2
"The Rinnegan?" Naruto asked. 'Did we cover that once in school, guh, I can't remember damn it?' He mused.
"Yes, Naruto, the Rinnegan, though for you to unlock it is nothing short of extraordinary" the old hokage stated.
The short genin cocked his head. "What do you mean?" the whisker marked blonde asked in confusion.
"Naruto...the Rinnegan was the dojutsu of the mythical Sage of the Six Paths..." Hiruzen spoke softly. The three members of team seven eye's widened, Sasuke began to glared at the blonde.
Sakura was dumb struck. The Sage of the Six Paths, does that mean Naruto is his descendant? What does this mean for him then?
Naruto was completely stricken. "Wow..." Naruto and Sakura breathed.
"Naruto… how did you activate it? And what powers have you used?" Kakashi asked him, his one eye wide open in shock.
Naruto looked down, "In the forest...those Sound-nin attacked us, looking for the teme I think...I woke up when I heard Sakura-chan scream..." Naruto was shaking with his fists clenched. The older men were listening to the story, still flabbergasted. "Then...I saw her there on the ground pinned...with the guys over her trying to...rape her..." He continued. Kakashi and the Hokage gasped. Naruto looked up, his eyes blazing in fury. "I just snapped, seeing her like that I don't know how I knew what to do or where it came from, but I just felt this power and I used it. I was able to repel and attract anything. And... I killed them..."
Kakashi was floored. Naruto, the silver haired jonin looked down thinking about what the blonde stated.
"And the thing is that I don't feel bad for it at all," Naruto said, dropping his gaze to the floor. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up in surprise.
Kakashi was looking down at him with an eye-smile. "Naruto, no one says you should. You did the right thing. Though killing isn't a good thing you did it for the right reason, protecting your comrades is the most important thing you can do. I'm very proud of you for that," He said, ruffling the blonde's hair. Naruto lightly smiled. "Can you show us one of these abilities?"
The blonde nodded slowly. "Kakashi-sensei, I'm going to pull you to me. You ready?" The jonin gave him a thumbs up, but not really prepared unsure what is about to happen. Naruto's eyes flashed, and everyone stood stunned at what Naruto did next. "Banshō Ten'in!" He yelled, and some sort of forced yanked Kakashi from the floor and into Naruto's hand. The jonin stared at the boy, not knowing what to say. Naruto grinned. "I can also repel stuff but, it's dangerous at close range, I kind of decapitated one of the Sound-nin with it," Naruto said frowning sadly. The memories were still fresh in his mind.
Sasuke looked at him in shock. Kami, dobe I never knew you could be so...ruthless, Sasuke then glanced at Sakura, who was staring at Naruto her eyes warm and understand. Sasuke smirked. Sakura, the dobe cares about you stop being so annoying and take him. The Uchiha paused in his thoughts looking back at the blonde. I wonder if this how Naruto is getting so strong? Because of her and others he cares about' Sasuke mused something about that thought strangely comforted him.
The Hokage then ruffled his hair. "Good job, Naruto. You have awakened a great gift, and I know you will use it well, to protect those that are precious to you."
Naruto blushed thinking of a certain rosette haired girl, that didn't go unnoticed by said girl. 'Is he thinking about me? How much does he care? Does he love me? Her thoughts asked feeling her heart speed up at the last thought not sure why. What's wrong with me why do I suddenly feel like this or have I always felt like this and didn't know it?
"Is there any information on what the Rinnegan can do?" Naruto finished.
The old man, pipe once again in his mouth, thought back to all the stories and myths on the fabled Sage. "There isn't much just stories, all dealing with the fact that the Sage was the father of all jutsu. His eyes allowed him to master all of the five elements, create jutsu, and even control tailed beasts."
Naruto paused at that last part. Kyuubi, maybe he knows something about these eyes, but would he help me?
"The Sage, as the stories we're told, had sealed the Juubi's chakra inside himself and became the first jinchuuriki. The Juubi's body was sealed within the moon, eventually upon his death the Juubi's chakra split into 9 forms giving us the 9 biju," The old hokage concluded.
Naruto gasped, and held his stomach where the seal was. His two teammates looked at him with interest; he looked at them and sighed. The whisker marked blonde glanced at the Hokage, who gave a simple nod. The blonde mused a second wondering how he could converse with the fox, if anything could give him information on his new eyes it be the nine tails.
"Well, it's time for the preliminaries. Go meet with the other genin and good luck." The Hokage said.
Naruto sighed as they were dismissed; they hurried into the large chamber for the preliminaries. All of the Rookie 9 were present, along with team Guy, and the Sand team. The Hokage began talking about why they were there, and what the point of the exams was; a substitute for war, and to limit the amount of chunin a country has.
After the Hokage's speech ended, a sickly man appeared. "I'll take it -cough- from here, Hokage-sama," the sickly looking man stated getting a nod from the old man. "My name is Hayate Gekko. I will be the proctor for the -cough- third exam. But, first, there will be a series of preliminaries held. We need to narrow down the field to 12," the sickly man wheezed out. "If you would please go up to the balconies, we can begin," Hayate said.
The Konoha 12 went up to the staging area on one side while the Sand siblings moved to the opposite side. Naruto sighed, and leaned over the edge as the names lit up many of his former classmates looked at him in confusion. This wasn't the hyperactive unpredictable blonde they were use too.
Kiba Inuzuka
VS
Rock Lee
Naruto stretched his fingers. He could feel the power his new eyes were granting him. His peripheral vision had greatly improved; he could see much farther and if he concentrated could detect even the slightest movement. His mind was surprisingly calm and peaceful no longer clouded with uncertainty, the only problem was he felt crowded like his powers wanted to expand only they couldn't it was like these individual powers save the gravity ability wanted its own body this made things very disturbing. Each path already had a body in mind which is why it was so disturbing, he saw four people surrounding him. The first wearing maroon and black ANBU like armor, with long straight black hair and brown eyes with the Rinnegan ripple, the second wore blue samurai like armor with fur, had spikey white hair with two marks on his cheeks, his cold blue eyes with the Rinnegan ripple. The third figure was a lot more familiar to him, wearing Jonin standard clothing, a long white coat with red flames at the bottom hem, had blonde hair with the Rinnegan ripple in his blue eyes. He could guess by the third one the other two were the first and second hokage, since the third one was the fourth. The last one however confused him greatly, she had long red hair, wore a beige two piece battle dress very similar to Kurenai only looking more like she was dressed in chains rather than looking like a rose bush. She had violet colored eyes that showed the Rinnegan ripple. Who is she and why do I feel the need to use her and the hokage in such an obscene way. Naruto shuddered suppressing this feeling, hoping to Kami he could explain this to the old man after the 2nd exams were over.
Naruto turned his attention back to watch the match. Kiba and Akamaru were pretty much outclassed by Lee's taijutsu; the green clad bowl cut boy with the strange eye brows was a hand-to-hand specialist who was simply too fast and too powerful for the Inuzuka and his nin-dog familiar to handle. Akamaru was lying in a heap on the ground, knocked out.
"I suggest you give up, Kiba-san! It will not make you any less youthful if you do!" Lee said, snapped his foot at Kiba, connecting with his gut. Kiba coughed up blood, landing on the ground a few meters away.
"Heh...if you think I'll give up for one second you spandex wearing freak! You better thin..." Kiba trailed off, before passing out. Lee smiled brightly.
"YOSH! THAT IS THE WAY TO SHOW EVERYONE YOU'RE POWER OF YOUTH!" A man, identical to Rock Lee in every way, yelled from the balcony.
Naruto cringed at their appearances. Well can't argue Super-fuzzy brows spirit that's for sure.
"Winner, Rock Lee!" Hayate yelled. The present shinobi clapped and cheered. Lee gave the nice-guy pose, his teeth glinting, before rushing up to his team, embracing his sensei.
Naruto sighed softly leaning away from the railing stepping over next to his team. Sakura looked at him and smiled brightly, he returned it something inside him feeling warm and happy she was finally directing those smiles at him, finally after 6 years maybe whatever happened to her is beginning to weaken and I'll get my Sakura-chan back.
Naruto Uzumaki
VS
Gaara
"Would these contestants please come down now?" Hayate announced.
Naruto frowned, this creepy guy with the sand shunshin and the weird tattoo, I mean seriously who tattoo's the word love on their forehead. If I had to tattoo a word on my forehead it would be Sakura marry me or I'm a bad ass.
"Good luck, dobe, you're going need it." Sasuke said with a smirk.
Naruto rolled eyes before grinning and giving Sasuke his own nice guy pose. Kakashi ruffled his hair, "Go get 'em, Naruto." The masked man said. Do your father proud, Naruto.
"Good luck, Naruto!" Sakura said cheerfully. Naruto blushed a bit, but nodded. He made to hop over the rail.
"Yosh! Kakashi your student clearly is showing his youthfulness!" Guy shouts.
"You say something Guy?" the silver haired asked in a bored tone.
"Ha! Once again you've shown your cool hip attitude, just what I've expected from my rival," the eccentric jonin shouted back.
"N-Naruto-kun," Naruto looked behind him to see Hinata Hyuga, blushing, refusing to meet his gaze, poking her fingers together. "Hinata, what's up?"
"N-Naruto-kun, please, y-you should forfeit...t-that guy is t-too strong! H-he'll kill you!" the pale eyed girl squeaked out.
Sakura smiled softly, "Hinata-san, don't worry. I'm sure Naruto will be fine. Right Naruto?" Naruto nodded, grinning, giving the Hyuga and Sakura a thumbs up. "And if he does get over his head I'm sure the proctor will stop the fight." Hinata nodded feeling a bit more relieved looking up, what she saw made her gasped when she looked into Naruto's eyes.
"N-Naruto-kun! What h-happened to your e-eyes!?" She breathed. They're so amazing, the shy girl thought.
Naruto shrugged, "kekkei genkai cool huh," he chuckled before giving his team a two fingered salute and jumping over the railing.
XXX
Team 10 watched the whole thing with interest. "What is Naruto thinking that kid with the gourd is going to wipe the floor with him!" Ino Yamanaka said having heard what team 8 encountered in the forest. The girl may not always had liked her fellow blonde but never wanted him hurt.
Choji paid no mind to the conversation, inhaling his potato chips at a frightening rate, while Shikamaru and Asuma scoffed. "I have a feeling, after what we witnessed in the forest, Naruto is now on a completely new level." Shikamaru said lazily.
Asuma nodded in agreement, "If what the Hokage mentioned to the jonin, before this test began, is true then Shikamaru is right and Naruto is beyond all of us now, even Sasuke." Asuma said.
Ino grunted and flipped her hair, "Still not as cute as Sasuke-kun." All three males of Team 10 rolled their eyes, and gave their complete attention to the match that was about to start.
XXX
"Sensei, you think Naruto can beat him?" Sasuke asked, leaning against the wall.
Kakashi eyed his student, before his eye crinkled with amusement, "No doubt in mind, at the very least, they'll be evenly matched," the silver haired stated with pride.
Sakura remained silent standing there leaning over the railing supported by her elbows with her head resting on her palms. She watched the blonde with unfiltered admiration. Naruto saved me from an unimaginable fate. So I can get why I feel like I should be nicer to him, but why does it feel like I want more like it's the most natural thing in the world. I thought I was in love with Sasuke. Hey Inner what's the deal? Sakura turned her thoughts inward and saw her inner was picking at sakura petals a dreamy expression on her face, standing next to the inner was a chibi-Sakura. Who are you?
I'm you or I was you before you went gaga over the teme. Chibi-Sakura stated with a shrug before stepping behind Inner Sakura and opening the back of her head. What a mess, hard to believe Naruto-kun could find it in his heart to still be ours with this poor excuse of a mental kekkei genkai in such a state.
Wait I have a kekkei genkai, since when!? Sakura's eyes widen.
Meh, can't tell you right now, this needs to be fixed first don't want her ruining things any more than they already are. The chibi-Sakura gestured to Inner Sakura her cute face looking disgusted. Will say this though remember the first day when Naruto-kun played the really funny prank on Kakashi-sensei and Inner here saying 'Great shot!' with two thumbs up. Well that was me getting her to work right for once. Chibi-Sakura explained before rolling up her sleeves of her blue and yellow kimono. Better get back to the real world and cheer Naruto-kun we'll talk more later. The chibi-Sakura stuck her tongue out digging into the open compartment in the back of Inner Sakura's head.
Sakura returned to the physical realm looking even more confused than she was before, "ARGH!" she shouted out loud pulling at her hair.
XXX
"Are you two ready?" The proctor said. The two nodded but Naruto had to glance up hearing Sakura growl in frustration. "Very well, Fight!" Hayate yelled jumping away to observe the match from a safe distance.
Naruto hopped backwards, throwing a few kunai at Gaara. A wall of sand came out of his gourd, blocking the weapons from getting near him. Naruto frowned a second before mentally nodding, I see the sand is protecting him. Why can't I have a normal opponent for once, I mean first it was no brows, then Haku, then the weird long necked pedophile with massive killing intent, now this. Naruto quickly made a few shadow clones, shocking his old classmates, who didn't have any idea what his abilities were since graduation, and sent them after Gaara. The redhead merely stood there, arms crossed, as his sand dealt with the clones. A clone was impaled by a pillar of sand, and another was covered and promptly crushed. However one clone got behind Gaara going for a punch, but it was blocked by the sand.
All ninja spectating watched Naruto with interest. This was Naruto, to them he was the dobe, the failure of three Genin exams, now going head to head with one of the most powerful genin from the Hidden Sand; a boy who to this date has never even gotten a scratch on a mission.
Naruto kept sending clone after clone, trying to find a weakness in the sand user's defense, so far couldn't find one. He avoided a blast of sand coming his way, which infuriated Gaara that his prey was effectively toying with him.
"Enough of this! Mother demands your blood, Uzumaki!" Gaara said, launching his sand fully at Naruto. Naruto was in the middle of the air, so he couldn't dodge.
"Shit!" Naruto yelled as the sand began to cover his body, crawling up his leg.
"Naruto!" Sakura screamed. No please, don't take him from me, she thought, with tears in her eyes.
Everyone watched in morbid fascination, as the sand completely covered Naruto. "Sand Coffin!" Came Gaara's cold jutsu as he closed his hand
At the same time came different call, "Shinra Tensei!" The sand that covered Naruto exploded with extreme force, and landed all over the arena, some hitting the spectators. Naruto flipped and landed on the ground. Gaara and his siblings were agape. No one had ever escaped the sand like that before.
Naruto winced the sand had cut into him a little bit, and his skin burned.
"Whoa when did Naruto get to be such a badass?" Choji muttered. Ino shook her head dumbly not knowing how to reply.
Naruto's eyes were flaring, "I was hoping I wouldn't have to use my eyes and give up my trump card so soon, but I guess it wasn't meant to be, so I'm going all out from here," Naruto said, holding out his hand. Naruto pushed some chakra to his hand to an excessive amount. "Banshō Ten'in!" He yelled, and a force yanked Gaara from the ground, and he flew toward Naruto. The blonde created a few clones on standby, and the sand user was traveling too fast for his sand to protect him. One clone launched forward and kicking Gaara in the jaw, a second clone got behind the sand user and putting him in a head lock. The first one that kicked Gaara was focusing its chakra, and repelling the sand from helping the red-haired jinchuuriki. While the real Naruto ran up and started punching his red-haired counterpart in the face.
The room was silent, save for the sounds of the massive beating Gaara was getting from Naruto. Temari, Baki, and Kankuro stood there stunned, as the first person ever was going to town on Gaara, they thought nobody was ever going to be able to do that.
Naruto thought of an idea gathering some chakra into his fist, he punched the sand user in the jaw, and releasing the chakra on impact. This resulted in the force of the blow increasing tenfold, creating a sickening crack as the sand-nin's jaw fractured he started screaming in pain.
Hiruzen smiled a little, Impressive a primitive version of Tsunade's technique. Naruto, you've certainly come a long way.
"Just give up already! You can't win!" Naruto yelled as he continued to kick, punch and elbow his opponent.
Gaara's eyes suddenly flashed to yellow, and half of his body somehow transformed. He effortlessly destroyed the clones that were attacking him and holding him. His right arm was extremely morphed and disfigured, giving the image of a large, pointed claw.
"Gaara! Control yourself!" Baki yelled.
Gaara was panting, a crazed grin on his face, "Finally someone worthy, with your death I will prove my existence, Uzumaki!" The transformed-Gaara screamed, his voice sounding demonic.
Naruto's eyes widened realizing what was happening, Another jinchuuriki like me. The redheaded jinchuuriki extended his arm, launching it at Naruto dodged it. Acting on instinct, Naruto's eyes flared and he ran through hand signs at a blinding speed. His friends gasped when he did them faster than they could see; Kakashi had to activate his sharingan to read them. He'd never seen a jutsu like this before. Naruto finished the signs, and held both his hands out.
The Hokage's eyes widened when chains came out of his hands. Those chains, the Hokage stood up from his chair
"What the hell are those?" Sasuke asked, absolutely befuddled by Naruto's fighting ability. Gravity manipulation, now forming these chains out of nothing, the shadow clone strategies...the dobe really isn't a dobe anymore. I need to get stronger.
The chains shot out, and after arriving at their destination, wrapped around Gaara. He screamed in pain as the chains bound him; his skin cracked, as if he was wearing a layer of armor. Naruto used his jutsu to pull Gaara to him, and glared into his eyes. He didn't know how he did it, but he entered Gaara's mind. He was faced a cage with a rusting door that while it had a seal on it looked weak and incredibly flimsy. Inside was a giant raccoon-like demon that literally reeked of blood lust and insanity.
"You dare to come in here? You puny human! Wait your eyes, I know those eyes! How did you get them?!" Shukaku screamed in panic.
Naruto glared, but he was secretly pleased this meant the fox knew about them as well and it confirmed something else, "I'm a direct descendant of the Sage of the Six Paths. Shukaku, the one tailed biju." Naruto spoke, "I intend to stop you from making you're container as crazy as you."
The demon sneered for a second but said nothing, suddenly Gaara appeared in front of the cage, looking normal and utterly confused. He turned gazing at the demon who has plagued him his whole life, but also saw his blonde opponent. "How are you in here?" Gaara asked calmly. Naruto looked to him, and then pointed to his eyes.
"These eyes are called the Rinnegan I'm not sure on everything about them yet but apparently they can allow me to control the biju, like Shukaku here. Right now I'm giving him a choice stop making you insane or I'll stop him. I'll use these eyes to seal him up in here to the point he's nothing but a chakra battery," Naruto sighed turning to the sand user. "I hold a biju too, Gaara; in many ways we are the same." Naruto said. "The only difference is the path we took in trying to find our existence I chose to earn acceptance in the people I consider precious to me, I found friends, and the few people who see me as me and not the Kyuubi. Gaara you can have it too if you let your brother and sister in, and if you need a friend choose me I always love making new friends," Naruto said, grinning wildly.
Gaara frowned, "my only bonds are to myself to only love myself."
Naruto shook his head, "do you know how I'm beating you; why I'm so strong? It's because of those precious people I mentioned, I want to protect them with everything I am. A friend once told me that is the path to true strength."
"People...to protect...?" Gaara said, dumbstruck.
Naruto nodded, still smiling, "so let's be friends, Gaara, and you'll never have to be alone, again." Naruto said, extending his hand.
Gaara frowned deepened looking at the offered hand. 'So Uzumaki is strong, not because he fights for himself, but instead fights for others. Friends, loved ones, comrades, I understand now. Gaara slowly took the hand, and shook it, staring impassively at the grinning whiskered face in front of him. "Friends..." Gaara said quietly.
"Friends," Naruto grin widen even more.
Gaara then remembered something troubling. "Uzumaki, I must warn you. My team is not here on friendly terms. Our village wishes to instigate a war between Konoha and Suna, backed by the Sound." Gaara said sadly. He had actually made a friend, but his father intended to destroy this village.
Naruto frowned, not liking the implications and before he had awakened his eyes he would likely have panicked. "That's alright, we'll figure something out; I don't doubt for a second. We protect our friends, right?" Naruto said smiling the sand user nodded.
"And you leave Gaara alone. If you were to, I don't know, work with him, then the two of you would be a lot more powerful. I don't know what happened to you and the Kyuubi frankly I could give a shit, but you help him. I don't want to hurt you." Naruto said, glaring at the bijuu in the room.
Shukaku glared at the blonde boy a few minutes then broke into a surprisingly friendly smile, So the old man has been reborn, into this runt. I can see it clearly now; he will go far. Tsk, boy does have a point if I can get Gaara and to work together maybe I can get out more or maybe I can form a Biju cloak with Gaara like Nibi-chan can."Fine, give my regards to the damned fox." Shukaku said snickering, before Naruto was kicked out of Gaara's mindscape.
Naruto opened his eyes at the same time as Gaara. The sand user smiled a little, while Naruto broke into a shit eating grin; the two boy's actions confused everyone. Naruto released the chains, causing Gaara to fall to his knees, sighing in relief.
"Proctor...I forfeit." Gaara said simply. The room erupted into cheers and applause.
Gaara's team had their jaws scraping the floor. Not only did Gaara lose, but he cancelled his transformation and smiled? What the hell did that boy do? Baki thought with a frown.
Naruto pulled the sand user up and the two shook hands once again. Naruto was practically glowing, he made a new friend and Gaara wouldn't have to be alone anymore. All in all a good end to a rather exciting fight.
"Winner, Naruto Uzumaki!"