So many reviews to reply to! Not that I'm complaining ;)

Tara Terra has published her own story that will depict the Sugoi Herbs Arc that I decided to scrap. The story is appropriately titled the Sugoi Herbs Arc. As she was very interested in the idea for the arc, I have decided to grant permission for her to write it. I have handed the basic idea of the arc to Tara Terra, although she'll be writing the ending by herself. I hope you guys will give that story a read and a review :)

For the summoning question thing, 5 reviewers got the answer correct, and another one had the answer in one of his answers (he gave four answers). So it should be pretty obvious what the species of the animal summoning is by now.

Reading Arch The Ripper and Hachibi8tails' reviews, I have been reminded about the latest manga chapter. Have all of you read it? It is truly fucking epic! Sasuke is a good guy again, and I especially loved the part when the revived Hokage jumped onto the heads of their own stone faces at the Hokage Monument. Epic.

NTA FANFIC: A dragon summoning would be super epic, but that would be so overpowered. :P

Hachibi8tails: Thank you for your usual epic review. You want more and you will have more. I am surprised you like it's fast pacing though, because I believe that the fast pace of my story is one of my weak links.

Fernlight: Is it? ;)

Arch The Ripper: Indeed :D

zarethuzumi: I didn't disagree with your opinion on Faded, if you didn't read my reply to your review carefully, hahaha. Sai will be in the sequel of course, but you will just have to wait and see what kind of role he'll play.

AlleyCAT19: That's what I'm going to do :)

TheOrangeStar802: You deserve applause for coming up with just that in one night ;)

Awais: You don't scare me! RARRR

Cookiesany1: Have you been reading the story? If so, you will know that it pairs Sasuke up with Kin. I've left NaruSaku hints here and there throughout the story as well because I'm planning to make the sequel NaruSaku in the future. Also if you've read my profile, you will know I dislike NaruHina with some sort of passion, so there's no chance of me writing a NaruHina story :P and thank you! I think you are an amazing reviewer yourself! :)

Thanks to Guest, demonic hellfire, NTA FANFIC, Hachibi8tails, S.R.457, Fernlight, Arch The Ripper, zarethuzumi, Pen-Name-Kitsune-chan, AlleyCAT19, TheOrangeStar802, Awais and Cookiesany1 for the reviews!

"Sasuke. 3 o'clock."

"Gotcha." Sasuke's Chidori lengthened in his hand. "Chidori Sharp Spear!"

He thrust his hand to his left.

A scream filled the air.

Neji shook his head. "We've been attacked by the other Chunin all day. The Jonin shinobi around the forest must be hard at work."

Sasuke looked up into the sky, which had grown dark. They had until the next afternoon to reach the tower, and thus he decided it was time for a break. He informed his Byakugan-wielding counterpart.

"Alright," Neji nodded. "A rest it is."

Both stopped on top of a tree branch, and landed on the ground.

Neji kept his Byakugan activated.

"No one's near," he said, his voice laced with satisfaction. "But we should still be on our guard. I'll take the first watch."

Nodding, Sasuke sat, and rested his body against the trunk of a tree. He soon shifted positions to lying on the forest floor, and drifted off to sleep.

He woke up, to see Neji staring back at him with his white eyes. Five fingers repeatedly jabbed him in the hip.

"I'm awake," Sasuke groaned. Neji nodded, a rather sleepy look on his face. With his Byakugan still activated, it was comical. The Branch Member deactivated his dojutsu, and fell into a deep sleep.

He would have nothing to do for the next two hours at least, until an interesting enemy came along.

Shrugging, he decided to do some training, and made a few hand seals.

"Chidori Blade."

His lightning-crafted sword came to life in his hand, and Sasuke attacked a tree trunk, leaving long marks that crackled with blue electricity.

After slashing for awhile, the tree eventually succumbed, and toppled.

Sasuke frowned as the tree started it's collapse on him. He didn't want to attract attention or disrupt Neji from his much-needed rest. The Curse Seal on his neck soon spread, and joined to form dark skin. He quickly took off his shirt, throwing it to the side as wings sprouted from his back and his hair grew into a mane of sorts.

His wings, shaped like hands rose to grab the trunk, and Sasuke used his normal hands as well.

Gently, the gigantic trunk was set onto the ground without much noise.

Sasuke nodded with a satisfied grin, although to others, when in his Cursed Seal form, he looked more like an evil, grinning maniac. His dark skin parted to make way for his normal skin color once again, while his wings disappeared.

Putting his shirt back on as the marks around his face returned to his neck, Sasuke summoned the Chidori Blade again, and started breaking into an array of moves, violently stabbing the air as if it was an enemy.

Soon after, his blade flew out of his hand, parting into ten senbon.

"I know you're there," Sasuke declared. "Chidori Senbon!" He swung back, and the ten senbon flew in the direction he wanted.

He did not expect none other than Kakashi to descend and land behind him. The silver-haired Jonin attacked with a kunai. Sasuke ducked, and jumped away.

"It was tough finding you out here, Sasuke," Kakashi commented.

Sasuke smirked. "Kakashi-sensei..."

So Kakashi-sensei is taking part in this too.

"I want to see you in battle. Surprise me," Kakashi smiled.

Sasuke nodded. He wanted to wake Neji up, but he couldn't pass up the chance to face his tutor on his own. Then, he noticed something. "You know, Kakashi-sensei, you pay more attention to me than your Genin squad."

Beneath his mask, Kakashi had a sheepish smile. "Perhaps."

Wielding his Chidori Blade again, Sasuke got into a stance. "I have not seen you in battle myself. Let's see what the famous Copy Ninja can do."

With an eye-smile, Kakashi readied himself.

The two Lightning Style users stared each other down for a moment.

Kakashi-sensei is powerful... if I get defeated here, and our amulet gets taken away, it'll be a race against time for us to qualify for the next round... should I wake Neji up?

He looked at Kakashi again.

No... I want to fight Kakashi-sensei myself!

Kakashi, hands in pockets, looked calm and collected as ever.

Suddenly, Sasuke was behind him, swinging his sword.

With ease, Kakashi parried with a kunai.

Disappearing again, Sasuke reappeared in front of Kakashi's face, aiming a flying kick at the former ANBU man, who dodged and grabbed the leg, before swinging it around and tossing Sasuke away.

Landing on his feet, he grinned, relishing the battle already.

Blade in hand, Sasuke lunged for his target. Wielding two kunai, Kakashi successfully blocked every single strike from Sasuke, and to the Chunin's surprise, managed to land a small cut on his cheek.

Kakashi wasn't dubbed one of the strongest in the village for nothing.

And he hadn't even used his Sharingan! Sasuke hissed in frustration. There was a burning desire within the Uchiha, one that wanted to show Kakashi he'd not wasted his time in training him for these exams.

"Chidori!"

The Copy Ninja leaped into the air, as Sasuke's Chidori sank into a tree trunk. Moments later, the tree collapsed. Amazingly, the sleeping Neji did not stir.

"Haven't I told you not to use the Chidori on comrades?" Kakashi held a disapproving look in his one eye.

"I've lowered the power of the technique," Sasuke explained himself. "It'll only serve to injure, not kill." Lightning chakra concentrated in his right hand again, and Sasuke roared with fury as he dashed towards his opponent. "Chidori!"

With a taunting eye-smile, Kakashi side-stepped. As Sasuke dashed past him, the cycloptic ninja grabbed his collar, pointing a kunai at his neck.

"It's over."

What a surprise for him when he found out it wasn't. Sasuke exploded into a mass of blue Lightning chakra, knocking Kakashi back.

From behind a tree, the real Sasuke stepped out.

The Lightning Style Shadow Clone, Kakashi grunted as he picked himself up. He must have switched positions with his clone in the split second I took dodging his first Chidori...

"Fire Style: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu!"

Kakashi looked up, visibly shocked at the amount of fiery power radiating from the flame dragon Sasuke had just created from his mouth. It illuminated the entire area with it's flame body, and was genuinely gigantic.

Sasuke thrust his hand forward, and the dragon flew towards Kakashi.

Does he want to kill me or something? The Team 10 captain shook his head, racing away as the dragon chased after him. In it's wake, whatever it touched exploded into nothingness.

Sensing a potentially dangerous forest fire about to start, Sasuke quickly stopped the technique, and the dragon disappeared.

Where was Kakashi? Sasuke looked around, Sharingan eyes blazing wildly.

Detecting a presence underground, he leaped up, just in time as Kakashi appeared from beneath and aimed a punch, only for it to hit the air.

He now had his forehead protector pulled up, revealing his single Sharingan eye.

"It looks like I'm going to have to start taking you seriously."

Sasuke couldn't help grinning at the comment, landing behind Kakashi. He threw a fist, but his punch was blocked and he received two feet smashing into his chest for his efforts.

Now generating Lightning chakra through his fists, a technique he had taught himself to increase the power of his taijutsu attacks, Sasuke charged again, intent on seeing his hands draw some blood.

Kakashi swerved and dodged elegantly, and Sasuke was sent flying into the air as he was kicked in the chin, and landed on the ground with a pained grunt.

Unfazed, he got back up, and managed to hit Kakashi with a one-two, before ending it with a harsh kick that sent him spiraling to the floor.

Unfortunately, the one that ended up falling onto the floor was Sasuke, and a log. Kakashi stood behind him triumphantly, his hands on his hips.

Sasuke winced. Kakashi had gave him a kick up the ass. His Substitution Jutsu... was timed perfectly!

"You need to work on your taijutsu, Sasuke!"

Yelling, the teen addressed threw himself back up on his feet with his hands, and aimed a low kick to trip Kakashi up. The Jonin jumped, avoiding the attack, and then sent his foot crashing into Sasuke's cheek.

He gasped, saliva flying from his mouth.

It was a struggle not to collapse. The kick seemed to have broken a cheekbone. However, Sasuke steadied himself.

If taijutsu won't work...

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Seeing the technique, Kakashi's hands flew into a set of hand seal movements.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Sasuke could never understand how Kakashi could use the Fireball Jutsu despite having a mask on, but had no time to be focusing on trivial things like that. Both fireballs collided, resulting in an explosion.

Neji flew awake from the sounds of battle, and only had to turn his head to see the raging battle going on between Sasuke and Kakashi. He jumped to his feet swiftly, keen on aiding his partner.

The Hyuga jumped towards Kakashi, hoping to catch him by surprise.

He was rewarded with a punch to his stomach, sending him wheeling back.

Turning, Kakashi eye-smiled as he kicked Neji in the chest and head repeatedly, knocking him back to the ground.

Sasuke came charging in again, now wielding his Chidori Blade.

"Eat this, Kakashi-sensei!" He cried, swinging the weapon. Kakashi ducked, and with kicked out again, his ninja sandal this time slamming into Sasuke's entire face and sending him flying. The Chidori Blade flickered out of sight... and so did the Sasuke clone.

"Chidori Lament!"

Kakashi swung around, narrowly avoiding the black Lightning chakra that had reached out to attack him.

Sasuke, now in his full Cursed Seal form, had his Black Chidori sizzling in his right hand. The evil-looking lightning from the powered-up Chidori was stretching forward, like a long-range Black Chidori.

The jutsu he creates... they're astounding, Kakashi thought, as he jumped back.

By now, a crowd of Chunin participants had gathered to watch the battle, all amazed at the strength both Sasuke and Kakashi were displaying. Neji had decided to step back, on Sasuke's request. The Uchiha wanted a chance to down his tutor by himself.

"Chidori Lament!" Sasuke continued to attack relentlessly.

Infusing his kunai with Lightning chakra, Kakashi beat off the black lightning with his short weapon.

Tossing the kunai away, Kakashi decided to go for the next best thing. He made a few hand seals as the black lightning continued to reach him, like hungry ghosts reaching for their meal.

Solid blue Lightning chakra gathered in his hand, forming the shape of a distorted spear.

"Raikiri!"

He slammed his hand down into the black lightning, and charged. His Raikiri destroyed any black lightning that came into contact with it. Sasuke frowned.

Ending his technique, Kakashi jumped over Sasuke and in a flash, had positioned his kunai on his neck.

What he failed to notice, however, was that Sasuke's wings were not to be underestimated. They balled themselves up into fists, punching Kakashi away from Sasuke.

Sasuke wanted to use the Black Chidori, to finish this battle. However he reminded who he was fighting. Kakashi was a comrade!

As black Lightning chakra gathered in his hand for more Chidori Lament attacks, Kakashi put a hand up, signaling for him to stop.

"That's enough."

Confused, Sasuke reverted back into the Cursed Seal level one. The black marks around his face returned to that spot on his neck.

Kakashi eye-smiled. "I came to see the extent of your strength... and I've seen enough. Sasuke, you are going to ace these exams. I'm sure of it."

Sasuke's mouth formed a small 'o'.

"Well, good luck getting to the tower." A grin could be seen under his mask. "La-ter."

He teleported away, in a puff of smoke, leaving Sasuke there, frowning.

"Eh, we haven't finished our battle!"

From three hundred meters away, Kakashi chuckled, and stared at the tower in the distance. He had taken too much time enjoying himself with Sasuke. For now, it was time to continue his minimizing of the amount of Chunin passing on to the next round.

This chapter didn't start off or end off well, but I'm particularly pleased with the fight scene myself, and I hope that satisfied you enough. In the next chapter, Sasuke and Neji reach the tower, where the second round of the exams is explained. Later!

Question of the Day: How are you finding the Jonin Exams Arc so far?

For me, it hasn't turned out as great as I would have liked :/

Well, for real now, later!