Chapter 5: The first exam

'Team Naruto' which was the new name of the newly formed trio, Naruto, Konohamaru and Moegi sat at training ground 5 panting drenched in sweat. "Yo brats, good work this week." They turned their attention to Jiraya. Naruto had been pretty surprised at Jirayas devotion to their training this week. Naruto saw the motive behind it though. since they had mostly trained defensive formations and only some for sneak attacks, those for sneak attacks was obviously so they could sneak up on another team and steel a scroll and the others, well they were clearly for Akatsuki although his Sensei never admitted it. "Well the first test is tomorrow so go get some rest" he said and smiled proudly at the trio. They turned their backs to the Sennin and headed towards the village. "Naruto, will you stay for a sec, I wish to exchange some quick word whit you before you leave." Naruto nodded and walked or rather dragging his feet back to him since he was so exhausted. "So… this close to the exams have… you noticed anything suspicious?" Naruto looked jaded at him, he had been asked the exact same question al week. He sighed. "no, ero-sennin. It's cool, if we are lucky they wont show up!" he said and smiled sheepishly. He didn't believe that himself. "ha, don't get your hopes up, they will surly come." He responded whit a serious voice yet sad. He didn't want Naruto put through al this, he was just a kid. "yeah, whatever, I'll just beat them down." Jiraya smiled a encouraging smile to his student. "yeah, just be careful".
"yeah, yeah" he said waving his hand in front of him in a dismissive gesture before he headed back to the village.

-

- Narutos Apartment –

The stars shined upon the blond teens face as he sat outside his apartment reveling a sadness only ever showed to the stars. Naruto had always had a good sixth sense. Things had been going far too smoothly since he had come back. Something was bound to happen soon. "We will always there for you, Naruto"; Sakuras words rang in his ears. Filling him whit a warm securing feeling but at the same time horror, them by his side… always. Always. He was a boy who stood before an inevitable threat. He didn't want them by his side at those times. But he knew that they certainly stand by him. But for how long would they be able to? He knew that so secure their safety he would have to sacrifice his own. He was ready to make that decision when the time came. Whit that resolve he stood up and walked to his bead and lay his head down ready for sleep to overtake him.
'I promise you, that I will always protect you. As you have always done whit me, I don't care what it takes.' He fell fast asleep unaware of the red swirling eyes watching him.

-

-Somewhere in Konoha –

"oi, Itachi-san. Why didn't we just take the bastard now!?"
"hmph.." Itachi glared at his companion as if he was a total imbecile.

"Because… If we were to take him now, a great number of Konoha Shinobi would appear and be on our trail at once."
"we will use the boys weakness against him to lure him into our trap, if it goes smoothly, no one will now he is gone for at least a day or a half. It will give us quite the advantage"
"yeah… but do you really think he will go through whit that without struggle…?" Kisame questioned
"ah, I'm sure. Naruto-kun is quite easy to read, I have him lingered around my finger"
Kisame looked satisfied at his answer and turned his face into the darkness as they moved away from the jinchuuriki apartment.

-The next day, Hokage tower-

"soooo, Naruto-nii. Are you exited!? It's the first day of the exams!"

Naruto turned his (surprising Konohamaru) down hearted face to him.

"huh?, what is wrong Naruto-niichan? Moegi asked.

"well, I just heard Ibiki won't be the examiner for the first exam this year…"

"so?"
"well you see… I don't really have the head for this kind of exam… you know… I am not that..."
"you aren't what?"

"He isn't that smart. Minus 'that', 'He isn't smart'. A complete idiot actually!" he heard a voice taunting him.
"I am NOT stupid, I'm just not that book smart!' Naruto swung around whit a angry face to see who had insulted him so. He saw Sakura staring back at him looking rather amused. Narutos anger withered away. "Hello, Sakura-chan!" he said happily as if the nasty comment had been some kind of polite greeting.

"actually, he would have failed his first chuunin exams at the first exam if luck hadn't been on his side. You see… Naruto didn't write down a single answer… "

"huh!?, then how did he pass?" Moeig asked her fellow shinobi

Naruto whom didn't like being talked about while he was in the room, chipped in; "I may not have written down any answers but I answered the last and most important question right and passed."

"Yeah, whatever. That wasn't a nifty question. So it doesn't count" She said looking over at the Hookage whom laughed at the scene. "A stuck up Sakura and a muttering Naruto as well as two very confused genin. Naruto snapped at this. He wasn't going to appear as some damn idiot. But before he could act he was restrained by Sakura, she had learned over the years to read his friends actions so she stopped him before he could do anything that would make them earn the Hokages wrath. Because you really didn't want that.
"So, you called for me shishou?"
"ah Sakura, yes. Could you show these brats to the where the first exam will be hosted?
Sakura felt Naruto struggling 'he wasn't a brat' he mumbled, but no one heard. "Yes of course, Tsunade shishou, I'll be going right away"

"She dragged Naruto out of the room still restraining him and the other two genin looking amused followed close behind.

Outside the Hokages tower Sakura released her firm grip on Naruto and he straightened out his back as well as rubbing his sore neck. He glared at the pink haired kunoichi but she ignored him.

She turned to Moegi "lets go" she said smiling warmly.

Konohamaru and Naruto walked side by side glaring at the two girls

"women really are scary, naruto-nii"

"yeah, they are." He agreed.

They had arrived at the locale where the first exam would take place. Naruto was sweating, he couldn't fail here, dammit! Sakura turned to naruto for the first time since they left the Hokages office she had been preoccupied whit Moegi. "You will do fine, Naruto. You can't stay a idiot forever if you want to become Hokage." She smiled encouraging at him. He smiled at the rarely kind words Sakura spoke. "of course I can't. Thanks, Sakura-chan!"
"well I'll be parting from you here, I have some business at the hospital, god luck you three!"
"thank Sakura-neechan!" Konohamaru and Moegi said simultaneously.
"yeah, thanks again Sakura-chan" Naruto said.
She waved and hurried down the hall.
"well shall we get going then?" naruto turned to pair and they nodded gladly as they walked through the doors to face their opponents.

-Hokage Tower-

Jiraya hopped through the window to Tsunade's Office. "why cant you use the door like everyone else?" She said annoyed "well that wouldn't be so original, would it?" Tsunade sighed. "anyway, give your report" "of course Tsunade-hime, well as far as I can tell nothing out of the ordinary as occurred, but it doesn't really surprise me. It would be stupid to act so early into the exam."
"Yes, it would…"

-chuunin exams-

Naruto walked into the room, filled whit shinobi from the sand, leaf and mist. Naruto didn't recognize any of them; they didn't really stand out either. They all stared at the newly arrive group, well mostly at Naruto. "Hey, Konohamaru… why are they all staring at us?"
"They aren't staring at us, they are staring at you" he replied "Huh!?, why, do I have something on me?!" He said grabbing his entire body. Moegi sighed. "Well obviously, you trained under one of the legendary sannin under 2 ½ years after all." "oh!" He grinned widely at the crowd, they cocked their heads at him, he stood bent down touching himself whit one hand on his ear and the other hand under his foot. If that he looked weird wasn't the problem before, it was now. Why under his foot?, what obscene thing could possible hide there that was visible to others. "is this the man said to have trained under the Jiraya under nearly 3 years…?" a girl whispered to her comrade. Naruto straightened out his body and walked towards a free bench pouting. Everyone in the room stared at him. 'ahhhh, why do I always end up like this.' He looked dreamishly up at the ceiling.

Everybody's attentions as well as team Narutos was redirected to a door opening at the far end of the room. Through it stepped the examiner. She presented himself as Hitomi Woyn. Naruto had never heard or seen this woman before. They entered the room where the exam would take place and they were placed on their respective places. Team Naruto was places far away from each other.
He was Shikamaru sitting across the room taking notes. The examiner passed out the test and Naruto started sweating again. 'I will make it!' he told himself.

-2 hours later-

Naruto let out a long sigh when the examiner called out that the exam was over. It had been a regular paper test. Naruto had answered around half of the questions and felt confident about his answers. Konohamaru looked devastated and understood how Naruto hadn't been able to do this during his first time and said that he had indeed been lucky, he earned a punch from Naruto at that, told him it wasn't luck but skill. Moegi had passed all the questions brilliantly. Now they just had to wait in the room they had sat earlier waiting for the exam to start.
"so your Uzumaki, huh?" A boy around Narutos age but slightly taller than him stood before him eying him. It was something about his attitude that really ticked Naruto off. "yeah, what of it?"
the boy didn't answer. "I said wh-"
The boy grabbed Naruto by the collar. "I heard you perfectly" He stated simply.
"what the hell is your problem?! Put him down!" Konohamaru shouted.
"why would I?" Before Konohamaru could answer the boy got a kick to his chest and flew instantly through the room. Naruto glared at him as he lowered his leg. "what business do you have whit me?" He asked calmly. "hmph, nothing really. He turned his gaze through the window behind Naruto and followed something whit his eye. "what are you looking at?" Naruto demanded and turned around to see what his challenger had spotted. He saw nothing. "Hey you, what did you see?!"
"…nothing much" he replied lazily. "oh, really…what's your name?"
"my name is of no importance, Uzumaki."
"the hell it isn't" Naruto said as he charged at the boy. He evaded the attack easily and whit unfathomable skill grabbed Narutos ankle and threw him on the floor. Naruto coughed up blood.
"Naruto-nii?!" Konohamaru shouted and ran towards his comrade but was stopped by the nameless boy. "I suggest you let him learn to take care of himself, boy."
"why, you!"
"Konohamaru, he's right, back away." Naruto said as he sat up drying is away his blood from his cheek and glared at the boy quizzical. 'What the hell is his aim...?'
Naruto had to cast those thoughts aside as the examiner stepped through the door again.
"so… boys and girls, here in my hand I have the results…"

-

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-Authors Notes –

Longest chapter so far!
And a mysterious boy appears!

About the first exam, The thing is that I really didn't want to write it so I skipped it… And no, Naruto is not smart in this series.. like I was saying I really didn't want to write it so he had to be smart so I didn't have to develop the exam further.
Finally there will be some action in the next chapter when the second exams starts!

Disclaimer: The series Naruto does Not belong to me (obviously)

R & R