Authors note: Sorry for being like two…or three weeks behind but I had writers block and Speech class was a bitch, along with English and its stupid 15 page essays on crap (that didn't help my writers block.)

This Fic has been edited by causeiambetta and Wrathchylde

Some Input has been taken by both of these people and I just wana say. THANK U THANK U THANK U THANK U.

Disclaimers: I WANA OWN NARUTO!!!...but I don't…so there.

Small recap:….Naruto Saves Sakura and Ino from some dude that turns out was one of the assholes that tried to kill Naruto. Naruto kicked there asses and left Ino and Sakura rather stupefied. Three years later he shows up for class and everyone's first impression of him is that he's a total idiot. NOW on with the story

Chapter 1: THE TEST!

------------------------------------------Hokage monument-------------------------------------------

Hokage monument 3:00 AM

In the darkness of the early morning a figure could be seen carrying several buckets around the faces of Konoha's Hokage monument. The figure stopped and set the paint on the ground near the face of the first Hokage and gave a very big smile showing off his teeth, as he was about to partake in the greatest prank of all time.

"Hahahahahah, if they liked what happened in the garden, then they'll LOVE this," the figure spoke with mischief in his voice to no one in particular. He reached down, grabbed a paintbrush that was hanging lopsided around a bucket of orange paint and started on his masterpiece.

Three hours later, the figure finished his work of art and stood back to admire the completed product. He grinned mischievously as he knew his prank would be talked about for days or even weeks within the village. The first Hokage's face had long lashes and ruby red lips painted on with a slight blush under his eyes for effect along with what looked like a black eye and some nose drippings. The second Hokage had a sun on his left cheek in blue paint and rather long eyelashes painted in green. He also had his face painted entirely orange. The third and fourth Hokage's faces were not violated at all, really. They were painted in their actual colors. The blond hair of the fourth was indeed blond and the hair of the third was as brown as it had been in his hay day. After admiring his work, the boy heard footsteps approaching him. Naruto started sweating bullets as he quickly darted for the stairs but was cut off by none other than his sensei, Iruka.

The boy grinned once again at his sensei as he reached him with a very irritated look on his face. "Hey Iruka, did you come to see who did this awful thing to the Hokage faces"

"…." Iruka looked at his student who donned long orange pants, black ninja sandals, black shirt with an orange swirl on it, blue wrist bands with the kanji symbol in orange for fire and an open orange vest. Iruka was giving him a look of anger and annoyance as his left eye was twitching and a vein throbbed in his right eye.

"Not falling for it, are ya?" the boy said with his eyes closed, arms crossed and a sweat drop falling to the right side of his head with a slightly fading smile.

"NARUTO! YOU VANDALIZED THE-" just as Iruka was finishing his sentence, Naruto made a series of hand signs and disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Iruka more irritated than when he started.

"NARUTO!!!!" Iruka's screams could be heard throughout Konoha.

------------------------------------ (57 minutes later at the academy) ------------------------------

Iruka entered the classroom all worn out and sweaty. He took his seat in front of the class and waited for the clock to hit 7:00 AM. The students in the class looked at there sensei and were wondering why Iruka was looking rather sore. Sakura Haruno, who was sitting one level above Sasuke Uchiha, raised an eyebrow at her teachers' exhaustion before returning her gaze to the Uchiha with heart shaped eyes. She wore a red shirt with black sleeves that slightly passed her elbows with a white ring on the stomach area and an open neck area, a red mini-skirt that reached about six inches above her knees with black short pants underneath and blue ninja sandals.

Ino Yamanaka, who wore a skintight purple shirt with fishnet sleeves and purple skintight shorts and blue ninja sandals, was eyeballing Sasuke as well. Ino sat one level above Sakura and noticed her teacher's fatigue also, before she noticed Sakura's vision focusing on the object of HER affection.

With a whisper so low only an ant could hear, Ino lowered her head to Sakura's ear and spoke, "Hey forehead-girl! Do you really think Sasuke-kun actually likes you? I mean, c'mon you have such a huge forehead it practically shines in the sun!" Sakura was startled at first but then quickly knew who it was that spoke to her. She closed her eyes, a vein popping out on her forehead from Ino's comment. Without turning back to look at Ino Sakura who still had her eyes closed smirked then retorted, anger clear in her spoken words "Humph! Ino-pig, do you really think Sasuke-kun likes a fugly girl like you?"

Just like Sakura Ino too sported a vein on her head and was about to make a comeback but was cut off by Iruka as he was starting the class. "Okay kids today is the genin test, so give it your all." Just then the door to the classroom opened and in a flash of bright orange Naruto Uzumaki busted through the door along with two ANBU ninjas. Naruto made his way to the opposite side of the room when Iruka caught him by his black T-shirt collar. Iruka looked at the ANBU and then at Naruto who sported a sly grin on his face. Iruka sweat-dropped as he released Naruto and looked at the ANBU, "Thanks for catching him," he said, embarrassment evident in his voice. The two ANBU turned to look at each other and then back at Iruka. The ANBU with a panda bear mask spoke with anger and embarrassment as he put his right hand to the back of his head "We didn't catch him…he caught us…twice. We just managed to chase him back here!" At that instant, every jaw was on the floor as they turned to Naruto waiting for an explanation. Even Sasuke seemed stunned. Naruto simply had an open smile and a nervous face. Iruka spoke with a devilishly evil expression, "Naruto! After this you and I are going to the Hokage faces to fix what you did! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!"

Naruto looked at him with a sad expression on his face, "Aw, c'mon Iruka-sensei I wa-"

"IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?!" Iruka shouted making himself clear. Naruto pouted a little like a five year old and retorted "yes Iruka-sensei…"

Mizuki stepped in to the class just in time to see the students partake in their exam. All the students were lined up to take the first part of the test. "Ah, Mizuki-sensei glad to see you made it," yelled the hyperactive student with blond hair as he jumped up with glee to see one of his favorite teachers come in to the room. Mizuki smiled at the boy but inwardly scoffed at him, 'Why the hell does the hokage want to give him the chance to become a ninja? He should have been killed long ago!' Mizuki widened his smile and spoke "Naruto are ya ready for the genin test?"

Naruto Puffed out his chest, put his right fisted hand in the air, and spoke with determination in his voice, "Are ya kidding me? I'm gona be racking up so many points in this test there ain't gona be enough room left to right down the number on a sheet of paper!" Everyone in the class simply ignored the blonde's statement.

Sakura looked at the blond boy with an annoyed look on her face, 'Jeez you'd think that since Naruto is hardly around in class he'd take one of those days to learn to be quiet!' "Yea and the way he's always acting like he doesn't need to be in class because he already knows the material bugs the hell outa me. Humph! I bet Sasuke-kun would put him in his place CHA!" Inner Sakura spoke.

Ino, on the other hand, was voicing her opinion to the black and orange wearing academy student, "What the hell is wrong with you? First you barge in here running away from the ANBU and then you say you're better than Sasuke-kun? Ppff! As if!"

Naruto looked at Ino with a raised eyebrow and confusion on his face, "But Ino-chan, I AM better than Sasuke-teme!" Sakura's ear twitched as she heard Naruto say that. In an instant both Sakura and Ino gave Naruto death glares that would freeze hell ten times over. Both Sakura and Ino pulled their fists back and at the same time thrusting forward with all their power into the double punch they gave Naruto, sending him flaying towards the academy black board.

Shikamaru simply shook his head and muttered how troublesome Naruto was. Choji kept on eating his chips and spoke in between chomps about how Naruto can be funny when he doesn't mean to be. Kiba just glared at Naruto and looked the other way while Aburame Shino one of Kiba's friends' simply stayed stoic. Hyuga Hinata looked at Naruto with a faint blush on her cheeks and fiddled with her short hair. Sasuke never really paid attention to the blond loudmouth before today. Sasuke was studying from afar, narrowing his eyes and focusing on anything that seemed out of place with the blond. Nothing was found in his observations. 'Could Naruto really have tricked two ANBU level ninja? Twice no less!' as Sasuke thought this he saw Sakura and Ino give Naruto another punch to the face sending him flaying to the academy black board again. 'No…must have been luck' Sasuke thought as he bared a disappointed look.

Iruka and Mizuki lead the class to the courtyard of the academy for a kunai test. The courtyard was a rather large area filled with trees which had a looping dirt trail that seemed to disappear in to the nearby forest. Iruka took the list of names on his clipboard and started calling names wile Mizuki set up the targets around the trees and a wooden dummy in the center. Shino, who did well, was the first to go followed by Sakura and Ino, who also did well. This process was repeated until they reached Uchiha Sasuke, the number one rookie thus far.

"Uchiha Sasuke!" Iruka spoke up to be heard by the prodigy. Sasuke walked to the starting point and took mental note at where every target was. In one swipe of his hand Sasuke grabbed four kunai in one hand and two in another while disappearing from every ones eyes, save three. Iruka, Mizuki and Naruto tilted their heads upwards before anyone else noticed Sasuke reappear about twelve feet above the starting point. He did some aerial acrobatics wile hurling the kunai at each target, perfectly hitting them in the bull's eye. In the dummies case he had one strike the forehead and another struck the crotch. He landed nimbly on the ground, his hair being carried in to the wind, eyes closed and smirking. Everyone stood wide-eyed as the last "sane" Uchiha did his impressive demonstration of kunai throwing.

"O my god! Sasuke-kun is even more amazing than I thought!" both Sakura and Ino thought.

"Hmm. Not bad he shows a lot of potential" Iruka and Mizuki were thinking the same.

"Humph! Thinks he's so cool just cause he can throw some kunai on to bows eyes. Any ninja could do that!" Our orange wearing hero thought.

Naruto who stood directly behind Sasuke simply rolled his eyes as he stared at him. Mizuki was clearing the field of Sasuke's kunai just in time for Iruka to call Naruto's name. "Uzumaki Naruto" as the name was spoken the Uchiha departed from his position about to pass Naruto. Everyone's gaze was still directed towards the Uchiha save for the instructors. Naruto who had his eyes fixed on Sasuke simply took out four kunai and nine shurikens with one hand from his pouch. As the Uchiha passed Naruto who still had his focus on Sasuke he flung all the weapons in his hands into the direction of the targets. Every ones head turned as soon as they heard the sound of kunai hitting wood. The two instructors seemed to notice something everyone else didn't. Each weapon landed with deadly accuracy in each bull's eye. As for the dummy, his head was embedded with kunai in the shape of a happy face. Iruka and Mizuki took special notice of the shurikens that were embedded near the neck, hands and knees. Each landed in a crucial area that could render the limbs useless or instantly kill you.

Iruka looked at Naruto with a questioning look while Mizuki narrowed his eyes at the young blond boy. 'What the hell was that? He simply flung his hand and some of the shuriken and kunai just happened to land on the vital points of the dummy? He shouldn't be able to do that! Its just luck! That's all it was!' Mizuki thought rather angrily. All the students were stunned to see that he replicated Sasuke's action to some degree though (in their eyes) less "cool" since he didn't do any acrobatics and screwed up a little since the shurikens landed no were near vital spots on the dummy save for the ones on the head. At least, that's how it looked to their uneducated eyes.

Iruka shrugged it off and simply started jotting down the test scores. He then turned to his class and spoke in his teacher mode "Ok kids now its time for the henge test. Line up for me like last time while I call your names." Iruka started yet another lecture on this new test. Naruto simply tuned him out and started going over some new pranks that were filling his head. Naruto simply giggled and smiled an evil smile as ideas kept popping in his head. One was of Iruka and a rather revealing feminine blonde figure standing in front of him. Just then Iruka looked at Naruto and realized he was not paying attention so he called out to him, "NARUTO!" Just then Naruto jumped out of his "mischief mode" to listen to Iruka's rant. Naruto looked at Iruka and smiled sheepishly as Iruka took pleasure in putting him in the spotlight of the class. "So Naruto, care to show the class how a henge is preformed?" Iruka stated with an evil smile on his face and a dark, sinister, yet comical look on his face.

Naruto smiled just as evilly which made Iruka wonder what Naruto was planning. Naruto walked to the front of the class and looked at Iruka deepening his evil smile.

He made a hand seal and cried out "Oiroke no Jutsu!" suddenly a puff of smoke enveloped Naruto covering him from the eyes of everyone in the class. Iruka was stunned at what happened next as he looked at a REALLY hot looking blond woman with whisker marks and gorgeous sapphire eyes and smoke conveniently covering the more…exotic portions of the female body. Every male in the class, including Sasuke, shot twin geysers of blood from their noses, nearly fainting while all the female members of the class were cracking their knuckles getting ready to pound the unsuspecting victim.

With another puff of smoke Naruto reverted back to himself grinning like a madman at what happened "So Iruka-sensei how was that? Did I pass?" Naruto asked, a smile bigger than Hokage Monument, plastered on his face. With some difficulty Iruka stood up again and glared at Naruto, his left eye twitching in anger, embarrassment, and annoyance. He walked over to Naruto and clenched his fist. In a split second Naruto was found on the ground eating dirt, swirls for eyes and a bump on his head as big as Sasuke's pride along with a super sized head Iruka yelling at him. "YOU AND YOUR STUPID JUTSU!" Iruka took a few seconds to calm himself and said to the still floored Naruto, "Yes…you pass."

As fast as Naruto was on the floor he was already bouncing off nearby trees and school walls, "YAHOO! I passed! I Passed!"

Iruka simply mock-coughed until he spoke, "The second part of the exam. There are still two more parts before you become a genin Naruto." Naruto stopped in his tracks, closed his eyes, and made a pouty face which all the female students in the class seemed to fall in love with.

Sakura giggled, 'He can be so cute…when he's not acting like an ass. Of course he's no Sasuke-kun though!'

Ino simply looked at Naruto as if he was a plushy toy and wanted it for her collection, 'He's so cute! Not as cute as Sasuke-kun…but cute.' Naruto walked to the back of the line as instructed by Iruka while everyone else took the test. 20 transformations later, a stuttering attack (courtesy of Hinata because Naruto cheered for her) and Chip depletion (Chouji nearly fainted because he ran out of chips to munch on) the class ended their second exam, all passing.

"Well done class. You've all passed the second part. Just hang in there because we just have two more parts to go. Ok the third part consists of making a few Bunshins" Iruka stated. Naruto fell face first into the dirt, a look of disappointment in his face.

'AH, CRAP! I can't do bunshin. At least not the regular one! Jeesh what am I gona do!' he thought in distress. As the time drew nearer and nearer to Naruto's apparent failure

Iruka called Sasuke to the front of the class to perform the bunshin no jutsu. Sasuke closed his eyes and smirked, then spoke to Iruka "How many do you want?"

Iruka looked at the Uchiha and smiled jokingly, "As many as there are people in the class" Sasuke looked at him wide-eyed "Don't worry I'm only joking I'm not expecting you to do 21 bunshins, its impossible for a genin to do that…try 10."

Sasuke simply nodded and did the hand seals for the technique "Bunshin no Jutsu!" a puff of smoke appeared and out of it stood ten perfect clones of Sasuke. "Good! Very good Sasuke you pass this part of the test. Next up is…Uzumaki Naruto." Iruka stated motioning him to come forward. Sasuke walked past him and looked out the corner of his eye to see Naruto in deep thought. Naruto arrived at his destination worried, but then asked a question to Iruka "Iruka-sensei is it ok if I could use another type of bunshin? I mean I can't really do the regular bunshin," Naruto stated in a low voice so that only Iruka could hear.

Kiba's ear twitched as he heard the statement and busted out laughing, rolling on the floor like a madman. Everyone turned to look at him, confusion in their eyes. Hinata came up to him fingers intertwined with each other and asked in a soft gentle voice "K-K-Kiba-kun wha-what's so funny?" "Naruto! HAHAHA He HAHAHA CAN'T DO HAHAHAHA THE BUNSHIN! HAHAHAHAHAH!" was all Kiba could respond before nearly dying of laughter. All the other students started laughing save two. Sasuke was not entirely convinced while Shino just gave off no emotion.

Naruto looked down on the floor bangs covering his eyes. He stayed stiff for a few minutes before a blue aura started forming around him. Iruka and Mizuki took quick note as well as Sasuke and Shino. Naruto crouched down and clasped his hands together "HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA" was all that came out of his mouth before even more chakra started emanating from his body until a blue sphere covered him from head to toe. To say that every one in the class was shocked was beyond an understatement. He did some hand seals too fast to see and even if they were visible to the human eye it would still be hard to see through the sphere of chakra. A piercing cry came out of the sphere "KAGE BUNSHIN NO JUTSU!"

In a huge puff of smoke emerged several Naruto's every ones eyes widened then widened even more when the smoke cleared. There all around them stood at least 200 Naruto's, some smirking others grinning and many with glares staring at the class. Only one Naruto spoke but it was more of a shout really, "I SAID I COULDN'T DO A TYPE OF BUNSHIN I NEVER SAID I COULDN'T DO BUNSHIN!" Iruka, Mizuki and everyone there just stood flabbergasted and amazed. Well almost everyone. Sasuke looked on with a glare of his own. "How! How could that dobe do so many bunshins let alone do Kage Bunshin" Sasuke thought.

Sakura was to shell shocked by the out put of Naruto's chakra she almost neglected to notice that all of the clones were tangible. "Naruto?" was all her mind could muster as the only coherent thought.

Ino was mesmerized by the amount of clones that she too neglected to see that they were corporeal. "Is THAT really Naruto?" was her only thought. Naruto dispelled the technique and in another puff of smoke all the clones were gone.

After coming out of his stupor Iruka asked, "Naruto…those clones…they were solid?" Naruto simply smiled and answered "YUP! I guess I pass huh?" Iruka smiled at Naruto after congratulating him on passing the third part of the test and continued with the rest of it, "Ok…now that the third test is over the last portion of the test deals with taijutsu. Mizuki and I will set up a small tournament to see if your taijutsu is up to genin level."

With that Iruka and Mizuki started debating quietly among themselves who would be who's opponent. Sasuke hands pocketed and eyes closed walked towards Naruto who was sitting on a tree branch absorbing the peaceful daytime air with his eyes closed. Just as the Uchiha was a bout to speak Inuzuka Kiba managed to voice what Sasuke was going to ask. "Just what the hell was that? First you actually do good on a henge (Kiba and Sasuke remembering the incident, TRIED to keep their faces from turning red out of embarrassment) and then you make at least 100 bunshins" Naruto seemed to stir around the tree branch and suddenly look in Kiba's direction. Confused as to why Kiba was there he and wondering if he was speaking he decided to voice his confusion "Hmm you say something?"

Kiba abruptly fell face first on the floor as he wondered if Naruto was mocking him or if he was really asleep. Sasuke looked over Naruto with an annoyed look and was about to speak again but was cut of by Iruka and Mizuki as they voiced the match ups for the final test.

"Remember your not there to win, your there to show your taijutsu!" Iruka prominently stated. With that all the students nodded and were weighting in excitement for their sensei to announce the match ups, though Sasuke seemed a tad annoyed that he yet again was prevented from speaking to Naruto.

The matches were not all amazing there were a few that were good but none that caught anyone's eyes. All the students were either defeated too fast by another student or in mid battle gave up. Every student tensed as they soon realized that everyone was called save two would be graduates. "Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto front and center!" Iruka called. All eyes were on Uchiha Sasuke, but to everyone's surprise Naruto was no wear insight.

"HA! Guess that wimp chickened out at the last second!" Kiba stated with a hint of arrogance in his words.

"I wouldn't blame him, after all he is up against Sasuke-kun" Sakura spoke eyebrows furrowed eyes closed and arms crossed.

"Yea for once I agree forehead girl" Ino chimed in eyes closed and arms crossed as well.

Just then the whole class heard a loud noise coming from the tree behind them and turned to find Naruto hanging lopsided on a tree branch sleeping his troubles away with out a care in the world. Sasuke was pissed, no scratch that he was furious, how dare he just take this whole match like it didn't matter. 'FINE! YOU WANA PLAY IT THAT WAY IT'S FINE BY ME!' The young Uchiha thought as he narrowed his eyes in frustration and anger.

Sasuke disappeared from all the students' sights and sped down to the tree through an opening between two large groups of students. Sasuke reemerged moments later running up the trunk of the tree pulling his right fist back ready to strike. His fist came down, but to his as well as everyone's surprise it hit nothing but air, Naruto seemed to just vanish in to thin air. Sasuke crouched on the branch steadily searching for Naruto to see were he might have gone. He searched right, left, above and below with no sign of him, then suddenly a voice came from behind the entire class that surprised even Iruka and Mizuki as well as all the students.

"Ya know, I didn't hear him say my name, or to start!" said Naruto who calmly sat on a tree stump no taller than 4 feet high, his feet a few inches above the ground eyes closed and hands laid back on the stump.

Sasuke smirked at the blond and spoke with a witty banter of his own "Hump, well if you weren't sleeping you might of herd him call your name dobe." Naruto opened his eyes as blue met black. All the students as well as both teachers felt the tension in the air as both combatants had a staring contest. The one to break the silence was none other than our blond knuckle head, he smirked evilly as his eyes narrowed "Well then, why don't we put up a good show, ne?"

Sasuke jumped off the branch and over the group consisting of 21 students and two teachers to land no more than ten feet away from were Naruto stood. Both of them were looking at each other weighting for the other to make the first move.

A long silence came as neither of them moved an inch. It was Sakura's turn to burst out yelling in frustration as she put her arms up in the air "WHATS TAKING SO LONG WHY DON'T THEY JUST FIGHT ALREADY!" "Simple, there studying each other" Iruka answered solemnly not wanting to part his eyes from what he felt was going to be a great match, though he knew he would have to break it up as soon as things would get a bit serious and knowing how much Sasuke and Naruto fight with each other that would be somewhat early in the match. Sakura took in Iruka's five word sentence with no questions and turned to look at the combatants. Ino who overheard the conversation simply cursed under her breath as the silence seemed to have no end.

In mere seconds the entire class had wide eyes as Naruto and Sasuke exchanged blows for everyone to see and hear as flesh pressed against flesh in an attempt to claim dominance over the other. Sasuke side stepped to the right as Naruto lunged at him with a punch; he then lifted his right leg upwards only to have it come downward in an axe like motion straight towards Naruto's head. Naruto moved his left arm to block and then started to twist counter clockwise around Sasuke to deliver a backhanded punch behind Sasuke's head. But this was ducked by the Uchiha who did a low sweep kick. Naruto jumped to avoid it and did three summersaults mid air before landing 12 feet from Sasuke. Iruka signed as he already knew they had forgotten that this was just a simple test to see what their abilities in hand to hand combat was.

Naruto charged at Sasuke and flung a punch at his face. Sasuke saw the punch a mile away and ducked. He shifted his weight to the left while ducking and placed his hands on the floor in order to spring upwards with a quick kick to Naruto's jaw. Naruto simply did two back flips backwards before Sasuke's heel connected with his jaw. As Naruto landed Sasuke was already charging at him right arm hung back ready to strike with a punch to the blonds face. Naruto lashed out with a punch of his own as his feet touched the ground. Both caught each others punches and clasped on the others closed fist wile staring at each other square in the eye before smirking.

Sasuke was to say the least rather impressed with this so called 'dobe' he started to wonder if there was more to Naruto than what he showed in class because obviously this Naruto was not the same as the one in class. Then again he rarely was in class, and the few times that Sasuke did see him outside of class he was always being chased by some villager or ninja because he preformed a prank. No this Naruto was different, he was calm and truly immersed in to the battle and for some odd reason Sasuke felt his heart beat steadily rising, he couldn't place why but it was like if he was getting a natural high of the battle.

As both combatants stared each other off the people in the class started to wonder a similar trail of thought as Sasuke.

'WOW! That's Naruto? How, but when? I was more than sure he would get knocked out by Sasuke-kun faster than my eyes could blink" thought Sakura as she saw the battle unfold before her eyes. "Yea I know what cha mean, it's like he's a completely different person when his fighting!" Inner Sakura decided to add. Sakura was totally stunned and if it was possible she would have widened her eyes even further.

"What? How could he hold his own against Sasuke-kun?" Ino thought as she had eyes as big as plates.

Kiba was rather annoyed Naruto didn't go down in a few seconds, but then again Naruto has exhibited some rather strange skills that have got him stumped. Akamaru was tucked safely inside Kiba's jacket and was observing Naruto closely, for he too was interested in what Naruto was capable of. "Shit! If Naruto wins this I'll never hear the end of it!" Kiba thought as he started to pet Akamaru.

Hyuga Hinata was watching Naruto very closely and started to blush uncontrollably. "I knew Naruto-kun was hiding his true potential, but I had no idea this was the result of the training he was doing in the woods the other day." As she thought this she started to fiddle with her fingers again.

Nara Shikamaru had his eyes narrowed in concentration to this 'new' Naruto. Shikamaru, Choji and Naruto hang out together sometimes though it's usually just him and Choji, but the times the blond has hung out with them he just seemed to enjoy watching clouds in silence along with Choji and himself. "What happened? How could it be? It just doesn't add up? I men yeah we really don't see a lot of him in class, but to exhibit this much of a change during a fight?" Shikamaru couldn't make heads or tails of the situation and decided to observe a little bit more to come to a possible conclusion. His friend Choji simply kept eating his precious potato chips though he was rather impressed with the abilities Naruto was exhibiting. Shino Simply observed the fight and was truly impressed with Naruto still he showed little to any emotion on his face to say otherwise.

Naruto and Sasuke were still facing each other hands gripped on one another's punch. It was Naruto who pulled his fist back first bringing Sasuke's along for the ride as he tried to head-butt him in the face only for Sasuke to let go of Naruto's fist and twirl to his right side to evade it. Sasuke threw a punch at Naruto from the side trying to make it to his ribs, but was intercepted by Naruto's right hand effectively grappling Sasuke's arm which was now under his left arm. He pulled Sasuke in and managed to land a blow to the face by the back of his left hand. Naruto would only get that one shot as both leapt a few feet further away from each other and got back in to battle stances. Sasuke was just a little annoyed that the so called class dobe was actually matching him move for move. Through out the entire fight neither one of them laid a hand on the other until now. It was then Sasuke felt the trickle coming from his nose, and then realized he was bleeding. Even with this information Sasuke was more curious than annoyed and wanted to solve the puzzle that is Naruto, Now more than ever because he actually landed a blow and made him bleed.

As both fighters were going to charge at each other again Iruka interrupted the match before another rather pointless bout would continue. "OK! That's enough both of you have shown exceptional taijutsu. Class please fall back with the classroom so Mizuki and I can complete the scoring details and announce the people who graduate." Naruto and Sasuke looked at each other with confused expressions for a few moments before Naruto got back in his 'cheery mood' and put his hands behind his head and marched of to the classroom, leaving behind a puzzled Sasuke as well as several impressed classmates.

Iruka was rather happy that Naruto for once applied himself to the class instead of just sleeping it away. Then again he wonders if Naruto was ever was messing in class. Unlike Iruka, Mizuki was positively fuming with anger as the demon vessel had displayed such skill and even more angry at that fact that his plans had to change seeing as Naruto not only passed but did in fact get the most points in the class. Mizuki was planning on Naruto failing the test and get him to steal the Hokage's secret scroll for him. Now he had to pass and effectively ruin his plans.

"Shit! Well looks like it's on to plan B, steal the Hokage's scroll my self!" Mizuki muttered so low not even Kiba's good hearing could have caught it, but Naruto's did. Naruto sat wide eyed arms crossed and head tilted low in the class. He just couldn't have heard his Mizuki-sensei say that. "Mizuki-sensei? Why? No I must have just heard wrong. I mean he's Mizuki-sensei he cares for the village…right?" Naruto took one good look at Mizuki and found himself for the first time confused as to who was in front of him, Mizuki or some other person. He looked square into Mizuki's eyes and found something he never saw before, hatred, hatred for something or someone. "I'll just follow him tonight and see what happens. I can't put my finger on it, but something's different about him today" Naruto was so deep in his thought he didn't hear Iruka call out for him to receive his leaf head protector. Snap, snap was heard before Naruto came back to reality and looked at Shikamaru who was doing the snapping with his fingers.

"Huh?" was Naruto's ever clever answer was before Shikamaru spoke "I said Iruka-sensei called your name twice to pick up you head protector." "Oops sorry" was Naruto's only response as he faked a laugh and with his right hand scratching the back of his head sheepishly, Shikamaru simply rolled his eyes and muttered how "troublesome" people can be when there spaced out. Naruto stood up and walked to get his head protector and sat back down. Few minutes later Iruka decided to give some words of advice before the new graduates. "Listen class I am very proud of each an every one of you, you have shown exceptional skills as a leaf shinobi, so congratulate your selves because it's only going to get harder from here on out."

A few minutes passed by before someone in the class spoke up out of curiosity and asked "Hey Iruka-sensei who was the student with the highest score?" All the females in the class simply stood up as one and in a united voice declared Sasuke the one with the high score. "Actually, no, Sasuke was indeed one of the people with the highest score, but his is not the highest" Iruka corrected the girls, who were all shocked and confused. "The highest any person can score on this test is a perfect score of 400, Sasuke managed a 385 which is the exact score our last year number one rookie received" The entire class was shocked that someone actually got higher than Sasuke.

It was here that Ino chose to speak "But sensei, who managed to beat Sasuke-kun let alone get a higher score than 385?" "Yea sensei wouldn't that make that person a more capable ninja? I mean to pass the test with a higher score than 385, which is actually the record score for passing the test set by Hyuga Neji last years rookie of the year?" Sakura chimed in. Iruka simply smiled at both girls and then spoke again taking in a deep breath before he continued "This person managed to receive a score of 395 setting a new record that's rather hard to beat, and I'm almost positive that had that person actually attended class they probably would have been rookie of the year along with Sasuke." Everyone in the class had their eyes so big an elephant could walk out of them. "WHO? WHO IS IT?" Ino yelled.

Everyone eyed the teacher awaiting a response. "The person with a score of 395 is…" everyone in the class tensed up waiting for the answer; "Uzumaki Naruto" finished Iruka with a smile on his face. Everyone (including Mizuki and Sasuke) immediately fell face first to the floor, It took a few minutes for the class to get over the shock and actually sit back in there seats. It was then that another nameless student (he's just an extra really) voiced an equally good question as the first "Iruka-sensei, where IS Naruto?" all the students in class turned to were Naruto usually sits with a brow raised in a questioning way. Iruka looked at the same direction his students and was shocked to see he really was no where to be seen.

Iruka erupted from were he stood with a loud scream that filled the entire school "NARUTOOOO!"

In a clearing about 4 miles away from the school Naruto could have sworn he heard Iruka scream his name but dismissed it as the wind and decided to get back to his training. 'I got to be ready if Mizuki-sensei…NO! If Mizuki really is going to steal that scroll, he's gonna have to go through me!' Naruto thought as he kept on pounding the tree truck blow after blow with his fists gradually cracking the wood.