Hidden Genes
Summary: There is a type of jutsu only one shinobi could use,the Shodaime became famous for it being impossible for anyone who doesn't have his DNA, and even then it was rare. Sharingan is an Uchiha doujutsu,so no one can have it unless an eye is given, so why does the Kyuubi vessel have both?Why does he move like the Yondaime?
They separated from their fellow Konoha genin an hour or so later, making each other promise that they will pass into the other round so they can test themselves against each other, Lee being the loudest in his challenge to Sasuke, Neji and even Naruto. On their way towards the tower, Team 7 stopped by the river to eat, Naruto and Sasuke fishing - shinobi style - while Sakura tended to the fire and got them all some fresh water. When he had felt Kabuto trying to approach them, he had urged his friends to head out early as they still had quite a journey ahead of them.
He repressed the urge to cackle gleefully when he felt Kabuto's chakra spike in annoyance when he found their empty camp spot half an hour after they had left. He only resisted the urge because he was sure his teammates would look at him weirdly.
So Kurama, who didn't have that problem, cackled loudly and long enough for the both of them. Naruto was no longer sure who had corrupted whom, Kurama him or he Kurama, since he was sure Kurama hadn't been a prankster until he got sealed in Naruto and Naruto was sure he had never wanted to cackle until he had first heard Kurama do it when he had been seven years old.
Naruto used his sensory abilities to guide them through the forest, following the sharp, refined shakra signatures of the chuunin, jonin and ANBU overlooking the exams to find the tower. When he realized he felt Gaara's and his biju's chakra at the same place as well, he focused on that one chakra signature and was able to speed up, his teammates keeping pace with him as best as they could. They made it within a mile of the tower before midnight.
They ran only into one group from Amegakure and had a little struggle against them, since they used genjutsu and ordinary Bunshin while making their opponents believe that they were corporal. As Sasuke had tried to use the Sharingan and fight them with Naruto, only to end up doubled over in pain with Sakura tending to him, Naruto had used their distraction to activate Kurama's chakra and his Sharingan, easily seeing through genjutsu and Bunshin alike and sending out his own Kage Bunshin to deal with the real shinobi. The so called fight ended fifteen minutes after it had started.
As Naruto had expected, they met Gaara and his team, his siblings, at the tower. The other Jinchuuriki took one look at Sasuke and something strange appeared in his eyes that made both Naruto and Kurama uneasy. Gaara himself looked uncertain about something but something else made him appear a lot more dangerous than Naruto would have liked to face. He dreaded the moment Sasuke may be left alone with the redhead. Kurama had told him that the biju trapped in Gaara wasn't the most stable and Naruto didn't want it anywhere near his best friend.
Gaara's team wasn't the only team to have made it to the tower before them. Kiba, Hinata and Shino were also there, the Inuzuka arrogant, the Aburame quiet and withdrawn and the Hyuuga shy and blushing every time someone said anything to her. She, at least, was a good sport and offered to tend to the wounds Sakura could not reach and offered them some ointment that would help with their cuts and bruises. By morning, the rest of the Rookie Nine and Team Gai made it to the tower, along with Kabuto's team, the Oto genin and a few other ninjas whose teammates were in no condition to continue the fight., In the end, it was Team 7, Team 8, Team 10, Team Gai, Team Baki, Team Dosu and Team Kabuto who passed.
They were offered the chance to give up and leave then if they didn't feel up to fighting in the preliminary matches that will take place immediately - and Sakura tried to convince Sasuke, futilely, to forfeit due to his seal that kept acting up and giving him problems - but in the end, only Kabuto, who didn't even look all that injured, forfeited and left. While him leaving should have left Naruto feeling relieved, it only made him feel even more uneasy. That guy was up to something and Naruto didn't like pondering what. At least while he was participating in the exams, Naruto had had a chance to keep an eye on him somewhat. He was now out of Naruto's sighs and soon enough even left his sensory range.
He'll have to work on that later. He needs a wider range. It's rather inconvenient to lose sense of someone who is still withing village limits, even if just on the other side of Konoha. What use is it to track someone from a distance in his own village if his sensory range can't cover it whole?
He decides to focus on that later, as he pretends to listen to Hokage-jii-chan's speech about the importance of the Chuunin Exams and instead looks over and studies both his competition and their senseis. A lot can be said about a student by observing their teachers. For example, Lee is trying to copy Gai and Naruto knew - from his constant sneaking around in the forest and listening to the rumors on the streets - that Gai was an expert taijutsu user. Closer range with Bushy Eyebrows was certain defeat, as well as his two teammates, a Hyuuga and a girl from some small civilian family he didn't know the name of. He didn't know much about Kurenai except that she was good with genjutsu, rumored to rival the Uchiha in the illusionary arts - which Naruto kind of doubted, as he had the Sharingan himself and while he didn't have any real talent for illusions he knew just how good the Sharingan was with genjutsu, both in creating it and seeing through it; besides, there was still the older Uchiha brother to consider and everyone knew he was a master at illusions - but that didn't really apply to her students. Hinata, as a Hyuuga, was definitely a close range fighter and just as dangerous as Neji, despite her meek demeanor. The Juken was not a technique many can withstand fighting against, since it targeted the tenketsu, which in turn could end up completely immobilizing a person or even bringing them into mortal danger. Kiba seemed somewhat like a close range fighter and he fought with a ninken so Naruto would have to watch out for two opponents, not just one if he ended up fighting him. Aburame were a mysterious clan, dangerously well known for their insect partners which they let live inside their own chakra system to feed on their chakra and as such ensure their loyalty. Asuma's team was influenced even less by their sensei, as they were from the famous three clans that have been forming a team for decades now. Kurama had warned him about some of the things the Ino-Shika-Cho Trios from the past used to do in the formations they made, techniques he had seen through Uzumaki Mito's eyes and then Kushina's. Asuma could have only helped them in their teamwork and trained them, but he had very little influence on their fighting style. Naruto knew he only really had to watch out for Shikamaru out of the three of them. Kurama - and his Sharingan - would keep him safe from the Yamnaka Shintenshin no Jutsu and the Akamichi's Nikudan Sensha was far from the hardest thing Naruto had faced so far.
Yes, Naruto had kept a diligent eye on the rest of his classmates, despite how carefree and careless he had seemed in the Academy. He was well aware that, one day, one of them might become like the rest of the villagers and try to kill him or seriously hurt him or they will simply become an obstacle in the way of his dream. He had made sure to remember everything he could about them, their personalities, jutsus, clans of origin, weaknesses and their strengths. He knew that it would make his life easier in the long run, especially if, instead of becoming a threat to his person and road to Hokage they become teammates he will have to look out for. If he knew their limits and skills, he knew how to adjust his own so no one dies needlessly and stupidly on simple missions. That's why he knew Sakura only knew the techniques needed to pass the Academy and why he had never been surprised that Sasuke had learned his clan's right of passage jutsu before becoming genin. He had observed and tucked away that knowledge long before they had been announced as his teammates when they graduated as genin.
Team 7's fighting style was also not at all influenced by Kakashi-sensei, something Naruto didn't quite like. The man spent very little time training them, instead of just letting them go out and do simple D-rank missions. Had they had more training, what had happened with Haku almost killing Sasuke would not have occurred at all. There wouldn't have been the danger of a Jinchuuriki losing control and destroying a country if only Kakashi had deigned to train them instead of reading those stupid porn books of his. But Naruto was also aware that the dynamic of Team 7 wasn't the best to be influenced by a former ANBU Captain, either. Sharingan no Kakashi had never been on a team that had needed training, or so Kurama told him. The man cared for the three of them, but he didn't know what to do with them. He was not an experienced sensei. He was a genius who had left the Academy at six and just didn't yet know the limitations of others. Sakura in particular, despite her medic nin-levels of chakra control. He had never had a team so ill prepared for real battle and so he was stuck between babying them and expecting just a bit too much. He'll need time to figure them all out, gradually, and once that is done, perhaps he will become a great teacher.
Until then, Team 7 was pretty much left to themselves. If Sasuke and Naruto weren't as stubborn fools as they were and trained until they dropped every day, Sakura would have been dead long ago. All of them might have been dead.
The other genin ... He didn't know much about their senseis other than the fact that Otogakure's team's sensei was none other than the creep that had attacked them in the forest! What was he doing here?!
I don't like this. Naruto tuned out whatever else was going on and followed his fellow genin automatically when they started climbing the stairs on the balconies above the place they had just been standing, all except Sasuke and one of Kabuto's teammates in favor of listening to his fox inhabitant. If Orochimaru is here, playing masquerade twice, something is not right and shit is going to happen real soon. We better keep an eye on both him and those genin he has with him.
'And any other Oto nin we see, dattebayo.' Naruto added, only half watching Sasuke's fight until it became obvious that his opponent could suck out his chakra. Naruto was alarmed when he felt Sasuke's natural chakra reserves diminish and the dark chakra of the Cursed Seal rising. 'What's going on?!'
Sakura couldn't look, Kakashi looked ready to jump in at any moment and Sasuke was struggling. Orochimaru was watching with sick glee and Gaara seemed to be shaking with something like blood lust and excitement. Yoroi, for that was his opponent's name, already seemed confident in his victory and Naruto clenched his fists around the metal railing. The metal creaked and that seemed to snap Sasuke out of whatever funk he'd gotten himself into and he kicked the older genin away, scrambling to his feet as fast as he could in his battered state. He was panting from chakra exhaustion but he wasn't giving up, which had Naruto relaxing just slightly. If Sasuke could stay stubborn just to continue the fight, then he was fine.
He needs to keep that guy from sucking out his chakra so that the Curse doesn't activate and take him over. Kurama said, observing from within his host. If he runs out of his own chakra, there will be no stopping him this time. I think Kakashi said he would interfere if the Curse starts bothering him too much.
'But that would mean the end of the Exams for Sasuke!' The blond protests, looking over in the direction of his sensei. The silver haired man felt eyes on him and turned to meet said eyes, lazily arching a brow at the look Naruto was giving him. He then just turned back to look down at his struggling student and Naruto wanted to brain him into the ground.
Maybe it's for the best that way.
'He's an Uchiha!'
Kurama winced at that. Yes, being an Uchiha might just be lethal in this situation. Sasuke would no doubt take it poorly that he is still not strong enough to battle his brother and the reminder might actually help that stupid Cursed Seal along. But if he stays in the Exams, he is a danger for everyone, including Naruto and Kurama had always put his host above all others. But the problem in not letting Sasuke compete was that since all the senior shinobi were overlooking the Exams - especially after Anko found Orochimaru and had been late in stopping him from marking Sasuke with the Cursed Seal - Sasuke would have to be stuck with ANBU as his bodyguards and the likeliness that the Snake Sannin had someone on the inside made it unsafe to leave the last Uchiha in Konoha with just the black ops, especially since Danzo had more than half of said black ops under his command.
What's he up to? Kurama's sudden inquiry that had nothing to do with the topic of of their mental conversation had Naruto focusing back on the fight. The blond studied his friend and nearly laughed in relief when he saw the stance Sasuke had taken up. He had seen it once or twice, just like Sasuke had, but the Sharingan came with that special perk of making your memory almost immortalized once you activate it, whether you are using the Shairngan itself or not.
Sasuke was standing facing his opponent half turned towards him, one hand behind his back and one extended forward, almost in challenge. Gai and his students were watching in stupendous surprise and even Sasuke and Sakura were stunned. Anyone else who knew that stance also stared, not sure whether they should be getting excited or just be plain curious as to what would happen.
Naruto laughed in open delight and relief when Sasuke changed his fighting style to that of Rock Lee. The way he dodged was far coming far more naturally, the way any taijutsu master or expert would move and Naruto delighted in activating his own Sharingan and copying the movements for his future battles himself. Kurama at least approved of that, always having been adamant that Naruto use the doujutsu to its fullest. As it was, he easily saw when Sasuke Shunsined beneath the masked man and kicked him from under to the chin, sending him flying and then using the Shadow Dance to appear beneath him in the air. He could just make out Sasuke's lips forming the words ''From here on out, it's all original, though.'' and ''It's the end.'' as Sasuke placed two fingers into Yoroi's back.
'Fuck!' Naruto cursed when he felt the damned Cursed Seal acting up again and saw, since his Sharingan was active, the moment Sasuke winced in pain and the markings started spreading across his skin. The Uchiha was faltering as he and his opponent still flew through the air. If he didn't do something soon, he will lose his chance and there was little chance of that trick working on the older guy twice. 'Come one, Sasuke!'
''Sandaime-sama!'' He vaguely heard Anko hiss-shout at the old man and realized he must have tapped into Kurama's power. He looked up with red eyes to meet Gaara's startled ones but he ignored his fellow Jinchuuriki and instead focused on Sasuke. He knew that they were already contemplating stopping the match and that would only make things worse.
Naruto gripped the railing tighter. ''Sasuke! Stop messing around!'' His shout seemed to have startled everyone, as they all whipped their heads around to look at him, the only one who wasn't holding his breath in anticipation of what will happen next. He was just glad that he had remembered at the last moment to withdraw the Sharingan and let go of Kurama's chakra, lest he himself get into a bucketful of trouble he could really do without.
He ignored them staring at him, though, as he saw black, pained eyes train on him. That was the only pair of eyes he really cared about now. He cursed and damned the Seal Orochimaru left on his friend since those eyes should have been the glorious and dangerous red of the Sharingan when in a fight.
''What are you doing!? You've got him! Do you want to lose?! Stop fooling around, idiot!''
He both saw and felt it when Sasuke, after a long seven seconds, wrestled back the control from the Cursed Seal, saw the markings fading away despite Sasuke's discomfort as he did it. He also felt the entire room fall into a stunned sort of gaping silence as Sasuke refocused on the fight. Naruto could only grin at the smirk Sasuke sent his way before turning his face forwards again and refocusing on the fight.
The fight was over in one, two, three moves in total that made up Sasuke's new Lion Combo as he called it and Yoroi was knocked out, making the Uchiha the winner. A few of the Konoha genin cheered, mostly Naruto, Sakura and Ino and even Lee tried to clap but he was too stunned at his moves being so easily copied. Gai was sending Kakashi looks that Naruto knew all too well were mirrored on most other faces that stared at the infamously famous Copy Nin and the Sharingan eye he kept hidden under his tilted hitai-ate. The stares didn't lessen even as Kakashi led Sasuke away to supposedly deal with his Cursed Seal and Yoroi was taken off of the field. The attention shifted to Naruto as he stepped back from the railing and stared at the Oto jonin who was looking at him as well with the same intensity. Many would swear they saw red flash in Naruto's eyes or the narrowing of the other man's own gaze, but no one realized that Naruto had issued a challenge to the man that could only have been Orochimaru in disguise as to dare him to try and interfere.
Their gazes didn't break even as the next match, Abumi Zaku vs Aburame Shino, was called out.
Orochimaru didn't move.
