was generating.

'Damn, I've known Kages who couldn't produce that much KI. I should watch out for her.' Ibiki thought.

"Good KI. I'd be careful using it though, that could get you enemies who need not be. Here's a good opportunity to say this… there will be no fighting without the permission of the examiners. Even if you are granted permission, killing your opponent is forbidden. Anyone caught breaking this rule automatically earns themselves and their team instant failure. Have I made myself clear?"

Nods from all around the room answered him.

Seating was decided by random drawing. As Naruko walked up to get her seat number, she whispered to the head examiner, "I would like to request permission to fight."

Taken aback by the request from the girl he had noticed earlier that day, he smirked before he answered in low tones, "Granted, but don't forget the rule about no killing. Who do you want to fight?"

"I don't know yet. I was just asking for blanket permission. Thanks for granting it," she replied with a foxy grin.

Ibiki just chuckled. 'Yeah, this one's definitely dangerous' he thought.

After everyone was seated, Ibiki then announced the rules of the first exam. After he finished, and after the various exclamations of disbelief from several of the gathered genin, the test began.

Naruko was a little worried about the test, since she did not have any skills for spying other than her ridiculous stealth, and her disappearing from her seat would kind of be obvious in this situation.

That was of course before she thought about how she had blanket permission to fight.

Noticing that the person to her left had all the answers written down already, she decided to take action. Closing her eyes for a moment and holding perfectly still, she gathered ambient natural chakra, causing her pupils to become bar shaped, and pigmentation to form around her eyes. She then suddenly stood up and used the strength upgrade from sage mode to kick the boy clear across the room, and through the window behind the head examiner. As the entire room stood in shock, Naruko quickly dispersed the remainder of the natural chakra she had gathered so no one would notice.

Ibiki quickly got over his surprise, his face changing from open mouthed shock to an expression of wry amusement.

Of those taking the exam, Kiba found his voice first. "What the fuck! She just kicked that guy across the fucking room, and through the goddamned window! You said we would fail if we fought!" he yelled.

"No, I said you would fail if you fought without the examiner's permission. She asked for permission, and got it." Ibiki clarified.

Meanwhile, Naruko had switched papers with the unfortunate bastard she had expelled from the room, and replaced his name with hers at the top of the test.

Knowing that she was going to do that, Ibiki said to her, "You do know that I'm going to have to mark off two points for cheating, right?"

"Yeah, but since that guy had all nine questions answered, I'll still be good. Guy had impeccable handwriting; looks like the answers were typed in." She then looked closer at the test. "I'll be damned, they are typed in."

Several of the genin sweatdropped as they realized that Naruko had just taken out one of the examiners, disguised as a genin.

Naruko spent the rest of the test with her feet up on the desk, filing her nails with an emery board she had pulled out of her pocket.

With about fifteen minutes left, Ibiki announced the final question, talking about how if you took it and answered incorrectly, you and your team would never get to take the exam again.

Naruko quickly called him on his bluff, much to his despair.

"I call bullshit! If the final question of the exam were actually a question like the rest of the test, the bastard that was next to me would have had the answer printed into his test. Question ten has to be some kind of trick question, or at least easy enough that a genin would be able to answer. Quit with the suspense and get on with it!"

Naruko's outburst had the predicted effect that absolutely no one left.

After waiting a minute more to see if anyone would quit anyway, Ibiki decided that the last question had failed due to Naruko's outburst.

*Sigh* "Well, since it seems no one is going to quit now… Those who are still in this room, congratulations on passing the first exam," he said in an exasperated tone. 'Anko's going to kill me for this. Only seven teams were eliminated due to cheating. There are still forty four teams left, out of fifty one… yeah, she's going to kill me.'

The room exploded in angry exclamations. After Ibiki explained the reasoning behind the tenth question, and the purpose for the entire first exam, he said that the head examiner for the second stage would arrive shortly.

Fully five minutes later, a black cloth wrapped object burst through one of the unbroken windows. Two kunai flew out, unfurling the cloth, revealing it to be a banner with words written in white paint, with none other than Anko Mitarashi emerging from the banner.

"This is no time to be cele… er, whats up with this crowd, Ibiki? Only 7 teams failed? Have you lost your touch?"

"Yeah, the blonde girl there called my bluff on the tenth question. Apparently, I should have had the examiners that were mixed in memorize the answers instead of giving them pre-printed answer sheets."

"Yeah, I'm awesome!" Naruko preened, "Isn't that right, Anko neechan!"

Seeing that Naruko was the one who had foiled the tenth question for Ibiki, Anko promptly burst out laughing. "HAHAHAHAHA! Oh, that's fucking rich! My imoutochan wrecked your tenth question! It took you WEEKS to come up with that little gem, and it ended up completely worthless!"

Ibiki just stood there looking dejected.

Finally, after Anko recovered her composure, she announced that she was the head examiner for the second exam, and instructed everyone to follow her. She then led the remaining genin out of the room.

That's it for this chapter. The next stage of the exams are going to be… different. Major changes to canon will occur, so stage two will either be a very long chapter, or take multiple chapters.

Please take the time to review. It doesn't take but a moment, and you can do it anonymously, I have that enabled.

Till next time.