The Heart of the Demon
Chapter 9
The Demons meet
Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.
Author's note: Sorry for taking so long to update, school got crazy with finals and shit but it's over now so I will hopefully be updating more often now.
The chunin exams were fast approaching and every jonin sensei had a decision to make, whether to nominate their teams or not. The meeting to nominate teams was later today and Kakashi was conflicted about nominating his team. He knew they could easily fly through the exams even Sakura was better than most genin but what he was worried about was Naruto's violent tendencies, while within the rules killing was frowned upon and from what he had observed of Naruto since they became a team she would jump at any chance she had to kill, perhaps even against a fellow leaf ninja. So he decided to take this indecision to the Hokage to ask for advice.
Kakashi nodded at Hiruzen's secretary who nodded and smiled back as Kakashi knocked on the Hokage's door.
"Come in"
Kakashi walked into the room closing the door behind him and giving a respectful bow to Hiruzen.
"Ah Kakashi to what do I owe this visit?"
"Lord Hokage sir, I am having trouble deciding whether to nominate my team for the chunin exams and would like some advice on the matter."
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow "Why are you having trouble? Your team is far above the rest of the genin in most categories and have competed more missions than any other genin team this year; I would say they are more than qualified for the exams."
Kakashi nodded and gave a small prideful smile before it turned into a slight frown "I am sure they would easily pass the exams with flying colors as well, no the issue certainly isn't their skill level. The issue is Naruto, I'm afraid for the other competitors, with Naruto's high skill level and violent tendencies I am worried about what she might do."
Hiruzen sighed he was well aware of Naruto's stunt on the bridge in wave country and he knew Kakashi had a right to worry "Well Kakashi the question you should ask yourself is would more time make it any better? Do you think if you had another six months or a year of training her you would be able to help her learn that killing is not always necessary, or would holding her back only anger her and cause her to be even more violent? And what of the others on your team is it right for you to hold them back because you are worried about what Naruto might do?"
Kakashi opened his mouth and then closed it again as he searched for words thinking on what the Hokage had told him.
Hiruzen eyed Kakashi for about a minute waiting for a response, when none came he continued "Ultimately the choice is yours and I will support whatever you decide. I will need an answer by the nomination meeting though."
Kakashi nodded "yes sir"
"You are dismissed then" Kakashi bowed and Hiruzen nodded before Kakashi left the room.
All the jonin sensei were gathered in one of the many meeting rooms in the Hokage tower waiting for the Hokage to arrive to begin the meeting. Kakashi was with Asuma, Kurenai, and Guy.
"So how are your teams going? Are you guys going to nominate them for the chunin exams?" Kurenai asked to the group.
Guy burst out in his usual manner "Yes this time my team are more than ready they will show everyone the power of their youth!" everyone in the room stopped to look at guy who after realizing he was yelling in a small cramped room rubbed the back of his head "ah sorry" he apologized to the room.
Asuma laughed at his friend "always the loud one guy." He looked to Kurenai "I am going to nominate my team, they all have their issues working alone but together I think they can overcome any obstacles they might run into."
"Would expect nothing less from the famous ino-shika-cho formation" Kakashi said with a light smile.
"I am going to nominate my team as well, they're all quite skilled and I think they are more than ready for the exams." Kurenai said with proud smile
"What about you Kakashi? I have heard some stories about how skilled your genin are, especially Naruto, in the bingo book at such a young age, she must be quite the ninja." Asuma asked
Kakashi sighed "Naruto is the issue; she is very powerful, so much so that I am afraid of what she might do in the exams. I have been trying to decide whether to nominate them since we got back from the land of waves."
"You have to nominate them! Let them show the strength of their youth!" Guy shouted again forgetting where he was.
"She is going to have compete in the exams eventually, if your team is ready now I say take the risk and nominate them" Asuma stated
"I agree, besides if all our teams are the exams we can have some fun with it." Kurenai said with a sly smile.
Kakashi let out a small laugh "I guess you guys are right" he was still worried about what Naruto might do in the exams but he had finally made up his mind.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were training, waiting for Kakashi at training ground seven. Naruto and Sasuke were having a taijutsu spar with no weapons and Sakura was practicing some genjutsu.
Naruto weaved through Sasuke's strikes while throwing an unrelenting volley of her own forcing Sasuke on the defensive. Sasuke jumped back and caught Naruto with a kick as she tried to follow launching her back and allowing him to go on the offensive. Naruto quickly recovered and as usual was able to weave through Sasuke's attacks and get back onto the offensive. Just then Kakashi arrived in a swirl of leaves and Naruto took the opportunity to swipe out Sasuke's legs and pin him onto the ground.
"Can't let yourself get distracted" she said with a smile and a laugh as she let him up.
"Damn I thought I might be able to get you that time" he said with his own smile.
Their smiles faded though as they turned to Kakashi "Took you long enough" Naruto complained
Kakashi frowned "yeah, anyway as you guys probably already know the chunin exams are coming up soon." They all nodded "Well today there was a meeting for jonin sensei to nominate their teams for the exams." He pulled out three slips of paper "I nominated you guys." He handed them the slips of paper "It is your choice whether to participate or not, if you don't feel you're ready for the exams then you don't have to participate, don't feel pressured to" he looked at Sakura as he said it.
"Don't worry sensei I am ready if they are" Sakura said as she looked to Naruto and Sasuke
Naruto jumped up and down a bit "Yes! Finally! We're gonna kick so much ass in the exams!"
Sasuke was also excited but hid his excitement a bit "I'm sure it will be an interesting challenge."
Kakashi sighed, on the inside he had been holding onto the hope that Sakura would decide not to take the exams and give him more time to try and reign in Naruto but he hadn't really expected her to. "Alright then, fill out the forms and go to room 301 at 4PM tomorrow."
They nodded to him and with that he shunshined away.
Naruto was absolutely giddy with excitement this was the next step to Kurama's goals.
"Congratulations, you are progressing wonderfully pup, I couldn't be more proud."
She never felt more fulfilled then when Kurama gave her praise it was the thing she craved most in the world.
"Well see you tomorrow guys Kurama is teaching me a new jutsu and I want to make sure it's perfect before the exams" she waved and jumped away before Sasuke even had a chance to respond.
Sasuke sighed he had hopped they could get something to eat but he knew how seriously Naruto took her training hopefully it was a cool jutsu. He waved to Sakura "See you tomorrow Sakura" he said as he jumped away towards the Uchiha district.
Sakura felt much the same about Sasuke as he did about Naruto when she jumped off. She sighed and made her way home, guess it would be another dinner with the family.
Naruto made her way home deciding to relish in her excitement and take the scenic route. She didn't make it too far before she noticed Konohamaru her pseudo little brother in a precarious situation.
"You should really watch where you are going kid" an older kid with purple face paint and black full body suit said as he held Konohamaru up by the collar of his shirt.
"Konohamaru!" called his friends Udon and Moegi in unison
"Come on Kankuro let the kid go" it came rather uncaringly from a young women standing behind the now identified Kankuro.
"Oh come on sis I'm just gonna teach him a lesson"
Naruto watched as the scene played out 'well I should probably end this now, no reason I can't have some fun though' with that she shunshined.
Suddenly a swirl of fire appeared a few feet from Kankuro and Konohamaru revealing Naruto as the flames faded.
"Naruto nee-chan!" Cried Konohamaru
Naruto gave a smirk "You should really let him go"
Kankuro froze a second before regaining his cocky attitude "and what are you going to about it?"
Naruto continued to smirk "Well I would just hate to have to kill you" she said in a sarcastic tone "but I think I would be forgiven seeing as your threatening the Hokage's grandson"
That knocked the confidence right out of Kankuro
"See you idiot I told you to let him go!" Temari said irritated
"Shut up Temari!" he yelled at the women before turning back to Naruto "heh heh, no reason to get out of hand" he said with a nervous smile as he set Konohamaru down "see he's fine there's no need to fight"
Konohamaru ran to Udon and Moegi "It wouldn't be much of fight! Naruto nee-chan would kick your ass!" He yelled once he was behind Naruto.
Naruto let out a single laugh "Go on home Konohamaru"
Konohamaru started to argue "but I wanna watch" though he was quick to back off and run home with his friends after Naruto sent him a glare "right, see you later Naruto" He stuck his tongue out at Kankuro before they all ran off.
After they were gone Naruto turned her attention back to the sand siblings staring at them for a moment "so you're Kankuro and you're Temari, who are you?" she said looking up into a tree.
Temari and Kankuro both froze before looking up to see Gaara standing in the tree. He shunshined in front of them "You two are disgraces to our village"
"G-Gaara it wasn't ou-"
"Shut up, or I'll kill you" Gaara said narrowing his eyes at Kankuro who immediately shut up
Naruto smiled a bit she liked how this guy worked it reminded her of herself
"That boy stinks of Shukaku; He is the Jinchuriki of my brother, the ichibi"
How interesting to meet another Jinchuriki and in the middle of her village no less oh these exams were going to be fun, she couldn't wait.
Gaara turned to Naruto "I am sorry for any inconvenience my siblings have caused you."
Naruto walked forward and held out her hand to Gaara "No inconvenience at all, it was a fun little distraction."
Gaara started at her hand for a moment before accepting it in his own.
She shook once "It was nice to meet you" she leaned in and whispered into his ear "ichibi" before pulling away with a smile "I'll see you soon." She grinned at him before shunshining away.
Gaara tensed and stared at where she had just been how could she possibly know? Who was that girl? She made him feel, something he didn't know what was. She was going to be a problem.
Kankuro and Temari stared at Gaara dumbfounded before he turned around and they composed themselves. He didn't even spare them a glance before leaving towards their hotel; it didn't take long for them to follow.