Naruto spent the next two weeks giving his squad various C and D-rank missions in quick succession, boosting their overall missions to;
1 – A-rank
0 – B-rank
9 – C-rank
17– D-rank
Knowing that they had well had truly completed the minimum number of missions needed to enter the exam Naruto moved the three of them to a few days of fine tune training, advancing their more basic skills.
The three Genin noticed the subtle shift in Naruto's training method but did say anything about it, figuring that the orange clad Jōnin had his reasons for the change.
Calling in a few favours across the Village Naruto managed to make quite the nightmare course for his three Genin to attempt for the last two days of their training, testing both their individual talents as well as their team work. To add something extra Naruto had promised the three of them an additional reward should they manage to complete the monstrosity he had created for them. As he knew they would the three Genin managed to stumble victoriously over the three and a half kilometre death course Naruto had devised for them nearing sunset of the second day.
He walked up giving the three of them around of applause, though none of them bothered looking up at him.
"Congratulations guys, I'm very impressed with your effort today." Naruto said as he stood over his exhausted Genin.
Akari managed to stand up straight and look the blond Jōnin in the eye. "Alright, we beat this thing, where's our reward?" She all bust demanded breathlessly.
Her team mates looked up at him and Naruto smiled at them. "All in due time my young Genin," He said in a mockingly wise voice. "However first I shall treat the three of you to dinner." He said.
The three of them somehow found the strength to smile as they staggered behind the blond back down to the village.
Instead of leading his team to the usual ramen stand – something they were secretly grateful for – Naruto took his team to a small Café and bar in the middle of the Village.
As they walked in the woman manning the counter smiled warmly at them. "Naruto," She said happily, walking around the counter to give the man a hug.
"Hey Sumi," Naruto said with a smile.
"So what brings you to our humble little abode?" She asked.
Naruto smiled and gestured to the three Genin behind him, watching the friendly banter between the two with interest. "I own my team dinner." He told her.
Sumi nodded and switched her smile to the three Genin. "So this is your new team," She said looking at them. "I'm Sumi, nice to meet you." She said bowing slightly.
The three Genin returned the gesture as Sumi lead the four of them to a window booth. As they sat down Sumi gave each of them a menu and Naruto smiled at them. "Alright guys, whatever you want, on me." He told them.
"Anything?" Akari asked, suddenly very interested.
"Yes anything," Naruto said a little slower than before. What could only be described as a 'sadistic grin' curled Akari's lips and Naruto swore her eyes were sparkling with glee. Taki and even Azuko had similar smirks on their face.
They all ordered, Akari personally ordering enough for the four of them, not to be out done Naruto did likewise.
"Alright, be right out." Sumi said with a smile before disappearing into the kitchen.
"So what's this reward?" Akari asked leaning her elbows on the table.
Naruto gave the three of them a shrug. "I'll tell you after dinner." He said.
The Akari and Taki groaned while Azuko stared out the window. It was a very different feeling to the one Naruto had with his previous squads. With his first two teams they were always lively and energetic but for understandable reasons his current squad were less talkative, causing an eerie silence to fall over their table, even though out their dinner.
Naruto couldn't help but be bothered by it, eventually his Genin noticed his discomfort so he immediately but on a happy face, trying in vain to lighten the mood.
After dinner was finished Naruto reached into his pocket and looked at the three Genin sitting across from him.
"Okay guys," He said gaining their attention. "First off let me say I'm proud of you. I know I might be sounding like a broken record right now but I truly am. From the three Genin I nearly failed almost three months ago you have come fare and grown much. You're all competent and capable Shinobi." At the praise given to the three of them by their Sensei even Azuko smiled.
"So it's because of your progress that I have suggested you three for the Chūnin Selection Exams." Naruto said handing each of them their applications forms.
The three Genin stared at him slack jawed as they accepted the pieces of paper.
"Really?" Akari asked as she looked from the paper to Naruto.
He gave the girl a smile. "Yes really," Naruto said. "It's hardly the thing to joke about." He told her. "And after everything that happened in the Land of Planes I know that the three of you can pass this exam."
Taki and Akari shared a glance, grinning ear to ear while Azuko just stared at the sheet of paper in his hands, shaking slightly.
This was his ticket.
Naruto's smile dropped as he looked at the three, "Though here and now I will give you all fair warning." His voice serious.
At the sudden change in tone all three Genin looked at him.
"This exam is perilous, every squad there is already at or above the level of Chūnin, and it a cut throat affair, entire squads get killed during this exam, so think carefully before you accept." He told them. "If you want to join then bring the application form to the given address at 4:00pm on Monday." He told them. All three Genin nodded as Naruto stood up. "Anyway, think it over and I'll see you on Monday 4:00pm sharp." He walked over to Sumi and paid for the meal and the two delved into conversation at the counter while the three Genin exchanged looks.
Akari moved to the other side of the table and looked at the form in her hand,
"So," She said looking at the two of them. "Should we?" She asked.
"I'm not sure." Taki said thinking about the warning Naruto had given them before he'd left.
Akari gave the girl a reassuring smile. "Hey, don't worry about it." She told her. "If Naruto Sensei thinks we can do it then we'll be fine, he's been training us for this." She said.
"I know." Taki said, "It's just that he said all the others are already at or above the level of Chūnin and we've only been a team for three months, are you sure we can compete with those teams?" She asked.
Akari paused to think, she guessed they did, it's not like the Shinobi there would be as strong as Isalla or that Nagi guy, "What do you think Azuko?" She asked.
Azuko's dark green eyes met Akari's blue eyes for a brief moment before he looked away. "You two do what you want, but with or without you, I'm taking this exam, and I will become a Chunin." He told them. Before anything else could be said Azuko got up and left.
Akari sighed "Good God, what is it with him?" She wondered aloud as she flopped against the table.
Taki shrugged, "I think it's got something to do with him being kicked out." She said quietly.
Akari nodded before look at her friend. "Well I'm not going to let him take it alone if it's as dangerous as Naruto says. We might be strong, but alone he'll be killed." She said.
Taki nodded and looked at the sheet of paper in her hand.
"Well you want to come over and tell my parents the good news?" She asked. Akari shrugged.
"Sure why not." She said as she got up to leave. They waved to Naruto, Sumi and the other man that had joined the two of them as they walked past. The three waved back and Naruto gave the two girls a wink before they left.
Atagi and Sumi watched them go before looking to Naruto. "You think they can do it?" He asked his former Sensei.
Naruto nodded. "Would I have suggested them if they couldn't?" He challenged.
Atagi shrugged. "True enough, but it's quick isn't it, you didn't let us take the exam for two years."
Naruto cocked his head to the side. "True, but you guys were my first team, I was kind of getting a feel for it back then, know I know that they're more than capable of surviving the exam."
"Surviving?" Sumi asked, picking out that particular word.
Naruto offered her a half smile. "In all honest I don't expect them to pass, I don't even expect them to get to the third stage really. All I want them to learn is the importance for team work. Despite their successes it's still their weakest point." He told them.
Sumi and Atagi nodded.
"We'll see how they do." Sumi said with a smile.
Taki frowned as the two of them closed on her house.
"What is it?" Akari asked, noticing the girls look.
"The front doors open." She said.
"So?"
"My dad's a real stick in the mud about the door bring closed all the time, and he'd be home by now," She said.
Akari just shrugged it off, not living in her house Akari did have the same instincts Taki did. As they walked through the door the house was eerily silent. "Hello!" Taki called out, Mum, Dad, are you home?" She shouted into the empty house.
Both girls frowned, no one was home, the lights were on and the door was open. Something about it didn't sit right with either of them. At a nod both girls drew a Kunai and fanned out, searching the empty house, Taki taking upstairs while Akari took the ground floor. She walked into the kitchen and noticed an note sitting on the bench a single hastily scribbled word on the page.
'HOSPITAL'
Akari looked at the note in confusion for a moment. She put her Kunai away and called out. "Taki, you might want to see this!" She shouted.
Taki practically sprinted down to her jumping son the stares and bolting into the kitchen. "What?" She asked nervously.
Akari handed the note over to Taki and there girl stared at it in bewilderment before her eyes light up.
"What is it?" Akari asked.
"It's Mum!" She all but shouted, sounding almost happy about it.
Akari raised an eyebrow at her. "What about her?" She asked.
Taki's growing excitement died quickly as she gave Akari a blank stare. "Seriously!?" She asked shocked. "She's pregnant, remember!"
Understanding dawned in Akari's eyes and her jaw dropped a little. "Oh yea, some how I completely forgot about that." She said absently.
The two girls looked at each other for a moment before they both ran out the door, heading for the hospital.
In the street, a very confused Ino watched two of her former students all but kick the door down and run down the street, not giving the house behind them a second though.
She was expecting either Taki's Mother or Father to be shouting at them but nothing happened.
Curious Ino walked up to the house. "Um, hello?" She called out.
No one answered.
She frowned and ventured deeper into the house. She saw the note on the bench and smiled to herself. "Well whatever it is they're certainly excited." She said to herself. After confirming that there was no one else in the house Ino promptly left, making sure she closed the door behind her.
Taki and Akari made it to the hospital in about ten minutes. The pushed passed a few people and ran to the vacant front desk. The nurse looked at them while they caught their breath. "My mother, Moshibi Yuuno, she here?" She asked between gasps of air.
The nurse frowned and looked through the intake list. "What was she in for?" She asked.
"Labour would be my guess." Akari said. The nurse nodded and called over an orderly.
"Take these two to the maternity ward; ask if a woman named Moshibi had been admitted yet." She told him, he nodded and looked at the two young shinobi before leading them though the hospital.
As they got there Taki noticed someone in the crowed.
"Dad!" She shouted, running through the crowd to get to him.
Her father, who had been passing back and forth nervously in an empty corridor, looked at Taki and smiled as he stepped forward to give his girl a hug.
"I see you got the note." He said with a smile.
Taki nodded as Akari came to join the two. He smiled at her.
"So when did it start?" Akari asked.
Taki's father shrugged. "About an hour after Taki left for training." He told them.
"She's been in there all day?" Akari asked incredulously.
He looked at her before letting out a short but hearty laugh. "It's not that surprising; She was in labour with Taki for nearly 30 hours."
The three of them waited in the small hallway for another two hours exchanging a little small talk here and there, but otherwise staying silent. The screaming which they later found out belonged to Yuuno had made both the girls nervous but Sakaki had managed to explain that that was normal in child birth.
Eventually the screaming stopped and the three of them looked up. A short while later the door opened and a particularly dishevel Sakura covered almost head to toe in God only knew what walked out of the room. Heavy bags were under her eyes and she looked exhausted. When she saw Taki and Akari in the hall she strained up immediately her eyes seemingly brightening.
"I though the name; Moshibi was familiar." She said as she looked at the two of them.
"You know each other?" Sakaki asked.
"Sakura turned to him and smiled. "Oh, I'm a close friend of their Sensei." She said. "Anyway, you three can come in now." She said turning back around.
They walked into the room as the other orderlies cleared the room of all their equipment. In the middle of the room Yuuno rested on the bed, apparently asleep a small bundle of cloth in her arms.
"Mum!" Taki shouted as she ran forward. Yuuno opened her eyes just barely and smiled at her daughter.
"Hey sweetie," She breathed. She looked even more exhausted than Sakura, barely able to keep her eyes open. "Say hello to your little brother."
Akari stood back a little while Taki and her father cooed over the newest addition to their family, until Taki grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "Say hello." She smiled as she looked at her little brother.
Sakura watched them for a little bit before she walked out of the room. She'd gotten all of two steps before she hit someone.
She looked up to see Naruto.
"Naruto? What are you doing here?" She asked him.
Naruto shrugged. "I figured I'd come say hello, but when I went to your office they told me you were delivering a child, so I came here to see if you were out." He told her.
She nodded to herself as she began walking down the hallway, the orderlies could deal with the finer points, right now all Sakura wanted was a shower and some clean clothes.
"I'd stay and chat but right now I need a shower and some new clothes." She sighed as she started walking again.
"So it was bad?" He asked.
Sakura only nodded, even walking was an effort for her, it wasn't enough that she'd been called in on her week off to do a fifteen hour shift, she had been called into the maternity ward when she was about to leave for a fourteen hour child birth.
"It can't have been that bad." Naruto began.
"She broke my nose." Sakura mumbled.
"Considering the other stories you've told me that's nothing much."
"Twice."
"Still not that-."
"An hour." Sakura mumbled angrily.
"Okay that's just impressive." Naruto smirked.
She thought of berating him but all she could do was mumble something incoherent. Thankfully Naruto stayed silent until Sakura felt him pick her up.
"Naruto," She whined.
"Firstly you're heading the wrong way and secondly, you'd be out paced by a snail at this point." Naruto told her with a smile as he walked to the locker rooms.
Monday morning cam by remarkably fast for the three young Genin and before they knew it they were all heading to the academy to take part in the Chunin exams.
They walked to the fifth floor of the Academy passing by several other Genin teams from various villages. There was a tense silence between them as they looked around at the other teams milling about here and there.
"They look strong." Taki said as they walked down the hall.
Azuko shrugged, "So are we," He muttered.
Akari nodded, agreeing with her team mate. "He's right, if Naruto Sensei believes in us, then we'll be fine." She said.
As they rounded the final corner the saw Naruto leaning against the wall next to the door. He looked up at them as they approached and smiled. "Well guys good to see you all decided to come." He said with a smile.
Azuko's eyes twitched slightly at his Sensei's words. "What did you mean by that?" He asked.
Naruto looked at the three of them with a serious expression. "Well seeing as you all came, it's only fair that I tell you." He said.
"Tell us what?" Akari asked, stepping closer.
"That you can only take the exam if all three of you apply." He told them.
"What?" Azuko all but shouted.
Naruto shifted his gaze to him, his azure blue eyes hardening further. "The Chūnin exams are a team based exam, you need all three of you to advance." He told them.
"And if one of us didn't show?" Taki asked.
Naruto sighed. "I wouldn't be allowed to let you enter, simple as that." He said. "But that's not important. You all came, so you can all take the exam. Just be careful, smart and yourselves and you'll do fine." He said with a smile. "Best of luck to you." He said as he walked down the hallway.
The three of them stayed there for a little bit as they watched their Sensei leave. From here on out it was up to them.
"Ready?" Akari asked them.
They both nodded and the blond smiled. "Then lest show these guys what it takes to be Chūnin," She said with a sly grin.
Even Azuko shared in the moment, a rare smirk curling his usually blank features.
As one the three Genin turned to the door and walked through.
Aaaand, end of the chapter.
Sup Friendlies?
As you may have already guessed with my Oh so subtle lines I literally forgot that Taki's mum was pregnant until after id put up the previous chapter, so here, all done and remembered, some of you may not care all that much, but hey, at least I didn't leave any gapping plot holes in the story. none that I've noticed anyway.
So 'bout gakking time eh? Finally getting to those god damn Chunin exams that I promised you 16 bloody Chapters ago. Yea.
As far as the passing of the exam goes, the first stage will understandably take only one chapter and that Chapter may or may not be a rather short chapter depends on how well I go, hopping I can give you guys a decent enough chapter though.
The second exam will take five to six chapters in its entirety and all of them should be a decent size read, dripping with bloody fighting. the time between the seconds and third will be two odd chapters, three at the most.
Finally thee finals will take a good four chapters to complete followed by a little tie off chapter and an epilogue. So if I can math that's
1+6+3+4+1+1= 16 odd chapters to go.
WE'RE HALF WAY, GAK YEA!
Anyway, if you have anything to say about the chapter feel free to leave a comment.
Until next time I wish you all the best.Yours truly.Nicolai Grey.