Raijin
Chapter VII
Well, I've taken to writing on my off days, so there may be small gaps in the updates, but nothing too serious. I've already got most of this chapter laid out as I'm typing this, so I don't suspect it'll take too long to write. I've decided to include a little dictionary at the end of the chapter for people who want to catch up on the terms in the series, and I figured it'd be a nice little addition to the chapter's word count. For those of you who are wondering about the multitude of girls showing interest in Naruto, I must remind you that they are only thirteen to fourteen years old in this particular book. Don't you remember what hormones were like back at that age, because I know I do. So, I have to warn you that while this is listed as NaruSaku, there is a chance that the later stories in the book may not be the case. That was one of my original gripes with most of the fiction on this website; there is a total and complete lack of relationship-reality. People don't meet their soulmates at fourteen... It just doesn't happen. Whether or not I decided to keep it NaruSaku is my preroggative alone, but the reviews of my readers might sway me one way or another. Who knows. Without further ado, though, I give you chapter VII!
Morning came early for Team 7 in the form of a very rude awakening by Kakashi with a wooden spoon and a deep pot. Banging the two together loudly like a gong, he roused Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura from their sleep at five in the morning, so as to give them enough time to fully dress and get ready for the first phase of the Exam to start at six. Sasuke was the first to awake, his Sharingan blazing at the sudden and obnoxiously loud sound as his eyes snapped open. He grumbled a bit as his eyes returned to their onyx color and got out of bed. Sakura was next, who was used to waking up early. Her hair was a mess, so she took to combing it as she woke Naruto up; Kakashi had finished his parade through the room and had started breakfast in the next room. She smiled as Naruto's eyes slowly cracked open. He smiled back and ran a hand through his long, shaggy hair sheepishly.
"Good morning, sleepy head," she said, giving him a peck on the lips. It was the first time of affectionate interaction they had since Sasuke was bitten a week or so before. Naruto couldn't lie; it was a very nice change from the constant feeling of comraderie they had to share while things were so intense.
"Morning," he responded with a grin, even as he heard Sasuke retch in the bathroom in mock disgust of their exchange. "You ready for the exam?" he asked as he kicked the sheets off of his legs and stood up. He watched as Sakura nodded and blushed as he started to strip from his pajamas, leaving him in only a set of boxers. He winked saucily, then began to pull on his outfit, one pants leg at a time. He decided to leave his bare chest exposed for the time being, a move which made Sakura blush even harder and busy herself around their room to avoid staring. He chuckled as he began to put his ankle wraps on. As he busied himself with the task of wrapping them, he glanced over at the box Jiraiya had left for him when he had stopped by the previous night. It was wide and rectangular in nature, so he suspected it held clothes; he wished to god, though, that it was not some outlandish outfit that Jiraiya himself liked to sport. As he opened the box, he was pleasantly surprised.
Inside, there was a new set of ANBU armor to replace the one that Kabuto's cohort had destroyed, and a brand new trench coat made of that same curiously smooth leather Jiraiya had managed to procure for his first one, but was crimson in color this time. It, Naruto realized with some chagrin, was the same color of Sasuke's vest. Perhaps Jiraiya thought they didn't match enough. Now, if only Sakura's vest was of a lighter color, they could all match. Naruto strapped on his belt, threw on his black tee, and stepped into his sandals. He was looking forward to the exam today; no doubt their team could crush any opposition they encountered. Naruto didn't consider that thought arrogant in the least, though, considering the incredible skill he and his teammates had acquired over the course of the past year. They were a damned sight stronger than when the Suna/Oto invasion had occured, and they aimed to show it during this go-around.
Sasuke walked into the room, tugging his vest over his bare chest and securing the metal plate he wore in the pocket over his heart. A toothbrush was sticking out of his mouth, a testament to his anal-retentiveness concerning hygiene.
"Do you think we'll encounter many teams during the exam? Sakura is right... It's a huge area to cover." He paused to let Naruto speak and to let himself finish brushing his already-spotless teeth. N
"I'm sure we'll see someone. Twenty teams looking for twenty cyphers? We're bound to have some action during the exam," Naruto replied as he rubbed what little remaining sleep was in his eyes. He got up off the bed and moved into the bathroom to go through his own daily ritual. "Besides, twenty teams aren't going to pass. Some of the other teams are bound to get the bright idea steal scrolls, or to search for as many as possible for the extra intel on the second exam the cyphers might have." He turned the shower on to wash his hair.
Naruto's hair was beginning to turn into a considerable problem. It had grown long and shaggy over the past two years, and was beginning to impede his vision while fighting. He had lacked the sense to do something with it up until now, but he felt he owed it to Jiraiya to keep it long out of respect for his father figure. His hair, by nature, was straight, but stood on end when it was short. Now that it had grown to a considerable length, it was wild and slightly tangled. Unfortunately, it did nothing for his looks, nor for his ability in battle. So, on the morning before the Chuunin Exam's first phase, Naruto tried to do something with it. He started by snatching Sakura's brush from her bag while she wasn't looking. After washing it thoroughly, Naruto did something he never dreamed of doing back in Konoha; he put conditioner in it.
As it dried, he brushed it quickly, unwilling to be caught by his teammates in such a feminine action. An action, he realized with amusement, Hyuuga Neji must have done countless times. The fruits of his labor created luxuriously straight hair, hanging in much the same fashion as Neji. He even used a small rubber band out of his pouch to secure it in the same very low ponytail Neji preffered. After tying his headband, he had to admit, he looked like a completely different shinobi than before. Clad in Anbu armor, black undergarments, and a crimson trenchoat, he cut a dashing figure. His hair added to the image, leaving a very suave feeling Naruto as he looked on in the mirror. With Byakaze strapped behind him, he was not only dashing, but imposing as well.
As he emerged from the bathroom as a new Naruto, Sasuke looked up and scoffed. The Uchiha held up his hand to his mouth and feigned a cough, even as Naruto shot him a glare.
"Shut up, Sasuke. It needed to be done."
Sasuke couldn't bite back his retort. "Yeah," he agreed, with a smirk on his face, "just not that way."
Sakura reappeared in the doorway. "I think it looks cute," she chimed in, her face turning red as she did so. Sasuke, once again, made that retching noise he had become so fond of. Naruto shot him another glare and left the room, intent on finding whatever breakfast Kakashi had prepared for them in the kitchen. He was met with a cycloptic eye, in its usual lazy 'u' of a smile. Naruto shook his head and sat down at the table. There was a large dish of vegetables and noodles laid out in front of him, and too his delight, steak, eggs, and bacon on a separate platter.
"Very utilitarian," Kakashi commented, pointing at Naruto's hair and smiling. "It suits you, Naruto."
The boy nodded his thanks and began eating in earnest. He was soon joined by his teammates, who marvelled at the large meal. Sakura was the first to ask why there was so much food.
"Noodles for carbohydrate loading," Kakashi replied, pointing at the large bowl. "Vegetables for the minerals and vitamins, and the steak, eggs, and bacon for protein and fat. You'll need all of it for the next three days, considering you can only take what you can carry. Since all three of you are quite the speedy demons now, I took the liberty of placing jerky in your pouches to keep you going. You might as well take what you can get this morning; the next three days will be long and arduous, and there isn't much to snack on out on the plains, considering Kusagakure keeps the area cut down to prevent enemy ninja from hiding in the grass. Short of rabbits, there will be precious little to eat."
Now, Naruto could appreciate that kind of forethought. That was the difference between their Jounin-sensei and themselves; Kakashi was a ninja of legendary renown because he prepared for everything and was deadly in what he did. They, despite their skill level, were still greenhorns when it came to actual fieldwork besides short skirmishes.
The team all dug in with relish, savoring the meal that would probably be their last one for several days.
Team 7 arrived shortly before the exam was scheduled to begin. As they made their way to their assigned gate, they were joined by Team 8. Naruto caught the dark look Sakura shot Hinata immediately, and worried what exactly the look was for. He resigned it to female quarreling, and shook it off. Kiba, loud and obnoxious as usual, was the first to say something as they met in the street. Naruto had never had any ill-will towards the Inuzuka, but he just couldn't get past the fact that the dog-boy was so loud and obnoxious. Naruto supposed, however, that was the pot calling the kettle black; at one point, he had been exactly the same way. While much more subdued now, He knew there was still a brash side to himself; he still got himself into trouble with his mouth occasionally.
"Hey, Naruto! You ready for me to kick your ass this time?"
Sasuke and Naruto both sighed. That was a doubtful occurence; the two had taken on multiple jounin in the past few days, and had lived to tell the tale. Naruto had two doujutsu, each with their own agumenting powers to his natural abilities, and Sasuke had the Sharingan. Besides some of the stronger Jounin present in the village and the Kages, there were few who could take an onslaught from both of the boys combined. That was not to say they were incredibly strong, though. Naruto knew for a fact that if they crossed Orochimaru again, they would have a difficult time surviving. They would most likely not have blind luck on their side this time. They both knew Orochimaru would be prepared.
"That's not gonna happen, dog-breath," Naruto replied, forcing a grin in an effort to avoid looking like a douche.
Kiba appeared at his side and put Naruto in a headlock as the walked. He knuckled the boy's ribs roughly as he spoke, chuckling as well. "I've gotten stronger, Naruto! I'm not gonna lose to you again like last time! You can't trick me!" He was pushed away by a thoroughly aggravated Naruto, who kept that forced smile.
"Right."
Sasuke snickered at Naruto's reaction. Kiba shrugged it off, however, and moved over to throw his arm around Shino, who had stayed completely quiet during the whole exchange. Hinata took the open space between Naruto and Kiba for herself, earning another dark glare from Sakura. Hinata, in a very un-Hinata like way, narrowed her eyes at the pinkette. Hinata was not the same person she was a week ago. Hinata moved as close to the boy as she could without touching him, and proceeded to have a conversation with him. Sakura, sensing her futility in breaking the two's conversation without causing a scene, moved over to talk to Sasuke. As if sensing exactly what she was going to say, he beat her to the punch.
"Don't come complaining to me about Hinata," he said in low tones. He jerked his head over to the Hyuuga and Naruto. "You can't be so blatant about things," he chided. "It's childish and obvious, Sakura." He put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "You're not his girlfriend yet, Sakura... Just give it time," he said, smiling. She returned the smile. Sakura checked her pouch one more time to make sure everything was there, and pulled on her combat gloves.
"Either way, we're a team, and that's what matters."
The six genin finally made it to the North Gate of Kusagakure, they came upon the other three teams. It seemed they were the last ones to join the party, and oh, what a party it was. At the front of the group, a trio of Iwa genin turned and locked eyes with the two teams from Konoha with a malicious glint present. They were a burly bunch, all dressed in earthen tones and seemingly spoiling for a fight. The leader was tall and broad, and had an eye patch over his left eye. Despite his young age of sixteen or so, he had sideburns that reached all the way down to his jawline, emphasizing his masculinity. The other two were shorter, but no less broad, and one carried a massive warhammer; it appeared to be incredibly heavy to the eye, but he hefted it over his shoulder like it weighed as much as a tooth pick. The other one didn't have a weapon, but he did have a pair of combat gloves similar to Sakura's. The team nearest the six rookies was a team of Kumo-nin, whose eyes bypassed all of Team 7 and Team 8 to settle directly on Hinata. Hinata met their gaze with one of disdain concealed by a quick look to her right. Kumo and the Hyuuga clan had bad blood, seeing as how Hinata was almost kidnapped by a Kumo jounin many years before. Her uncle had died for the political madness that followed suit, and it was one of the reasons Neji had hated her so.
The third team present was a group of Kusagakure locals. Much to a mixture of Naruto's relief and disappointment, it was not Akira's team. He didn't want to see them early on in the exam, but he did want a rematch to show them exactly who was boss. He wasn't sure why exactly he wanted to crush the boy and his team, but the urge was there, and it was fairly intense. He chalked it up to the bad impression Akira made in the House of Green Leaves on him and Sasuke, and left it at that. The Kusagakure locals were a lithe, mean bunch, no doubt the ruthless killers the rumors made Kusa-nin to be. There was something inherently bloodthirsty about the shinobi here, with a touch of deviousness added in. Naruto never agreed with using poison on an enemy, but these shinobi were renowned with their skill in all toxins.
Kiba made his presence known next to Naruto again, but this time, it was in a more serious manner.
"Stiff competition," he commented. Akamaru, who had been padding silently by his side, yiffed in agreement. The dog had grown larger over the past year, but was still nowhere near his adult size. The Inuzuka bared his fangs at one of the Kumo-nin who had blown him a derogatory kiss. He flipped the stock lightning-nin a bird, then turned back to Naruto. "Nothing we can't handle, though. We Konoha-nin are the best around here."
Naruto couldn't help but agree. He bro-fisted Kiba and grinned. "Goddamned right, Kiba." Akamaru made a short bark in agreement, too, not wanting to be left out.
The Exam Proctor, a surly looking Kusa Jounin, made his way to the front of the gate and turned to face the assembled team. "Each team will be given five minutes to make their way out of the gate and onto the plains," he said, pointing with a thumb behind him. "You'll go in the order you arrived, so the team closest to the gate will head out first, and the team furthest will go last. You have three days to find a cypher, decode it, and return to the gate with the decoded message. Failure to report in by six in the morning three days from now will result in immediate disqualification. Should you encounter any life-threatening injuries to any of your teammates or yourself, you are required to call for asisstance. Any call for said asisstance will disqualify you from the exam. Should you enter the village in any way without a decoded cypher, you will be disqualified. If at any point you should meet shinobi of any kind that aren't participating in the exams, you are to immediately call for the ANBU in the form of a green smoke bombs. These bombs should have been given to you by your jounin sensei before you arrived here today." The man drawled all of this over the course of a minute or so, as if he were reading from an incredibly boring script.
A horn sounded moments later, giving the cue for the start of the exam. The Jounin opened the gate and beckoned the Iwa-nin through. They took off immediately, intent on trying to find a scroll as quickly as possible. This continued every five minutes, with Team 7 opting to go last. They were speed freaks, so they figured they would give Team 8 a head start. The Aburame, Hyuuga, and Inuzuka all nodded their thanks and took off through the gate to go find their cypher. Finally, after five more minutes had passed, it was Team 7's turn. The gates opened for the final time for three days and Team 7 shot through.
Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke tore off through the long, verdant plains, intent on finding a scroll as soon as possible. Naruto was pleased to see that Sakura kept their breakneck pace easily; she really had grown so much over the past year. He admired the way her legs coiled and uncoiled perfectly, like beautiful alabaster pillars given motion by some benevolent god. He closed his eyes while he ran, slightly perverted thoughts running through his head. Sasuke, on the other hand, was not distracted by his teammate's beauty. His Sharingan were searching everything on the fields, trying to find some sign of disturbance in the soil or some latent chakra signatures gathered in one particular place. He hadn't seen anything so far, but he could already hear sounds of battle coming from other places on the plains. Whoever was fighting who, some major attacks were being used; he could see massive expenditures of chakra in small groups on the horizons, and the orange flash of fire jutsu being used in the half-light of the early morning.
Maybe things would be more intense than they even thought.
They continued their breakneck pace to the edge of the territory, then began to circle towards the east gate. Team 7 had orginally planned to fan out a little bit, but with the signs of jutsu being used everywhere, they realized that was not the option. It would be difficult to help one another should they be cornered by another team if they were spread too far out, and doubly so if two teams decided to blindside them at the same time. Within an hour of leaving the gates, they came across a battlefield that had apparently been fought between an earth jutsu user and a lightning user. It was most likely the Iwa team and Kumo team they had seen back at the gate. Whoever it was, they were definitely not using genin-level jutsu. There was even a Doton Doryuuheki wall extending about ten feet above the plain.
No one talked during those first few hours; the mood was much too intense, given the fact that they knew there were strong genin out there. They searched frantically for anything that even resembled a hiding place, and two hours later, they found what they were looking for. A small rock, hidden amongst the short grass, was lying on the ground, and to Sasuke's intense red gaze, appeared to have been moved over the past few days. He held up a hand to slow the others to a stop. His eyes quickly scanned the rock to make sure no traps had been laid. Unfortunately, in this world of kunai and flying fireballs, there was always a chance someone had come before them and set up a death-trap. He slowly reached out his hand to uncover the rock. Had it not been for his Sharingan, he probably wouldn't have seen the small land mine lying beside the cypher until it was too late.
"Alright," he said, pointing to the rock. "That thing is booby-trapped with a land mine. Any ideas? There's a string running from the bottom of the rock to the trigger on the mine. If we pull the rock too far, it'll trigger the explosion." He crossed his arms in pose of disappointment. Sakura cocked her head as the wheels turned, but it was Naruto who had the first idea. He turned to Sasuke.
"Do you have ninja wire?" he asked, knowing full well Sasuke always had a spool. The Uchiha nodded and handed it over.
Naruto, using a small smudge of adhesive past he kept in his pouch, attached the end of the wire onto back of the rock. His eyes morphed momentarily as the Fuujin windmill appeared, the four triangles crawling out from his pupil to the edge of his iris. "You guys need to back up," he said, readying himself for a jump. "I don't want you guys to get caught in the blast."
"What are you doing?" Sakura asked, confused as to what his plan entailed. The boy grinned at her and gave her a thumbs up.
"I'm gonna jump straight up and jerk the rock enough to blow the mine. I'll still be in the air when it happens, so it's gonna be alright for me. I just don't want you guys getting shrapnel."
Sakura's face made an 'o' as she took a few steps back.
The two remaining of Team 7 put their hands around their face to keep the large gust of wind that had now began to from flinging their hair into their viision, and waited for Naruto to enact his plan. With one last tremendous push of air, he jumped, sending him skyrocketing into the sky, the line and rock in tow. The mine exploded into a great plume of smoke and fire, which was quickly swept away from the plains by the already strong winds there. It dissipated to reveal a perfectly intact cypher, which Sasuke and Sakura moved over to pick up.
" oooooooouuuuuuuuuutttttt!"
The two looked up to see Naruto descending back to earth face down at a fairly rapid pace. He was waving his arms frantically as if trying to right himself. Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle as he sidestepped the area that Naruto was going to land. The boy came crashing down, stopping just millimeters before he hit the earth with considerable force. He was so close, his nose touched the short blades of grass. Naruto thank the gods he was a Fuujin, otherwise, it probably would have killed him to land like that. He began to pick himself up, slowly regaining his bearings as he heard the sound of running feet. He looked up just in time to see a foot swing up and kick him right in the jaw.
The kick sent him backwards ten or so feet; whoever had kicked him was fairly strong, but it would take more than that to put him down. He regained his composure to find Sasuke on his left and Sakura on his right, each having backflipped back to his position. Eyeing the team that had attacked them, he rubbed the bruise on his jaw as the warm chakra of the Kyuubi began to slowly knit the busted cappilaries and vessels back together.
"Back for a rematch, huh?" he asked, eyeing them intensely. Sasuke's eyes had narrowed into a glare, and Sakura was pulling her gloves on tighter.
Tsuchi Kin, Zaku, and an unnamed Oto genin glared right back.
"It's been a while," Zaku said, his arms held in front of him. Curious, considering Shino had blown his arms clean off in the previous exams. Naruto didn't think anyone could recover from losing limbs like that. With a start, he realized Kabuto must have had a hand in the boy's healing. Zaku had grown a couple of inches, but had still kept the ridiculous cow-splotch camo that oto-nin were so fond of. His hands, Naruto noted, now had three holes instead of two.
Zaku's brow furrowed as he built chakra in his hands, giving Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke all the warning they needed. Each of them broke for a different direction as the Zankuuhaa came flying at them. The massive burst of sound and air ripped the grass and ground up as it shot towards Team 7. Luckily, everyone made it out in time and quickly snapped into action. Sakura chose Kin as a target and decided to show her teammates exactly what she could do.
As she ran to the other girl, her vision suddenly grayed around the edges. She slowed down, confusion crossing her features as she watched the other girl's outline begin to fade in and out. Her head swam momentarily as she turned to look at Sasuke, who was engaged with the other member of the oto-team. Her head turned the other way to see Naruto fighting Zaku. They too began to grey as her world began to collapse inward; the field of her vision began to creep back towards her, until there was only the grass at her feet.
Her hands sluggishly made their way up into a ram seal as she realized what was happening.
She yelled, "Kai," and her world snapped back into complete clarity again. Sakura watched as Kin realized she had broken the girl's genjutsu, her eyes widening in nervousness as Sakura quickly began to advance on her position. Kin leapt up and backwards to avoid the girl, but it was to no avail; Sakura was much faster and much more agile. She followed Kin into the air and quickly closed on her with her forward momentum. The girl only had a moment of consciousness too realize she was completely and utterly fucked; Sakura's right fist slammed into her jaw, completely dislocating the bone, and changing her momentum so she shot to the left in mid-air. She skipped once, then twice on the ground, then finally came to rest about fifty feet from where she was going to land originally.
Sakura grinned as she hit the ground. It was just way too easy.
Sasuke was having a bit of a harder time with the unnamed oto-nin. He was brutally strong to the point that he could push back the White Fang with his kunai easily. The fact that the kunai withstood the awesome cutting edge of the White Fang was one thing, but to have the blade pushed back by something so short was ridiculous. The dark-eyed opponent smirked as Sasuke went to flank him; he had something in store for the Konoha-nin. The White Fan flicked out to take off the boy's head with supernatural quickness, but completely missed.
Sasuke's Sharingan hadn't even seen him move. How was that even possible? One moment he was there, then the next, he wasn't. Sasuke's brow furrowed in frustration. There wasn't many techniques or people that could simply vanish from his doujutsu.
"Sasuke! Watch out!"
Sasuke heard Sakura's yell just in time to spin around and take a step back, narrowly avoiding his opponent's outstretched hand. Being caught by the throat wouldn't do. Sasuke had no desire to meet his end on the plains outside of Kusa. He still had jutsu to learn and certain people to kill. And this boy's leader was one of them. Once more, White Fang flicked out, but this time, it was fast enough to knick his opponent across the chest. The thin red line began to slowly weep blood immediately. Pity, Sasuke thought, that it was just a flesh wound.
Sakura joined the fray in an effort to aid Sasuke with her own prodigious speed and strength. Approaching from the Oto-nin's back, she sought to clobber him across the back of his head with one of her incredibly powerful strikes. Almost as if he saw her coming, his right hand came up behind his head and caught her swipe in an iron grip. His left hand flew up to catch the kick Sasuke had thrown at his head, leaving both shinobi stunned. Who had the speed to catch both of them at once? The oto-nin grinned and yanked Sakura over his head and yanked Sasuke forward, sending them tumbling together. As they tumbled to the ground, he brought his foot up over his head, and sent a catastrophic axe kick to Sasuke's chest, pushing both of the stacked genin into the ground, cratering the earth around them. Simultaneously, both Sakura and Sasuke coughed up blood. He grinned once more, and prepared to strike again.
His foot made it over his head, but a terrible force seized his ankle just as he began to bring it back down.
Naruto pulled as hard as he could, over-extending the enemy shinobi's leg until he heard tendons snap. The young man groaned in pain as his groin area was devastated, and went down, hard. Naruto unsheathed an angrily buzzing Byakaze and brouight it down in an overhead stab, only to hit earth.
His eyes converted swiftly to yellow as the sunburst erupted in it. He'd need the Raijin's reflex and speed enhancing properties to combat this new foe of his. His head snapped around from left to right as Sasuke and Sakura picked themselves up off the ground and went back into battle stances.
"Zankuuha!"
Zaku's attack was well placed and extremely lucky; he managed to blow all three of Team 7 back, ripping their clothes and skin as the supersonic waves of air and sound rushed past them. "Hope you haven't forgotten about me!" he cajoled nastily. He grinned menacingly as the previously-vanished unnamed Oto-nin appeared beside him.
Getting their asses kicked was a relatively new experience to Team 7. When they had been fresh out of the academy, they had had their fair share of asskickings from people like Zabuza and Haku; over the past year, though, they had grown comfortable in their ability to crush any and all genin-level opposition. It seemed, however, that they had met their match. It was a small blessing, though, that Sakura had taken care of the opposite team's genjutsu user early. The girl wouldn't be able to cast any illusions unless she got past the pain of her practically destroyed jaw.
Naruto eyed his opponents warily. It wasn't that Zaku was particularly fast, or that the other nin was particularly strong, it was the fact that their attacks were so strong and sudden. The Raijin would help him avoid strikes in close and long range engagements with them, but being a Jin didn't make him all powerful. He had called on the Kyuubi's power when he had fought Kabuto a few nights earlier, and Sasuke had also been enraged, giving them the adrenaline and raw brute strength they needed. Hopefully, defeating these two wouldn't entail being almost killed in the process, and that's what made them difficult. Especially with Sakura around. Naruto didn't view her as a weak point on the team; she just couldn't anticipate their opponents moves like he and Sasuke could.
The thought of Sakura made him pause for just a moment. What if she was hurt, or worse... killed? He couldn't let that happen. He didn't know exactly what was going on between them, but he'd be damned if he didn't get to explore those feelings. And that required her alive and breathing. He made up his mind and moved into his subconcious during their brief reprieve from the combat.
The sound of dripping water was a comforting sound to his ears as he made his way through the tunnel to Kyuubi's enclosure. It reminded him of what he was, and what he could do. Despite what the fox would tell him, he knew the Kyuubi was an unfaltering ally, at least until something happened to Naruto and the great demon fox became unsealed once more. The fox, Kaze, and the strange weasel were all a part of him; parts that could think and act on their own. And that is exactly what made them valuable to Naruto. His allies could always be trusted to give him advice from a different perspective, and that's exactly what he needed at the moment. He hoped they had some insight on defeating the foes that lie just outside of his mindscape.
He stepped through the red door and into the area adjacent to the great barred prison of the King of Demons.
"I think... you may be getting your ass kicked out there, boy," the demon fox said, chuckling, as the boy entered his enclosure. He stooped down low to bring his eyes to Naruto's level. "So what brings you here to my humble abode? Come to ask advice from the great sealed Kyuubi no Yokou?"
Naruto grinned. He could always trust the fox to be a dick, even in the most perilous of situations.
"You know why I'm here," he returned, moving closer to the cage. "What do I do, fox? I have to protect-"
"The pink-haired meatsack?" the Kyuubi finished for him, laughing. He earned a playful glare from the boy in front of him. His laugh rumbled the area with its vibrations.
"Actually, I was going to say my teammates, but yes, I guess."
"You forgot," the fox said, still laughing, "I can read your mind."
"Then tell me what I should do," Naruto returned. He ran a hand through his smooth hair, mussing it up just a bit. "I'm at a total loss. If we don't finish these guys quick, I'm afraid something bad's gonna happen."
"Such is the life of the Shinobi and of the Demon," the Kyuubi pointed out. "To kill or be killed. It's a dangerous world out there. Luckily for you, you've got the oldest and strongest of all demons to bail you out whenever you have your ass handed to you." The demon fox grinned, baring every single tooth in its cavernous maw. "I'm a little peeved that you haven't visited me lately, though. What's wrong? Not in the mood to talk to the old fox and his friends?"
Naruto shook his head. "It's not that," he said, toeing the water under his feet in embarrassment. It would seem he had accidentally forgotten about his little friends hanging around in his head. "I've just been a little caught up in all the strange things going on. Orochimaru has showed up again, we killed Kabuto, and now he's back, and now I'm fighting for my life in the middle of what's practically a warzone. I've just been a little busy, that's all."
"Pathetic excuses," the Kyuubi retorted with a little mirth. "And only in the hour of need do you come back to see me. How do you think that makes me feel? No matter... You must focus on the task at hand." He noted Naruto's sheepish expression and continued, still keeping his ridiculous grin spread across his face. The cheshire smile did nothing to make the Kyuubi less frightening.
"You're given gifts, Naruto. Gifts that no other mortal possesses, and you cannot figure out a way to remove two of Orochimaru's chess pieces from the board? Come on. You've made great leaps and bounds over the past year, boy. Use your head like you have been doing. What can you do to cancel out the boy's sound attacks, and what can you do to remove the other shinobi from play?"
Naruto adopted a thoughtful pose. There was something to the Kyuubi's words. Cancelling Zaku's sound...
"Goddamnit, you fox," Naruto cried as his face split into a grin. "It's easier when you just tell me what to do, but you give damned good hints!"
His eyes exploded into sunbursts as he turned on his heel and shot down the hallway, and back into consciousness.
Naruto's eyes snapped open in the real world to see Zaku and the other shinobi move toward him and his teammates in slow motion. They sped up as his eyes reversed color into their normal blue as four black triangles shot from his pupil into his iris. His feet left the ground in an instant as he began to levitate slightly, too. He had formulated a plan, something akin to what Shino had done to Zaku back in their first Chuunin Exam. He turned back to Sakura and Sasuke and told them to attack the other enemy, while he dealt with Zaku himself. They nodded and prepared to do battle.
Naruto watched as Zaku disturbed the air as he moved; he was waiting for the perfect time to strike. Seeing the opportunity present itself, he shot towards Zaku as the oto-nin's hands shot up to deliver another damaging sound attack. The boy's eyes widened as Naruto suddenly appeared before him, his sunkissed hands meeting the oto-nin's hands and clasping them with great strength. Zaku's surprised expression turned to an evil leer as the Zankuuha built up in his arms. He was going to blow the blonde shinobi's arms clean off with the attack.
In slow motion, Naruto watched the shockwave of pressurized air and sound travel through Zaku's arms with the Fuujin, and waited as those precious milliseconds passed. As if the world slowed to a crawl all around them, he saw the evil expression on Zaku's face morph from one of triumph to one of surprise, then to discomfort, then to complete and total agony as Naruto reversed the air pressure in Zaku's airtubes. The pressure cancelled at first, then built back up into a full force reverse Zankuuha. It changed directions and went back through the tubes from whence it came. Unfortunately, Zaku's airtubes were not meant to accomodate reverse pressure, and the nodes that created his powerful attacks were overloaded in an instant; this caused the nodes to charge another full Zankuuha, which doubled up with the original attack and blew right into Zaku's chest cavity from his arm sockets.
The resulting explosion would have made Gaara envious as a shower of blood and gore rained down over Naruto, staining his clothes a deep red from his eviscerated opponent's bodily components. Naruto was not sad he had taken the evil boy's life; there was no quarter to be given to Orochimaru and his follower's ilk. This was one less shinobi the Snake Sannin had at his disposal. A drop in an ocean, but a drop could be the difference between a wake and a tsunami. Feeling the usual post-kill surge of adrenalin, he turned towards the ongoing battle between Sasuke, Sakura, and the nameless Oto-nin. They had ratcheted up the ante on the oto-nin, and was now giving him a run for his money. So the maxim was true, then. United we stand, divided we fall. With Naruto added to the mix, this would be a short battle. No single genin could withstand a full on battle with Konoha's best assault team.
Naruto shot forward, feet touching the ground only slightly as he took off. The nin had his back turned to the Jinchuuriki; a dangerous gamble indeed for his opponent. Naruto grinned mirthlessly as he prepared an attack he hadn't used in many, many months. A swirling ball of white-blue energy built up in his hand, swirling with the force of a hurricane. As he reached the Oto-nin, Sakura and Sasuke suddenly caught onto the blonde's ploy and quickly seized the Oto-nin's arms. They held him fast as Naruto closed the last couple of feet and gave a great yell of, "Rasengan!" and plunged the ball into the older teen's back.
The Oto-nin gasped as the ball of chakra began to drill into his back, flaying layers of cloth, skin, muscle, then finally bone. The ball ate through his spine and dissipated as the boy went slack, his eyes suddenly glazing over, dead and lifeless. Naruto stepped back from the body as it slumped to the ground, no longer held by Sasuke and Sakura's grip. They all breathed a simultaneous sight of relief as they realized the fight for their lives was over.
Sasuke shook his head as he bent over double, trying to catch his breath. "That was way too close for comfort, guys," he said as he stood straight again. He resheathed White Fang and cracked the tension out of his neck.
Naruto couldn't help but agree. They had used too much chakra boosting their speed and their strength in that match, leaving them with a mild case of exhaustion. Naruto wasn't feeling the effects quite as much as his counterparts, but he was feeling a little taxed. Using chakra to enchance one's muscles tended to train one's reserves more than using jutsu, especially over extended periods of time. As the muscles work harder, they receive less oxygen, and chakra had the curious effect of exascerbating that problem; the muscles would begin to build up lactic acid as anaerobic cellular respiration ramped up. This would cause the chakra to push the muscles harder, which in turn would increase the amounts of lactic acid. Shinobi science at its best. Naruto realized that he had not had a case of sore muscles in years; even his fight with Gaara hadn't caused this much wear on his body. He had been aided by the Youki of the Kyuubi back then, which lessened the effects of the chakra usage. It was curious how Youki and Chakra were so different, yet rendered much the same results in jutsu usage. That's why humans couldn't dabble in Youki unless they were Jinchuuriki or in special cases, Hanyous, which were even less common than the former case. The Youki had strange effects on a normal human body, often repairing it and damaging it in different ways at the same time.
"For a second there," Sakura admitted, "I didn't think we'd make it."
Naruto shook his head and grinned. "Are you kidding me?" he asked. "We're team 7. Short of a Jounin, there's nothing we can't handle as a team!"
He bent down and began to rifle through the dead shinobi's pockets. "Search the bodies, guys. They may have a cypher on them."
The next five minutes were spent going through all of the dead ninjas' possessions, but alas, no luck. They seemed to have attacked without good reason. Luckily, Team 7 had come out alive and with their own cypher in hand. Any more they found would be to limit the other teams present in the second part of the exam. Naruto sighed at this. If the first part of the exam was this brutal, he couldn't even begin to imagine what the second and third portions would be like. Unfortunately, there was still the task at hand of decoding the cypher and surviving any other attacks out here. They needed shelter, and they needed it fast. If they could find something to brace themselves against, they could keep their backs protected, narrowing down the sides they could be attacked from to three.
An idea clicked in Sasuke's head as he pondered the same thing.
"Guys," he said, pointing back towards Kusa. "Do you want to put our backs to the wall of Kusagakure? We could guard Sakura while she decodes our cypher easier if we could put our backs against the wall."
A grin split Naruto's face as he realized what a capital idea that was. He looked to Sakura for her assent and smiled even wider when she nodded back to him. She checked once more to make sure the cypher was still in her pouch, then Team 7 began a breakneck pace back to the walls.
Well, that's if for chapter VII. I thoroughly enjoyed this one, I have to say. The fight scenes were fun to write, if a little tedious. Don't think that the trial by fire that is the first exam is over, though. Noooo. Not by a long shot. If you'll remember, Team 7 has only been out on the plains for a few hours at this point. They have three days to retrieve and decode the cypher, then make it back to a gate safely. Prepare for some more intense fighting; this ain't over until the fat lady sings. If you'll scroll down just a bit further, you'll also find a goodie I added to the end of Chapter VII. It's something for those of you who didn't read the first book, or for those of you who need clarification on what somethings are, what they look like, or what role they play in the story. I feel like the background is growing a little convoluted, so hopefully, this'll clear some issues up with some of the things I've written.
A Brief Intermission
and the Jin Dictionary
I feel like it's time for a little intermission to the non-stop action that's been going on in the story! Since I've decided to throw in some clarification on terms and whatnot, I came up with this nifty little explanation to anything and everything Jin! Read it and revel in it's epic awesomeness! *Kidding...*
Jin- Ancient subrace of humans who could manipulate the elements, depending on which particular doujutsu they inherited. The first few generations of their race had near god-like ability, and studied arduously in their abilities to further enchance them and their connection with nature. Some of the most priceless artifacts of the world were created by the Jin and their ability to manipulate the elements, including the blue-silver blade, Byakaze. They, along with the Bijuu, sealed the Yajuu into inanimate objects and hid them away from prying, mortal eyes.
The Old Ones- The original creators of the world, they left the Jin and their true human counterparts to their own devices, and reveled in the admiration of the Yajuu. The creators of the Yajuu and the Bijuu, they were overthrown by the tailed beasts for their complaceny in the universe. The Bijuu ripped each and every one of them to shreds, sealed their favorite pets, the Yajuu, with the help of the Jin. The Old Ones have long since passed into the mythos of time, and have passed far from the memory of humans. Only the Bijuu have any knowledge of them.
The Sanctums of the Elements- Sanctuaries built by the Jin in an effort to grow closer to the respective elements. They possess the ability to alter a person's concsciousness without that person knowing, which then opens up the person to the elements themselves, and allows the Jin to train in their abilities at an accelerated rate. This altered state also allows the Jin's inner manifestation of their element to create a form in the outside realm, ie, Kaze appearing to Naruto in the Wind Sanctum.
Bijuu- The Tailed Demon Beasts, numbering 9 in total, were the creations of the Old Ones to protect the interests of the Gods on this world. Unfortunately, even the best laid plans go awry. As the Old Ones retreated back to their places of safety to watch and be praised by their other children, the Yajuu, the Bijuu began to wreak havoc within the world, and finally grew tired of the Gods' complaceny. Jealous of the praise heaped on the Yajuu, the Bijuu sided with the Jin, and sealed away the Yajuu. After the Yajuu were sealed, nothing could protect the Old Ones from the wrath of their demonic children, and they were subsequently betrayed and destroyed by their creations. This was proof positive that Gods could indeed die, and could do so in extremely brutal and gruesome ways.
The Yajuu- Beasts of beauty, grace, and strength, they are not judged in power by their number of tails. Instead, they are judged in the order of creation. None of the Yajuu have been named yet, so it is still unclear what kind of a role they will play in the Jin saga, but their role will be a great one in the coming books. They were sealed away by the Bijuu and the Jin, and have been lost to eternity ever since. They were the living embodiment of the Old One's skills in creation, and they loved the Old Ones dearly for having been given life. They worshipped the Old Ones and served them as butlers would serve their masters, at every beck and call of the Old Gods.
Byakaze- A blue-silver blade forged by the first Master of the Wind Sanctum, it was a beautiful piece of art. Incredibly sharp, incredibly strong, and incredibly nimble to wield, the Katana was sealed away in an ancient map-room underneath the primary Wind Sanctum. It rested there, dormant for thousands of years, until the Fuujin resurfaced in Naruto, who claimed the blade as his own. He now wields it with prodigious skill, gifted to him by his training with Kaze at the Sanctum.
White Fang- A gift from Hatake Kakashi to Uchiha Sasuke, the White Fang is a katana of exquisite design and beauty. It is an heirloom of the Hatake clan, passed from the last of their clan to the last of the Uchiha as a gift. Some gifts mean more than others, and this was the gift that cemented Sasuke's place in Team 7 and as the protege of Hatake Kakashi in both its use and in the use of the Sharingan. It's blade is also incredibly sharp, and Sasuke wields it with impunity matching that of Naruto and his skill with Byakaze.
Fuujin- A doujutsu long lost to the annals of time, it resurfaced as a genetic quirk in Uzumaki Naruto. Now gifted with god-like control of the wind, Naruto now has to learn what it's like to be a first generation Jin, and to train in the art of moving the Wind. Eventually, this gift will give him a legendary status amongst the Hidden Villages; its power and versatility will earn him accolades amongst the shinobi of the world, and his enemies will learn to fear his presence on the battlefield. The doujutsu manifests as four black triangles extending out from the pupil, past the outer edge of the iris, then sweeping back in to the outer edge with the leading side of the triangle.
Raijin- A doujutsu long lost to the annals of time, it resurfaced as a genetic quirk in Uzumaki Naruto. Now gifted with god-like control of lightning, Naruto now must learn to control his new-found power in order to become a master of the element. He hasn't yet unlocked all of the doujutsu's potential at this point. Instead, he currently relies on the boost of strength, speed, and reflexes that it gives him. In the coming days, Naruto might learn a few more tricks, but for now, it's use is limited to close quarters combat. The doujutsu manifests itself by transforming the iris of his eye into a bright yellow sunburst. Who knows what the next level of the doujutsu might look like? Only time will tell...
Kaze- A manic ball of wind that is a result of the manifestation of the Fuujin in Naruto. He sometimes acts as a counselor to Naruto in matters of wind-manipulation and life, and never misses a chance to voice his opinion. He has been curiously silent during the past few days, though. Who knows why?
The Itachi (weasel)- A nameless weasel who doesn't choose to associate with Naruto on a friendly basis. The Itachi is a manifestation of Naruto's Raijin ability. He has the tendency to behave like a thunderstorm, all piss and vinegar one moment with his casual use of lightning manipulation to put Naruto in his place, then all bluff and bluster when he is confronted over his treatment of Naruto by The Kyuubi no Yokou.