Birth of a Legend: The Fox Druid

by DarkHeroOrion

A true force of nature arises from the lowly roots of Konoha. This child, a scion of noble birthright, is ironically shunned by his deep-seated burden. Follow along as our coming-of-age hero grows through the test of adversity and new challenges.

15. Winging It! Order from Chaos

A/N: Okay, guys and gals, I shall keep this brief before I begin, just to appease those that hate my loquacious, preceding Author's Note. Unless some inane point has been brought up by a reviewer that I will gladly explain (or prove him/her incorrect), you should expect these to be short for quite some time.

First and foremost, I am going to maintain a relatively large portion of what I have for later on in this trilogy, canon updates notwithstanding (but not necessarily disregarding it entirely, per se). In short, I am continuing with what I have cooking up with my own partial tweaks. I will just add some touch-ups here and there regarding some altered theory from canon, as well as my multiple sources for this fic. Some I will take into account; others will be ignored. That is all for now.

Readers, reviewers, thank you for your time and patience while I try to get together my inspiration. Enjoy!

Chapter Fifteen: Winging It! Order from Chaos

(Disbanded Root Division Headquarters, 2:00 am)

This must not have been Danzou's time to shine in the limelight.

He had sent off more of his mindless underlings to analyze more on Uzumaki Naruto's rapid ascension through his valuable kekkei genkai. However, he had not received any recent reception after he dispatched them. He had an inkling of a notion that his informants were not going to return…as always.

It seemed as though his 'killed in action' list had been going up in growing increments while trying to keep tabs on the Mokuton-wielding jinchuuriki. He doubted that the last, unknown Namikaze could kill that many of his peons.

He had already found out about the Uzumaki's hidden potential, for his suspicions were confirmed far beforehand. Minato slipped up and got careless, due to the fact that Danzou managed to get a copy of his supposedly secret wedding license to Uzumaki Kushina, a foreigner whose roots were never revealed.

His first scheme, albeit a very convoluted, perilous and partly controversial one, was foiled. That moment of potential treason, however, was ruined by an unknown agent that happened to be there at the wrong place at the right time.

The militarist cursed that man's odd timing as well as cursing his own rotten luck.

The warmonger tried an alternate route by convincing the Hokage's advisors, but Sarutobi had to meddle with his plans on making the blond host into a 'tool' for his own bidding.

Oh, how he regretted fighting tooth and nail to take and break Naruto's spirit. He would have been an excellent forerunner as the 'blade' of Konoha, whereas he would have been the arm, directing it as he saw fit.

So, he tried another alternate route, which was to 'coax' the jinchuuriki via 'recruitment.'

That was more added to another growing list entitled 'Blunders of a Misunderstood Visionary.'

'Maybe having my men using that cloaking technique to shroud the deserted area in silence hindered my attempts more so than helped,' he mused emotionlessly as he drank his tea in absolute stillness.

After he set down his mug, he rubbed his scarred chin in further contemplation. His developed technique, Soin Kanmon no Jutsu, contained the sound within an area and the only ones that were able to hear the sound had been those contained in the confines. Conversely, the barrier was the penetrable kind, meaning that those inside the 'defense' could have easily walked out of it. The war-hawk supposed that he would have to work out the kinks to that a bit later.

On the other hand, that area-affect silencing technique lessened the suspicion that it was his doing. It could not, in any way, shape or form, be traced back to him, for he had made his underling's support team disappear…for good…

They had outlived their usefulness that suited the war-hawk's needs for the current moment. His covert shinobi were expendable. It may be illegal in a sense, but it would soon be worth it.

Come hell or high water, he would get that power under his control, by any means necessary…

He would just have to figure out the most sane and sensible way to obtain it.

XXXXXXXXXX

(Forest of Death Tower, 2:00 am)

"This is weird," Sakura piped up after walking around the tower corridors. "I don't see anyone here…"

"Well, it is dark," the dark-haired avenger said as he rolled his sore shoulder muscles. "Maybe there are extra some rooms here, or something. Those that probably made it here are most likely asleep." He shrugged apathetically. "Who knows?"

"These halls suck with lighting," Naruto complained for the one thousandth time as he was walking in front of the group, magenta flame blazing in his right hand. His Phantom Flame had been acting as a makeshift candle for the past hour or so. "And why aren't you using your fire-element, Sasuke? I don't think I can sustain this jutsu for much longer."

"Two reasons…" The raven-haired recluse began to tick off points, starting with his forefinger. "One: you're a monster when it comes to having a lot of energy and stamina." He held up his middle finger when Naruto inconspicuously flinched due to the emphasis on that 'm' word. "Two: I don't. In fact, I'm too low on chakra for the moment, and when I try to use Sharingan, this blasted mark screws with me and gives me a hell of a lot of pain."

"I ought to thank that snake bastard for the preventive measure," the blond muttered under his breath, out of the Uchiha's earshot. His foxy companion, on the other hand, while atop his friend's noggin, easily picked it up due to his acute hearing.

'Shishou, I think that was uncalled for…'

"What was that, dobe?"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all…"

"Hn. I'm on to your wisecracks, smart-ass…"

"Guys," Sakura interrupted while holding her head. It was still throbbing; this time, she could thank the two numbskulls for inducing it. "Enough. Just give it a rest, will you?"

"Oi, Naruto. I know that it's a pain to ask, but can you wait up?"

The attention of Team Seven was redirected to another team that was fast-approaching…and a bit worn-down, to boot.

"…Why do you look worse for wear?" Sasuke asked the forthcoming Team Ten.

"It…wasn't…easy…" Chouji answered between heaved breaths. "…Collectors…on our tails…before the Tower…" He fell flat on his bottom soon afterward.

"…Collectors?" Sakura asked with an eyebrow raised, more so to herself than anyone around. "Who are they?"

"Didn't…you hear…Forehead?" Ino asked between gasps for oxygen, hands on her knees. She held up a hand as she was normalizing her breathing for the next minute.

After gaining her composure, along with getting a flat glower from her proclaimed rival, she continued. "We had heard from another participant about teams of shinobi acting as 'collectors' around the crunch time, before the end of the exam. They're the ones that make it to the tower, but they collect extra scrolls just for the hell of it."

"You're leaving out a huge segment, Ino," the lazy shougi-player piped up with his hangdog look. "I know that it's troublesome to elaborate, but I'll try my best."

Shikamaru placed his hands into his pockets before he pressed onward, rocking back and forth on the balls of his heels. "These 'collectors' that we speak of are shinobi that go out on a limb for the extra scrolls. They essentially act as 'insurance policies' if they run into stronger foes to guarantee their getaway. In other cases, there are those that try to receive support and more information by using the extras as bargaining chips to a team belonging to their own hidden village. There are also the minority that desire to pick off more teams while at a great vantage point. This would be another way to make the rest of the exam easier; by eliminating as much of the competition as possible. The fewer scrolls there are in circulation, the lesser amount of people we have to fight.

"On the other hand, the bad thing is that these guys are confident in their own abilities, which are the worst kind of enemies to face at a time like this." The lethargic genius puffed a long sigh. "You see? Didn't I tell you that it was going to be too long-winded to clarify?"

Team Seven and Shikamaru's teammates sweat-dropped before the portly shinobi spoke up from the hanging silence. "Well, anyway, with Shikamaru's clever thinking, we managed to bypass some of the traps, but…" Chouji scratched the back of his head, donning a shamefaced look. "I…happened to set off the majority of them by accident…"

"He didn't know where he was going," Ino stated bluntly in a deadpanned monotone. "He stepped on one and the chain reaction started. That would be the reason why we dashed in here, which was to prevent from being spotted…" The mind-walking kunoichi leveled a glare at the tubby brunet. Chouji recoiled by the uncharacteristic stare from his bossy teammate.

"Well, we're here, nonetheless," Naruto spoke up. He narrowed his eyes as he was attempting to see through the inkiness of the dim interior. "There's a room up ahead. Let's see where it goes to. And we need to hurry up. This Youkai no Enkou is starting to singe my hand…Ow…ow…Itai…." The searing agony enveloped his scorched hand while Shikamaru searched his backpack for an emergency flare in the rapidly fading light. It was the only thing that was of notable use, even though this was not really an emergency. It would have to suffice for about another hour or so, to help them navigate.

"Sasuke, can you light this flare with whatever chakra you may have available?" the slothful genin asked, holding out the wick for the lone Uchiha to light it.

The dark-eyed avenger flashed through the hand seals Mi, Tatsu and, Tora, before a miniature ember ignited with the available oxygen and hovered around his four protruding digits. "Ah…Katon: Kyoka no Jutsu…something with which I can light candlewicks…"

Sasuke moved the glowing cinder to the wick of the flare, which caused the materials to ignite. A bright red light emanated throughout the dark hallway in an initial flash. That caused some of the pupils of those near the epicenter of light to hastily dilate. Some even managed to avert their eyes when fire met entwined, combustible fabric. The blond shinobi had then taken the opportunity to let up on the technique to massage his singeing hand.

"And just what we need," Ino said with delight. "I knew that you would pull through for us, Sasuke-kun…"

She paced around the lone Uchiha before gripping around his neck, much to the chagrin of her rival, Sakura.

"Back…off…" Sakura bellowed between gnashed teeth. "He's off-limits, Miss Piggy! I told you that already!"

"Oh?" Ino asked as she placed a finger to her lips. "I didn't hear the warning call. Maybe it was because your big forehead blocked out the acoustics…"

Before the cerise-locked kunoichi could respond, her golden-haired comrade had cut in.

"Please," Naruto spoke up, slightly perturbed. His voice accelerated, along with a gradual crescendo. "I'm too tired to hear this shit at two in the goddamned morning! Give it a rest!"

Ino and Sakura's jaws slightly dropped on account of the enigmatic blond's outburst.

Who knew that he could get so crabby and irritable?

"Aww…Did someone rub the dobe the wrong way?" Sasuke egged on, smirk dancing playfully on his face. "Dirt where the sun doesn't shine…?"

"Can it, bastard!" Naruto roared as he favored his palm with his still-workable hand. He gritted together his teeth. "And no, no one rubbed me the wrong way! My hand hurts like hell! I'm hearing the upstart of a pointless, hypocritical argument, and it's late! I just want some sleep!"

"Fine," the raven-haired shinobi detachedly garbled. "Naruto's right…for once…" He yawned, ignoring the slighted look that he had gotten from the blond mystery. "We need to see what are we supposed to do, and then, after that, we rest."

Shikamaru wearily shrugged his shoulders. "Works for me."

XXXXXXXXXX

The six shinobi (plus one quadruped) managed to find, yet again, another empty room. But this time, the empty chamber had two levels. The higher entryways were complemented by a set of railings, next to a staircase.

"Ugh," Ino bellyached. "Is there at least a light switch here? I can barely see anything, even with the flare's light."

"Ah," Shikamaru responded. "Here it is. I found it." The lazy genius flicked on the light switch, located behind the group on the wall to the left, just as their temporary source for illumination petered out. Immediately, a white, fluorescent glow cascaded everyone's vision when the top lights had soon lit up, humming quietly in the process. The brightness was a bit softer on the eyes from the emergency flare.

'Oi, Kyuubi-sensei…' Naruto inwardly thought, rousing the supposed 'beast of burden' from his slumber. Had he seen his spiritual tenant, it would have been a terrifying sight. Bloodshot sclera surrounding each of the carmine irises would have made the toughest of shinobi cower on his or her knees.

'What do you want? I'm trying to sleep here.'

'Don't rub it in,' he grumbled within the two-way link while still rubbing his aching palm.

The spirit fox frown deepened slightly. 'And why on earth did you call me sensei? I am not your instructor.'

'I called you sensei because of the knowledge you instilled within me to help me get this far,' Naruto reasoned without skipping a beat. The spirit fox's eyes widened a negligible amount on account of hearing that. 'And the reason why I wanted to talk to you was because I need to know as to how come the Youkai no Enkou—"

'—is hurting you, right?' the fox-spirit interrupted, completing his host's query.

With a nod from the blond, the ninth tailed-beast continued. 'Well, like I mentioned to you after we eliminated that seal, the Phantom Flame is stronger than what it normally had been. What that means is that you can only utilize it for roughly an hour. Any prolonged use after that time period will create a type of necrotic effect upon biotic cells.'

Seeing the frustrated look on Naruto's face, indicating that he wanted to hear the watered-down version, the fox began to simplify the diagnosis as he rubbed his sore eyes. 'What I'm trying to say is this: after one hour, the Phantom Flame will eat away at your skin, among other things; however, the regenerative abilities may possibly aid in replacing the dead skin cells in your hand. It will take longer to mend this damage, more so than getting nicked with a kunai or shuriken, seeing that this brand of fire is ethereal in composition. In that case, I would suggest that you try to limit the use of that jutsu. It carries that inbuilt risk, and I had called it a forbidden technique for a reason. That was one of the reasons why I had postponed that training back on the ship.'

'There are always double-edged swords when it comes to any form of power, right?' Naruto examined the red patches on his partially-burnt hand.

'Yeah, yeah…All power comes with a type of price tag. Now, let me rest…' The youma kitsune grunted before shutting off the tie between his host and him. A youkai would need his beauty sleep, after all…if one could call it that.

Naruto grumbled more to himself. It seemed as if the oddly withdrawn fox did not want to chat any longer than what needed to be said.

"So, what do we do now?" Chouji inquired as he righted himself.

Just as he was asking, the observant pinkette took notice of the big poster with writing in the dead center of the wall that they were facing.

"Hey, what's that up there?" Sakura asked while pointing up at the elongated parchment.

Ino narrowed her eyes in a squint to read the characters etched onto the poster. "Without heaven…What does that mean?" Her face took on a scrunched up look similar to her fellow blond.

"I don't know," Shikamaru replied before yawning. "But I know for a fact that there is a word missing up there. Look for yourselves."

Dawning realization, the mind-walker pondered to herself before making her thoughts known. "Maybe this message is tied into the Heaven and Earth scrolls." She placed up a finger to her lip in contemplation.

Yet again, in another rare moment of insight, her teammates' eyes bulged a bit.

'Leave it to the airheaded blonde to figure it out,' Sasuke reasoned as he rolled his eyes.

"I guess that means that it's trying to tell us to open the scrolls…in a troublesome, convoluted manner of writing," Shikamaru stated as he rubbed his arm with scratches prior to his team's arrival. "Chouji, you know what to do. Hand over the Heaven scroll."

When Naruto passed Sakura the Earth scroll, she had caught sight of his hand. It looked redder and much rawer in comparison to his left. "…Is that a side effect from that technique, Naruto?" she worriedly asked.

Naruto swiftly nodded. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me." He displayed his toothy, goofy grin to conceal his evident anguish. "I'll endure it for now. Now, take this, and let's open them up."

The pinkette's eyebrows pinched in bewilderment as she grasped the parchment within the palm of her left hand. Something just did not sit well. Naruto was in pain and tried to cover it up, hiding behind a glass smile.

With an unofficial count to three, both teams unraveled the documents at the same time. Etched onto the scrolls had been the noticeably large kanji, 'jin,' which meant 'person,' along with intricate kana and tribal graphics engraved around, in a ring-like pattern surrounding said character. It almost looked reminiscent of the Sun.

From the confused looks on the five faces and muzzle, Shikamaru and Sasuke had already figured out the mechanics of the scrolls from quick-witted observations.

'I see,' the dark-eyed Uchiha surmised. 'This must be a summoning technique of some kind…'

'Ah,' Shikamaru pondered as realization dawned on him. 'Tenchi…Heaven and Earth…We have to lay out the scrolls so that the kanji are aligned in a crisscrossed pattern…'

When smoke started to pour from the four parchments, Sasuke broke the attention of the mesmerized shinobi. "Everyone let go of the scrolls…now!"

Snapping out of their daze, Sakura, Naruto, Ino and Chouji tossed the scrolls far in front of them like they had just touched a hot coal.

As the smog started to increase, the greenhorn genin and nin-ken stood on edge for the dark images that started to appear from out of nowhere.

The looks easily converted from stumped to surprise when two familiar people made their presence known.

"Yo!" The burly voice spoke out as he puffed on his cigarette.

"Hey!" The second voice was a bit lighter and more optimistic than the preceding tone. "Long time, no see…"

When the smoke cleared, Naruto immediately brightened up when he saw that familiar scar across the bridge of the tanned man's face.

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto shouted. "Why are you here!?"

Umino Iruka had to do a double take before identifying the shinobi in front of his eyes. His orbs widened a great bit. "Naruto!? What…what happened…?"

Apparently, he was at a loss for words for the moment.

The kindred chuunin noticed an odd glint in the former troublemaker's eyes before he spoke up. "I'll have to tell you later, Iruka-sensei. Just…" He stole a hidden glance to his other two teammates before his eyes landed back to his brother-like figure. "Not right now."

XXXXXXXXXX

As for Team Ten, their faces were engraved with curiosity. One of two things plagued their minds.

"Oi, Sensei," the lazy shougi-player began. "First of all, aren't chuunin designated to greet the exam takers? It is called the Chuunin Selection Exams for a reason."

"Well," Asuma spoke as he rubbed the back of his scalp. "Apparently, the chuunin that was supposedly assigned to greet you had suffered from a food allergy and couldn't be here. Sadly, Oyaji didn't find a suitable replacement, so he stuck me here…" The bearded jounin grumbled under his breath as he flicked off some cigarette ash.

"Um…Asuma-sensei," Chouji cut in. "What's with the get-up?"

"Yeah, what he said," the young mind-walker added on, thumbing in the portly boy's direction but eyes on their instructor. "Did you lose a bet or something?"

As Asuma looked down at the tacky, green eyesore that he was wearing, he heavily sighed. Out of all the questions, why did he have to get asked about the jumpsuit? He vowed to get Gai at a later date…and Kakashi, too. "You don't even want to know, even the half of it…"

'But we do,' Team Seven thought as one, trying to fight off snickers. Leave it to their lazy sensei for getting their goat.

Iruka checked his pocket watch to indicate the time. "It appears that you all have a little more than thirty hours left, before the cutoff period." He snapped it shut, placed it back in his pocket and gave the two teams a smile. "Congratulations on making it to the next stage of the Chuunin Exams."

"You hear that, guys!? We passed! Yeah!" Naruto, with fox companion on his head, leapt about in gaiety. Sadly, for Doshaburi, he was getting awfully dizzy. If it was even imaginable, then some would have seen the little fox's face turning to a sickly green tone.

'M-My tummy…'

The other five chuunin hopefuls fell on their bottoms, now that they could finally relax.

Sasuke shook his head. "That guy has way too much energy for his own good."

"What a relief," Sakura softly stated.

'Oh, hell yeah!' Inner Sakura shouted with gusto. 'But…we're not out of the woods just yet, Pinky. There's still that chakram-throwing technique that I need to show you.' Seeing the downtrodden look on her outward counterpart, she relaxed a little. Her Inner Will still wanted to get things done…

Sakura wanted her Inner Self to at least empathize with her current capabilities. Only but so much she could take. She had physical limits, unlike the chalky outline in her head.

'Okay, I think that you can take some…vacation time, I suppose…'

'Thanks, Inner Me,' she spoke up, very relieved. She would not want to undergo any of her training regimens any time soon. 'I would greatly appreciate it if I don't overexert myself. I think I'm comfortable with my jutsu for the moment.'

'Just don't get lax, lazy-ass!'

'Try telling that to someone with breaking points. I swear that you're such a slave driver…'

'Earning power through hard work isn't that fucking easy, Pinky! Senpai knew of it; Sasuke is getting to know about it. You shouldn't be, nor should you ever be content on where you are as of this moment. You should always exceed your own expectations, which is what a ninja is supposed to do.' She shook her head.'Now, pay attention. I think someone is about to say something…'

"Heh," Sasuke chuckled a bit as he came to a brief epiphany. "Iruka-sensei, what would have happened had we opened the scrolls out in the Forest of Death, during the test?"

The room grew staggeringly silent when the Uchiha's insightful inquiry was asked.

Iruka's eyebrow shot up slightly as his smile turned into a grin. "I see. You're as sharp as ever, Sasuke." The scar-faced chuunin picked up the set of scrolls that were in front of him. As he was rolling up the documents, he continued his lecture to Squads Ten and Seven. "As you may have already figured out, the rules of this test were designed to test your ability to perform the mission completely and successfully."

"So what would've happened had we broken the rules and opened the scrolls?" Shikamaru asked, carefully putting the pieces of the puzzle into place.

"As expected from the insightful intellect," Iruka remarked in a doting fashion with his fixed smile of pride. Oh, how he missed teaching these kids, but they were going off to bigger and better things. "Those exam takers would have been subjected to a knockout technique and would remain unconscious until the end of the testing period. Those were the orders given to me, as well as my other chuunin peers."

"Um, Iruka-sensei," Ino spoke up with a hand raised. "What's the meaning of the writing on the wall?" She pointed past their former instructor to the hanging poster. "And there's a word missing in it. We can't figure it out."

"Care for me to cut in, Iruka-san?" Asuma asked. "I won't mind."

With a nod from the scarred instructor, the bearded jounin snuffed out his cancer-stick before pressing on. "If you look carefully, then what you are reading is the Chuunin Oath, written by Oyaji…er, I mean, Hokage-sama." Those in attendance read the cryptic writing.

If you lack heaven, then seek wisdom and be prepared. If you lack earth, then run into the fields and seek advantages…

"In this paragraph, 'heaven' represents the mind, and 'earth,' the body," Asuma continued as he adjusted part of the tight-fitting jumpsuit. It was official; Gai was getting what would be coming to him…sooner or later…

What was it? He did not know, but justice would be served, along with a cold dish of revenge.

He cleared his throat and his thoughts before continuing. "In any case, 'heaven' and 'earth' represent the delicate balance between the physical you and the spiritual you. For instance, take Shikamaru here…" He pointed to his subordinate with the pineapple-shaped hairstyle. "He is strong in the Heaven realm, meaning that he has the knowledge to prepare for the missions. Regrettably, on the downside, he's lacking stamina and the drive to do so…" Shikamaru donned a sour look on his face after being called out on his weak point. "That means he must continue to train hard…if he puts more effort into it, of course…" That caused several of the shinobi to chuckle at the shougi player's expense.

"And not to be picking on anyone, look at Naruto for a brief moment." All eyes were then on the blond ninja. "He has the opposite balance that Shikamaru possesses. He has loads of stamina, but could stand to read a bit more…"

"Oi, oi!" Naruto piped up. "I read often…just not as much…" He grumbled when it was his turn to be the subject of laughter.

"If you possess a delicate equilibrium of both," Iruka started to grab the kids' attention. "Then you can succeed in the most dangerous of missions. So, in essence, missions become easier and safer through which to navigate. Those are the words that represent a true chuunin."

"Then what's the missing word in the last sentence, Iruka-sensei?" the green-eyed bookworm asked.

"Can you tell?" He held out the Heaven parchment. "Didn't you see the large character inside the summoning circle? That is what goes there. The last sentence reads, 'These rules will guide a person's extremes.'"

It was then that Iruka's tone adopted a more stern edge, meaning that what he was about to say was highly important. "These five days of survival were to test each candidate's basic abilities needed to gain the rank of chuunin. Chuunin are at the equivalent rank of military captains. You have the responsibility of guiding a team when out on missions. The inner wisdom, stamina and knowledge…These are all needed for your duties. I want you all to challenge the next step with the Chuunin Pledge in mind." After he was finished, the scarred shinobi expressed a somewhat sad smile. "That is all I have to pass on…to you and the next generation."

Noticing the determined and optimistic looks on his former students, he wanted to forewarn them about the imminent third phase, but instead, Asuma had cut in. "We've also been given a message to pass along to Teams Seven and Ten." Eyebrows were raised, indicative of the puzzled looks on the genin.

The cigarette-smoker crossed his arms over his chest, facial features impassive. "After we talked to you about the hidden meaning of the second exam phase, Hokage-sama would like to see both teams in private…and it is not a request. You are to follow us immediately. And only after that will you be able to rest up for what's ahead."

Asuma and Iruka, who offered an apologetic look to his former pupils, turned at an about-face and walked up the stairs on the leftmost side of the room.

For some apparent reason, as he and the other genin (plus nin-ken) were following the two older men, Naruto felt as if an ice cube had been dropped into the deep recesses of his stomach. Doshaburi had picked up on his master's sudden, inner anxiety.

The blond wonder was hoping that it was nothing much to worry about…

It could have just been his nerves…or the indication of very ill omen later on…

XXXXXXXXXX

(Undisclosed location in the Forest of Death Tower)

Two silent minutes later, the collective squadron of genin behind Asuma and Iruka stopped in front of a plain door within the bowels of the Tower. The subtle nervousness emanated through the entire group.

It did not take long for Sarutobi to feel the tension outside his door, much less so for the chakra signatures.

"Come in."

The tone that the Hokage had spoken snapped the chuunin hopefuls to attention. That voice commanded unquestioned reverence for someone as skilled and strong as he was.

'I wonder who pissed him off this time…' Chouji thought, appetite completely diminished.

'Naruto, I think you did it…big time,' Shikamaru pondered as he saw said blond, out of the corner of his eyes, sweating profusely on his brow-line. 'Yep…That's the look of a guilty conscience, all right…'

The son of the Hokage opened the wooden door and ushered in the tight-lipped genin, fox familiar in tow.

Asuma felt as if there was still that noiseless rift between his dad and him. The break in their father-son relationship had mostly stemmed from the fact that he was naïve and chose to set out on his own journey. He wanted to experience the world in his own way.

It was at that point in his young life when he decided to join the Fire Temple's Shugonin Juunishi, a group of twelve elite warriors dedicated to protect Fire Country and her daimyo. At times, they could not stomach the presence of one another within the same room. In most cases, his 'pops' and he typically ignored one another. In rarer occurrences, the two would have a falling out on account of differences in opinion.

Nonetheless, the bearded jounin gave his father a courteous nod of acknowledgment before departing company.

"Iruka, you may leave," the Sandaime spoke up with his scanning eyes. "I'll speak with you shortly."

With a respectful bow to the wizened Fire Shadow, the scarred chuunin stepped out of the room and closed it without a sound.

Noting to himself that he had the required teams assembled, Sarutobi flashed through five handseals before the room briefly flashed in white. The Silent Barrier Technique was set in place.

The Sandaime's trained eye filtered through the genin until his orbs briefly halted on Naruto's cerulean ones in a stern glare, before resuming his panoramic sight. The quick glance toward the blond meant that he was in deep trouble after all was said and done. It was that telltale 'I will talk to you later' kind of look.

"I can tell by your looks that you're wondering why you have been summoned by me this late in the evening," Sarutobi Hiruzen began while keeping his voice steady and even. Inwardly, he was moved by the fact that they had not been looking away from him. It showed their attentiveness, even though it was in the dead of the night.

He clasped together his hands into a steeple-like pattern under his chin before he continued. "What you all have witnessed in the Forest of Death is…well, was supposed to be confidential and classified in nature." He looked at his surrogate grandchild. "No pun intended."

"Hokage-sama," Sakura said as she shakily raised her hand. "If I may, Sasuke-kun and I knew of it, but…this person…never said as to where did he gain this ability…"

"I was getting to that, Sakura-san," Sarutobi noted. "The person of note in this room was supposedly barred from using said ability or even mentioning it in front of an enemy…" The wizened man's eyes quickly cut to a nervous Naruto before resuming his all-encompassing gaze. He could tell that it was obvious as to who was the 'seemingly unnamed individual.'

Sarutobi kept his expression neutral before continuing, even though it was a bit amusing to see Naruto squirm under pressure. "Well, Naruto, care to explain yourself?"

"Uh…" Naruto timidly looked around at the wondering looks from his fellow genin peers. For someone that craved attention, he looked like a Nara deer caught in the crossfire of shinobi weaponry, now that the spotlight was on him. "Well…" He scratched his cheek while trying to regain a bit of his composure. "A relative of mine, somewhere down the family line, was of the Mori no Senju. I don't know how, or when, the dormant gene activated, but it did."

"If you now know that you're a relative of the Senju clan, then would you know your true heritage, then?" Ino asked with wide eyes, a pair of which had been similar to the sets looking at the blond genin. "Say, for instance, your parents?"

"No, not really," Naruto answered with a guarded inflection. It was neither a whole truth nor a whole lie. It was sort of in between. Sure, he knew about his parents, but he did not know them on a personal or intimate level, like his fellow peers did with their own.

"Che," Shikamaru sucked his teeth, hands shoved in his pockets. "Who would've thought that the 'dead last' was a relative of Senju Hashirama? Or even Senju Tobirama, the Nidaime, at that?"

'So that's how it is, huh?' Sasuke mused as he half-glared at the enigma that was his teammate. He clenched his fists slightly. Once again, it was one point added to how 'special' the 'dead last' had been.

"Now that the issue at hand has come out in the open," Sarutobi spoke up, shaking those who were thinking. "Let me pose to you a question. Have any of you figured out the true purpose of the Chuunin Selection Examinations? Why do we have a joint exam with our allies?"

He was answered with silence, along with a set of looks ranging from questioning to utmost confusion.

"Ano…" Sakura piped up after the pregnant pause ensued. "Did it not say in our textbooks that these exams were used as a means to 'maintain good relations among allied nations' and 'to heighten the level of shinobi?'"

"Well, those are some decent reasons to hold the exams, but that is not the true answer," the Sandaime responded. "Rather, this exam is the true meaning of war amongst allies."

"What do you mean, Hokage-sama?" Ino cut in with her own query. "I still don't get it."

Hiruzen gingerly sat up in the cushions of his chair and got comfortable. Part of his coziness was disenchanted by a few loud pops in his back. "If you all look back at history, our neighbors and we fought each other on several occasions. Eventually, each nation decided that, in order to preserve manpower and talent, victors would be decided on a series of tests of valor, rather than incessantly waging war on the battlefields. It was then that the Chuunin Selection Exams had first begun."

"So, is this exam mainly a contest for bragging rights, or something?" Chouji asked. "Is it something where you place the best of the best on showcase?"

"To be straightforward, yes, it is exactly that," the Third Fire Shadow responded in kind. "However, we try to avoid stating it in that particular fashion…"

"Something's off, Old Man," Naruto spoke up after his uncharacteristic calm. His tone indicated that he was a bit irritated. "To me, it feels off-topic, and I have no idea why you are bringing this up, along with my…abilities…" The blond kid tapered off on that word, almost as if it felt foreign or taboo. He tried to piece together the link, but it was to no avail.

"I guess you're still 'that' Naruto," Shikamaru butted in, taking a jab at the bewhiskered genin.

Avoiding the stony glare from Naruto, the lazy genius continued. "Looking at the big picture, the exam is demonstrating the military might of each shinobi village. With that thought in mind, if you display an ability that was thought to have been lost, then the amount of revenue and missions would increase for Hi no Kuni. Isn't that what you were aiming for, Hokage-sama?"

The Sandaime made a mental note to watch his son's charge, Nara Shikamaru. That kid had the potential for greatness despite his apparent nonchalance when it came to scoring average on most of the academic tests.

"Very perceptive, Shikamaru-san," he remarked. "Even though it would bring more missions and proceeds to Konoha, I specifically denied Naruto the privilege of using the Mokuton trait…"

"But—"

He held up a hand to halt his surrogate grandson's protest. "There is a difference between a right and a privilege, Naruto. You may be privileged to being an heir to the Mokuton ability, but that does not give you the right to display said skill openly and without forethought into the matter. I make that decision at your discretion and good judgment. Remember what I had mentioned to you several weeks ago."

Naruto mellowed out and relented to the old man's reasoning, albeit with a spoiled scowl on his face. He crossed his arms across his chest in partial indignation.

"In any case, where was I?" he mused outwardly, more to himself than to those around him. "Ah, yes. I would never exploit Naruto's talents, even if it would garner greater glory, for he has been through a lot…"

He paused momentarily as a sad smile graced his wrinkled face. "Like all my beloved family that is the Hidden Leaf, I would never use any of you as a means to an end." The smile became warm before it slipped a little. "I'm not mad at you, Naruto, and I hope that you know that. I will let this incident slip by, due to circumstances beyond your team's control.

"However…" Hiruzen adopted a more serious tone which made the genin on edge, like the last time. This was coming from the Hokage, not the kindhearted Sarutobi Hiruzen that the kids loved. "This reinforces my previous order with you, Uzumaki Naruto, genin of Konohagakure no Sato. You are to never, under any situation from henceforth, utilize your Mokuton powers. You will not use said ability until you have attained the equivalent level of chuunin or if I pass on, into the afterlife. Is that clear?"

Naruto quickly saluted before stammering out, "C-crystal, sir! B-but even if I could now use Mokuton, I can't as of this moment." Seeing the incredulous look pass through the old man's visage, Naruto took the time to cover his tracks. "I'll discuss what I mean at a later time, Saru-jijii."

Sakura jabbed Naruto into his ribs. "Where are your manners!?" she barked under her breath. He shrugged it off and quietly addressed to her that it was no big deal.

'Calling him Old Man Monkey to his face like that?' Ino thought with surprise. A quick grin came and went. 'The kid's got spunk. I'll give him that much…'

Sarutobi inhaled and exhaled deeply to soothe an oncoming headache. "Very well, then." He glanced from genin to genin before he pressed onward. "The ANBU that were with you all at the time have been sworn to secrecy regarding this matter, and they will be dealt with severely if they freely speak about it. That is my mandate that I will pass on to you, Teams Seven and Ten. No one is to speak of what transpired here. The dire consequences that hold for them will hold for you. Is that understood?"

A chorus of "Hai, Hokage-sama!" erupted from the six greenhorns, along with one yip from the fox familiar.

"Furthermore, Team Seven, I shall notify your jounin-sensei regarding a matter that should be thoroughly investigated. I'm sure that you know of it." The Hokage decided to carefully skirt around the business pertaining to the Ten no Juin on Uchiha Sasuke's neck, mainly because of another team present.

Each genin of the seventh squad looked to one another before they nodded in concordance.

"With that said, you are dismissed for the evening. Rest up, and I will see you all in a little over a day."

Before everyone filed out, he rose from his seat and quickly detained Naruto with a soft hand on his shoulder. "Mind if we have a more…private chat, along with Iruka-san? He was apparently worried about you while you were out there. Along with that, you will tell me why it is that you can't use…you know…"

'Just my luck…'

Naruto sighed within his oncoming yawn. "Fine. How long will it take, Ojiisan?"

"Not long, since you obviously need your rest. I can see bags forming under your eyes." He gave a throaty chuckle as his eyes crinkled with amusement.

Naruto huffed. "Are you making fun of me?"

XXXXXXXXXX

(Tower, 4:00 am)

The blue-eyed genin trudged through the empty, dimly lit hallways, with equally haggard fox-hound in tow.

The blond shinobi was worn out from trying to explain things to his previous sensei and brother figure. It took Iruka a while to calm down after he found out about Naruto communing with his tenant, along with some relieved aid from Old Man Hokage.

In addition, the wizened Fire Shadow told the young lad that he, along with Haku-chan, was under his protection from his advisors and clan heads. Had he shown off in front of them, then he would have basically been…

How did Saru-jijii phrase it?

'What did he say? Milking me for my seed? Or something like that…'

The point was moot; his word was law, since he held absolute authority, alongside the daimyo of Fire Country.

It was even more political poppycock that confused the already-befuddled genin. Since the rest of the lecture was boring, Naruto tuned it out effortlessly.

Thank the kami for a one-tracked mind and a need for sleep…

Feeling along the edges of the wall, he first rubbed against some indents that felt like the engraving on a Konoha hitai-ate. Later, Naruto ran his fingers alongside a surface that had not been consistent with the texture of what he had been feeling. Naruto reached down to quietly turn the knob in order for him to enter.

Upon breaching the entrance, while creeping in silently, he took a quick sniff around to smell out anyone that was hostile within the room. Luckily enough, the boy did not pick up any scents of antagonism, but he noticed some very familiar but unidentifiable odors. Due to lack of forty winks, he could not remember if his life depended on it.

'Well, time to get comfortable, Dosha-chan,' he softly said through mental link as he noiselessly shut the door.

'Ano…shishou, do you think it's reasonable to enter in like this?' the fox kit asked innocently. 'Isn't this called…intrusion?'

'I sense several, peaceful aurae about, and I think that they're fellow Konoha shinobi. So, it should be okay, even though I didn't ask for permission.' He pondered a bit, tapping his chin with his forefinger, before replying telepathically. 'Let's just not worry about it. Everything should be fine.'

Doshaburi decided not to comment, for he felt that his master would not adhere to reason. It would be his hide in hot water when the morning came.

Naruto cautiously felt around in the inky darkness in an attempt to locate a futon and managed to do so, without waking up anyone in the occupied chamber.

While getting comfortable, he heard a faint rustling of the covers and assumed that it was his little companion that was getting adjusted. He reached over and rubbed on the 'fuzzy' coat.

"Good night, Dosha-chan," Naruto whispered.

"Good night, shishou," Doshaburi murmured back, but his voice came from behind the blond shinobi.

"Wait…Dosha-chan?" Naruto's eyes came close to bugging out when his head jerked quickly to the conjectured area of where his foxy comrade curled up.

"Yes, shishou? What's the matter?" the fox kit curiously queried.

"If you're behind me…" Naruto panned onto the soft material, even though he could not see it. "Then who…er, what the hell am I stroking?" It felt warm and that was most certain to the blue-eyed boy.

Doshaburi gave off an obscure shrug, even though his master could not see it. "I don't know, Master. It could just be…" His muzzle parted as a stifled yawn managed to break free. "…your imagination. Let's just g-get some sleep."

It did not take long for Naruto to fall into the arms of sweet slumber, for he was very, very exhausted, in both mind and body.

XXXXXXXXXX

(Tower, 10:00 am)

"Oi, oi! What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Grrr….arf!"

No sooner had the prone figure had not heard those words, a swift kick was administered to his backside. Feeling the intense throbbing surrounding his posterior region, Naruto quickly came to from his peaceful sleep. He hoped to the kami that he would not go off on whoever woke him, or he would pummel him into the ground for another rude awakening. If it were a female, then he would just let it slide as just being particularly crabby.

Grumbling with eyes shut, he shifted his head to the supposed location of his yet to be identified assailant.

"What the hell do you want this time, bastard?" Naruto groused.

As soon as he popped open one eye, he noticed three visages: one feral, frowned face; one full of whitened fur; and another that was enshrouded by tinted lenses and a high-brimmed collar.

"Oh," Naruto evenly uttered. "Hey, Shino…" His eyes narrowed when he turned to Kiba. "Dog-Breath…Akamaru…"

"You must have some nerve doing that, Kitsune-kun!" the dog-using ninja growled out.

"Doing what?" Naruto asked innocently. However, his patience was wearing very thin…very quickly. He detested ambiguity; being left out of the proverbial loop. "And where's Hinata-chan? Shouldn't she be with you guys?"

The answers that he received were not verbal; nothing more than a physical gesture. Still glowering, Kiba only pointed a bit past Naruto to whatever the blond was holding.

True to form, Naruto followed Kiba's extended forefinger to the prone figure lying in the same futon that he occupied.

The blond's mouth did not function properly after he noticed that he had been holding the sleeping Hyuuga maiden. His thoughts, on the other hand, were going one kilometer per minute that contradicted the state of his tongue-tied lips.

'Oh shit…oh shit…oh shit…I'm sunk…'

"Did that answer your question, 'dead last'?" Kiba rumbled. Even though Naruto and he had been familiar with one another in the Shinobi Academy, he was a few seconds close to decking the knuckleheaded enigma. It was due to good fortune and Shino holding his shoulder that prevented him from following through. "If I could get my hands on you, then you'd so be dead, right now…"

Naruto thought that he heard something akin to a bored sigh before the bug-host spoke up.

"Please ignore the ramblings of my…flustered teammate, Uzumaki-san. He meant nothing by it," Shinto commented as he pushed up his glasses at the bridge. "I am certain that this is all just one, big misconstruction based upon our inept judgment. My helpers have not picked up on anything that needed to be called into question…"

"Huh?" Oftentimes, Naruto hated to interpret Shino's vocabulary, for it had taken a while to understand what was said. Instead, why did he not say, 'It was all a big misunderstanding and his bugs didn't pick up any funny business?'

'Wait a minute…What's his angle?'

The shades around his glasses appeared to have darkened as a slight edge came to his voice, which had Naruto feel a bit uneasy. "Nevertheless, in the event that you did, in fact, do something to Hinata, then we will act accordingly on account of her honor and safety. You ruin her reputation; we break your bones and self-worth. Do you understand, Uzumaki-san?"

Naruto swiftly nodded and immediately removed himself from the daybed to prevent further, incriminating evidence against him.

Out of the entire squabble between the three shinobi, Naruto noted that his dark-haired friend was still out like a light. "Um…Why is Hinata-chan still asleep?" he asked, totally mystified.

"She trained herself to the bone yesterday, as if you couldn't probably tell," Kiba remarked before grunting. He shook his head. "I don't know what got into her, but she was…strangely determined. Striving for what, I have no idea, and I'm her teammate. Anyway, I bet that she wouldn't wake up, even if an exploding tag were to go off in the area."

"Hinata should be up some time in the afternoon, taking into account her stamina and chakra levels, for the current moment," Shino directly added, answering Naruto's unasked inquiry.

"Okay. Well, when she wakes up, can you tell her that I need her help with something?"

"It better not be for what I think it is, pervert!" Kiba narrowed his eyes at his blue-eyed peer.

"You got some nerve telling me that, Inu-Ibuki! I can keep myself in check, unlike someone I know that slightly drools when he sees Kurenai-sensei…" The conceit practically rolled off that casual comment made by Naruto.

"What the…?" Kiba sputtered. "How the hell do you know that, Kitsune-kun!?"

"Well, I know my sources, and I'm not telling."

It was complete malarkey on Naruto's part. He offhandedly guessed from out of nowhere and hit one of the canine-using ninja's secrets without previous foreknowledge. It would so go under blackmail material for later.

"All flippant banter aside, what I said earlier still holds, Naruto," the bug-host intervened, completely deflating the lighthearted moment. "Do not forget it."

"Okay, I get it. I'm sorry for giving you any trouble. If I did, then I didn't mean to offend. Hinata is my friend, and I would never, in any way, try to harm her or put her into very complicated situations. Please forgive me for my oblivious rudeness." Naruto added a ninety-degree bow for emphasis.

"Whoa there! No need to be all formal, Naruto," Kiba commented. "Just go on about your business before I change my mind about pummeling you." He paused before a wicked sneer was fixed onto his face. "Actually, I ought to channel that aggression when I'm beating you to a pulp in the next round."

"Heh," Naruto snorted before haughtily rubbing a knuckle against his pectorals. "As if you can overthrow the great Uzumaki Naruto-sama."

"You're thinking too highly of yourself. I'm going to knock you into next week, in order for you to know your place."

"Yeah, we'll see…" Naruto cleared his throat. "In any case, I must meet up with my team. I'll summon a shadow clone outside the door to escort Hinata-chan to where I'll be in the meantime. I bid you gentlemen a good day." Maintaining his dignity, he walked away. In his mind, it was a forestalled crisis. While facing away from the two ninja, Naruto sighed in relief.

'I told you that something would happen…'

'Not another word, Dosha-chan…'

'You set yourself up f-for that one, shishou.' Doshaburi's teeth could be seen from far away when his muzzle was etched with jollity at the expense of his master. If he could, then the little vulpine would have been snickering.

'No cherry shampoo for you, then.' Naruto crossed his arms against his chest for accenting his claim.

That immediately caused the ocher fuzz to look aghast. His mind had been read. It was a blatant violation of his privacy…

Now it was Naruto's turn to smirk.

'I handled myself well, thank you very much…'

XXXXXXXXXX

(Tower, 2:30 pm—Final Day of the Second Phase)

After meeting up with Sasuke and Sakura in the room next door, they told Naruto that they should recuperate and tend to wounds and such like for the day, instead of expending energy. In short, each member of Team Seven had decided to tend to his or her own devices.

XXXXXXXXXX

The lone Uchiha opted to meditate in order to calm his nerves for what was unknowingly ahead. After all the chaos that ensued in the Forest of Death, he could utilize the time for a well-deserved respite.

Clearing his mind of all whimsy and thought, he closed his dark orbs and began to feel in tune with the flow of the working mechanisms of the world.

He scrunched together his eyes after hearing Doshaburi scratch his coat, albeit faintly.

How on earth did he have to cub-sit Naruto's fox?

(Flashback)

"I need you to watch over Dosha-chan, if that's fine with you," Naruto said with semi-pleading eyes.

The lone Uchiha opened one of his charcoal-hued orbs. "Isn't he your responsibility, dobe?" Sasuke asked, completely uninterested.

"Isn't he also a teammate?" Naruto reasoned. "Teammates watch out for one another, right?"

"You still haven't answered the question, idiot," Sasuke retorted. This time, he was slightly annoyed.

Totally dodging a response, the bewhiskered genin thought of a work-around solution to appease both parties. "I'm sure he won't make too much of a fuss. It'll be like he's never there to begin with…" In fact, Naruto needed the alone time. What he wanted to work on did not really require his furry partner. It was just retraining in some basic fundamentals, and his pet companion knew about it beforehand. The ocher fuzz was delighted to have more recovery time; it was welcomed.

"…Whatever," Sasuke answered after a resolute minute. He closed his eye to resume his meditation. "But if he gives me hell, then I'm coming for you. Got it?"

"I get it."

"Good."

(End Flashback)

'Maybe I'm getting too soft…' he thought. 'What are my priorities as of now? Where do they lie?'

It was time to sort out the weeds of his life.

XXXXXXXXXX

In Sakura's case, her Inner Will practically coaxed her into some light training…by her standards, of which were very high. This regimen was considerably light compared to the other times that she trained on her own. As promised, her inner ego stressed to her on the importance of properly throwing a chakram.

'Okay, I got a question.'

'Fire away, Pinky,' her mental construct said with a very wide smirk…almost too friendly, in a way. 'Whatcha need to know?'

'How do I throw these things without cutting me? It seems as dangerous to me as it is to who I'm facing. Shouldn't kunai or shuriken be more capable of doing the job?'

Her Inner Will hummed a bit before answering. 'Well, with the correct technique, you wouldn't have to worry much about that. But, in any case, let's not get sidetracked.' Sakura stifled a moan, thinking that she was never off-topic, before Inner-Sakura continued. 'There are three ways with how to effectively throw the chakrams without causing injury to the one flinging the projectile.'

The green-eyed kunoichi could see her inward counterpart tick off points with her chalky digits. 'One: you can throw it similar to a Frisbee; two: you can toss the chakram open-handed…it's pretty much the inverted way of the first option; and three: the one which I find extraordinary is that you can twirl it on your finger before letting it loose. The third method would seem to be the hardest to do, even though it would be that style that yields the best results. That means that the third way produces more power when you flick it.' She shrugged. 'But, meh, pick and choose which suits you best.'

The pink-haired girl looked at her bladed weapons before her eyes glassed over in bewilderment. She did not want to give up, because if she got this down, then this would be one step closer to being stronger.

She closed her eyes and evenly thought, weighing out all of her decisions on the style that felt appropriate to her.

After a few minutes, she stood up and got to work. There was not going to be any progress done if she sat around all day.

XXXXXXXXXX

Naruto wandered around to find an unoccupied area. Much to his dismay, he ran into the Suna group, sans Gaara, while trying to locate a place to train, away from unbidden eyes.

Silence enveloped the trio of shinobi for quite some time, due to the heavy tension among them.

Kankurou was the one to break the weighty serenity. "So…what do you want, shrimp?"

"Well," Naruto piped up, trying to gather his thoughts. He scratched the back of his scalp on account of that being one of his nervous ticks. "I thought that we kind of started off on the wrong foot when we first encountered. How about we clear the air between our countries? I'll apologize on the behalf of my squad if, and only if, you express regret for provoking confrontation by assaulting one of our Academy students."

"Not going to happen, kid," Kankurou flatly stated with narrowed eyes. "And you had some nerve to hit me in the face with that Doton jutsu."

"I unconsciously acted on account of how I had been training. That was all…"

"Pay no mind to my hotheaded brother," the blonde (Temari, Naruto recollected) said. From how she presented herself in Naruto's being there, he felt a confident aura radiating off her. "Since he's too proud to admit that he was wrong, I'll go ahead and say it. We're sorry for giving you a bit of a hassle. I gave him a forewarning, but he didn't pay any mind to little old me." She gave Kankurou a self-satisfied smirk. The puppet-holder looked away and grunted as if he had breathed in foul air.

"You know, Temari-san, you're kind of cool." At that moment, Temari raised an eyebrow to her fellow blond. Who the hell said 'cool' anymore? "Unlike that prick with the painted face…" Kankurou snorted once more when the blond genin pointed in his direction. Temari tried her best to fight off another grin. "I'll express my regret at behest of Team Seven of Konoha." He offered the Suna kunoichi with an elegant bow. "By the way, where's your other teammate, the redhead? What's his name?" The blond tapped a finger against his bottom lip before his face lit up in realization. "Oh, that's right! Gaara…"

"He's near the roof. We decided to give him enough space."

'Even though he's a bit unstable,' Temari thought, keeping that snippet of information undisclosed.

Although she carried herself in a calm, cool, and collected manner, she was emotionally troubled on the inside. The iron fan-wielder was a little nervous due to the fact she was fraternizing with the 'enemy.' She was a bit concerned for Gaara's well-being. On top of those issues, Temari wanted to compile some data on this unknown element in front of her, but at the moment, she could not tell how strong this Uzumaki Naruto kid was. The only thing that she had known was that the boy could use an earth-based technique and had above-average senses. Everything else was riddled in the gray area.

"Okay. I guess I'll see you later, then, Temari-san. I offer the best of luck to you and your team in the future."

After the pointy-eared blond departed from their company, the Suna puppeteer looked at his sister with a lifeless glare. "Weren't you going to back me up on this one?"

Temari shrugged her shoulders before turning away to polish her iron fan. "You gotta admit that you're wrong, eventually." She heaved a quiet sigh. "No one is perfect, you know."

XXXXXXXXXX

(Secluded area, 3:46 pm)

'All right…Time to train…Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!'

With the dual set of crossing, half-Tora seals, three duplicates of the blue-eyed shinobi appeared from light wisps of smoke.

"Okay, guys, you know what to do!" Naruto shouted while gaining momentum to the wall.

"Right!"

The replications followed soon after their creator.

From the eighty-foot-high partition, Naruto and his clones managed to stick onto said wall up until the fiftieth. After that, his control on his energy source wavered, causing his duplicates and him to fall together, in an unceremonious heap onto cold linoleum tiles. The shadow clones cushioned the original's impact, but at their sacrifice.

By Naruto's quick summation of how his control was, compared to how it has been now, he had come to a brief and demoralizing conclusion…

His management over his reserves had been reduced by roughly thirty-eight percent…give or take several hundredths on account of marginal error.

In shorter terms, he had regressed to the point of basic tree climbing tactics.

Naruto held back a frustrating sigh, along with a string of obscenities that would, in essence, get him nowhere.

Since the Forest of Death was out of the question, the blue-eyed genin thought that using a stationary object, like that damn wall in front of him, as a veritable substitute for a tree in said exercise would have been a good idea.

Naruto mopped the sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. What was he doing incorrectly?

Luckily, he had someone that could answer that potential inquiry. It was by good fortune that Hinata, who found the room with little effort at all, was with him at the current time, silently watching him like an eagle with her Byakugan.

He still could not fathom that fact that he was…fondling her from the night before. Due to that, when she first arrived, he could not keep the blood from rushing to his face. She had asked him what was the matter, but Naruto stammered through an excuse that he was experiencing a bit of vertigo. It had been a touch of irony on his part, to say the least. Normally, Hinata was the shy one.

On the down side, it felt as if his entire life had been one cover-up after the next with lies, back to back…

In any case, he shook those rootless thoughts from his head and focused on the matter at hand.

"What's my problem, Hinata-chan?" he asked without looking at her. "It's like all my prior training had been all for nothing…" That would mean that he would have to redo water walking at some point. He frowned while rubbing his scalp.

The Hyuuga maiden deactivated her doujutsu and looked at him with warm eyes, even though he could not see it, due to the fact that he was facing the wall.

"Your chakra coils seemed to have expanded by about one millimeter, when comparing them now to then, several weeks ago," she softly said. "That shift must've caused most of your problems." She paused to trigger her eyes once more. "I also s-seem to notice…some swirls of…r-red chakra in your system." Hinata walked up a bit and stood over a wide-eyed Naruto with a small blush on her face. She cutely tilted her head to the side. "Naruto-kun, normal chakra is generally blue in coloration." It was then that worry started to creep into her voice. "Is there anything that you want to talk about? Anything at all?"

"No, none," the blue-eyed boy answered with slight hesitation as he stood. "It could be an inherent defect, or something. It may be a rare occurrence, that's all." In a way, it was rather dishonorable, by his set of values, to tell boldfaced fibs to those he held as very dear to him. He felt disgusted with himself…

'It is best to conceal the hurtful truth, kid.'

'Why now out of all times, Kyuubi-sensei?'

'I told you, and I will say it once more: for the last time, I'm not your teacher, brat,' the giant spirit fox deadpanned. 'You're correct in withholding your secrets. There's no point in feeling bad for acting selfish.'

"Naruto-kun, what's wrong?" Hinata asked as she saw her Sunshine's brow crease as if he had bitten into a sour lemon. As if on a dare, she slowly moved her face to his in curiosity.

"Huh?" Naruto asked. He was unaware of the closeness between Hinata and his countenances. "Gah!" Finally realizing the proximity, he rushed back several paces. "How'd you get so close?"

"…" The Hyuuga maiden poked together her forefingers before she responded. She found the floor oddly interesting to gaze upon. "…Y-You spaced out for several seconds, Naruto-kun."

"Oh, sorry about that. My bad," he said with that lopsided grin. "So, Hinata-chan, what can I do to fix my dilemma?"

"Um…" The shy Hyuuga considered the possibilities for trying to restore 'balance' within a body that had expanded chakra coils. She could not come up with any solutions that could normalize the body's chakra circulatory system to a state of homeostasis.

On the other hand, she weighed the option for him to enhance the chakra output to the size of his widened energy channels. He could try that route.

'I can help him. I can help Naruto-kun…' Her heart fluttered on account of her growing confidence.

"You could…um…produce enough chakra that is proportional to the size of your network." Seeing a confused look on his face, she tried to explain in further detail. She then felt a little self-conscious that she had her blond knight's undivided attention. "Um…What I'm trying to say is this: the ratio of harnessing chakra to the available potential in the body is one to one. However, you're only using whatever control you had before your sudden mishap, w-whatever it was. The ratio that you c-currently have is one to two…or three, given the amount of chakra you need when calling forth ninjutsu."

"Is it just because I'm trying to hold back too much of my energy when attempting jutsu?"

"S-Sort of," she vaguely answered. "It's like attempting to force a large volume of water through a small pipe; the volume of water being your chakra and the small pipe being your forced restraint. You…um…have to let more of your chakra naturally flow; instead of forcing it all back. Accommodate to your new reserves. That's all there is to it, I think." A small smile graced her face.

Simmering on that thought, he could not find any flaw to it. In fact, given his current control, it could increase it by another five to seven percent…or, possibly (but stretching it), ten percent!

It was worth a shot, after all. What else could there be to lose?

'Let's see…your pants, your pride, your ability to mold chakra, your limbs…I can keep going, you know…'

'Sarcasm not needed right now, bastard fox.'

'Now that is the Naruto I have come to know.' Naruto could see his occupant's toothy smirk, much to his chagrin.

"All right," Naruto spoke after a brief bicker between his spiritual tenant and him. "This time, I think you saved my ass, Hinata-chan. I guess this is repayment for helping you with boosting your ninjutsu skills, right?"

Hinata meekly nodded. "It's…um…the least I could do for you, Naruto-kun. That's what…friends are for, right?" She almost let slip what she truly felt about the blond enigma in front of her. He always seemed to put everyone around him at ease with his carefree attitude, among other quirks. She had let down her guard and was practically vulnerable to spilling the beans. On the other hand, her fears overrode her falling, mental barriers and allowed her to keep herself in check.

In due time, perhaps, she would tell him, but not now.

He displayed one of his sunny smiles while thumping his chest. Said action caused his petite friend to chuckle. "Right! We help out other friends if they're in trouble or in need of assistance." He turned to face the wall. "I'll try what you said for the next couple of hours, if there may be a slight improvement. It's okay if you leave or stay. It doesn't matter to me."

Summoning around five replications, Naruto set to work to restore a bit of his lost chakra control, while Hinata chose to be a spectator during his impromptu regimen.

XXXXXXXXXX

(10:00 pm)

'Damn…where did the time go?' the bewhiskered kid thought as he moved to the room where his comrades were.

Hinata had gone a while ago to eat and rest up for the next day.

Naruto took more time than his projected schedule…in between snack breaks, of course. Fortuitously, the training provided fruitful results.

With the aid of his Kage Bunshin, he managed to restore six percent of his 'default' chakra control (as predicted), dropping the percentage of error to about thirty-two percent from its original status, after the Kyuubi tweaked the seal.

He still had a long way to progress, though. He mentally kicked himself for flaunting his power, because it was on account of that incident that took away part of his inherited traits.

At any rate, after a few trial runs with testing out techniques, he managed to call forth the necessary chakra for elemental manipulation in the categories of Water and Wind Releases. Earth-based ninjutsu (excluding the Inner Decapitation Technique) still was not readily available, no matter how hard the blond tried. That further connected to the lack of control required to harness together two elements, making the ability to generate ice and wood close to impossible.

To sum it up, even though some of his powers were taken away, Naruto still had a loaded repertoire on which to fall back. He held some aces up his sleeve; instead of relying on reckless taijutsu, he considered himself well-rounded with fending off assaults and delivering them up close or from a substantial distance. Per usual, the realm of genjutsu was never his area of expertise. However, he resolved to compensate for his lack of illusions by being adequate to proficient in ninja arts and body-to-body techniques. That would all pan out in training for later.

As he walked into the resting lodge, he noticed that Sasuke was sprawled across his futon, disheveled sheets and all, with drool pouring down the side of his open mouth. His fox kit was curled up, on top of the raven-haired recluse.

Naruto shook his head, wishing that he had a camera to take a candid shot of the 'flawless' Uchiha.

In the next daybed was Sakura. He noticed several gashes across her forearms, albeit very minor. Just like the aloof bastard, his kunoichi teammate was down for the count, too, but with tousled hair.

Once again, sweet dreams would come quickly to the blond shinobi when he plopped in his rightful mattress.

Before he fell asleep, he caught a whiff of his underarms…

In the morning, he would need a very hot shower…with a lot of soap.

XXXXXXXXXX

(2:20 pm—Next Day)

Mitarashi Anko was in a meeting with the Hokage before someone buzzed in on one of the monitors, diverting her attention.

"Anko-sama, we have confirmed that twenty-one shinobi have passed the second test," the chuunin guard explained. "In accordance with the rules, for the first time in five years, we will begin preparations for an intermediate preliminary before the third phase of the test. The second phase to the Chuunin Exam is now complete." The monitor shut off in a whir of static and white noise.

"Anko-san, we'll continue the exam as planned," Sarutobi stated. He looked at Anko's current state. Since Orochimaru was still at-large, her mark started to react in a negative fashion. It was with his aid that the pain was alleviated from the lady snake-charmer's nape. "We shall stay cautious of Orochimaru's movements. I am certain that he is still lurking about."

"Right, Hokage-sama."

XXXXXXXXXX

(2:30 pm)

It was crowded in the main chamber of the Tower. The chuunin proctors, jounin-sensei and the Hokage were lined up in front a large set of hands clasped into the Hitsuji hand seal.

Anko ruffled through her amethyst hair and scoped out the potential candidates. She was mildly surprised. She wanted to cut the numbers in half; however, she was expecting single digits, like nine (or even better, six) candidates instead of twenty-one. She supposed that Ibiki was right; there was a good crop of potential chuunin amidst the assembled shinobi.

The lady snake summoner adjusted her headset. "First off, congratulations on passing the second test!" she boomed.

Off to the sidelines, some of the jounin were talking among themselves…

XXXXXXXXXX

"Well, well, well," Maito Gai spoke enthusiastically. "I would never think to say this, but…" He gave two of his peers a pair of thumbs up, along with that flashy smile. "Kurenai-san, Asuma-san, you two look most certainly youthful!"

Asuma held himself in check by fiddling with his lighter. He was mostly laid back, but the green jumpsuit soured his overall mood. "When are we allowed to take off these…things, Gai?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"If your team displays the most exuberance during this next phase by winning their bouts, then you are allowed to remove the jumpsuits after it is over," the eccentric jounin answered. "I wouldn't see why not, for they are most certainly vibrant and form-fitting. Isn't that right, Kakashi?"

"Hm?" Kakashi turned a bored eye to Gai. The ashen-haired shinobi tuned out most of Gai's soliloquies over time. "Did you say something?"

The Noble Green Beast of Konoha began to rave and rant about 'hip attitudes' and 'being so cool' that it got on his nerves.

Kurenai thought how unfair that would be, but she decided to not vocalize her opinion and cross her arms over her bust. She would maintain her sense of dignity, even though she felt more exposed in her current attire than her regular style of dress. The genjutsu mistress despised the occasional, uninvited leer of perversion from a handful of her shinobi peers.

She turned to see her subordinates within the group of twenty-one and noticed that something was…off…

'Akamaru is acting strange…'

XXXXXXXXXX

Sure enough, the white canine was trying his best to hide within his master's coat. Kiba assumed that it was that Suna redhead. The kid was essentially leaking bloodlust.

Doshaburi was not faring any better than his alabaster-furred counterpart. He was nestled beside Naruto's leg. He, too, was a bit spooked due to the energy and tension surrounding them.

'Don't worry, Dosha-chan. It'll be all right,' Naruto told him.

The dark-haired avenger took several glances around. 'Heh…I can't say that I'm getting a good feeling about this…'

Anko boomed, which caused all errant thought to cease. "Listen carefully. Hokage-sama will explain the third test."

The Sandaime Hokage administered a rehashing of what he had told Teams Seven and Ten in one of the secluded Tower offices.

The Selection Examinations consisted of a multifaceted affair comprised into one event. Not only did it allow genin to become chuunin, but it was also a matter of maintaining the prestige of the country.

The third phase would be held in front of influential individuals and supporting leaders that made up the shinobi clientele. They would, in essence, be the overseers of the battles. If the strength of a particular hidden village is clear, then said civilization would gather more attention, which meant more missions and more wealth. Conversely, if a country was viewed as weak, then it would receive lesser patrons.

Adding onto that, it would send a political message to the outsiders watching on how 'strong' the shinobi from a hidden village were.

"Yeah, but why!?" Kiba asked out loud. "Why do we have to risk our lives in battle!?"

The Hokage's demeanor remained unchanged. "The strength of the country is the strength of the village, and the strength of the village is the strength of the shinobi. A shinobi's true spirit is born only through life-risking battle."

Seeing the baffled looks, Sarutobi continued his lecture. "This exam is a place to see each country's strength as well as showing off your individual strength. It only has meaning because lives are at risk, and that is why those that have come before you have fought in the Chuunin Exam, for this meaningful dream…"

Tenten voiced her concern. "But, then, why do you say stuff about it being for 'friendship'?"

"As I mentioned at the start, I do not want you to confuse the purpose of this event," Sarutobi calmly answered. "Losing life and establishing balance is the shape of amity in the shinobi world."

Hiruzen's eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "Now, before we begin the third phase of the examination, I will tell you one more thing. This is not just a test, but a life-risking battle with your dreams and country's reputation on the line."

"I don't care what it is," Gaara said without expression. "Just hurry up and tell us what this life-risking battle entails…"

"Actually, Hokage-sama…"

A rather sickly agent under the Hokage appeared via use of a Shunshin. He appeared to have worn standard Konoha shinobi attire with a complementary headband tied in the back, hiding away the majority of his brunet locks.

Getting over a coughing fit, the new arrival stayed in a crouch. "From here on, as the referee, will you please allow me, Gekkou Hayate, explain? I humbly apologize on account of my tardy entrance."

The wizened Fire Shadow slightly bobbed his head. "By all means, Hayate-san."

The ill-looking Tokubetsu Jounin spoke in a rather kind matter as he stood on his feet. "Hello, everyone. My name is Hayate, and…um…there's something I'd like for you to do before we start the third part of the test…"

'Whoa,' Naruto thought. 'Is that guy sick? Is he all right? Does he need throat lozenges?'

"…Let's see…It's a preliminary for the third part. It's to decide who gets to participate in the main event…"

The seemingly unhealthy brunet went on to explain that the first two phases of the test were deemed 'too easy' and that too many people remained. The number of participants had to be reduced on account of time constraints, coupled with the fact that the fights could extend to a very long duration.

He had then asked if anyone would like to retire from the competition, since the fights would begin in earnest.

Seeing no one raise his or her hand, the glasses-wearing 'genin' raised his own. "I…am going to quit."

Ignoring the astonished genin, Hayate held up a clipboard and coughed into his hand. "You're Yakushi Kabuto-kun from Konoha, correct?" He coughed again. "You may leave now." He made some marks here and there on the pages held on the clipboard.

With a very plastic smile, Kabuto spoke softly to his teammates and departed from the group, sparing quick glances in Naruto and Sasuke's direction. There was no need to blow his cover while fighting with above-Chuunin levels. He was also aware of the fact that his master was watching…well, more so of his summons than anything. If that were the case, then his job as an informant for Orochimaru-sama was complete.

'I'll save the fun for some other time, Sasuke-kun…and you, too, Naruto-kun…'

Naruto kept a cautious eye on the bespectacled ninja. Something just did not sit well whenever Kabuto was around. In a way, the guy gave him the creeps.

"Is there anyone else willing to forfeit?" A small flicker of insight passed through Hayate's droopy eyes. How did he forget the most crucial part? "Oh…um…I forgot to mention to you that, from now on, it'll be individual battling. Now, you may raise your hand based on your own judgment…"

Seeing no one else quit from the group, the katana-user decided that it was time to press onward. "Now, let's begin the preliminary. These knockout rounds will consist of one on one battling. In essence, you will fight as if in a real life confrontation." He paused to cough a few more times. "Now that we have twenty entrants, we will conduct ten matches in total. The victors will advance to the third test."

To Naruto, the proctor in front of them could potentially hack up a lung with that coughing fit.

"There are basically no rules," Hayate continued. "The fight will continue unless one of three options occurs: you die; you are rendered unconscious; or you submit, admitting your defeat. Um…If you don't want to die, then I would encourage you to acknowledge your defeat at a moment's notice.

"However, when I decide that the match is over, it is over if, and only if, the winner is determined by my ruling. I'll jump in and stop things, since we don't want any unnecessary deaths. This will be the object that controls your destiny…"

That was the signal. Anko tapped a button on the side of the headset. "Open it," she said through the transmitter.

Part of the wall opened up, behind the large set of hands. Planted in the wall was a considerably large monitor.

"This electronic scoreboard will show the match-ups for each battle. Now, I know that this is sudden, but let us announce the two names of the first fight…"

The electric display board spun quickly, running through the names of the chuunin hopefuls. The iridescent characters began to slow down until they paused on a set. Glowing like fire, two names had been presented.

The ones that would be facing off first would be…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A/N: I told you all that my update speed was going to be slowed down considerably.

There were some things that were beyond my control upon my return, folks; hence the reason last chapter came out so 'late.' Plus, that chapter was a 'chore,' but I didn't want it to be like that. We are supposed to write and read for our own enjoyment, right? (That's rhetorical, so, once again, don't answer that.)

But, I digress. My thoughts seemed to have dried up when I was at the midpoint of this chapter, and, hopefully, I can rediscover my lost Muse during the winter break (and away from the hectic work schedule—grumbles—) to press on with future chapters. Consider this as compensation for not updating in over four months.

But, nevertheless, I would like to thank pudgypudge and weixuan18, among others, for helping me through the knots of this chapter.

Just like my 'newer' fic, Limit Breaker: Fūjin no Ōdachi, don't expect any hasty updates, even though they may be sporadic (like I said, work is a top priority). That is an experiment of mine that will be a bit different in style than this.

Anyhow, about Danzou's thoughts, 'that man' will be explained much, much later.

With regard to countries, I adopt the term 'motherland,' indicative of relating the gender of lands as 'her.'

IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you by chance have the time, then I would like to invite you all to join in my discussion forum, aptly titled Orion's Utility Belt. This forum will be open in order to discuss about my fan fiction, among other things. I may make/move challenges or so into said forum.

Until then, I'll be seeing you, and I wish you all a safe and happy holiday.

They say that order emerges from disorder; harmony out of chaos; stability out of pandemonium. As shinobi, they must adapt and overcome any situation put out for them. Will our Chuunin hopefuls transcend the Wheel of Fortune or succumb to its unknown machinations?

Jikai… (Next time…) on Birth of a Legend: The Fox Druid…

Battle Ignition: Genin Knockout Rounds…

Sakura: I will win!

Romaji/Jutsu Guide

Soin Kanmon no Jutsu (Prolonged Silence Gateway Technique): unknown rank supplementary ninjutsu; created by Danzou, this is an area-affect barrier technique that enshrouds noise within a given radius, dependent on chakra output; the downside is that it sacrifices containment for absolute silence (created)

Itai: painful

Katon: Kyoka no Jutsu (Fire Release: Torchlight Technique): Low C-rank supplementary ninjutsu; allows the user to conjure a diminutive ember of fire; this jutsu is used to light candlewicks or, if more chakra is added, illuminate darkened areas (created)

Oyaji: pops (slang for father or old man)

Shugonin Juunishi: Twelve Gentlemen Guardian Ninja

Mori no Senju: lit. One Thousand Arms of the Forest

Hi no Kuni: lit. 'Fire Country,' alternatively 'The Land of Fire' (from Viz Media translation)

Shunshin: Body Flicker