Chapter Three: The Family Strife

Sakura was very apprehensive as the group approached to the tower.

When she had first become a genin, it was in the hopes that she could eventually prove to Sasuke that she was worthy of his respect, and possibly love somewhere down the line. She knew that these notions were childish, and somewhat naïve…but she was still a child herself.

The journey to Nami no Kuni was an eye opener for her. She had seen death, and suffering – things she had read about, but never fully understood. Yes, she knew how painful teasing was, but it was nothing compared to genuine hardship. She had helped to dig Zabuza's and Haku's graves after the battle, it being the first time she had ever been so close to dead bodies. She had felt her heart shatter twice on that bridge – first when she thought that Sasuke had died, and again when it turned out that he was actually alive (granted this was a good shattering, but it was still jarring to her).

When Kakashi-sensei had given them this opportunity…she had wondered whether or not she should hand in her commission as a ninja.

She was ashamed to admit it, but the very idea of delving deeper into this 'shadow world' that she had become a part of terrified her. Up until now, she had never thought that she would have to actually harm people, or do things that would send any normal person running for the hills.

Surprisingly, it wasn't Sasuke that convinced her to take the chance…it was Naruto.

Despite her dislike for the blond haired idiot, she had noticed how hard he tried. She saw how no one (not even herself, she was ashamed to admit) ever gave him a single bit of help, other than that ANBU lady who seemed to care about him -a cousin, maybe?-. Sure, she knew about Hinata's intense crush on him, but that girl was so pathologically shy that she could never say more than a word or two before turning into a tomato. Naruto was constantly trying to find things out on his own.

She had originally thought his life was an ideal one…no parents to boss you around, no siblings to annoy you (she herself was an only child, but she'd baby-sitted often enough to know how annoying brothers and sisters could be). It wasn't until Sakura had talked to Sasuke that she finally realized how painful it was not to have a mother or father to come home and cry to.

She wondered now which of the two of her boys had it worse. Sasuke's family had been slaughtered, and he had seen it happen, but at least he had the memories of his family loving and caring about him. Naruto…from everything she'd seen so far, he'd just been abandoned.

If his family could do that to a child…what kind of monsters were they?

"Meh, Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out, disrupting her thoughts, "Look! We're here!"

The pink tressed girl looked up to see the tall red building looming over them. She unconsciously let out a sigh of relief.

Whatever her problems, she knew she could count on Naruto and Sasuke to help her through them…and she would help them achieve their goals.

No matter what.

oOoOoOo

The group stared at the strange sign with a mixture of curiosity and frustration.

The frustration was mostly on Naruto's part.

"What the heck does this mean?" he shouted, causing his teammates to wince. The trio of genin were staring up at a large mural inside the hall that they had just entered. Parts of it were missing, and it kept talking about things like 'gain knowledge' and 'run the fields'.

"Maybe it has something to do with the scrolls?" Sakura asked, rubbing her left ear to try and rid it of the ringing caused by the blonde's shout, "The proctor lady did say it that we shouldn't open them till we got to the tower…maybe they complete this message?"

Sasuke frowned. "But what if we're not supposed to open them at all? She did say that this was a test of how we handled confidential information…just opening the scrolls now seems like a waste of time," he countered.

Naruto pulled the two scrolls from his hip pouch and looked at them. "I dunno…if delivering the scrolls was all that was needed, then why isn't anyone here to pick them up?" he asked, "I think Sakura-chan is right. We should open them up."

Sasuke found he couldn't argue with that, so he nodded. He reached over and took a hold of the Chi scroll while Naruto held onto the Ten scroll. The raven haired boy reached into his thigh pouch and withdrew a kunai to slice away the tie keeping the scroll wrapped.

"Wait!" Sakura cried out, causing the two boys to wince. They turned to here with questioning gazes, and she blushed. "Sorry," she said, "But I think we should open them at the same time…if the whole point was to get both scrolls, then it would make sense that they go together. We could trigger a trap if we open only one."

Naruto and Sasuke looked at one another, then nodded. "Brilliant as ever, Sakura-chan," Naruto grinned at the girl, "Say…"

"I am not going on a date with you after this, Naruto," the pink haired girl growled.

"Just checking," the shorter boy replied, cowering back slightly.

Sasuke smirked at the byplay, before looking at Naruto. "On the count of three?" he asked. The blonde nodded, pulling a kunai of his own out. "One…two…"

"THREE!" they shouted together, slicing the bindings and opening the scrolls.

"What the…" Sakura muttered, staring at the characters written on the paper, "Those symbols…'call forth'…'man'…"

"Shimatta!" Sasuke cursed, "Toss them away…its some kind of summoning jutsu!" He hurled the Chi scroll forward as Naruto did the same. The scrolls landed, crossing over each other, and a billow of smoke arose from the seals. When it cleared, a young woman stood before them, dressed in the standard ANBU armor and wearing a cat mask which she proceded to unhook and remove from her face.

"Congratulations," she said, "You three have just passed the second stage of the Chuunin exams."

Naruto gaped at the figure, then grinned widely. "Yuugao-neechan!" he shouted, rushing forward and grabbing the girl in a fierce hug. Sakura and Sasuke stared, mouthing 'Yuugao-neechan?' at the spectical.

"I knew you'd do well, Naruto-kun," she smiled down at the boy she'd come to see as a little brother. She still remembered how distrusting his eyes were back when he was eight years old…to see the open trust in them was staggering. "Now, aren't you going to introduce me to your teammates?"

"Eh heh heh," the blonde jinchuuriki grinned, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "Ano, Sakura-chan, Sasuke…I'd like you to meet Uzuki Yuugao. She's a member of the Uzuki, the branch family of the Uzumaki clan."

Yuugao smirked. "And an outcast, just like Naruto-kun here," she elaborated.

"So…she's your cousin, Naruto?" Sakura asked, "How come you live on your own then…shouldn't you be staying with your relative?"

"I'm an ANBU, Sakura-san," Yuugao replied, "I'm rarely at home, or even in the village long enough to watch over the gaki here."

"Gaki?! Why you…" Naruto growled, even as the purple haired girl ground her knuckles into his skull.

"If you're a member of Naruto's…family…then what about those other three?" Sasuke asked, "Naruto said he met them in the forest."

Yuugao frowned. "Uzumaki Taro, the current clan heir, Uzumaki Kenosuke who studies kenjutsu, and my own little sister, Uzuki Reika," she replied, "Unlike Naruto and myself, they're considered full members of the clan. Naruto and I are outcasts – Naruto for something that wasn't even his fault, and myself because I favored my village over my clan."

Naruto frowned. "Those three…no offense, neechan, but they're idiots," he spoke up, "They revealed almost everything about themselves to me when it was obvious that people were listening."

"Chalk it up to inexperience, Naruto-kun," she replied, "The only missions those three have ever done have been in the capital city of Hinokakujin."

"How the heck did they make the qualifications for the exam then?" Naruto asked.

"I don't know," she replied. Then she smiled. "I do know that when they got here about an hour ago, Ebisu-san was the one to greet them."

Naruto laughed.

oOoOoOo

Ebisu grimaced as he lead the arrogant trio through the tower to the chambers that they would be using until the next stage. His patience, already tried by having spent the previous evening with the honorable grandson, was wearing thin at the constant barrage of questions from Taro.

"What is the outcast capable of, Ebisu-san?" the dark haired heir asked. "You mentioned in your correspondence with the council that he had achieved something that should have been impossible. You 'praised' him in the last letter, when up until that point you had nothing but disdain…"

"I have recently been given cause to change my mind about that, Taro-dono," the tokubetsu jounin replied, "Naruto-san was an almost total loss as a shinobi even with Yuugao-san's additional training, but in the last few months he has begun to transform into a formidable genin."

Reika snorted, running a hand through her purple tresses as they continued to walk down the corridor. "If he's so 'formidable', why the hell does he wear that ridiculous orange jumpsuit of his? Doesn't he know the first thing about concealment and camouflage?"

Ebisu had to stop himself from glaring at the girl. His position as the clan representative for the Uzumaki was…tenuous…at best, given his recent changes in attitude regarding the clan pariah, and Reika was highly praised by both the Uzuki branch and even the main house. Getting on her bad side, while undoubtably fun, would only make things difficult for him and his two relatives in the village.

"Naruto-san wears those clothes because that is all he can afford," the bespectacled man answered, "His genin pay, plus the stipend from Hokage-sama is used primarily to stock his weapons, food, and pay the rent on his apartment. He chooses practicality over fashion."

Reika smirked. "With that fashion sense, he'd be lucky to be a court jester back in the capital," she laughed.

"Reika-san, do not underestimate the outcast," Kenosuke muttered, "We still do not know what he is truly capable of."

"Yeah yeah," she muttered.

Taro just continued to stare at the back of his elder cousin, Uzumaki Ebisu, while they walked down the hall. You are hiding something, Ebisu, he thought, And I shall find out what.

oOoOoOo

Kakashi, Anko, and the Hokage stared at the mark upon Sasuke's neck with more than a little anger and fear.

"The Ten no Juin!" Anko growled, her killing intent laying an almost oppressive feel to the room. Naruto and Sakura looked worried, while Sasuke glanced over in surprise.

"You know what this is?" he asked.

The wildly dressed kunoichi nodded, her hand moving up to her own shoulder. "Its Orochimaru's 'pride and joy'," she explained, "It gives the bearer an incredible boost of speed, strength, and chakra. While that happens, however, the seal eats away at your will. If you use it too much…you become his mindless servant. A puppet, with him holding the strings."

Sakura gasped, while both Naruto and Sasuke growled.

"Damn that hebi freak!"

"I'm no one's puppet! Not his and not Itachi's!"

"Maa maa, just calm down you two," Kakashi muttered, "Thanks Naruto's efforts, we can contain this now and still let you compete in the exam. Just let Hokage-sama and I do our thing, and we'll have you ready to go."

"Ano, Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, "Can I talk to you for a moment before you help Sasuke? It's kind of important."

The silver haired jounin glanced at his loudmouth pupil, before nodding. "Sure, Naruto," he replied, "Anko, would you escort Sakura to some quarters while I speak with the gaki?"

"HEY!"

"Yeah, sure," the wild kunoichi muttered, "C'mon pinky, let give the boys their 'special' time…"

"Umm, could you not call me pinky?" the pink tressed girl asked.

"Sure, pinky."

"Sigh."

oOoOoOo

"So, Naruto, what can I do for you?" the silver haired cyclops asked his most unusual student.

Naruto's normally bright eyes were dark as he looked at his sensei. While he did admire Kakashi's strength and skill, and the man definitely had his respect, Naruto had to admit to himself that he didn't think of his jonin instructor as much of a teacher. Still, he knew that if anyone could understand his problem, Kakashi was the most likely person.

"Its…about my 'relatives'," the blond boy replied, practically spitting out the last word.

Kakashi had expected this. Given his own feelings regarding family, Naruto's rage was easy to understand. His own father had abandoned him when he committed suicide, leaving him to fight for his own livelihood. It was difficult to admit, but even after Obito's words to him that day, and his own acceptance of his father's legacy…he still had some resentment towards Sakumo.

In his case, however, his father was dead. Naruto's family…they had just left him behind.

"I ran into them in the forest," Naruto continued, "I…I know its wrong…but I…I wanted…"

"You wanted to make them pay for all the pain you've had to feel all these years," Kakashi muttered, placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. Naruto nodded, not trusting his own voice at the moment. "While it is true that those three genin are not the one's responsible for what happened to you, it is understandable why you would want them to feel what you've felt."

"But…"

"If you're going to say that that makes you no better than the Kyuubi, then shut up right now," the jonin replied, almost snapping at the short boy, "You may have wanted them to feel the same pain you've felt, but you didn't hurt them! You kept that legendary temper of yours in check…and that's a sign of how much you've grown as a shinobi." Naruto looked up in shock, and Kakashi continued on that vein. "I told you before the first test that I was proud of the three of you…but truth be told, I was proudest of all in you, Naruto."

Naruto felt his eyes watering at that. "Kakashi-sensei…"

"Now, go rest up, and focus on what comes next," the silver haired man ordered, "I'm going to help Hokage-sama seal up Sasuke's curse mark, and then we'll meet up for the next exam.

"Hai! Thanks sensei!" the energetic blond replied, before rushing off after Sakura and Anko. Kakashi's uncovered eye lingered on the boy as he vanished down the corridor.

Sarutobi walked up behind him, puffing on his long pipe. "You didn't tell him," the elderly ninja muttered.

"No," Kakashi answered, shaking his head, "How could I? At this stage, after how far he's come since that night?"

"You think he'll handle it any better when he finds out in two days?"

"I don't know."

Sarutobi sighed. "Well, what's done is done," he said, "Now, let's seal up my foolish student's mistake, and prepare for the next round. Hayate-kun will proctor the third stage."

Kakashi smiled. "Well, at least Naruto will like that."

oOoOoOo

"So, you learned nothing from Ebisu?"

"No, he was very tight-lipped about the entire situation," Taro replied, as he and his two teammates knelt before their sensei, "We did not make contact with Uzuki Yuugao either. We do know that she has helped the outcast in training from time to time, but nothing can account for the rumors we have heard about his supposed 'strength'."

"I should have known you'd fail at something so simple, Taro-kun," a new voice came from the side. The three Uzumaki genin turned to see a young woman leaning against the wall. She was dressed in a simple dark-blue jumpsuit with black borders and piping along the seams, and a dark green chuunin vest was worn open on her slim shoulders. Her pale blue hair was done up in a side pony-tail, and her hitai-ate was secured around her forehead. Her attractive face bore an unappealing smirk, and her shocking blue eyes seemed to cut into the Uzumaki heir.

Reika snarled at that. "Taro-kun did not fail!" she snapped at the other girl, "There was no…"

"When I want your opinion, I'll figure it out for myself, Uzuki," the other girl replied, cutting the purple haired kunoichi off in mid-rant.

"Reika-san, please, do not disrespect the main family," Kenosuke, ever the peacemaker of the group, muttered to the indignant girl. "Kanna-neesama…"

"I do not need your opinion either, Kenosuke-kun," the girl, Uzumaki Kanna replied.

"That is enough from all of you!" the sensei snapped, quieting the four before Taro could add his own opinion on the matter. "It is regrettable that you learned nothing of…the boy's skills, but for now it is of little concern. Take rest, and prepare for the next stage."

"Hai, sensei," the three genin replied, bowing and walking out of the room.

"I expect better from you, Kanna," the sensei spoke up after a lengthy pause.

Kanna sniffed. "Since when is that any different from usual?" she replied, standing and walking towards the door.

"You will show me proper respect, young lady!" The blue haired girl snorted at that.

"I speak only the truth," she laughed, "After all…isn't that how you taught me to act…"

"…Oka-sama?"

oOoOoOo

Two days later…

Sarutobi looked over the remaining genin with a critical eye as he explained the purpose for the Chuunin Exams. His eyes swept over the newly sealed Sasuke with concern, before settling on his orange clad teammate with equal concern. The boy was glaring at the hauntingly beautiful woman standing next to Kurenai, while her own electric blue eyes seemed to bore both into the blonde genin and himself with equal measure.

"Make no mistake," the oldest living Kage's voice rang out over the twenty-four chuunin hopefuls, "You are fighting for the pride of your village, and for the pride of your countries. That, more than anything else, is the real purpose of the Chuunin Exam."

His eyes landed upon the team comprised of Naruto's relatives, and he was forced to repress the urge to scowl. He had nothing against the trio personally…but the way they stood there, full of un-earned arrogance and swagger, when not five feet away was a member of their clan who had had to fight for everything he had ever had…it sickened him.

How far has that clan fallen since you left us, Arashi? he wondered.

"cough cough…Ano, Hokage-sama?" a new voice came, as a pale, haggard looking ninja wearing the standard jounin attire as well as a katana strapped to his back, appeared infront of the group. Naruto's eyes widened, and his face, which had been set in a serious (at least for him) scowl, broke into a large grin.

"OI! Hayate-sempai!" he shouted, causing the entire assembly to stare at him. Yuugao, who stood behind Sarutobi, smirked beneath her mask, as she noticed the jounin with the dark blue hair to the left scowl at the boy."

"Ah cough Naruto-kun," the sickly jounin greeted the smiling youth, "I had a feeling you'd make it this far."

Naruto smiled even wider. "Oh, I ain't stopping here, sempai!" he replied, "I'm going all the way! Dattebayo!"

"What a disgrace," Taro muttered, loud enough for all assembled to hear. Naruto simply leveled a glare at the Uzumaki heir, before turning back to the front.

"Ahem," Hayate continued, clearing his throat, "Now, cough before we begin…"

So it continued, as Kabuto –the strange white haired kid from the first exam- dropped from the running, and the first match was decided.

Akado Yoroi vs Uchiha Sasuke.

The match was…interesting, if a bit anti-climatic. Yoroi's Chakra Kyuuin no Jutsu caught Sasuke by surprise for a few moments, but the raven haired Uchiha quickly broke free. From there, it was a simple matter of whose taijutsu was superior, and with a borrowed mule kick and Kage Buyo from Lee, Sasuke's 'Shi Shi Rendan' quickly ended the fight.

As Sasuke walked back up to his team, he took a moment to stop next to a shaking Lee. "You still have me on Taijutsu, Lee-san," he muttered, "I know you were still holding back. I promise, when your match starts I won't use my Sharingan. That taijutsu is yours…I'll get stronger my own way."

Gai and Kakashi both looked at the two young men with great pride, as Lee smiled and extended his hand. "Yosh, Sasuke-san," Lee replied, "I truly look forward to facing you again someday, when neither of us has any reason to hold back. Such a match would surely demonstrate the power of our Youth!"

"Uh…right," the Uchiha scion muttered, sweat-drops forming on the back of his head.

Naruto smirked as the dark haired boy rejoined them. "Nice fight, teme!" he crowed, "But it seemed kinda cheap there at the end…"

"You just make sure you give it your all as well, dobe," he replied, "Besides…you're one of the people I want to fight the most."

Naruto's mouth clamped shut at that, and for a moment his eyes seemed to water. Sasuke had just given him what he had sought after more than anything else save the title of Hokage…acknowledgement.

"Oh, I'll win allright! Dattebayo!" the blond grinned, as the raven haired boy smirked back.

"Boys…" Sakura muttered, even as Kakashi shook his head. The groups turned to the screen, as the second match finally came up.

oOoOoOo

Uzumaki Kenosuke vs. Sabaku no Kankuro.

The sword wielding youth calmly walked down to the arena, his mind already focusing on the task ahead. His face was set in a cold mask, and his blue-grey eyes were like flecks of steel.

His opponent, the black garbed Suna-nin Kankuro, smirked as he looked at the sword strapped to Kenosuke's side. "Huh," he said, "And here I thought this was supposed to be an exam for shinobi…instead, I'm fighting some wanna-be samurai. I'm almost insulted."

Kenosuke frowned. "I am a shinobi," he replied, "Though I will admit, I am not all that skilled at ninjutsu and genjutsu. As for taijutsu…regrettably, though I am of the main family of the Uzumaki, I am only tolerably proficient in the family style." He drew his sword with a flourished motion, his chakra already flowing through the blade as well as his legs. "My true talent is indeed kenjutsu…and that is more than enough for someone like you."

Kankuro laughed. "So you're a close range fighter," he chuckled, "And you think that's more than enough? Kid, I'm so gonna enjoy this." He slung the wrapped bundle off of his back, dropping it to the ground with a loud thump. "You say your taijutsu sucks huh? Well, lets see just how poor you are!"

Hayate, standing near the Hitsugi Statue, frowned. This Kankuro is hiding something, he thought, What's he planning?

Kenosuke frowned. "If you are choosing to go hand to sword, then you are truly a fool, Suna-nin," he muttered, "I had heard that the Wind Daimyo had been seeking other villages to perform missions. I see why now…if Sunagakure's nins are so incompetent as to rush into a battle they cannot win."

oOoOoOo

Up in the stands Naruto was frowning. "He doesn't get it," the blond boy muttered. Sakura and Sasuke were nodding as well.

Shikamaru sighed. "Mendosuke," he muttered, "And here I thought Naruto was the idiot of our age." Ino and Chouji gave their teammate funny looks.

"What do you mean?" Ino asked, "This guy may sound like an arrogant jerk, but he does have the advantage if that Suna kid attacks him with bare hands."

"I don't get it either," Chouji muttered around a mouthful of chips (bar-b-que at the moment).

"Just watch," their sensei, Sarutobi Asuma replied around his cigarette, "And remember your lessons on deception."

oOoOoOo

"cough cough cough Second match," Hayate announced, "Sabaku no Kankuro vs. Uzumaki Kenosuke…HAJIME!"

Kenosuke began spinning his sword in front of himself, the tip of the blade glowing blue as his chakra surged through it. As he spun the blade around, a spiral like image began to appear.

Kankuro frowned. "What the heck…" he whispered, even as he felt his opponents chakra surge.

Kenosuke's eyes closed as the spiral completed, and he slowly brought the sword down to his right side, both hands now resting on the hilt. The entire blade began to glow blue, and for a few brief seconds that seemed to span an eternity, nothing in the arena moved. Still, the spiral image remained hovering in the air between the two combatants, almost as if it could sustain itself.

Suddenly, the spiral flashed out of existence, and Kenosuke's eyes opened. With a sudden burst of chakra, he shot forwards at his opponent, crying out as he did…

"KENJUTSU HIGI: UZUMAKI YAIBA NO MAI!" (Sword Art Secret: Dance of the Spiral Blade)

There was a series of blue flashes as the blade stabbed forward, following the spiral pattern that had been visible only a few seconds before. Kenosuke's arms were a blur, even as his steel-like eyes flashed with killer intent. With one last stab, Kenosuke performed a spinning slash that launched the Suna-nin up and back, landing on the ground behind his package with a heavy thud.

"The pen maybe mightier than the sword," the white garbed Uzumaki spoke, "But the sword will trump the hand any day of the week." He turned to the proctor. "I believe that the match is over, sensei. I shall rejoin my team."

"Heh heh heh heh," came the voice of his opponent, "Who says we're done, sword-boy?"

Kenosuke leapt backward, turning his eyes to the bundle on the ground even as it unraveled, revealing the same ninja he had just finished annihalting. "How?" he muttered, before noticing a blue glow around the boy's fingers. He turned to the other 'Kankuro', noticing it begin to stand, even as bits a pieces of the clothes fell off, revealing a brown garbed…monstrosity with four arms and three eyes.

"You can stab him all you want," Kankuro laughed, "But that alone won't stop Karasu!"

"I see," the brown haired boy replied, "One of the trademark techniques of Sunagakure…Kugutsu no Jutsu. You are a puppeteer."

Kankuro laughed. "You really must be green if you couldn't see my deception," he said, "Hell, even that annoying orange punk up there saw it before you did."

Kenosuke frowned, sparing a glance at Naruto, who was smirking at him. "A ninja's first task is to see 'underneath the underneath'," the outcast called out to him, "But then, I don't expect someone who hasn't done any real missions to understand that!"

The sword wielding boy scowled, before leaping away while pulling a small flask from his dogi. "Since it seems I will be fighting something unexpected," he spoke, "I guess I'll have to act accordingly. I was hoping to save this technique for the finals…oh well, it is not to be." He opened the flask, pouring oil onto his blade. He flashed through a quick three seal sequence, and then blew a small puff of flame at the blade. The oil ignited, and the flames surged. "Kenjutsu: Uzumaki Kaji Ken no Mai. This time you will fall." (Sword Art: Dance of the Spiral Fire Sword)

Kankuro laughed. "Flashy, and cool-looking, I'll give you that," he shouted, even as he manipulated the chakra strings connected to Karasu, forcing the construct to move around, weapons shifting into position for assault, "But the problem is that oil will only last for so long, and then the fire will die out! You won't have time to get through my defenses before it goes off, and even then, you still have to get to me."

Kenosuke smirked. "The fire will die out?" he asked, "Now, what makes you think that the fire will die out?" As Kankuro's eyes widened, he laughed. "Indeed. The oil and that small katon jutsu were simply catalysts to start the dance. Once the fire is ignites, all it needs to keep going is chakra."

Kankuro frowned. "So that should mean you'd have to cancel the jutsu even faster," he muttered, "Something like that must eat up chakra faster than a school of piranha eating a cow."

The Uzumaki swordsman shook his head. "That would be true…if not for my sword," he replied, "My sword is like a chakra storage battery. I've had it by my side since I could walk, slowly filling it with my chakra. Like certain seals, this sword can compress the chakra, building it up until I need to use it. All it takes then is a small jutsu of any elemental type to activate its powers." Kankuro's eyes widened at that. "That's right, Suna-nin. Kaji Ken is but one of several elemental dances I have, not that you'll see the others. You will fall here."

"KARASU!" Kankuro shouted, the puppet surging forward, arms snapping out to launch a volley of kunai at the sword wielding youth. Kenosuke surged his chakra to his legs, leaping above the projectiles, spinning around to slash at the puppet, only for it to dance out of range.

The battle had only just begun…

oOoOoOo

Sakura glanced at the kunais now littering the ground. She saw some kind of black ichor dripping off of several of them, and she gasped. "Those kunai…their drenched in poison!" she spoke, horrified at the thought.

"It makes sense," Kakashi explained, "Kugutsu no jutsu is a mid-range fighting style, but even with a sturdy puppet, it can be overcome rather easily. Most puppeteers add special weapons and poisons to their creations. More often than not, a puppeteer will have a knowledge of poisons rivaling that of a fully trained medical ninja."

"That Suna-nin has been taking this match seriously since the very start," Hyuuga Neji, the silent teammate of Rock Lee spoke up, "That Uzumaki boy underestimated him from the very beginning."

Several feet away, Uzuki Reika laughed. At the looks from the other people on their balcony, she spoke. "Kenosuke never underestimates anyone," she said, "He deliberately makes people think he has. That Suna-nin has no chance in this fight!"

"How do you figure that?" Tenten asked.

"Because Kenosuke could've finished this without the Kaji Ken no Mai," Taro spoke up, not looking away from the fight, even as his sensei stiffened behind him, "Kenosuke only uses his elemental dances when he wants to make a statement."

"So far all he's stated is that he's an idiot," Naruto growled, also not looking away from the fight. He felt a pair of eyes boring into the back of his head, but he chose to ignore them, intent on watching the match. "He's gonna lose. Dattebayo."

oOoOoOo

Kankuro frowned as he made Karasu dance away from the fiery sword yet again. I hate to admit it, but this kid is good, he thought as his puppet launched a volley of needles at the boy, only for him to whip his blade around and deflect the poisoned projectiles, I've already had to reveal so much of Karasu's workings to this crowd…I was hoping to save them for the plan, but I guess I'll have to use them now!

Kenosuke glared at the Suna-nin, noting his fingers moving in a complicated pattern. He's gearing up for something big, he thought, I have to end this now!

He began surging his chakra through his blade, increasing the heat and power of the flames around his sword. He began to spin in place, the flames circling around him as he concentrated on his plan.

"NOW!" Kankuro shouted, even as Karasu split in two, the legs and lower body separating from the top and arms as a second head emerged, its mouth opening and revealing a cannon like interior mounting. The top half swung its arms forward, launching a new volley of poisoned kunai, even as Kenosuke called out his technique.

"KAJI KEN KOUDAN: RYUMAI!" (Fire Sword Second Part: Dragon Dance)

He finished his spin with a powerful double handed forward slash, a surge of flame leaping from the blade, catching the kunais in its wake and hurling them away. The wall of fire caught the upper half of Karusu, knocking it away, even as the lower half launched a small sphere that exploded at the boy's feet, a cloud of gas flowing up and into his lungs.

Poison gas bomb! he though, as he slumped over.

Kankuro leapt away from the flames, bringing the lower half of Karasu around to aim a blade at the stricken boy's throat.

"You got some skills, punk," the black garbed boy chuckled, "But for a skilled puppeteer, using two puppets at once is a piece of cake. Now…yield. I have the antidote to that poison. Surrender, and its yours."

"I…cough cough…will not…cough…bow…to cough such…filth!" Kenosuke growled.

"Hmmph, fine," Kankuro frowned, "Seems like the spoiled samurai wannabe wants to die 'honorably'. Well, I got a news flash for you, sword boy." He bent down, whispering into Kenosuke's ear. "We're ninja…we don't do 'honorable deaths'."

Hayate interrupted them. "Shousha, Sabaku no Kankuro," he said, before launching into his own coughing fit. "Kankuro-san…please hand cough cough me the antidote."

Kankuro shrugged, before tossing a small packet to the pale jounin. "Steep it in some tea and have him drink it," he instructed, "It'll taste like crap, but it'll purge the poison from his system. He doesn't deserve…the honor of dying by my poisons." He gave the kneeling boy another glare. "Idiots who don't know when to quit are usually the first to die on the battle field." With a few quick motions, he had Karasu reassembled and re-wrapped, before he shunshinned back to his waiting teammates.

Kenosuke was lead out by the medics.

Reika scowled as her cousin was carried out by the attendees. "How!?!" she growled, "Kenosuke is the best kenjutsu student in all of our clan!"

Taro frowned at his cousin's outburst. "Calm yourself, Reika," he berated the shorter girl, "Kenosuke made a mistake when judging that Suna-nin. As pathetic as that is, he still surpasses many of the others here." He let his gaze fall upon Naruto, as well as the pair of Hyuuga present, though they lingered on the girl longer than was necessary.

Behind him, Uzumaki Kagura was frowning, but for a different reason. Though her eyes were not upon him at the moment, her thoughts were focused on the orange clad form of her 'son'.

How could they let him become a shinobi? she wondered, as the computer began cycling through names once more, Even if he has skills…what of the beast inside him? To allow him to fight would allow the Kyuubi to influence him. Sarutobi, what have you done?

After so many years, it was easy to ignore the voice inside her asking what she had done as well.

oOoOoOo

The computer cycled through the names, before finally settling on a new pair.

Kinuta Dosu vs Aburame Shino

The strange genin from the village of Oto leapt down into the arena, even as his opponent walked down the stairs at a far more sedate pace.

"Ano, Shino-san," Hinata spoke, "Do your best!"

"Yeah, kick his ass, Aburame!" Kiba laughed, "Team 8 sweeping the prelims! Now that'd be cool!"

Shino sighed as he continued into the arena, his eyes staying locked onto his opponent. The bandaged wrapped Oto-nin was rubbing the strange device attached to his left arm. His 'family' was already reacting to it, especially his queen, Sachiko. They didn't like the strange noises coming from it.

Oto indeed, he thought, as the sickly proctor made the announcement.

"cough cough cough Aburame Shino vs Sochin Dosu," Hayate muttered, "HAJIME!"

"Huh, so I get some no name ninja instead of that Uzumaki punk," Dosu muttered, his hands coming together in the hebi seal, "I guess I'll just have to make this quick."

Shino made no reply, even as his kikaichu began flowing in waves out of his jacket, surrounding him in a fog of black and moving legs. "You would do best to not underestimate me," he replied quietly, "Like so many things in the life of a ninja, there is more to me than meets the eye."

Dosu's one visible eye widened at the site of so many bugs. "What the hell…what are you?" he growled out.

"A shinobi," was the only reply. The trench coat wearing genin thrust his arms forward, the sea of insects hurling itself at the bandaged genin.

Dosu leapt back, his hands flying through a quick seal sequence.

Hebi, Tora, Saru, Inu, Hebi. "NINPOU: DOKU OTO KEN!" (Ninja Art: Poison Sound Fist). His chakra surged, a visible distortion wave pushing through the air and impacting against the multi-legged army storming towards him.

The swarm seemed to pause, then began scattering wildly about the room. Shino's eyes widened behind his glasses, even as he leapt away from his competitor who swung his fist in a wide arc that ended at the ground.

That was sloppy, he thought, Why would…w-what…

He vaguely noticed his peers gasping as he fell to the ground, his stomach emptying its meager contents. His vision blurred, even as he glared at Dosu, who had paused his assault.

"Just now feeling it, aren't you?" the Oto-nin spoke, his voice ringing painfully in Shino's ears. "Sound waves. They can disintegrate stone, heal wounds, or even disrupt the inner ear." He knelt down. "Your insects are no exception. Confuse them with a burst of noise pollution, and it leaves you open."

Shino focused his mind through the pain, and he began tapping his fingers in what looked like a random pattern. He forced himself to his feet, before motioning to his 'family' to reassemble.

Dosu frowned, before raising his arm and flicking a finger against the metal of his gauntlet. A sharp ringing sound echoed through the arena, causing several people to wince in pain, while Shino groaned as the full force of the sound wave impacted against him.

"Give it up, punk," Dosu growled, "I could've beat you from the very start." He raised his hand again. "This time I'll use a tone that'll make it seem like you're being shredded by a saw…I shudder to think what that'll do to your bugs."

"You…won't get…the chance," Shino muttered, as the insects surged forward again, spinning around the surprised nin in a miniature tornado. The buzzing of the insects seemed to grow louder and softer at random intervals, almost as if the kikai were all talking at once.

Dosu felt the bugs begin to crawl on his body, and he quickly flicked his fingers against the gauntlet in a three-tap sequence, creating a set of tones that caused Akamaru, Kiba, and Naruto up in the stands to wince in agony, while the Oto Kunoichi Kin also winced.

The Kikai seemed to take great offence at the strange tone, and large numbers of them circled around the strange device, covering the holes and biting into the skin underneath.

"ARRGHHH!" Dosu screamed, as several of the poisonous kikai bites began to burn. Even as he screamed, he could feel himself growing weaker. My…chakra… he thought, even as he saw the Aburame boy straighten up.

"You must feel it now," the quiet boy muttered, his voice penetrating the swarm's buzzing, "My kikai feed off of chakra. While they block your weapon, they also leech the chakra from you, leaving you open."

"How…" Dosu whimpered, as the bugs continued to drain his strength.

"When I was tapping my fingers," the sunglassed boy replied, "Insects do communicate through sound…but that isn't the only way. Bees, for example, can communicate information to their colonies by 'dancing' in a particular pattern. My kikai can do the same, and I can talk to them by simulating the dance by the rhythms of my fingers. They feel me tapping in a unique pattern, and they know what to do." Shino smirked behind his jacked as Dosu fell to the ground, his family returning to him. He briefly noted that 'Akane', one of Sachiko's more temperamental daughters, was not happy with the taste of the chakra she'd just consumed.

He spared a glance at the prone form of his opponent. "You couldn't beat me," he said, "Because you underestimated me."

"Shousha, Aburame Shino," Hayate muttered. This batch of rookies…just how strong are they? he wondered.

oOoOoOo

"Wow, now that was so cool!" Naruto grinned, turning to Kiba, "Man, that Shino guy is strong, huh Kiba?"

Kiba smirked at the loudmouth. "Oh yeah," he replied, "I'm glad I didn't have to fight him. Shino's got the best chance of our team at making chuunin…but I'm still gonna beat him to it!"

"HA! I'll beat you both to it, dog breath!" the orange clad boy laughed.

"WHA'D YOU SAY, PUNK!?!" the Inuzuka boy growled, the pair going off into an insult match.

"Ano, Kiba-san, Naruto-kun," Hinata muttered, "P-Please don't fight…"

"Ah, this isn't fighting, Hinata-chan," Naruto grinned, garnering a blush from the Hyuuga girl, "This is practice!"

"Wha…practice?" Kiba muttered, confused, "Practice for what, you idiot?"

"Practice for me humiliating you like I always do!" Naruto grinned, earning several chuckles from the assembled genin.

"Oh, I'm going to get you for that, you ramen loving dobe!" Kiba growled.

Naruto laughed, even as Hinata blushed at being so close to the boy she admired.

Kurenai smirked at her wild genin's boast, even as Hinata blushed. She noticed the gaze Hinata directed towards Naruto. Oh dear, she thought, So that's why you always seem so distracted during our missions. She smiled. Good for you, Hinata.

Uzumaki Kagura also noticed the gaze. A…Hyuuga…blushing at him?

Her thoughts were interrupted as a new match was determined.

OOoOoOo

Tsuchi Kin vs Sabaku no Temari

Kin frowned as she stared at the taller kunoichi. That weapon on her back could be a problem, she thought, even as the proctor started their match. I have to make it through this round…

"Trying to figure out how to beat me?" Temari asked. "I got news for you; whatever sound technique you use, I can beat it." She pulled the black object from behind her back, letting the bottom edge hit the ground. "My Dai Tessan has three moons…I'm giving you two chances to give up. If I open it to the third moon…you will lose."

Kin glared at the girl. A fuuton user, she thought, That means my bells won't work unless I can get them behind her. She slid into a standard Iwa taijutsu stance, uncaring of the frowns directed at her from the majority of the Konoha-nin present. I'll just have to try something different. She leapt into the air, smirking at the Suna girl's confusion. Her hands began to blur through a sequence.

Hebi, inu, saru, tori, ryu, hitsugi, hebi. "DOTON: JISHIN KEN!" (Earth Release: Earthquake Fist) she cried, slaming her palm to the ground, a sudden surge of chakra leaving her body, a break appearing in the floor as the ground began to shake.

Temari leapt into the air, even as Kin whipped out a set of her senbon, hurling them at the blond girl. The blond frowned, whipping her fan open to the first moon and scattering the needles, causing a faint ringing sound to be heard. Her eyes darting to the source of the sound, locating several needles with bells attached. So, that's her game, she thought.

Kin began another seal sequence as the Suna girl landed. Ending with the tori seal, she called out a new jutsu. "DOTON: RETSUDOTENSHO!" (Earth Release: Split Earth Turn Around the Palm). A bunch of debris from the floor rose up and began circling around the her opponent, even as she readied another set of senbon with bells. She flung them at the wall behind Temari, as the Suna girl called out her own technique.

"FUUTON: KAZEITACHI ENKEI!" (Wind Release: Wind Scythe Circle) The debris seemed to break apart into 'slices', the dust blowing away to reveal Temari's fan opened to the second moon. "I'm onto you now, girl!" she shouted, swinging the fan to unleash a gust of wind at the Oto girl.

Kin cried out as the winds hurled her into the opposite wall, her body screaming in agony. She was sure at least a few ribs had cracked under the force of impact, and her legs seemed to cry out in pain as well.

Temari frowned as the dark haired girl stood up. "What are you standing for?" she called out, "You know I won't let you use those bells like that Dosu guy used that arm of his. You can toss all the senbon you want and you won't be able to hit me. You only have one more chance, then all three moons will be visible."

"I…have…to face…that…Uzumaki," Kin groaned, "He…has…to pay…for…my sister!"

"What?" Temari asked.

"I'm…from…Tsuchi no Kuni," the dark tressed girl continued, "My…sister…was an…Iwa kunoichi…"

Naruto frowned. I don't like the sound of this… he wondered.

"She…was…raped and…mutilated…by the UZUMAKI CLAN!" the girl screeched, "I…was four…when she…died…" She took a few steadying breaths, before glaring at the Suna girl. "I…will make that clan pay." She glanced up at Naruto, and was surprised to see a strange look in his eyes.

Compassion…and understanding?

"I can't say I know your pain," Temari replied, "I don't have a sister…but I do care for my brothers." Her eyes darted to Gaara, who continued to glower at the floor underneath him, "I can tell you want justice…but you won't get it today." She calmly slipped the fan open again, this time showing all three moons. "Still, you are pretty good. I don't think I'd have gotten as good a fight from the other kunoichi here."

Kin focused her chakra, trying to attach some strings to the bells, even as Temari swung the fan.

"FUUTON: KAMITACHI!"

The winds buffeted against the prone girl, her mind succumbing to the sweet darkness.

oOoOoOo

So that's why she wanted to fight Taro and the others so badly, Naruto thought, Her pain…she misses her family. He frowned as he spared a glance at the blue haired jonin standing behind Taro and Reika. I guess…I can undertand that loneliness.

The computer began cycling through names again, and Naruto's eyes widened at the next match.

Uzuki Reika vs Uzumaki Naruto

End Chapter 3.