New Start
After returning home from the land of waves things were back to normal.
I woke up ate breakfast lock the door to my apartment and took my scooter to the meeting place.
Sasuke and Sakura were meeting at the usual spot.
I stopped in front of them.
"Do you really need to bring your scooter?" Sakura asked.
"Why not, saves me energy for our missions," I responded.
We waited for hours when Kakashi finally arrived.
We went through our usual D-Rank assignments of the day and it ended the same.
We were at training ground 7 afterwards as I cleaned up my wheels.
Kakashi saw a carrier bird flying around.
"I got to go send in the mission report," Kakashi said leaving.
"I'm going home then," Sasuke said.
"Hey Naruto, maybe you can help me out," Sakura requested since Sasuke was gone.
"Actually I'm planning to go into town," I said getting on my scooter, "I got to pick some things up."
"Oh okay," Sakura said.
I headed off.
In town I picked up some stuff I needed at home.
"Okay, that's everything," I said.
Just then I noticed a square rock.
I sniff the air and knew who it was.
"Konohamaru, I can smell you," I said.
He and his two friends Moegi and Udon remove the rock revealing who they are wearing similar goggles to what I use to wear.
"Hey boss," Konohamaru said.
"What's up with the goggles?" I asked.
"Well you use to wear goggles, and since you're the boss, we decided to copy you," Konohamaru said, "So are you ready to play ninja like you promise?"
"A ninja playing ninja, that's low even for you," Sakura said as she noticed us.
"I don't even know when I made that promise," I said.
"Hey boss, is this your girlfriend?" Konohamaru asked.
"Girlfriend!" both Sakura and I responded.
"Sakura is just a friend who is also my teammate, we're not dating or anything like that," I said.
"Yeah sure boss," Konohamaru responded.
I sense anger coming from Sakura.
"Hey Sakura they're just little kids, they don't know what they're talking about," I said.
"I don't see what you see in her, I mean look at her forehead," Konohamaru whispered.
That made Sakura pops her knuckles.
"Konohamaru Moegi Udon I suggest you run for your lives," I said.
They ran as Sakura chased after them.
I fallowed on my scooter to make sure Sakura doesn't do anything that we'll regret.
When I made it Konohamaru was being held by a sand ninja was a black suite and some kind of paint on him with some kind of mummy on his back known as Kankaro, who was with a girl with a fan and hair put into four ponytails known as Temari.
"Hey let him go," I shouted.
"Leaf Genin, interesting," Kankaro thought.
I came at Kankaro full power.
He twitch his fingers and I was about to fall when my tail appeared and help me regain balance.
"What is this kid?" Temari thought.
I jump back on my feet as my tail retreated.
"Konohamaru now is the time to use that jutsu I taught you," I shouted.
"Oh right," Konohamaru responded.
He made the hand sign.
He transformed into a small version of my true form and use his teeth to bite down on Kankaro's arm.
"Ow you little runt," Kankaro said letting go.
He went for a punch when a rock hit him.
They look at a tree branch to see Sasuke sitting there.
"What are you doing here?" Sasuke asked.
"Sasuke," Sakura shouted.
"He's cute," Temari thought.
At the Hokage office all the Jonin instructors surround Minato.
Along with them was Minato's wife Kushina.
"The Chuunin Exams will be hold one week from today, I would like the Jonin incharge of this year's rookies to step up," Minato ordered.
Kakashi Kurenai and Asuma stepped up.
"Kakashi Kurenai Asuma, is there anyone in your teams you feel are ready for the Chuunin exam? They have to complete at least 8 missions, but it's up to you," Minato said.
"Doesn't matter, it's too soon for them to take these exams, even for Naruto," Iruka thought.
"Kakashi, start us off," Minato said.
"I, Kakashi, led team 7's Sasuke Uchiha, Sakura Hanaru, and Naruto Uzumaki," Kakashi said, "Under the name Kakashi Hatake, I nominate all three to take the Chuunin exam."
"What?" Iruka responded.
"I, Kurenai, led team 8's Hinata Hyuga, Kiba Inuzuka, and Shino Aburame," Kurenai said, "Under the name Kurenai Yuuhi, I nominate all three to take the Chuunin Exam."
"I, Asuma, led team 10's Ino Yamanaka, Shikamaru Nara, and Choji Akamichi," Asuma said, "Under the name Asuma Sarutobi, I nominate all three to take the Chuunin exam."
"All 9 of them," Minato said.
"That's rare," Kushina said.
"Hold on a second," Iruka said.
"Yes Iruka," Minato said.
"I taught 8 of those nine students for 4 years. And I seen what Naruto was capable to do, they're not ready," Iruka said.
"On contuary you saw what Naruto was capable of doing when he was in the academy, since then Naruto been getting along with his teammates enough to act as a team and even him and Sasuke surpass Chuunin Ranks," Kakashi said, "And Sakura been training just as hard to try and keep up with them."
"That doesn't mean they're ready," Iruka said, "The Chuunin Exam is known to crush dreams."
"They can handle it. I been training all three of them, and even help Naruto with his super sense of smell and hearing," Kakashi said, "They're not your students anymore, they're ours."
Meanwhile the rest of us were focus on Sasuke.
"That guy is so cool," Konohamaru said.
"That maybe true, but I'm better," I said.
"Yeah right," Konohamaru responded.
I couldn't blame him for not believing that considering he didn't know that I was suppose to be rooky of the year, except for the fact I let Sasuke be rooky of the year.
"I'll get you for that," Kankaro said taking that mummy off his back for attack.
"Kankaro stop," someone said from the other side of the tree from where Sasuke was at.
A red head with a gord on his back stood there.
Right away I could sense demon chakra from him, even thought I could tell he was human.
It made me wonder if he was one of those Jinchuuriki's I heard about.
Sasuke was even surprise by his presence.
"You're an embarrisment to our village, losing in a fight," the boy said, "Why you think we came to this village?"
"Listen Gaara, they started it and…" Kankaro started.
"Shut up or I kill you," the boy known as Gaara said.
I could sense that Kankaro and Temari were scared of him as they both apologized.
"I'm sorry for their actions," Gaara said.
Then he disappeared in a swirl of sand and reappeared on the ground next to his teammates.
He was interested in Sasuke and me for our previous actions.
"We didn't come here to play around," Gaara said.
"I know that," Kankaro said.
Gaara turned to me as I stood there.
"You're the nine-tail fox's son aren't you?" Gaara asked.
"Yeah, and I'm guessing you're one of those Jinchuurikis I heard about," I said, "Why are you here?"
"Yeah, judging from your protectors, you're from the village hidden in the sand. Even though sand and leaf are allies, you still need permission to enter the village," Sakura said.
"We have permission, as for why we're here, we're attending the Chuunin exam that is being hold here," Temari said showing hers.
"Chuunin Exam?" I asked as it was new to me.
"For a demon your clueless, the chuunin exam is when Genin from other hidden villages come together to take in order to be promoted to Chuunin Ranks," Temari said, "We take it together to strengthen bond between villages, maintain balance in Shinobies, and power."
"Hey you, what's your name?" Sasuke asked.
"You mean me?" Temari asked.
"No the one Naruto believe is a Jinchuuriki," Sasuke said.
"My name is Gaara of the Desert, and I am a Jinchuuriki of the Shukaku, and more," Gaara said, "I'm interested in knowing both your names (Sasuke and mine)."
"Mine is Sasuke Uchiha," Sasuke said.
"And mine is Naruto Uzumaki," I said.
They jumped off to the unknown.
I was more interested in the Chuunin exam.
Not just because I could be promoted to higher ranks, but I might get my chance to fight Gaara.
Something he said about 'and more' got my interest in what he meant.
Meanwhile 3 sound ninjas were watching.
One with bandages cover most of his face known as Dosu, a boy with tubes in his hands name Zuko, and the girl known as Kin.
"So what do you think?" Zuko asked.
"Nothing serious but the black hair leaf, the blond hair leaf, and the sand with the gourd we have to keep our eyes on," Dosu responded.
In another training ground Neji and Tenten were training for the exams when Lee came with news.
"Hey did you hear? There's going to be rookies in the exam, first year Genin, that haven't happen in 5 years," Lee said.
"No way, probably some Jonins trying to booste their ego," Tenten said.
"No its true, and three of them is Kakashi's team, including…" Lee started.
"My old friend Naruto. That will be interesting," Neji said.
"Only cause us of those three," Tenten said as she thrown the Kunai she was twirling and hit a bulls eye above Neji.
"You have to feel bad for the rest of them," Neji said.
Days later we gathered to wait for Kakashi again.
Sakura was complaining how late Kakashi was again as she had no time to brush her hair.
That's what she gets for sleeping in.
I woke up early to choose which scrolls to keep on me today.
"Mourning everyone, sorry I'm late but I got lost in the road of life," Kakashi said.
"Liar," Sakura responded.
"Anyways, I know this is sudden, but I nominated you three for the Chuunin exam," Kakashi said and handed out three applications one for each of us.
"Hey that's great," I said.
"Its just a nomination, if you don't want to take it you can wait another year," Kakashi explained, "If you do just sign them and turn them in at room 301 by tomorrow at the the academy at 4 pm."
He jumped off after that.
"Well considering that Jinchuuriki is taking the exam I'm in," I said.
"I don't get why you want to go against him?" Sakura asked.
"You wouldn't understand unless you're a tail beast or I guess a Jinchuuriki," I said.
Sakura seemed uncertain about taking the exam.
A/N: There was no test to see the rookies were ready in the comic series. But I made it as good as I could.
Next Time: The First round of the Chuunin Exam starts as the rooky 9 comes together along with Team Gai. There will be fighting, Genjutsu, and knowledge, and the Chuunin Exam hasn't even started yet. What else could happen before the exam? Read to Find out...