Magnus: It is Wednesday, and for hence, a new chapter of this story is in order, this is the last chapter before the chunin exam, also it'll include new characters and some funny events, hope you like it, and remember, Read and Review!
Disclaimer: We don't own Naruto or anything you believe is being mentioned in this fanfic, Reiko Zonbolt, Arashi Uzumaki and Yukina Hyuga are owned by Kage Bijuu, the Harvesters are co-owned by Kage Bijuu and me, the other OCs belong to me
Chapter 34
Exam Ahead
Hiruzen Sarutobi, third Hokage of Konoha, was on his office, thinking on all the important events that had transpired since he became Hokage, he was known as a wise man, someone that knew how to handle a village, who knew how to handle an army of shinobies, that's how he was seen when he left his seat, and Minato ascended. When Minato died, he was forced to take the hat of Hokage once more, however this time, he was less than half the Hokage he was before Minato, due to his age, the sadness and depression that struck him at Minato's demise, and how politics changed while he was resting, transformed him in almost a puppet of the council, allowed only to have voice on shinobi matters, and being let out of the village affairs, however, all that changed when certain white clad Merchant knocked on his door, if he only had known what was that merchant, maybe he would never had allowed him to stay, then he would never meet Naruto, then Naruto... would have been raised on his own... malnourished... beaten to a pulp just for exist... and the he would have ended as the clown of the council... just to be executed under any unjustified charges...
But Ankiseth Uzumaki, or whoever he is in reality, arrived, found Naruto, and he managed to understand that, since that day, he, and maybe the whole village, have been dancing in any way that said man wished, Naruto has become a shinobi that most jonins would not dare challenge, not even if they were all together against him alone, Hinata Hyuga, which was known as the most great failure of the Hyugas, was now the epitome of all the Kunoichies, envy of all other Kunoichies, local or not, Rock Lee, who was a joke among the shinobi world, was now known as a force of the nature, as unstoppable as a tsunami, or a volcano, with a large list of girls wanting to form part of his harem, although he has none.
More things has happened, seemly thanks to the presence of the merchant, like the arrival of the Elric brothers, whose only presence was already a symbol of great power for Konoha, the only village with Alchemy users, overall, up to now, Ankiseth has been more a bless than a curse, but Sarutobi could only wonder for how much more time, however this train of thoughts got interrupted when the door to his office blasted open...
"Sarutobi!, we need to talk about the incoming Chunin Exam!", Danzo voiced, while entering the office, he looked really angry
"What do you want, Danzo?, the exams will be held as planned, nothing has changed since the last meeting", Sarutobi stated, getting comfy on his chair, for he knew that the old war hawk will not leave until he finished what he wanted to say
"THE HELL THINGS HASN'T CHANGED!", Danzo shouted, forgetting for a moment that Sarutobi still had enough power to kick him out
"Oh?", Sarutobi replied, more wanting to see Mr. Errant Boy, aka Desmond, entering any given moment to swiftly kill Danzo
'I have to ask if he makes special works', Sarutobi added mentally
"Sarutobi, I have been informed about some disturbing things, First, Naruto and Anko are showing to be influenced by the Kyuubi and it's infernal powers, and secondly, the Zonbolt and Maeda clans have negated to share their jutsus to Sasuke Uchiha!, that must be remedied!", Danzo exclaimed his discomfort, these clans were stopping Sasuke's growth to become a perfect weapon, and the influence of the Kyuubi could be a danger to his plan to become not only the next Hokage, but the ruler of the world
"I'll gladly answer to your pleas", Sarutobi stated while standing up, and Danzo only arched his eyebrow
'That was too easy...', Danzo thought
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, the Toad Sannin, was making his way to the top of the Hokage tower, he has just so much to ask, after all, it was not normal to hear that Tsunade, the Legendary Sucker, has set foot on Konoha, so far, no war of crisis has been heard off, and the oldman as still on good health, which made everything much more weird...
"I just wonder what is happening...", Jiraiya muttered, while arriving to his favorite window to greet his old sensei, just in time to see the old war hawk of Danzo, trying to learn to fly?
"AAAAAHHHHHHH!!!", Danzo screamed, while falling from the window of the Hokage tower
"AND DON'T COME BACK WITH YOUR STUPID DEMANDS!!!", Sarutobi yelled from the window, waving his pipe on the air for more effect, Jiraiya could only chuckle at the scene
"Wow!, it seems that you are in better spirits than I thought!", Jiraiya laughed, while entering the office of his old sensei, however, the welcome was much more cold than he could thought
"What business bring you here, Jiraiya?", Sarutobi asked while taking seat behind his desk, and Jiraiya couldn't help but to wince
"Well... I was wondering if there was something big going on, I mean, I got word that Tsunade was coming here, and she wouldn't come if not for something big", Jiraiya explained, but the frown on Sarutobi's face told him that perhaps, he made the wrong questions
"Tsunade came here just because her student was called by her family, there was no other reason, was that all you wanted to check, Jiraiya?", Sarutobi asked, more unfriendly than ever, and Jiraiya decided to play a sensitive card, just to try to show that he still cared about old promises
"Well, I want to check on the Gaki", Jiraiya stated with a more serious voice
"Gaki?", Sarutobi asked, and Jiraiya rolled his eyes in annoyance
"Yeah, you know, Naruto, how is he?", Jiraiya asked, smiling a little
"And why would you care about him after all these years?", Sarutobi asked, his frown not disappearing, and this time, Jiraiya felt hurt, he didn't expected this, but he also felt that he deserved it
"Look, I know that I didn't kept my word on rising the gaki, but, I had my network, and my books, I wasn't able to...", Jiraiya tried to explain, but Sarutobi interrupted him
"I know, you were serving Konoha with your network, but your books are not excuse, but to answer your concern about Naruto, he has grown to be quite a fine man, and a deadly shinobi, all under the care and love, of a complete stranger", Sarutobi explained, while returning to his paperwork, that this time seemed more interesting that his old student
"WHAT?!, who has been taking care of him?!, where is he now?!", Jiraiya asked in rapid succession, yet Sarutobi didn't make him wait for an answer
"You are forbidden to get close to Naruto, seeing him will do no good to you", Sarutobi stated
"WHAT?! WHY?!", Jiraiya shouted, hurt by this turn of events
"Because Minato is angry at us... and he will go ballistic if he sees you, whom he more trusted to take care of his child...", Tsunade said while entering, and Jiraiya was shocked beyond reason, she was sporting a swollen eye, a broken arm, several visible bumps on her body, and by how she clutched the side of her chest, several ribs broken
"Tsunade!, what happened to you?!... wait a second, did you said Minato?, but he is dead!", Jiraiya shouted in disbelief, yet, to beat Tsunade like that...
"Well, he looked real, really angry, and scary, I'm sure he is Minato, although he looked very different, and he is much more stronger than before...", Tsunade explained
"And you didn't fought back out of grief, huh?", Jiraiya asked, with a depressed look, knowing that he would end the same way, yet Tsunade snorted
"The hell I didn't fought back!, I HIT HIM FULL FORCE!... and you know what?, HE DID NOT EVEN FELT IT!, HE IS A FUCKING MONSTER NOW!, Jiraiya, I dare to say that he was holding back on me... but you?, you better get away, he got wind of how we neglected our promise to him and his wife, and he, is not pleased, not at all", Tsunade explained, freaking out at some parts
"Tsunade, may I ask why did you came to my office?, if you want to chat with Jiraiya, do it outside, I have work to do", Sarutobi said, not caring at Tsunade's condition
"Ah!, sorry!, ahem!, I want to work at the Hospital, if it's not much to ask, it seems that I lost my last apprentice, and Now I need someone else to pass my teachings to", Tsunade explained
"Go and look for Dr. Marcus Stronghold, if he accepts you, you are in", Sarutobi replied, and then returned to his paperwork, Tsunade then left, more focused on her current objective than on her injuries
"I... will go and see this for myself...", Jiraiya muttered, and turned to leave thru the window
"Your funeral...", Sarutobi said aloud, but Jiraiya left anyway
Meanwhile at the Aburame compound...
Shino was a stoic boy that always kept his emotions hidden, so well hidden, that most people said the he didn't had any feelings at all, but the newest addition to the family was capable of making him wind up every emotion known to mankind, and express them quite aloud
"I can't believe it!, it's the third time this week!", Shino shouted, while helping his fiance to bathe
"NYU!", Nyu... nyued apologetically, she became his fiance just because Shino's parents couldn't see it another way
"I know, I know, it wasn't your fault, you were only defending yourself", Shino replied, while passing a sponge on Nyu's head, somehow, for a reason unknown even to his parents, he seemed to understand the seemingly harmless girl
"Nyu?", Nyu... asked, while looking at Shino expectantly
"Yes, Nyu, I forgive you, just try to not get all that blood on you next time", Shino stated, while washing Nyu's head
"NYU!", Nyu grabbed him in a sudden outburst of attachment, and dragged him into the bath, much to Shino's distress, for Nyu never minded being naked around him
Meanwhile on the living room of the compound, Shibi was still wondering about the attempts on Nyu, not that he was worried for the safety of the horned girl, he and his son watched as another personality emerged from within her, a girl that called herself 'Lucy', and that didn't take kindly the attempt of kidnapping, the first time it was over Shino, when they were picking flowers and bugs, which ended on Lucy slaughtering every black ANBU-like aggressor, all posterior attempts were then over Nyu, just for Lucy to slaughter them too, all without said girl moving, it was as if some invisible force danced thru the enemies, tearing them to pieces without any effort made, of course, just after the danger was gone, Nyu returned, without any knowledge of the event, in fact, it was funny to see her cringing onto Shino for protection, since she feared the sight of that much blood and gore. Shibi Aburame didn't feared this power, in fact, he saw it as a nice addition to the clan, so, he ended joining his wife on a crusade to fastening the marriage and production of babies to transform into living hives, armed with the power of the mysterious horned girl... and to spoil them to no end...
"Hmmm... I wonder if some aphrodisiac on the dinner will do the trick?...", Shibi muttered to himself, but his wife, just as she heard him, got an evil glint on her eyes
"Do you think that some pancakes with royal syrup will be good for an early dinner?", Shibi's wife asked, with a very evil smile, that Shibi returned full force
"I don't see why not", Shibi replied, just then someone knocked at the door, upon opening the door, Shibi found a greeting Kiba Inuzuka
"Hi!, it's Shino here?, I need to give him some great news!", Kiba loudly stated, but there was no need for a reply
"AAHHH!!!, NO NYU! DON'T GRAB THERE!, NO WAIT!, AAAHHHHH!", Shino's screams, if you could say those were screams, were all that Kiba needed to take the hint of no ask any further
"Huummmm... when he is done, can you tell him to meet is team at the usual training ground?", Kiba requested, and when Shibi nodded, he left as fast as he could
"MY SON IS SO MANLY!!!", Shino's mother shouted in delight, although she'll carry her plan, just to be sure
Meanwhile, at the Uzumaki apartment...
"Naruto-kun, I know that that day we were only fooling around but... will you really include Anko on our lives?, I mean, together as a family?", Hinata shyly asked, in a way that she hasn't done in a very long time, and Naruto couldn't help but to hug her protectively
"Hinata-chan, I'm only for you, and for nobody else, I know that Anko likes to tease, but really, you are my only one, I need no one else", Naruto reassured her, in a way that sounded really romantic
"Ah!, Naruto-kun!, I really love you!", Hinata squealed on delight, and she locked lips with her soon to be husband... just to be interrupted by Anko
"Sorry for interrupting!", Anko yelled while jumping on them
"GAAAHHHH!", both Naruto and Hinata screamed in surprise, thing that made Anko laugh, a lot
"What do you want now?!", Naruto demanded
"Besides being impregnated by my Naruto-sama?", Anko asked in an over teasingly way
"ANKO!", Hinata shouted, her face red as a tomato, and Anko laughed again
"Sorry!, it was just a joke!, anyway, what I'd came to tell you, is that the Chunin exams will be held in a few days, and I've signed our team to participate, you need the exercise anyway", Anko explained, and both Naruto and Hinata nodded, thinking that this may will be funny
Konoha Hospital, two hours later...
Matsukaze Maeda was being attended, due to an injury that he received on his last mission, it was supposed to be a simple escort mission, but, just like the wave mission of them 7, this turned to be much more dangerous, of course, just by not being team 7, things turned out a little more difficult, proof of that, was the horrible injury of the Horse Tamer
"Ow", Matsukaze barely complained, for Sakura was still cleaning his now empty left eye socket, he lost his eye protecting the targets, two really beautiful priests of the temple of the spirits
"Now this is a nasty injury, sorry if it hurts, but I need to make sure the ocular nerve is clean, and the socket is not infected, so, stay strong, ok, Matsukaze?", Sakura asked to the strong boy, who only gave a small nod, of course, not all in this misadventure was a tragedy, for he just got a pretty fangirl
"I'm sorry, it's my fault, I did my best to keep the injury clean, but my first aid skills are not that great, and I lack the healing powers of my sisters...", A beautiful girl, standing at 5ft, with brown hair down to her shoulders, porcelain white skin, chocolate eyes, and dressed as a miko, stated
"It's not your fault, Okuni-chan, you did what you could, besides, my clan carries their scars with pride, and... OWOWOWOWWOWOWOW!!!", Matsukaze started to explain, but a sharp pain stopped him
"Stay put!, I know it hurts, but I need to properly stitch your injury!", Sakura stated, while stitching the big wound that Matsukaze had on his face, from his eye to his lip
"You are getting better and better, soon you won't need any supervision!", Doc praised his apprentice, and this made Sakura blush, although she had no chance to reply or return the praise, for Naraku entered the room
"Matsukaze!, guess what!, Yamato-sensei said we are ready to take the chunin exams!", Naraku excitedly said, and Matsukaze couldn't Wait to tell Reiko about this, said girl darted to Lee's arms just as she returned from the mission, for hence, she didn't know about this even, yet
Next day, Hokage's office...
Sarutobi was at the verge of a crisis, in front of him, where five kids, said kids were the agents of the God of Death, thing that unnerved him to no end, he couldn't help but to wonder what kind incredible powers they had
"Village Leader, let me introduce myself and my companions, My name is Maka Alban, Technician of the Scythe, and here is Soul Eater, my weapon", Maka presented herself and the boy she had at her side
"Yo!", Soul greeted, while showing her smile, full of sharp fangs
"This is Black Star, Assassin Technician, and Tsubaki, his weapon", Maka presented Black Star and Tsubaki, and Sarutobi almost had a heart attack, for said boy showed an attitude that he only saw before in Naruto, on his early days
"THAT'S RIGHT!, REMEMBER THE NAME OLD MAN!, BECAUSE I'LL SURPASS THE GODS!!!", Black Star boomed with singular joy, thing that unnerved Sarutobi even more
"Sorry for his behavior, he is just excited by the idea of fighting with other shinobies, there aren't many back home", Tsubaki apologized for Black Star, with a tender smile, that Sarutobi couldn't help but to return
"And this one here, is Chrona, the Demon Swordman", Maka announced with certain pride, signaling to a boy that was rather scrawny and looked really nervous, if the way he was holding his arm was any hint
"H-Hello, n-nice to m-meet you", Chrona greeted, and Before Sarutobi could ask for his weapon, a little black being emerged from his back, and started to pound on the head of the meek boy
"Hey!, why aren't you presenting me?!", the rather funny being asked, and Maka sweat dropped
"And That's Ragnarok, Chrona's... forced weapon...", Maka finally said, Sarutobi looked at all of them, all dressed on black standard shinobi jumpsuits, with a Hitai-ate with a skull on the plate
"Our mission is rather simple, participate on this exam and advance as far as possible, looking for info on our true target, a man known as Orochimaru, don't worry, we won't take any other soul but that one", A man with glasses, and a big screw on his head, stated
"I see, that's is very... reassuring, try not to kill too many people... Stein-san", Sarutobi stated, he may be Hokage, but these were the heralds of the God of Death, better to be in good graces, and live a little longer
Meanwhile, on the streets...
"I haven't forgot your promise, the day has come, to finally meet, brother...", A boy muttered, his eyes were darkened, as if he had a great lack of sleep, his red hair was messy and short, and he was holding a massive gourd at his back, and if the distance of no less than ten feet was some indicative, his followers were utterly afraid of him
Magnus: Well, I hope that you liked this chapter, as for the bashing on the sannins, well, they won't die, and let's face it, Minato was utterly pissed off by the way Naruto was treated before Ankiseth's arrival, and not keeping the promises of being godparents to his son didn't helped a bit, so, I won't accept flames for that one, see ya in next chapter!