A/N: This is my first try as an author so bear with me. English isn't my first language so don't hesitate to pm me with any fault you find, I am always eager to learn.
Please remember that if you leave anonymous reviews with questions, I will not be able to directly send you a reply to answer your questions.
Thanks for the suggestions I received from a review to complete my bingo book page for Naruto from the previous chapter.
Without further delay, welcome to the next chapter of Kaze No Kami.
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.
Chapter 8: Chunin Exams – Part I
Konoha's Main Gate
The journey back from Wave Country had been pretty uneventful, some bandits but nothing close to the opposition they met during their mission for Teams 7 and 8.
They finally arrived at Konoha's gate where they had their ID checked then Kurenai decided to directly go report to the Hokage Tower the results of the mission.
On their way to the tower, Naruto could not help but notice the weird looks he received from the villagers. Those were not the looks of fear or hatred he was used to receive, if he had to classify those looks he would say they were looks of curiosity and what surprised him a little, admiration.
The other team members and their sensei also noticed the strange looks their teammate was receiving and decided to say nothing until further explanation could be provided. Most of them wanted nothing more than go to the tower, debrief quickly then be dismissed to finally go home after what had to be the longest time they had been away from home ever.
Hokage Tower – Hokage Office
Both Team 7 and 8 finally made it to the Hokage Tower and were currently standing in front of their leader in his office.
"Glad to see you back Team 7 and 8" said Sarutobi as he ordered his subordinates to stay at ease.
"It is good to be back sir. I am here to report the result of the mission for team 7 and 8 to Wave Country Hokage-sama" replied Kurenai.
"Very well go ahead" the Sandaime said.
Kurenai explained everything that had happened during the mission, from when her team left Konoha to join team 7 in Wave Country to the moment when they left after the bridge was completed by Tazuna and his workers 3 weeks later.
Sarutobi listened silently during her report, only giving occasional nods, or frowning when Kurenai explained Team 7 situation when they met, the way Kakashi handled his team training during all the time he had them and what level of skill they had.
As she finished her report, Sarutobi dismissed all the genin except for Naruto and also ordered Kakashi and Kurenai to stay.
"First, Kakashi I will address the problem concerning the way you run your team" announced Sarutobi.
"I am quite disappointed with your teaching methods, or in this case lack of teaching methods. You will have to show me that you have what it takes to be a jonin sensei or I will make you a chunin again." started the old Kage.
"But Hokage-sama, Sasuke is ..." he started as we was immediately cut by his leader.
"I am perfectly aware that part of the council is pushing for your to focus more on the Uchiha heir but I won't allow favoritism from my jonin, are we clear?" demanded the Sandaime.
"Hai! Hokage-sama" replied Kakashi.
"I will personally check the progress of ALL team members of squad 7 during the chunin exams that will take place in one week, and they better be ready for that Kakashi or you will discover the joys of gate guard duty again. You are dismissed. " finished Sarutobi as Kakashi left his office.
When Kakashi was out of his office, Sarutobi used some hand signs and sealed the room from prying ears.
"You most likely noticed a few difference from the way some people look at you since you came back from this mission Naruto-kun" asked the old man to his adoptive grandson.
"Yes Jiji, what's up with them it's kind of creepy" replied Naruto as his leader chuckled at the boy's reply.
"That would be the cause of your current predicament" said the Hokage as he thew a book on his desk to Kurenai and Naruto.
Kurenai instantly recognized the book and opened it to the last addition page and her eyes widened at what she saw.
"What is it sensei? What's in the book?" asked the boy to his sensei as he did not recognize the book.
"That's a bingo book Naruto, it lists all the relatively important ninja in the elemental nations." replied Kurenai.
"Really how important do you have to be to have your entry in this book?" asked the ever-curious blond.
"See for yourself" she replied as she handed him the book opened to his page.
Naruto's jaw dropped when he saw his entry in the bingo book, all information listed on him were more or less accurate but there was a lot missing too. Suddenly the last words of Zabuza flashed through his mind and he understood how his name made its way inside this book.
"Your generosity and your skill shall reach your enemies even before you have had the chance to meet them on the battlefield young man." Naruto remembered Zabuza's words. "So that's what he meant ..."
"So I'm in this book, what does that change for me?" he asked.
"This book gives information on you to the whole elemental nations, every ninja village has access to it. It gives details on some of your skills and what feats you accomplished in your career. It also shows the different bounties on your head if you are important enough that some village wants you captured or dead." replied his teacher.
Sarutobi who had been silent during all the explanations Kurenai gave to her student, decided to give his input to the current situation.
"Yes, Kurenai is right Naruto. The stunt you pulled in Wave has put some focus on you, this was something we especially wanted to avoid." said the old man.
"I know Jiji but I had to protect my precious people, I had to use one of my best move to help sensei" said a scared Naruto as Kurenai put a hand on his shoulder to comfort him.
"Yes Naruto I know you did what you had to do to protect your team and I'm not mad at you, I just wanted you to be older for something like this to happen. Now other villages may try to send ninja to either harm you or try to kidnap you for their own benefit if they suspect you may have a bloodline Naruto." he said to the blond.
As Naruto was lost in thought with everything he just learned, the Sandaime tried to cheer him up.
"Well, it's not like everything is lost in this situation, as you saw, the villagers know of your actions in Wave and many ninja now respect you a lot more." Naruto's eyes widened at this particular piece of information.
"Moreover, the fact that your ability to manipulate wind to that extend became public knowledge in this manner, this made you an irreplaceable part of Konoha's forces. That also means that attempts to stop or slow your progress as a shinobi from inside Konoha will become a lot more difficult." continued Sarutobi.
"Does that mean that the council won't harass me anymore?" asked a skeptical Naruto.
"I wouldn't say stop for sure, more like they will happen a lot less and they will be more discrete" replied Sarutobi.
"We are also lucky that the file does not say that your ability is a bloodline, it would have been a lot more difficult in that case" added the Sandaime.
"No one knows that this is how almost no attack could hurt Na-chan, and I plan to keep it that way" said Naruto with determination.
"Alright Naruto, that's all for now. You are also aware from my conversation with Kakashi that the chunin exams will take place in one week in Konoha. I think Kurenai will agree with me that your team is ready" said the old man as Kurenai gave them a nod.
"I won't give team 8 any mission during that time and I suggest that you take that opportunity to rest first then train a little bit more before the exams start." finished Sarutobi as he dismissed the pair of ninja before him.
Naruto's apartment
Naruto was finally home after three long weeks. He decided to go hit the shower then take a quick dinner and finally he went to bed.
He made his way to his mindscape as he slowly let sleep take over him.
Mindscape
Naruto joined Natsuki as she was currently laying on the grass in the garden of her house.
"Hey there Na-chan" he said as he laid at her side.
"Hey there Naru-kun, what are you doing here I thought you would be tired after your long mission" replied the vixen.
"I've missed you so much, it's been so long since I've been able to be all alone with you after all, no one around me in the real world to disrupt us." he told her with a smile on his face.
She smiled back at him and the two lovers shared a deep kiss before he broke the contact and spoke to her again.
"So did you hear the good news?"
"About your entry in the bingo book?" she asked as he gave her a nod.
"Yes I was listening, that's amazing I think you should remember to thank that Zabuza guy once you see him again since he basically gave you a solution to most of your problems inside Konoha" she said with a smile.
"It's all thanks to your training Na-chan, I'm really grateful for all the things you did for me" he said as he kissed her again.
"I did not forget about my promise to free you from the seal either, there's just not a lot of information about fuinjutsu that I can easily find in the village" he said with sadness.
"It is true that I would be very happy to be able to hold you in my arms in the real world but as long as we're together and that you love me I am already happy Naru-kun, do not trouble yourself with it. You should focus on the chunin exams coming in a week first, even if I know you are more than ready" replied Natsuki to cheer him up.
"Alright Na-chan, but I'll ask the old man if he can help me with fuinjutsu, I won't say what for, as he may not like the idea of me trying to free you, I will just say that I want to know about the art since I've learned from you that my mother was quite good at it." he said.
"Okay Naru-kun. Now it's almost morning you should go rest to prepare for the exams" she said as he nodded and left his mindscape.
Konoha Academy
The week pause passed quite quickly. Naruto just took the opportunity to visit the library to find out more about fuinijutsu. He did not find much except that there was once a Nation where the ninja all excelled in it, Uzushiogakure was its name. Unfortunately the village was destroyed during the second shinobi war. Naruto vowed to visit the ruins to find if he could salvage some things from it in order to develop a way to free Natsuki.
He was pulled out of his musing when he reached the academy's gate where Hinata and Kiba were waiting for him.
"Hey there Kiba, Hinata." said the blond as he joined his teammates.
"Yo Naruto you ready for this?" asked Kiba.
"Sure let's go" replied Naruto as they went to the designated classroom.
As they went inside classroom 303, they saw that most the teams were already there. Team 7 stood in a corner with team 10. Yamanaka Ino and Sakura were fawning over Sasuke while the rest were speaking among themselves.
As they joined them, Team 8 heard Sakura talking about how Sasuke was a hero in Wave Country, how he freed the villagers from a tyrant called Gato that he personally killed and how he stopped a chunin missing nin from Kiri from assassinating their client.
Team 8 had to facepalm at the "revisited" version of the Wave Country mission, though technically Sakura did not lie as all the ninja from team 7 & 8 were considered heroes in Wave, some more or less but still, Sasuke did stop one of the demon brothers and he killed Gato, after the battle was already over but whatever a kill is a kill, right?
Shino had the decency to look embarrassed by his teammates, though you could never tell behind his long coat and his sunglasses. Sasuke though looked smug at the praise and let Sakura tell her tale for the whole room/village to hear.
Naruto was not in the mood for some screeching noises from Sakura so he let it slide, he was not in Wave for the glory after all.
"You should keep it down a little bit" said a young man with a leaf headband. He had gray hair and wore purple shinobi clothes and thin glasses.
"Who the hell are you?" asked an irritated Sasuke that his moment of glory was interrupted.
"My name is Yakushi Kabuto and I was just giving my fellow Konoha shinobi some advices to not get everyone here in the room to focus too much on you before the exams start." said the megane ninja before he continued.
"Well since it's obviously the first time you take the exam, how about I help you a little?" asked the silver haired ninja.
"What do you mean Kabuto-san? How can you help us?" asked Sakura shyly.
Kabuto took out a bunch of cards and put them in front of him "These are my information cards about all the ninja in this room, Do you want to know anything from someone inside this room?" he asked the rookies 9.
"Yea, Rock Lee, Sabaku No Gaara and Uzumaki Naruto" said Sasuke as he remembered his encounter with the first two he asked about.
Flashback: The day before – Konoha Main Street
A group of Suna nin were harassing a bunch of kids from konoha in broad daylight when Shino decided to interfere to save one of the children.
"I suggest that you refrain from causing problem in a foreign village, Suna shinobi." said Shino as he took Konohamaru from the suna nin.
"I told you to drop it Kankuro" said the female partner of the Suna nin who was harassing the child.
"Temari shut up I will just ..." he was about to attack Shino when a stone hit the wall behind him.
Sasuke was the one who threw the rock. "Get lost Suna trash, I missed this time but the next will be on target" said the avenger.
"Dude your shot missed me by at least 3 meters, you suck" replied Kankuro.
Sasuke was about to throw a second rock when he heard a voice behind him.
"And I suggest that you refrain from doing what you were about to do or I will be forced to kill you" said a boy with red hairs and murderous eyes just behind Sasuke.
The surprised Sasuke fell from the tree he was standing on as the strange Suna nin used rejoined his team with a sand shunshin.
"Gaara we were just ..." started Kankuro as Gaara cut him "Shut up let's go".
Before they left Gaara turned to Shino and said "What's your name?"
"Aburame Shino and you?" replied the bug user.
"Sabaku no Gaara" said the Suna nin before he and his team left.
Sasuke fumed at being ignored and also left.
End of Flashback
Rock Lee was a Konoha genin Sasuke lost to during a spar just before the exams. He would have been badly hurt if Lee's sensei didn't interfere effectively saving Sasuke's ass because Lee was about to use some restricted move that he was no supposed to.
"Hmm that's too easy you already have their names" said Kabuto.
He gave the data about Lee and Gaara but it wasn't that impressive. Gaara just seemed a bit strong since he never sustained any damage during his missions.
Then Kabuto took out Naruto's data card and his eyes widened before he read the card's data out loud for everyone in the entire room to hear.
"Uzumaki Naruto, member of team 8 under Yuhi Kurenai genjutsu mistress of Konoha. Teammates are Inuzuka Kiba and Hyuuga Hinata. He has done a total of 20 D-ranks and 1 A-rank missions." started Kabuto before taking a deep breath and continuing.
"Oh my … he is also the only genin to have ever made it into the bingo book, classified as A-rank shinobi, to engage with caution. He defeated Momochi Zabuza the Kiri No Kijin in Wave Country where he is considered a hero for his action leading to the fall of the local bandit warlord Gato." he finished his reading about Naruto.
Shikamaru frowned before saying "Sakura, didn't you say that it was Sasuke who was the hero of Wave and that he saved them all due to his fight with a Kiri missing nin? He really just killed a bandit?"
Sakura was cursing at the pineapple haired boy's perfect memory while Sasuke was fuming with rage once again for being humiliated in front of everyone.
Everyone in the room except for team 7 and 8 was now looking at Naruto like he grew a second head. After that Kabuto continued to tell the rookies about the exams and the different villages participating. As he mentioned the Sound village as being a new and most likely weak one he was attacked by a team from that village.
Before things could get too far, they were interrupted by a smoke explosion, Morino Ibiki proctor of the chunin exams first part, silenced them all and threatened to disqualify anyone not following his rules before continuing to explain his part of the exams.
When he finished explaining the rules he said "May the chunin exams first part begin!"
A/N: Well that was the fallout of the wave mission and Naruto's debut in the bingo book. You may have noted that I'm having Shino more or less taking some of the scenes Naruto originally had in canon concerning team 7 with some modifications. That was also the case last chapter and his participation during the pre-fight with Zabuza.
Anyway chunin exams continue next time.
Read & Review please.