Chapter 31
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Forest of Death, with teams eight, nine, and ten…
Shikamaru and Lee shared goofy grins, Lee giving a 'good guy' pose.
"Yosh! We will shine our FLAMES OF YOUTH through a most YOUTHFUL battle for the scroll!" Lee exclaimed. Shikamaru chuckled.
"Let's play some shogi." Shikamaru said. Ino widened her eyes before grabbing Choji and tugging him away while every one was transfixed on the 'youthful' duo.
"IF SHOGI SHOWS OUR FLAMES I AM PUMPED! YOSH!" Lee screamed in happiness. Neji and Tenten shared sighs at their friend, while team eight backed away slowly, not wanting to catch whatever illness it was Lee and Shikamaru had.
"I too am excited for our youthful battle," The Nara said. Then, to the surprise of team nine, he smirked.
He turned.
And he ran, launching a basic kunai trap Ino had set up moments before they were surrounded.
"YOSH! A most youthful race, Shikamaru- kun! Let us race to the tower like a true cat and mouse."
"Lee! Damnit, Tenten, let's go." Neji ordered before the remaining members of team nine followed into the trees. Both had thoughts to end the farce of a pursuit quickly and painfully.
Hinata watched her cousin leave and moved to follow, flinching when Kiba put a hand on her shoulder to stop the effort.
"A- ano, shouldn't we f- follow Neji- niisan?" She asked timidly. Over the last few months, her confidence had improved marginally under the ANBU's tutelage, but being near her hostile family member sent her back to square one.
"Let those basterds leave, that cousin of yours was more trouble than he was worth" Kiba scoffed. Hinata looked ready to protest until Shino stepped in.
"We are near the Iwa team according to my allies; we'll relieve them of their scroll before heading to the tower. I do not trust Neji- san." The Aburame stated firmly. Hinata hesitated before nodding and the three set off, getting further and further away from her cousin she was instructed to stay by.
With Teams nine and ten…
Ino looked at Shikamaru in worry, as he went kept shouting about youth even as they ran from the mentally unstable Lee and murderous Neji and Tenten.
'This has to be because of that poison. Arg, you better go back to being lazy, you baka.' Ino thought. She could see the tower clearing and prayed they could reach the entrance in time.
Just then she blocked a barrage of shuriken that imbedded themselves into her right hand and arm, making jutsu impossible.
Ino screamed in pain as blood spurted out of the wound and was carelessly kicked to the ground mid jump by Tenten.
The brunette sneered at the short haired blonde.
"You were ready to give up back there, blondie."
"Partial expansion jutsu!" The most beautiful voice Ino had ever heard shouted as a large, meaty arm curtesy of Choji blocked another barrage of kunai. The large shinobi looked livid as he stood in front his friend who was currently bleeding on the forest floor. Shikamaru had been ruthlessly knocked out by an exuberant Lee and was deposited on the ground next to Choji curtesy of the green wearing shinobi.
"Yosh! You were most youthful opponents, but we have triumphed over you today! Never fear though, after the exams we can bask our flames of YOUTH together!" Lee shouted before running towards the tower. Tenten sighed before following, dragging a livid looking Neji with her.
Choji waited a few moments before cancelling his jutsu. With a sigh, the only conscience member of team ten carried his friends gently towards the tower to forfeit and receive medical attention.
'I knew the chunin exam was a bad idea!'
With Naruto and Ro…
The Iwa genin were baffled when they jumped straight into a tree that looked like empty space curtesy of Naruto's 'false surroundings' genjutsu. While too weak for any ANBU mission and requiring far too much concentration for the Jinchuuriki to keep up for his chunin missions, it was perfect for the weaklings below.
Well, they weren't weak, Naruto admitted to himself. They were just… inexperienced. Hikaru gave him a thumbs up from a higher perch, while Deidara looked exhausted. Naruto wasn't sure why the other blonde wasn't in a hospital. However, it wasn't his place so he dropped it.
Ro had stumbled upon the Iwa on their third sweep of the area and couldn't resist some subtle sabotage. It was his way of keeping entertained after assigning Angel to guard Sasuke and team seven. Leaving his partner behind was annoying seeing as Hikaru and Deidara seemed to see it as an opportunity to bug the blonde ANBU with signed practical jokes behind Tenzo's back. Nothing he didn't expect if he was being honest.
Of course, Naruto wasn't expecting Shino's bugs to shoot towards the now defensive Iwa team. Nor was he expecting Kiba and Akamaru to send a loud 'Fang over Fang' into the triangle formation team who split apart with practiced ease.
And Naruto really wasn't expecting Hinata to engage the enemy… with team nine nowhere in sight. A glance towards Tenzo's retreating back as his captain landed next to the newly arrived team Hawk confirmed his suspicions that something wasn't right.
'Oi! Furball, why didn't you tell me Hinata's team was coming?'
Grr… I did but you were focusing on setting up that weak genjutsu that I still wonder why you haven't mastered it.
'I did master it, but genjutsu is my weak area, you know this. It's why I haven't used it much since Dragon- sama taught it to me.'
Tsk, whatever. Anyways, that Hyuga did warn you about them approaching but you were zoned out. If I had to guess it would be because of Orochimaru.
Naruto blushed at the accusation that he knew was true and cut off the conversation in favor of watching the Konoha team get destroyed save for Shino. Hinata had been picked apart by the girl with sealed chakra who apologized after tying the Hyuga girl up with reinforced wire. Shino was in a bind when one of the males incinerated half his colony in one go when they rose up for a barrier attack. His muscles tensed when Akamaru was knocked out and had a kunai stuck to his throat curtesy of the obvious leader. He glanced over to his captain, and relaxed when Tenzo ordered a no intervention from Ro.
'Time to see how they handle this. Will it be like shinobi? Or children caught in the cookie jar?'
Team eight and Iwa…
Shino tsked in annoyance at the whole situation before him. He had a beautiful plan, all laid out that involved his bugs casually draining the other team's chakra.
But then Kiba got impatient before the first swarm could make their move, citing 'the basterds are almost to the tower'. In a spontaneous burst of stupidity Shino ordered his allies to burst out of the ground at once in order to give Kiba a chance.
Of course that failed. Logic would have dictated a retreat, but his teammates were too engaged in battle to allow that and Shino found his careless move ending in the death of his stronger batch of insects. If only, the Aburame mused as Akamaru hung limp in the air, they were in leech territory. Alas they weren't even near Wasp Spiders and endangering the endangered carnivorous beetles around him was a last resort. Instead, Shino pushed his glasses up and focused on diplomacy.
"Give us the dog and your scroll or your third member will die from her blood loss." Shino promised, much to everyone's confusion. Just then the girl who was holding Hinata bound found an elongated kunai piercing the hand that held Hinata and flying through her torso.
"Ack!" Was the girl's cry as she fell forward, Hinata sheepishly jumping away. The seal on her sleeve- that her weird cousin 'Hikaru' gave her right before the exam, Shino remembered- was glowing before disappearing. Hinata landed next to Shino and bravely gave no indication that she regretted using a trigger seal to impale her enemy.
Even better was the paralyzing poison attached to it.
"Y- you MONSTERS!" Hideo spat. All rational thought that he would- and has in the past- employed the same tactic in the past was forgotten.
"You're surrounded and have no chance. Why? Because insects are everywhere, and I have already drained half your chakra. Hand us our comrade and the scroll and we'll let you leave alive." Shino spoke coldly, bluffing about the insects and knowing less than a third of the boy's chakra was gone.
Hideo felt woozy and noticed the vermin on him, sucking away his chakra. Mari was unconscious and gasping for air, most likely a nicked lung the culprit. Hideo was pissed at himself and his team but knew his sensei would kill him if he let pride kill a teammate.
"Akiko" He spat. The silent boy tossed the scroll with little emotion and lifted up Mari. Akamaru was dropped unceremoniously on the ground but no one reacted. The boys prepared for the Konoha scum to attempt to finish them off. However, they were allowed to pass and the last team of Iwa raced in the direction of the tower, tails between their legs.
Shino let out a breath he didn't know he was holding before turning to Kiba with a scary look on his face.
"Kiba." The Inuzuka gulped as Shino glared. "We will talk about this later."
Hinata was released from the wire, and they set off silently. Hinata stewed about her moment of courage while Kiba cradled a now awake Akamaru.
And Shino? His eyebrows were raised when a scouting ally brought back the chakra of a very familiar blonde that was apparently in the trees the entire time along with an interesting description.
'Uzumaki- san, just what are you doing wearing an ANBU uniform?'
Back in the trees…
Clueless about the Aburame discovering his secret yet proud about his former classmate's performances, Naruto sent a wave to Hawk as the two squads parted paths, Ro still on patrol while Hawk shadowed the heiress's team to the tower. Tenzo looked mighty pleased when he informed them they had won the bet and that they would be voting on the mission Hawk would take over the next squad dinner.
'I vote Tora!' Hikaru signed. Naruto nodded with a vicious smile behind his masks; he had been meaning to teach Tora- chan how to make clones.
'First, that's so mundane. Second, we're on duty' Tenzo signed in reprimand.
'Hai, Taicho; apologies' Naruto signed back sheepishly. Looking at the sky as they continued on, the blonde was pleased they had a mere nine hours left of this monotony.
Deep in T and I…
Dragon didn't allow a tear to escape his mask as Takashi slept on the cot, blissfully unaware that he was in front of family. Soon he'd wake up with his curse seal deactivated curtesy of the same methods Dragon employed on Sai all those months ago, but for now Dragon was left to his thoughts.
The night of the Uchiha massacre was not one Shisui wished to recall. Having been recovering from his battle and subsequent farce of a suicide, Shisui hadn't been there during the blood bath.
But he was there in the morgue amongst the mutilated bodies- some so charred on the face that only later would DNA reveal their identities. The babies and children had been the worst, and Shisui had thought they were the victims of the second killer, as Itachi would never burn children.
Shisui remembered that night, crying over the tiny bodies while the Hokage kept the room free of any prying eyes. Takashi and his little sister Tsuki were often left in Shisui's care while their father plotted in the elder meetings not even Shisui was privy to. He changed their diapers, taught a four year old Takashi how to hold a kunai, and thought about them if he didn't see them at least once a month. Their deaths were a black mark on the Commander's soul that he carried around constantly. It was a wedge in his heart and one of the many reasons he carried on living; no child would die like that again.
But now Shisui faced the possibility that Tsuki- along with the other Uchiha children- were alive and brainwashed by Danzo. Danzo was slated for death, but now it would be thousands of times worse.
Takashi began stirring and Shisui prepared to steel his nerves. He knew the Sharingan would be used, and thus prepared for an exercise in restraint against killing the Warhawk that plagued him for five years.
Five infinite, gut wrenching years.
"Takashi Uchiha." Shisui said in a bored tone. The boy gave a glare. "Oooh the famous 'Uchiha glare'. I'm shaking in my mask."
"I won't talk" Takashi snapped in a surprising show of emotion that proved he was taken too late for Danzo's full emotional conditioning program.
"Tsk, tsk. I'm sure you wouldn't, if you had a choice. The thing is, however…" Takashi gazed into the now active Mangekyo Sharingan, completely in a daze. "You don't have a say in the matter."
For the next four hours Shisui would hear exactly what was happening in Danzo's inner most circle of darkness.
Team Seven's quarters…
Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai sat in silence, though all for different reasons. Angel was napping Sakura's lap after claiming Naruto was on duty in the tower at the girl's question.
Sai was silent as he contemplated what happened in the forest. The ambush, his willingness to die for his team, and the Sharingan. Sai knew he was lucky Hikaru- sensei showed up or else he- and possibly Sasuke and Sakura- would be dead. These past months had shown Sai that life wasn't a canvas of black lines that led him from mission to mission for Danzo- sama.
Instead, it was shades of pink and fists. Of blue and bad attitudes. Of Silver and tardiness. And of every shade Sai could think of that blurred together in a beautiful mess that represented his life now. With new resolve, Sai swore to himself to make sure that mess never disappeared. He'd protect his team- no, his friends- and never go back to that shell of a person he was.
Sasuke, meanwhile, was caught on his former classmate, Naruto. The pair was never close; Sasuke had even attacked him in a stupid rage months ago. Of course, Sasuke's problem with the blonde originated in the academy.
At the beginning of the academy, Sasuke and Naruto were in separate classes. Naruto was foolish, but brilliant. His pranks on the instructor were legendary yet his grades were rumored to be abysmal despite his loud claims that 'he did his homework correctly'. Sasuke would grumble at how carefree the boy seemed while he struggled to bring his father pride. When they were merged into one class, Sasuke took to ignoring the 'orphan idiot' as he was called.
Then… that night happened. And afterwards, Sasuke was alone. He would see the blonde walk by him with a wave or arrive at his desk to find Naruto trying to rope him into a prank. Of course Sasuke always ignored him with a vengeance.
Graduating, Sasuke was joyed to find Naruto wasn't on his team, even if Sai freaked him out more than Sakura's fantasies. Sasuke remembers the first time he saw Naruto in ANBU gear (not that he realized it at the time) was the moment Sasuke realized how little age seemed to matter power wise. No longer was his brother a God that none could reach. And when Sasuke had his tail whipped by Naruto, the supposed desk shinobi, he realized that beginnings meant nothing, that even an orphan dead last could soar. Of course He hated Naruto for a long time as he wasn't soaring nearly as high. The night Naruto broke into his apartment to give the 'friendly advice' about his name Sasuke still hated him. Hated that he never seemed to leave the village yet effortlessly destroyed him. Hated that on diplomatic missions Naruto led them around like puppies. Hated that the boy six months younger than him was three times more mature and powerful just weeks after graduation.
But then Naruto became the ANBU from all those months ago. He was someone who protected them. Now, Sasuke didn't know what to feel. Hatred was gone, that he knew. Even if Naruto wasn't a friend, Sasuke knew he wasn't a pesky worm under his skin.
Naruto had become a comrade.
While the two males in the room had emotional revelations, Sakura was utterly confused. She was told rather bluntly that what happened after she was knocked out by something (her memory was fuzzy) was a village secret. She was forbidden from asking anyone about it.
That made the brilliant medic curious. And a curious kunoichi was a dangerous kunoichi, as Sakura's mother would say. With a determined look, Sakura decided she'd figure out what had happened in the forest that made Sasuke look contemplative and Sai determined. After she kicked everyone's ass and became a chunin, of course.
Then her boys would spill their secrets.
Team Kumo…
Meanwhile, Yuzu Otosuki was having a bad day.
It began with her stupidly getting separated from her friends when a giant snake barreled through her team, separating them. When she awoke and started searching for Taro and Saki, she came into a clearing that had was completely demolished. A bloody but intact scroll made it worthwhile, though.
However, her search for her team led her to the Suna team, the one with the psycho red head. Yuzu had been warned by her uncle to stay away from him before the exams, but seeing her friends surrounded by sand stopped all reason from reaching her brain. With a lightning charged kunai she aimed for a head shot at the red head that was choking Saki slowly.
When the sand protected the monster who now wore a manic grin, Yuzu gulped.
That gulp was her last action before sand created a coffin around her form and crushed her. She never even got to scream. The only comfort was Taro and Saki who followed their teammate to the afterlife barely a second later.
Their lost souls would have grave consequences.
Sand team, after Gaara's slaughter…
Temari gulped as Gaara killed the beloved niece of the former Raikage and member of the current Raikage's extended family. When Garra left the bodies in the sand, not bothering to destroy the evidence and ordered them to leave them, Temari knew; Temari knew that it would come to bite them later. She only hoped she could get out of the way before it did.
Back with Ro, after the exams…
While technically off duty as the second phase was ended and Hawk had picked up the corpses of the dead genin teams, every shinobi in the building not taking the exams were on the ceiling beams to watch the match up process for round three. Even Deidara, still not talking much with side effects from his battle, was there. Naruto noticed Tenzo ordered him to go to the hospital immediately after, however.
Twelve genin, six matchups in the first round. Normally a preliminary would be called, but with most of the candidates being Konoha genin, the Hokage had decided to make an exception and put time limits on the final phase first rounds.
Ten minutes to knock your opponent out or you both get disqualified. Naruto listened in amusement as the Hokage gave the made up, albet true, reason for the time limit that most shinobi battles lasted mere moments and that drawing a fight out too long led to an early death.
'More like death by boredom for the spectators' Naruto mused. Kurama snorted in agreement.
Throwing shade at the exam, I see. The fox commented. Naruto huffed and ignored the Bijuu. Instead he looked down at the genin drawing numbers.
"The first round has been decided through complete randomness." Hayate, the chosen proctor, stressed when Sakura mentioned it could be rigged to be unfair. Even though it was totally rigged, Konoha would deny it to the genin. Naruto was actually the one to help Jiraiya come up with the seal that let the Hokage pre load which number ball a drawer would pull.
"First match: Hinata Hyuga V Sakura Haruno.
Second match: Kiba Inuzuka V Rock Lee.
Third match: Kankuro no Sabaku V Shino Aburame.
Fourth match: Tenten V Temari no Sabaku
Fifth match: Neji Hyuga V Sai
Sixth match: Gaara no Sabaku V Sasuke Uchiha. We will see you in exactly one month; your senseis will have more information. May the Will of Fire burn brightly in you all."
At the last name, Sasuke sighed even as the Suna genin gave quizzical looks, not realizing an Uchiha was in the exams. The plan to keep him off the radar for the survival portion worked, it seemed. However, Sasuke was rather glad he could wear his clan crest again, especially since the only foreigners were their allies in Suna. Nothing to worry about.
While the various genin were fretting over their match ups and following their senseis back to the village, the ANBU were already making bets on the outcomes.
'I bet one month's rent that Shino throttles Kankuro' Hawk wagered. Hikaru laughed.
'And I bet a free special order of seals curtesy of Chibi- Kohai that Sai beats my cousin!' Hikaru countered.
Everyone gaped at the Hyuga betting against his family. However, Naruto gaped for a different reason.
"You moron, don't make me bartering chip!" He growled and whacked his senpai on the head. Yugao smacked Naruto for talking aloud and Deidara 'accidentally' poked Naruto in the side.
Tenzo just sweat dropped at his team before motioning for them to leave.
Finally, the next day, Naruto's apartment…
Waking up to silence was a beautiful thing. Guy and Kakashi were out of the village training their teams, Jiraiya was meetings all day, Angel was with Dragon for some special assignment, and Tenzo gave the entire team the day off. Deidara was in the hospital for minor chakra exhaustion and an allergic reaction to the antivenom, ensuring a stress free day. Life was beautiful in Naruto's book.
Dressed in his off duty attire, the blonde strolled to the door of his apartment for a midmorning walk. Grabbing his key, Naruto opened the door, already activating his security seals and ready for a relaxing day of hot springs and reading.
"Naruto- nii!" A pleasant voice greeted him. Naruto blinked as he closed his door and looked down to see Momo.
Along with Konohamaru and his friends, all four of them covered in paint with sheepish looks.
"Momo, what the heck happened?" Naruto asked, dumbfounded, and worried about the girl not being in classes.
"Um… well you see…" She began with a gulp.
"SAVE US FROM IRUKA!" Konohamaru butted in and latched himself onto Naruto's leg. He proceeded to rant about some prank gone wrong that led to Iruka's test papers being ruined and the four of them running for their lives.
Naruto sighed and repressed a groan. He personally only talked to the boy a couple of times and didn't mind him, but the brat was bugging him on his day off and ruining his comfy pants. A chain wrapped itself around each child and lifted them to eye level.
"Now, anyone want to explain why I'm being assaulted on my day off by chibies?" Naruto said in a scary voice while letting a light illuminate his face mask.
All four gulped and wondered if running to Naruto was a good idea, even if they were desperate.
END! Next chapter: final preparations for war, Deidara's dilemma, and Naruto's proper day off!
I'm not too happy with this chapter. It was necessary though as it tied up some loose ends and explained other plot points. Such as why I focused on the Kumo team (hint: it has to do with how Kumo's Raikage will react when Konoha candidly gives details about their deaths), or how team seven was coping with what happened. Each one is growing, though obviously they aren't as important to the story as Naruto. The story goes back to focusing on Naruto and the shadows of the village next chapter, so don't worry!
A couple of things:
Keep an eye on Deidara: there's an event coming up involving him and Naruto and Hikaru.
Naruto using genjutsu again… I can neither confirm or deny that I forgot that I had him learn it. But, it will be used a tad more again!
Hinata and her team… honestly Team eight was supposed to fail, but I hated how it was flowing. Plus, they were needed to make the final match ups run better. Also I just rewatched the finals in the anime and got sad for Shino not getting to fight. Hopefully he'll finally get his fight!
Have a great week and apologies it's not as epic as the last one! Anyways, see y'all in KMM and FALPL (From the After life to the Past Life. I hope you guys go give it a read, it's my newest story).
Riku