Disclaimer time: I don't own a damn thing.
Training Ground Seven
It was six forty-five in the morning. The morning sun was peeking through the nearby trees. Birds were chirping and people were starting to rise. All except for a select few young ninjas.
Sasuke and Naruto arrived first at the clearing with three posts planted firmly in the middle. Both boys were ready to go today and were busy stretching. Sasuke was dressed in his off-white cargo shorts, blue combat sandals with his ankles and calves taped, a dark blue t-shirt with the Uchiha symbol on the back, and white forearm protectors with blue embroidery. Naruto went with black cargo pants, black combat sandals, a red fitted long sleeve shirt and a new sleeveless trench coat. The only piece of his once beloved orange was the cloth which his hitai-ate was set upon, neatly tied to his head.
"Ooi, Sasuke. Why did we let Otousan give us that fruit for breakfast?" Naruto queried as he continued to stretch.
"Come on knucklehead, you should know by now. When Kakashi was with us those two days, he was always a couple hours late. A little fruit won't weigh our stomachs down, especially by the time he actually gets here." He informed his aniue.
"Is that the best you can come up with? Knucklehead? You got to have something better than that, teme." Naruto replied.
"Why should he, baka?" A screech came from behind the two. Turning, both boys saw their pink haired teammate dressed in her usual red dress, black fitted shorts, and blue combat sandals. "Like you haven't given Sasuke-kun a better one."
"She has a point there, knucklehead." Sasuke agreed with a smirk.
Naruto saw Sakura's smile at that comment and instantly came with a counter to make Sasuke squirm. "You are just agreeing with her cause you think she is hot."
Sakura blushed and gave a small squeak while Sasuke just glared. He hated getting into these arguments with his blond otouto, but honor had to be upheld.
"You were the one who wanted to get a kiss from her a couple months ago."
"Only because you wanted me to do it. I swear you just wanted to see if she was good." Naruto retorted with a suggestive raise of his eyebrows.
Sasuke grunted and sat off to the side while Sakura was left standing there blushing, thoroughly embarrassed by the two. Naruto smiled, flicked his index finger like he was adding a notch to an invisible scoreboard, and went back to stretching. Everything was quiet for a while as everyone separated into their own areas. It wasn't until an hour had passed in waiting for their sensei that the grumbling started up again.
"Ooi, Sasuke. Didn't you say that Kakashi-sensei helped train Otousan?" Naruto asked leaning against one of the wooden posts. Sasuke gave a slight grunt in agreement.
"What does that have to do with anything? He is an hour late, Naruto." Sakura interjected, completely annoyed with being stuck waiting on the cyclopean Jounin.
Naruto merely shot her a glance. "Don't you remember our Otousan saying to always be fifteen minutes early if you are required to be there? You would think that our sensei would have picked up on that."
"Can it, Naruto." Sakura replied, returning his glare and crossing her arms in a huff of frustration. Naruto growled slightly and took a few steps from the post. He started to throw his kunai into the post for target practice, imagining a certain silver-haired Jounin as the unsuspecting target.
Another hour passed before a simple poof of smoke appeared in the clearing. All three newly minted ninjas glared at the smoke as a man wearing a familiar hitai-ate covering his left eye came out of the smoke.
"Yo!" Kakashi lazily greeted.
"YOU'RE LATE!!!" Naruto and Sakura shouted back in irritation of his tardiness. Sasuke continued glaring as if his eyesight would burn through the Jounin's vest.
"Heh. Sorry about that. There was a black cat that crossed my path so I had to backtrack around the village." Kakashi deadpanned.
"LIAR!!!" the two loudmouths responded in unison. Sasuke still glared, hoping that the Jounin would be struck by lightning for the obvious lie.
"Oh well, I guess we should get started." Kakashi replied placing an alarm clock on the center post.
"Come on sensei. You mean to tell me someone with an alarm clock can't show up on time??" Naruto inquired, stumped that someone over two hours late would own one of those.
Kakashi seemed to ignore the blond as he continued explaining the test. "The test is very simple," he said while pulling out two small brass bells from his pocket and tying them to his belt. "In order to pass the test, you must get one of these bells."
"Sensei, there are only two bells. There isn't enough for everyone." Sakura pointed out.
"Good observation. The alarm clock is set to go off at noon. You must have a bell by that time." Kakashi stated.
"What happens if we don't grab a bell?" Sasuke asks cautiously.
"Those who fail get tied to the stump and watch the rest of us eat those lunches over there." Kakashi answered and pointed to the lunches on the Memorial Stone.
"No wonder you told us not to eat breakfast." Sakura grumbled, stomach already feeling hungry. Sasuke and Naruto simply gave each other a knowing glance. They would thank their Otousan later.
"Nothing like a little extra motivation to spur things along." Kakashi stated while glancing at the memorial. "By the way, if you don't have a bell by noon…. You fail." He emphasized the last two words specifically to provoke a reaction from them. From the stunned looks on Naruto and Sakura's faces, it worked like a charm.
"What??" Naruto and Sakura responded.
"That's right, and no bell means a one-way ticket back to the Academy. Everything is allowed in this test, including weapons and clan jutsus. Come at me with the intent to kill."
"Sensei, wouldn't you get hurt or even killed if we did that?" Sakura asked, worried about going all out.
"I wouldn't be much of a Jounin or even a Konoha ninja if that was going to happen. Is everyone ready?" Kakashi asked simply.
"You are so going down, sensei." Naruto said as he brandished a kunai and got ready to pounce. Sasuke crouched slightly, ready to move. Sakura simply closed her eyes and let out a deep breath before opening them again. Naruto was about to leap off before Sasuke stopped him with an outstretched arm, shaking his head slightly and tapping one finger into Naruto's chest. Naruto glanced back and smirked.
Kakashi saw this display and smiled underneath his mask. "Well, I guess what your Otousan said was true. You follow orders well from your better brother."
Naruto growled and took off like a shot attempting to slash at the lazy sensei, only to get his arm bent behind him by a simple wrist lock.
"Now Naruto, I didn't say start yet. In any case," the silver-haired Jounin said as he released the blonde. "I am beginning to like you three. Begin!"
Sakura and Sasuke were off like a shot, dashing into the tree line, while a small bit of dust and smoke enveloped the area where the three once stood. Kakashi sighed as the dust cleared to reveal Naruto standing there defiantly.
"I guess you are not like your aniue and Pinky." Kakashi observed.
"Just wait sensei. You haven't seen anything yet." Naruto responded while twirling the kunai he already had out.
Kakashi sighed and got into a simple squatting position, reaching into his back pouch with his right hand. Naruto took this as a sign and charged.
"I AM GOING TO CRUSH YOU!" Naruto shouted in a simple war cry. The Jounin merely shrugged and pulled out a little orange book and flipped it open to a marked page.
Naruto saw this and stopped. "Sensei, why are you reading?"
"To see what happens."
Naruto fumed. He hated being slighted or underestimated. He could have handled that from the villagers who hated him. He could have handled that from even some of his classmates, but having his sensei disregard him was rude.
Naruto tossed the kunai at Kakashi who simply swatted it to the side. Using the kunai as cover, Naruto closed to attack with a flying knee. Kakashi sighed and stepped to his left and turned.
"Lesson number one: Taijutsu." Kakashi said calmly as he placed the book back in his pouch and clasped his hands together. Both index fingers were extended as he declared his move.
"Sennen Goroshi (One Thousand Years of Pain)!"
Sasuke was watching from the tree line hidden inside a bush. From that vantage point, he saw Naruto fly off towards the lake screaming and grasping his ass. 'That knucklehead. How embarrassing.' All of a sudden, Sasuke was surprised to find that flying towards the nearby pond was not Naruto, but a log.
'A Kawarimi. I wonder where he is coming from now.' Kakashi thought. He turned to his left and got his answer.
"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto called out as nine shadow clones came into existence and quickly circled the Jounin. The original looked at his clones and smiled wickedly.
"Impressive Naruto, but I am not that traitor. It will take more than that to take me on." Kakashi stated plainly.
"Take him down." Naruto ordered and the group charged to pounce on the Jounin. In a flurry of punches and kicks, they assaulted Kakashi but seemed to be getting nowhere. After a series of punches landed, they noticed Kakashi all of a sudden looked like Naruto.
"Where is he?? Where did he go?" One of the clones asked.
"He transformed into one of us." One of the others shouted and started to attack the other clones. A brief melee came into being. Sakura, hidden in another nearby bush, grimaced as the clones mercilessly mauled each other. She knew Kakashi already disappeared but they didn't know it.
One of the Narutos suddenly stopped and shouted out the obvious answer. "Stop. Just dispel ourselves then we know which one he is." After a bit of smoke and a popping sound, all that was left in the clearing was Naruto.
Sakura shook her head when Naruto screamed. She watched him as he looked around and noticed a bell on the ground. 'Baka. Doesn't he know that is a trap?' She then saw him caught in a simple snare and propelled skyward, dangling by a foot. 'I guess not.'
Out of the bushes behind her, she heard a groan and the sound of dripping liquid. Looking around, she didn't see Kakashi so she ventured out to investigate. There in front of her, leaning against a tree was her hero and long-time crush, Sasuke. He was skewered with numerous kunai and shuriken all over his chest and legs.
"Sakura…. Help… me." Sasuke groaned out as he fell over. She stood there in a panic. If her hero could be killed on this test, she knew she had no chance. Being the girl that she was, she did what came naturally to her.
As her scream rang through the training ground, Kakashi dropped down from a tree branch whispering, "Lesson number two: Genjutsu."
He walked out to the clearing to see Sasuke patiently waiting for him. "Sakura easily fell for that one."
Sasuke smirked confidently. "I am not like those two."
Kakashi saw a little of his old cockiness in the boy. 'The last loyal Uchiha. Time to see what he can really do. Maybe I should get a little of his cockiness out of him.' He looked him dead in the eye and relaxed into a ready stance. "Say that after you've gotten a bell…. Sasuke-chan."
The young Uchiha nodded then tossed three shuriken with incredible speed towards his sensei. Kakashi nimbly dodged left and landed with one hand firmly planted in front of him.
"You should know by now that attacks like that are pointless." Kakashi taunted. He then noticed a rueful glint in his pupil's eyes. He curiously watched the path of the shuriken and noticed a rope was cut. 'A trap. Not a bad setup but too basic.' Kakashi heard the release of multiple kunai from the trap and evaded them effortlessly.
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Sakura was just waking up from the knockout delivered by the elementary genjutsu she was delivered. She looked around the clearing and failed to see Sasuke's body.
'He was just here and was too injured to walk away. Where could he… wait!! That's it. He wouldn't have asked for help like that. Must have been a Genjutsu.' She shook her head in disgust that she fell for that simple trick. As she dusted herself off, she felt a hand cover her mouth.
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Sasuke thought he saw an opening from the evasion move and charged the lazy Jounin. Kakashi saw this and sighed. 'I guess I have no more time to read Icha Icha.'
Sasuke reached within striking distance and threw an overhand right, which was easily caught by Kakashi with his left hand. Sasuke immediately used it to his advantage and spun into an Inzaguri Heel kick, flipping over and twisting his body to attempt a connecting blow with his left heel to his opponent's temple.
Again, Kakashi blocked the attack but with his other arm. In doing so, Sasuke saw the opening he wanted and dove for the bells. The attempt was noticed by the Jounin and he tossed his student across the clearing, but not before Sasuke was able to touch a bell with his fingertips of his left hand.
Sasuke skidded to a stop twenty-five meters away and assumed a recovery position while catching his breath. While he was standing, he noticed a small flash of red and blue in the tree line. Kakashi glanced at his student and was slightly impressed.
"I guess you do have some skill and you are definitely different from the other two. Time for lesson number three. Ninjutsu." He then noticed Sasuke smirk again while flashing quickly through some hand signs. 'A Genin should not be able to perform that jutsu.' Kakashi thought as Sasuke took a deep breath.
"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Grand Fireball)!" A large flaming ball of death grew and grew from the gas spewing from Sasuke's lips and launched itself towards the surprised Jounin. It made contact and resulted in a tremendous explosion.
When the smoke cleared, all that remained was a charred log. Sasuke looked around and saw no sign of Kakashi but four red figures. A small smile crossed his face and he played along. 'I guess Naruto caught the sign I gave him. Not quite the knucklehead this time.'
"Where did he go?" Sasuke asked to the air. He glanced at the sky. "Not above. Oh crap." He felt a pair of hands grasp his legs and pull him down.
"Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu (Earth Style: Inner Decapitation Skill)!" Sasuke was pulled down to the ground until there was only a head left showing above ground.
Kakashi then came out of the ground and crouched in front of the head. "Well I guess you are heads above the others in this area."
Kakashi was greeted by a poof of smoke and in front of him was a grinning Naruto head. Kakashi was stunned and confused. 'Was that Naruto the whole time? Or did he replace himself to save Sasuke?'
"I guess you would think that about Sasuke, sensei, but don't underestimate me." All of a sudden a faint glow surrounded the exposed head of Naruto.
'Oh crap.' That was all Kakashi was able to think of before the jutsu was called.
"Bunshin Daibakuha (Clone Great Explosion)!!"
Kakashi was thrown away from the small explosion and the crater it developed. His path took him towards a tree where a certain snare was placed. He glanced to see Sasuke swinging free from said snare and performing some quick seals.
"Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu!"
Kakashi couldn't change his direction and the small shower of fireballs was going to directly impact him. Quickly, he performed another Kawarimi with the previous charred log. When he appeared, he noticed five Sakura's surrounding him and they tossed shuriken in his direction. Ninja wire attached to those shuriken wrapped around his limbs and waist, with each Sakura pulling the wire tight.
The Sakura from the back smiled brightly. 'CHA!! That plan worked so well. Glad I thought of it!' Inner Sakura shouted with glee. She looked up and noticed that the wires were now attached to a small rabbit.
"Naruto, he got away. See him anywhere?" Sakura asked. Four of the Sakuras changed in a small puff of smoke to reveal Naruto and three clones. The clones dispersed leaving the original to scan the area.
"I got nothing. Hey teme!!" He shouted over to his aniue. "See him anywhere?"
Sasuke dusted himself off and walked over to his teammates. "Got nothing, knucklehead."
Naruto was about to comment when a sharp ringing sound came from the clearing. Instantly in front of them stood Kakashi peering down at the trio.
"You three look really hungry. Now about this training test…."
Uzumaki Complex
"And then he tied me to the post and let the other two eat. Can you believe that?" Naruto asked as he and Sasuke walked alongside their friends toward the main house.
"Of course we can, Naruto." Ino admonished. As much as she didn't mind the energetic blonde, sometimes she thought his antics were downright annoying.
"You do realize that you were tied up because you were stupid enough to try a frontal assault right away." Sakura lectured.
"Yeah, but I was not the one knocked out by a simple genjutsu." Naruto responded mockingly.
"Ano… N-Naruto-kun, how did you pass?" Hinata asked shyly.
Before Naruto could respond, Sasuke interrupted him. "It was simple. Kakashi gave us a speech about heroes and not abandoning comrades or friends. Otousan spoke about that as well the second night we were at the house. That was when we realized it was a test on following that rule of life."
"So we both separated the rice from our bentos, cut Naruto down, and let him eat." Sakura finished for Sasuke.
"Kakashi suddenly appeared from a smoke bomb and tried to scare us, but said we passed." Naruto added smiling true. Hinata noticed the truth of this smile and hoped to see it again.
"Sounds too troublesome to me. Asuma-sensei wasn't so demanding. He just gauged our skills and gave us some training tips." Shikamaru noted.
"Kurenai-sensei did something similar with us yesterday so today we got in some training as a team. She was pretty good, wasn't she Akamaru?" Kiba asked of his partner, who barked in response.
As the group approached the front door of the main house, Naruto noticed Hinata was acting nervous and fidgeting. Every step closer seemed to make her more anxious. One to never let a friend be discomforted, he pulled Hinata to the side as the group entered the house.
"Hey Hinata, everything okay?" He asked concerned for his friend.
"I… I'm fine." She replied not bothering to look up from the ground beneath her feet.
"Are you nervous about what you have planned for tonight?" Naruto inquired.
Hinata blushed slightly. 'How did he know? Was it that obvious to everyone?' She wondered to herself before nodding shyly.
"You know, I was nervous too during the exam, and even when I met my Otousan for the first time. I do well to hide it, but sometimes it just comes through." Naruto said while looking off to the side. Before she could respond, Naruto remembered what he said yesterday.
"I may not be the best with dealing with emotions, but I remember something that might help. You know Otousan loves expressing emotions through songs right?" He turned back to see Hinata nodding. "There was a song that I liked that probably fits this situation."
Hinata looked up at him and saw Naruto smiling softly. She took a breath and summoned up whatever courage she had.
"W-would you sing it for me, Naruto-kun?" She quietly asked hoping for the right response.
Naruto scrunched his eyebrows and looked up at the sky for a few seconds. Hinata was getting worried that he did not really want to sing and became disappointed.
"Maybe later on, but not right now. We need to get inside. I got to get changed for the ceremony and the new clan robes are a bit different." Naruto said with a smile.
Hinata and Naruto walked over to the door that Hinata was about to open until he stopped her.
"Ever since I met Chronos and started living with Sasuke, I actually had more real smiles. There is a reason why. I can be myself. Maybe that is all you need to do as well." Naruto stated as he started to hum a simple wavy tune. Hinata took a step back to look at him fully as he turned to her and stopped the melody. "I actually can be myself around you too. I should thank you for that more than the flowers."
Hinata grew the biggest smile Naruto had ever seen on her face. It seemed to warm the air and make the sky brighten. He returned her smile and opened the door for her.
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It seemed tonight was to be a big event. The main ballroom was set up for a small dance floor, a dining area, and a stage with microphones and Chronos's electronics ready for use.
Gathered on the dance floor was all of the rookie class, their Jounin senseis, some of the clan leaders as well as those who normally came for the weekend get-togethers. The only clan leaders that showed were the ones who were supportive of Naruto. Typically for this kind of event, everyone would be wearing their clan robes and more formal wear, but Chronos specifically mentioned in the invitation that they were not needed.
The door on the left side to the ballroom abruptly opened and Chronos walked in alongside the Hokage in his formal robes. Chronos himself was pressed and dressed in his new Dress Blue clan uniform. The Sandaime stood to the side as Chronos took to the main stage. He grabbed the microphone and addressed the crowd.
"I appreciate everyone showing up tonight. With my arrival and assumption of leadership over this new clan, I decided to bring forth some customs and traditions. Tonight is one of them. Typically here in Konoha, promotions are done in front of the Hokage in his or her office. In the Marine clan, promotions are done in front of family and friends in a ceremony that you will see here."
With his last words, Chronos stood at attention and drew Kudou Tsuu and moved it to the ready position. The hilt was held between the pointer finger and thumb in his right hand and the blade tip barely touched his right shoulder. He performed an about face and a drum beat started from the speakers near the stage. The crowd looked around but saw no one mastering the controls. Shikamaru just smiled as he pocketed the remote control.
The Hokage marched forward and came to a stop in front of Chronos perpendicular to him. After a right face, the drum beat stopped and the Hokage spoke.
"Report!"
Chronos brandished his katana inches from his nose and then brought it down to his right leg, blade flat towards the Hokage.
"Marine clan ALL PRESENT!"
The Hokage saluted. "Very well." Chronos returned Kudou Tsuu to the ready and awaited the next order.
"Take your post!"
Chronos pivoted to the left and marched behind the Hokage, taking post to the left and a step behind. When in position, the Hokage gave a slight nod and Chronos barked out the order.
"Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, FRONT AND CENTER! MARCH!"
Again the drum beat sounded and the two young ninjas marched in single file in step. They were dressed in their own Dress Blue clan uniforms with the only slight difference being that Chronos had small Eagle emblems on the top of each shoulder and their pants had no red stripe. Sasuke and Naruto halted in time when Sasuke was centered perpendicularly in front of the Hokage. After a facing movement to the left, Chronos spoke.
"Attention to orders! Those who shall see these presents, greetings. Know ye that we repose special trust and confidence in the fidelity and abilities of Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto, that we do appoint these Marines, Genin, in the Marine Clan of the Konoha Shinobi Forces, to rank as such from this twelfth day of June in the year of our Kami two thousand and seven. Signed Sasuke Sarutobi, Sandaime Hokage."
Both newly promoted Genin stood rock solid and unwavering as the Hokage looked at Sasuke.
"Is there anyone you wish to mark you with your rank?"
"Uzumaki Chronos, Hokage-sama."
With those words, the Hokage gave Chronos two red and golden patches. Tucking one in his belt, Chronos molded a small amount of chakra in his left hand with the other patch in it and grasped Sasuke's right arm. The patch fused to the sleeve of the uniform jacket. Chronos repeated the same process with the left arm and revealed a single golden chevron pointed upwards with the Konoha leaf symbol underneath, all surrounded by a red border.
Both the Hokage and Chronos gave their congratulations and faced right, each taking two steps for the Hokage to stand in front of Naruto, and then faced left.
"Is there anyone you wish to mark you with your rank?"
"Uzumaki Chronos and Umino Iruka, Hokage-sama."
"Very Well. Umino Iruka, FRONT AND CENTER!"
Iruka walked over to the Hokage and saluted as he had seen performed earlier. He received one of the patches and Chronos the other. They performed the same method, Chronos taking the right arm and Iruka the left. The trio gave their congratulations and Iruka returned to the crowd. Both the Hokage and Chronos returned to their earlier positions.
"Clan Leader, front and center."
Chronos marched to the front of the Hokage and faced him. "Dismiss them to change into attire for the meal." Sandaime ordered. Chronos saluted with Kudou Tsuu and replied, "Aye, Hokage-sama." The Hokage returned the salute and smartly marched off stage. Chronos returned the sword to the ready as soon as the Hokage cut the salute and took a step forward, then performed an about face.
"Marine Genin, dismissed!" Both Sasuke and Naruto took a step backwards, performed an about face, and marched out of the ballroom. Chronos then sheathed his sword and addressed the crowd.
"Arigato. That has concluded the ceremony. In a few minutes the meal will be served. Please make yourselves at home. I will return shortly with the meal." Chronos then marched out of the ballroom.
(a/n): Hope everyone is ready for the party next chapter. After next chapter, we will start on the the various major arcs of the Naruto saga before the time skip. I have posted the first two chapters of "War of the Three". Please read that story out as well as this one. One last thing before I go. I would appreciate more reviews.
