Chapter Two

On the eve of their graduation the three young genin Naruto, Mikoto and Kushina found themselves licking their wounds together. Kushina who had never said as much as a word before to either of them found herself sitting across the two Uchiha in Naruto's favourite restaurant, a sushi bar. A fact she had learnt about the Uchiha boy today.

'Don't trust him.' The Kyuubi sounded in Kushina's head. Its voice laced with unmatched malice. 'That boy! Madara's brat! Don't trust him!' Kushina's eyes landed on the blue skinned boy, the twin orbs tracing his shark like features and watching him enjoy his sushi. It amazed Kushina that even the Kyuubi had a negative opinion of him. Maybe she should too, then again Kushina had never been one to follow the crowd. Observing him the young Uzumaki could tell he felt what she felt, anger. The beating they had been dealt was just as bitter to him.

"We need a game plan." Naruto looked up and met the gaze that had been on him for a minute now. It had no hate a fact Naruto was relieved about. "If we want to stand a chance against sensei tomorrow we need a plan." Naruto waited to hear what both girls thought about what he just said.

"None of us can take him alone." Mikoto was quick to agree. Like Naruto and Kushina she too felt humiliated. "Kushina?" Mikoto questioned the girl she hoped would become hers and Naruto's friend.

Not heeding the Kyuubi's warning Kushina decided to trust in her teammates. She had always been a lone wolf ever since day one at the academy when no one stood up for her but that needed to change the two Uchiha before her were the two who would be watching her back out in the field. "I agree we need a plan." Kushina waited for someone to suggest something since she didn't have one.

'Why is that not surprising.' The kyuubi snorted. Kushina angrily telling him to shut up.

"Here's what we going to do." Naruto dubious to the conflict in his teammate's head leaned in and whispered in hushed tones painting the plan out to his teammates. Mikoto and Kushina throwing in their input here and there to make it more solid. By the time they were done it was quite late but the three genin didn't care. They were satisfied with what they thought up. Tomorrow they would take Orochimaru on.

Line break

Next day

One person. Team 6 hoped they hadn't heard right. Naruto, Mikoto and Kushina stood with their sensei in the training ground he had lead them to.

"Sensei would you please repeat that again?"

"I don't like repeating myself Mikoto." Orochimaru looked at the young genin who had asked him she looked just as pale and afraid as her teammates. "So no."

Orochimaru had asked for one person among them. One person who simply had to last two minutes against him in a one on one spar if that person was able to then all three would pass the team exam. If not all three would fail. Kushina, Mikoto and Naruto who thought all three would be challenging him at once and had a plan for it of course did not want to hear this.

"Here." Orochimaru handed the three a paper and a pen each. "Write on here who you want facing me. Whoever's name comes up the most will be the lucky one." Orochimaru gave the three the sickest smile he could to cement his chilling words. The look having its intended effect. None of them wanted to face him. They would no doubt be quick to offer each other up.

After a long moment of none of them doing anything but looking afraid drawled on the look on Naruto's face changed Orochimaru noticed. No longer was he scared instead his eyes had hardened. His jaw firm.

So he would be the one. The hero. Orochimaru detested heroes. They always irrationally fell on their swords.

"Can we write down our own names?" Naruto valiantly asked earning surprised looks from his teammates, an unimpressed one from his sensei.

"If you want." Orochimaru wouldn't stop him. Once one of them wrote any name on their paper they would fail the true test anyway.

"Naruto-" Mikoto tried to stop the male Uchiha but failed.

"Don't Miko. I know what I have to do." Naruto looked at his friend. Telling him with his eyes to trust him. Writing his name on his paper Naruto also grabbed his teammates' and did the same. Handing them to Orochimaru, Naruto remained where he was.

"Come forward Naruto. You're name was on all three papers."

"No." Naruto respectfully refused.

"No? Don't tell me you all of a sudden afraid now. Where is all the bravado gone?" Orochimaru mockingly asked the young boy who was bravely puffing out his chest moments ago to only cower like a coward seconds later.

"You and I both know sensei that none of us would last half a minute against you let alone two. I forfeit the spar. I only wrote my name to stop Mikoto or Kushina from writing their own and trying to face you." Silence filled the training ground after Naruto's declaration. Orochimaru who had been looking at Naruto moments ago as though he was dirt beneath him was now watching the boy with a new fascination. An almost hungry look in fact.

"You pass." Orochimaru suddenly said surprising all three genin. "A smart shinobi knows when they are beat and does everything in his power to ensure the best of bad outcomes. Instead of risking injury along with humiliation by facing me Naruto you chose humiliation instead by admitting you weaker and that fighting me would be fickle."

"Yes I did sensei." Naruto too shocked to do anything else just went with it.

"Your fighting strength is still something I have to gauge however." Orochimaru shifting into his battle stance gestured at the three genin to come at him. The three who needed a moment to break from their shock didn't move immediately. It took Mikoto's recovery and unsheathing of her katana to get the other two ready.

"Come on guys remember what we discussed yesterday." Mikoto looked at both Kushina and Naruto. All three nodding they had a plan.

Breathing in as much air as he could into his lungs Naruto rapidly flew through hand signs.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" Naruto moulding chakra in his lungs blow out a massive stream of fire that formed a large fireball that quickly flew towards Orochimaru. Mikoto and Kushina both taking cover behind it charged at their sensei ready to attack when he dodged.

Impressive. Orochimaru said to himself watching the fireball approaching. A kunai ready in hand to deal with the two kunoichi he was well aware were behind it. Moving to the left to dodge the fireball Orochimaru decided to deal with the one with a katana first.

Mikoto who had been trained in kenjutsu since she could walk took three well aimed swift swipes at her sensei, each of them blocked. Mikoto who knew this would happen remained relentless in her attack so as to allow Kushina or Naruto an opening.

"Don't forget about me!" Kushina yelled attacking Orochimaru with her taijutsu. The sannin blocking her with his free limbs. For Naruto who was not engaging the sannin watching Orochimaru so effortless take his teammates on was quite the sight to see. To be so strong boy did he want that.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands." Orochimaru's outstretched hand suddenly became a horde of slithering reptiles that shot their way in Kushina's direction constricting around her. Orochimaru also going on the offensive against Mikoto knocked the katana out her hands. A cut to her arm rendering her dominate sword carrying hand useless.

"Genjutsu." Orochimaru suddenly stopped, looking round at his three genin. They weren't real. "I'm impressed." Orochimaru admitted to the real Naruto, Kushina and Mikoto who charged at him attempting to take advantage of Naruto's genjutsu as per the plan. Sadly for them Orochimaru had now broken out of it. "To catch me in a genjutsu even for a brief split second." Orochimaru gave Naruto's his props.

"Don't be too impressed by him!" Golden chakra chains shot out the ground behind Orochimaru. The creator of them Kushina jumping in the air and aiming a kick at Orochimaru's mid side. Mikoto sending lightning chakra along her blade aimed for Orochimaru's other side. Naruto pulling out his kunai sent five one after the other in the sannin's direction.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough." Orochimaru clapped his hands and sent all five metal weapons along with the genin flying back with a gust of wind. Kushina losing concentration Orochimaru was able to make quick work of her chains easily dodging them.

Turning back to his genin Orochimaru like a predator pounced upon them. The first he reached Mikoto getting on her feet and trying her kenjutsu to hold him off but quickly being defeated. Orochimaru like in the illusion knocking the katana out her hand. A grip to her throat with one hand followed by a rapid palm to the chest with the other as he choked sending Mikoto flying back with two hands on her neck trying to soothe her aching throat.

"Leave her alone!" Naruto brought his hands together to perform a fireball. Orochimaru grabbing them before he could finish the technique. The head-butt that folded knocking Naruto out and turning him into a crumpling mess.

"Again you are the last one I face." Orochimaru rounded on Kushina. Like outside the academy he gestured for her to come forward. Instead of charging blindly like she last did eight chakra chains formed around Orochimaru and attacked him.

"Is that your only trick." Orochimaru moved round the chains hoping there would be more for Kushina to show. Sadly there was not. The Uzumaki charging at him with her fists. Orochimaru catching the first one waited for the second and also caught it. Raising his knee fast Orochimaru knocked the wind out of her and the fight. Done with Kushina there was no one left. Releasing her Orochimaru gave his genin one last look before turning around and leaving.

"We start missions tomorrow." Was the last thing they heard from him.