Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 2: Immortal
Naruto jumped off the Hokage monument. The night sky covered him from the eyes of the villagers. He watched disinterested as he came closer to the ground. The wind was howling in his ears blocking out the noises of the mostly sleeping village. Slowly he positioned his body so that he would land on the top of his head. He didn't particularly care for this attempt. It wasn't as fast as some of the other attempts making for an annoying buildup.
Finally his head hit the ground. He could feel as his skull split open. Blood was already spewing out. His spine reverberated in a shockwave breaking at multiple points. Finally the rest of his limbs, caught up from the sudden stop, crashed into the road with loud cracks as they broke on impact.
For a few seconds Naruto's mangled body laid there, motionless with no signs of life. Then slowly but surely, sickening snaps and cracks filled the silence of the empty road as his body rearranged itself. Naruto panted at the pain that occurred from the healing. Broken bones always hurt the most to repair.
Slowly raising from the floor Naruto looked to the damaged ground. It was covered in varying sizes of blood splatter. As he looked he could see the familiar sight of gray matter. Soon the pounding of his head diverted his attention from the disgusting sight; Naruto frowned knowing he would have a headache for the rest of the night. Recovering his mind always took a while. He would document the attempt in the morning. For now he feared his altered mental status would interfere with an accurate analysis. Besides that, a little sleep would be needed for tomorrow's exam.
Luckily for Naruto he remembered his way home. The last time he had seen his own gray matter Naruto had forgotten his address. Deciding to think no more, Naruto mindlessly, almost literally so, made his way back home to retire for the rest of the night.
-Training Field 7, September 25, 06:20-
Naruto arrived at the training ground at the same time as Sakura, Sasuke was already there and meanwhile Kakashi was nowhere in sight.
"I wonder if Kakashi-Sensei will arrive soon." Sakura said trying to break the uncomfortable silence.
"Well if yesterday is anything to go by I'm guessing we'll be here for a while." Naruto said as he laid himself out comfortably on the ground ready to sleep.
Sakura frowned at her teammate's antics. She observed his choice of clothes. He was wearing a white tank top, baggy black pants, and a dark red hoody. His head band was tied to his left bicep over his hoodie. What was strange was the boy's choice of footwear, or rather lack thereof. "Naruto where are your shoes." Sakura said pointing at the blondes exposed feet.
Naruto considered the question, eyes closed as if he was still napping. "They kept wearing out so I stopped buying them." Naruto said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"That's gross Naruto! What are you going to do when you get cuts that get infected?" Sakura said with plain disgust.
Naruto snorted. "I wish I would be so lucky." Naruto murmured thoughtlessly.
"Gosh you're such a freak. How did you even become a gennin, last time I checked you failed the exam?" Sakura exclaimed.
Naruto, not even showing any indication of acknowledging the girls tone, simply answered. "I did the makeup exam."
"I wasn't aware of any makeup exam." Sasuke interjected.
"Well obviously it exist, otherwise I wouldn't be here." Naruto deadpanned.
Sasuke and Sakura didn't have anything to say to that. After a couple seconds of silence Sakura spoke. "So what did you have to do? Make a couple clones?"
Naruto thought about an answer. 'I guess shadow clones are still cones aren't they?'
"Yeah, pretty much." Naruto responded.
-2 hours later-
A poof announced Kakashi's arrival.
"You're late!" Sakura yelled, exasperated by her sensei's lateness.
"Sorry about that, you see a beautiful young lady ran into me and naturally she wanted a dance." Kakashi said cheerily.
"You're a shameless liar!" Sakura accused, her two teammates nodding their head in agreement behind her.
"Anyway, let's get to it. You're test is to take one of these two bells from me before the timer runs out."
Sasuke frowned at his sensei. "If there are only two bells what happens to the one who fails to get a bell?" he asked.
Kakashi grinned. "Oh that's simple, automatic failure and a trip back to the academy."
Team 7's eyes widened at their sensei's words, or rather Sasuke's and Sakura's eyes widened, Naruto was unfazed. "How are we supposed to get the bells?" Naruto asked as he patted the dead grass off his clothes.
"You'll have to come at me with the intent to kill." Kakashi said as in a matter-of-fact tone, as he set a timer down on a stump. "Now when I say go we'll start the exam."
Sasuke and Sakura tensed at his words, Naruto, like always, watched with a bored look on his face.
Kakashi raised his hand in the air. "Go!" He said as he brought his hand in the air. Sasuke and Sakura jumped away to hide in the forest. Kakashi watched as they hid themselves, all the while keeping track of their location. Noticing that Naruto had yet to make a move he regarded the last member with a curious look. "Why aren't you hiding like your teammates?"
"I'd rather not waste my time playing hide and go seek; besides hiding from a jonnin is foolish." Up in a tree a certain pink haired girl could be heard groaning at the truth in her teammates words. "So Kakashi-sensei I hope you're ready for me, because I won't be pulling back any punches." Naruto said in a half serious half bored tone.
In response Kakashi pulled a small book out, squatted down, and began reading aloofly. Naruto not bothered a bit, rolled his left sleeve up to his elbow. With deliberate speed Naruto began to form hand signs. "Blood weapon jutsu." Naruto murmured as he grabbed a Kunai with his right hand and cut his own forearm in a long arc.
The rest of team 7 watched in shock as the blood sprayed out in torrents. But instead of falling to the ground Naruto's blood began to float and collect in front of Naruto's outstretched right hand. Crimson liquid danced in an unpredictable stream till it covered the kunai and became larger and larger, till it was a 5 foot staff, it then began to form a scythe. The blade of the scythe grew until it was wickedly large. The blood became a half liquid, half coagulated scab. It looked both sickening and elegant, but all deadly.
His teammates looked on in a stunned silence taking in the sight of Naruto twirling around his newly formed weapon, droplets of blood occasionally dripping off the weapon. Instead of looking pale Naruto looked calm and as tan as he usually was. 'How much blood did he just lose?' Sakura thought in a panic.
Abruptly stopping his twirling Naruto faced the silver haired man. "Here I come." Naruto said as he charged at his sensei. Taken aback at the blondes speed Kakashi put his book away and began dodging Naruto's attacks. Naruto slashed vertically as Kakashi side stepped and pulled out a kunai. Naruto jumped into the air and began to flip. On the third flip Naruto brought the scythe down on Kakashi who parried with a kunai in a beautiful display of sparks. Landing on his feet Naruto kept low to the ground, as he began spinning the scythe horizontally behind his back. Kakashi kept his distance, till he had no choice but to jump back as Naruto's scythe came to close for comfort.
Kakashi seriously considered revealing the sharingan to fight off the gennin, but he quickly dismissed the idea. At the moment Naruto's hood had been pulled up during the fight, covering his face as the young boy took a moment to catch his breath. Gritting his teeth Naruto faced his sensei, who was surprised by Naruto's now red slit eyes. Without further hesitation Naruto ran at Kakashi at breakneck speed.
Quickly thinking of a plan Kakashi threw a barrage of Kunai and shuriken at Naruto, expecting him to dodge. Instead of doing that, Naruto picked up his pace and allowed the weapons to assault him mercilessly. Kakashi was so surprised that he barely managed to dodge Naruto's sideways slash. Sasuke and Sakura watched, shock written all over their faces. 'How is he not dead!' Sasuke thought, referring to the kunai and shuriken that were sticking out of Naruto's body.
As the fight progressed the weapons began to dislodge themselves. Steam following where they once were. 'High speed regeneration! But how?' Sakura thought, astonished by the boy's vitality. Naruto slashed once more and once more Kakashi dodged. Allowing his scythe to make a full arc Naruto changed the grip on his weapon and began stabbing at Kakashi's face with the end of the weapon. Easily moving his head from side to side, Kakashi considered a counterattack when suddenly a glint caught his eye. Purely out of reflex Kakashi shifted his weight so that he could further dodge the sharp protrusion on the side of Naruto's scythe.
"How did you do that?" Kakashi asked fingering a small cut on his cheek, as Naruto took a few steps back, in order to catch his breath.
Naruto gave Kakashi a bored look. "The blood weapon jutsu doesn't just turn my blood into a weapon. It's much more versatile than that. It gives me complete control of my blood, allowing me to change its form mid fight." Naruto said as he let his scythe fluctuate in size in example.
"I'm surprised you let that trump card out so easily. And besides that, it doesn't look like you have complete control of your blood." Kakashi said, referring to the dripping blood coming off the scythe.
"Well it doesn't really matter anymore. I've got what I came for." Naruto said aloofly as he allowed the scythe to lose its form and come crashing down in a disturbing display of blood.
Kakashi frowned. "What do you mean by that?" Kakashi asked confused.
"I have the bells." Naruto said as he raised his leg, two bells caught between his toes. Kakashi immediately looked to his side to confirm the incident in bewilderment. Sasuke and Sakura looked on, curious by how he had managed such a feat.
"When?" Kakashi asked referring to when Naruto had cut the bells from his pants.
"I told you sensei; I have complete control of my blood." Naruto responded as thin crimson streaks rose into the air, flabbergasting his entire team.
'So that's how he did it! He allowed Kakashi to believe that that the drips of blood were not important, all the while he was just trying to get one positioned just right so he could cut the bells free.' Sakura thought in realization. 'Isn't he supposed to be the dead last?'
"You two can come out now, there's no point in hiding anymore." Naruto said tiredly. Sakura and Sasuke came out, and gave Kakashi a confused face.
"So what now?" Sakura asked.
"Well, now it's up to Naruto to decide who will get the remaining bell." Kakashi said in a matter-of-fact tone. Both of Naruto's teammates looked to him, curious as to what his reaction would be. Not knowing that whatever their reactions may be would decide if they all pass or fail.
"Isn't it obvious. You two should take the bells." Naruto said plainly, surprising both his teammates with his answer.
"But didn't you want to become a gennin?" Sakura asked confused.
"Yeah but I can find other means to end it, and you two are stronger than the average gennin. This will be a more desirable outcome for the village." Naruto replied as he absently fiddled with the bells.
"No, it's ok, I'll take the failure for this one. You and Sasuke obviously are better suited." Sakura said dejectedly.
"Tch, well you both can forget it, there's no way I'm taking credit for the dobe's work." Sasuke interposed.
"Alright I've heard enough." Kakashi interrupted the conversation before it could go on any further. "You three leave me with no choice but to pass all of you." Kakashi said with a smile.
His three new students looked at him in confusion. "I don't understand Kakashi; I thought you said that only two of us would pass." Sakura asked the question that was on all their minds.
"That rule was simply to divide you three. The whole point of the exam was for you to get past these circumstances and still work together. Though truth be told, it was not my intention to let Naruto get those bells. That's why I wanted to see what you would say in response to having to decide who would pass or fail. Rather than be divided, all three of you put the team before yourself. I'm proud of you all, for putting the team before rules. Those who break the rules are considered trash, but you know what?" Kakashi asked in a solemn tone. "Those who abandon their friends are lower than trash. So with that, team 7 will begin their duties tomorrow!" Kakashi happily announced.
Team 7 smiled in response, yes even Sasuke and Naruto smiled.
-Undisclosed location, 21:47-
Naruto looked at the large crimson head cleaver laid out next to him. There was something absolutely fascinating about this particular creation. Inside of it contained every drop of his blood. He could make it stretch out even larger than that if he were to allow it too. Of course at the moment he was incapacitated at the moment. Loosing every drop of blood in your body tends to do that to you. Finally feeling enough circulation in his body he began to stand up. Picking up his little journal Naruto marked down another failure.
"Suicide attempt #645: Blood weapon jutsu. Attempt was surprisingly painless. A pain severity rating of 1. Attempt wrinkled my skin and my organs vital functions were unsurprisingly not working. Unconsciousness happened quickly. Feeling of death was at 8. Blood loss was more severe than any past attempts. Blood rating was at 10. Healing occurred in a matter of 2 hours. Healing rating was at 5. Conclusion: A closer feeling of success than average, but nonetheless, surprisingly ineffective. I believe this may indicate a far superior ability to regenerate blood than I first thought I possessed. This test will help greatly for me to understand the limits of this immortal body. Alternatives: Chakra exhaustion, self-inflected wounds with blood weapon, must experiment with other failed attempts. Explore possibilities at a later date.
-Naruto Uzumaki, September 25, 21:55"
Naruto closed his notebook in anger. He really thought that one might work to! For a second he considered doing another forbidden jutsu, but decided against it. 'I'll just grab a bowl of ramen and go to bed for today." He thought sleepily.
-Author's Note—
Well there is chapter two. It might take me a while to get chapter three out since I have work tomorrow. But I'll have it in before Friday. Thank you to everybody that reviewed! It means a lot to me. You guys are all awesome. I'll be sure to get chapter three out for you all. Please review.