Chapter Sixteen - Chunin Exams VII

"Naruto please behave," Kakashi sighed as he let go of Sasuke once the boy stopped trying to attack the blonde. "I don't want to have to worry about you two killing each other all the time. It gets tiring."

"Maybe when Sasuke accepts his sexuality he will stop getting defensive," Naruto chuckled but at the look from his sensei and the amused but expecting look from Ginrei made him sigh and pout. "Fine, fine, I'll stop. You guys are no fun."

"Ahem."

Hayate walked out on the fixed arena and cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. "The intermission is over. We will be choosing the next two Genin."

Everyone looked to the screen that burst to life once more and it blinked a few times before two names were chosen. "Hinata Hyuuga and Suiren of Amegakure. Please enter the field."

Hinata gave Naruto a kiss and leaned into his ear to whisper, "what do I get if I win?"

Naruto blushed and glanced around to see the amused looks he got from Kakashi and Ginrei, while Sakura and Sasuke looked uninterested. He leaned in to whisper in her ear, "if you win both rounds, you can get anything you want. Anything."

Hinata's grin grew ten times larger and a mischievous purple haze seemed to glaze over her colorless pupils. She launched off of the stands and into the arena, a few dozen feet away from Suiren. The Ame-nin is the teammate of Ajisai and she has an umbrella under her poncho, and her eyes seemed uninterested in the fight. Whether that was because she is confident or because she doesn't really care about the exams remains to be seen.

"Ready?" Hayate looked between the two kunoichi before slicing his arm forward. "Start."

Hinata slid into the Gentle Fist with ease, her posture for fluid in contrast to the strict and tense forms of her clansmen, and her Byakugan activated. Suiren jumped back and pulled out her umbrella, but formed a familiar hand seal form, and rain started to lightly fall into the arena. This is the Water Style: Hiding in Drizzle Technique, which is popular with Ame-nin due to it being an invaluable technique during two Shinobi World Wars to protect their nation. Sure enough, her form dissipated into the drizzling rain.

However, the Byakugan isn't considered one of the Legendary Three Eyes for nothing.

Hinata moved forward with all of the grace of a ballerina dancer, her palm intercepting an unseen force to many people's untrained eyes. For the Jonin that have trained to fight these types of techniques, like Kakashi, Ginrei, and a few foreign ninjas, they new what to look for and were lightly impressed with the calming ease of which the young heiress handled the situation. Not many, even Hyuuga, were confident in this type of situation as it completely relied on the vague outline of their opponent and if they are fast then it makes landing a solid strike nearly impossible.

For Hinata against Suiren, however, saw a one-sided battle.

Hinata moved to the side and backward, avoiding unseen attacks, but her eyes moved around in front of her with calculating ease. Her eyes moved up and everyone can now see an umbrella in the air that began spinning.

"Senbon Shower."

Naruto heard the voice, most likely Suiren, speak out the technique just before an onslaught of senbon with poison began raining down. Hinata, however, slid into a familiar form and began weaving her chakra into a protective dome that blocked all of the senbon from reaching her. Like with her Gentle Fist, her Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven is much more fluid and almost beautiful in the way she weaved her chakra. Sometimes, having a naturally strong water affinity improves many techniques.

Hinata slowly stopped her rotation as the umbrella ran out of senbon, and her eyes seemed to light up in smug amusement at the opponent only she could see. Slowly, the rain stopped and the previously invisible girl appeared; she is holding her arm as it hung limply at the side, likely affected by the attacks from Hinata.

Suiren sighed and raised her good arm slightly. "I give up, proctor."

Hayate nodded his head and raised his arm that is closest to Hinata. "Hinata Hyuuga wins."

Naruto clapped for her, watching as she bowed respectively to her prior opponent before making her way toward him with an excited grin on her face. She jumped up to his side, dropping down next to him with crossed arms, which he laughed at and leaned forward to give a quick kiss on her cheek. "Good job, Hina-chan. One more fight."

She nodded with a light blush but didn't push any further. She knew she would get what she wants when she inevitably wins her next fight. She just had to be patient. And ignore the disappointed stare her sensei was giving her.

Naruto noticed Hinata roll her eyes but decided to not press her for the reason, instead turning to the screen to see the next fight. He saw Shikamaru and someone named Kegon appears, which he was not interested in observing, so he turned to Ginrei and motioned for the man's attention. "I'm going to the restroom. I will be right back."

The man nodded before turning his attention back to observing the fight.

Naruto chuckled before walking away.

Meanwhile

"You wasted your opportunity, Orochimaru-san."

"Hssss, don't talk to me in that tone," the snake Sannin hissed through a scowl as he had more serpent features than before thanks to his rebirth through one of his seals.

Sadly the host had died from his sudden revivification but it couldn't be helped. He was more upset that he didn't get to mark the Uchiha like planned but just from what he saw in their encounter the young avenger had a wavering loyalty to the village. If he could use the boy's desire for power against him, the plan can still continue as before.

But Naruto is becoming an even bigger problem than before. He knew that the boy was training in his family techniques but the knowledge of what those techniques are were unsubstantiated assumptions. He was only a sixteen year old boy with but a year of experience in the shinobi forces but his control of his Biju had tipped the fight against him.

The rogue Sannin will have to tread more carefully next time, and when the time came for the invasion he will have to be more decisive in his actions. The fact that he could summon some type of flying beast also concerns him to a large degree as he had read the reports of what happened in Wave, thanks to his little mole Kabuto.

"Do not forget who is helping you, Orochimaru, or you will find yourself without it."

Then there is that man. Someone who approached him with an offer he couldn't refuse no matter how much he desired to kill him on the spot. But he is very powerful in techniques unique to that accursed clan the blonde boy is so proud of. His katana, when fully unleashed, can tear apart his soul to the point that he would not be able to come back from one of the demon seals and the fact that there is a numerous amount of individuals with this power loyal to the young child infuriates and scares him.

Standing at six-foot-one with chestnut brown hair and dark brown eyes, he wore a long black robe with a white haori. On the back of the haori is the kanji for "Fourth Captain." He is not wearing his glasses, instead having them somewhere in his robe, and he has a katana inside his white sash.

This man is the Captain of the Fourth Division of the Uzumaki Whirlpool Enforcers, who maintain control over and the strategies of expansion through new territory for the redeveloping clan. The nephew of one of the retainers for the Uzumaki before their destruction but unlike his uncle and fellow retainers he holds no love for the new Prince. Instead, he desires for his own control over the country and more.

"You are the one who came to me, Aizen," Orochimaru sneered at the man. "I do not require your help."

Aizen nodded his head after a moment of silence and grabbed his glasses from his rob. "Then I will leave you to your plans. Good day."

Aizen activated a seal on the ground and disappeared in a brief flash, leaving the defeated Sannin to his frustrated thoughts.

"What did I miss," Naruto asked as he arrived back at Ginrei and Hinata's side.

"Sasuke fought someone named Yoroi, who could siphon someone's chakra, and won. Sakura lost to Tenten, a bit of a skill difference but it is to be expected." Naruto noticed Sakura slump a bit at that but he knew it was true so he didn't comment. "Shino won against Choji because the bugs disgusted him. Oh, Shikamaru fought the Taki-nin Kegon and won, but he did it in a ridiculous way. Neji beat that other Ame-nin so there is only one of them left. And now Lee beat Misumi."

Naruto watched as Rock Lee used some kind of taijutsu technique that sent the last teammate of Kabuto's straight into the ground. It caused a crater to form from the explosive impact, sending chunks or earth scattering around. That looked like it hurt.

Hayate motioned for medic-nin to arrive and raised his arm towards Lee. "Rock Lee wins."

As the injured man was taken out of the arena, the board cycled through the last of the names. Kin Tsuchi versus Ajisai of Amegakure.

"May the two contestants come down," Hayata announced and waited as the two made their way down.

Kin Tsuchi and Ajisai met each other a few yards apart and stared at each other, waiting for the moment the match officially started. Hayate just glanced between the two girls and motioned. "Start."

Kin threw a kunai at the same time as Ajisai pulled a storage seal slip from her pouch and aimed it at her opponent. Kin's singular kunai got lost in the flurry of shuriken that were expelled from the seal and she barely jumped to the side in time to avoid being injured. She did notice, however, this is a similar type of fighting as that Konoha kunoichi that beat that weak pink-haired one.

Seeing Ajisai pull out another seal, she went through some hand seals before inhaling deeply. She exhaled a gusty breath in time to stop the barrage that would have impaled her, but the Ame kunoichi was not idle in seeing this. She dashed forward and made her own hand seals.

Ajisai channeled wind chakra into her right hand to create a blade and as her opponent finished her wind style technique she had her wind blade positioned to pierce her abdomen. Kin's eyes widened in fear and prepared to dash backward but it seemed that in her haste her foot had lost grip and slipped, and she was now falling backward with the blade following her. She closed her eyes, feeling that her clumsy actions just cost her her life.

However, Kin felt nothing even a few moments after landing on the ground and she instead heard a shout; "Ajisai of Amegakure wins!"

Kin opened her eyes to see the wind blade stopped and positioned above her chest, but Ajisai showed restraint in preventing her death. Her eyes looked at her with concern but she was just glad she still lived.

Naruto nodded his head to the sides as he noted the control the Ame kunoichi displayed, even in the heat of a fight. He glanced to see a small nod given by Ginrei as well, having the same thoughts if his pleased and relaxed expression was anything to understand. The old man had always had a small tension when watching inexperienced youngsters fight to such extremes with the possibility of someone dying.

"You looked please, Kuchiki-san," Kakashi eye-smiled at the man as he turned his attention from his book for a moment.

"I appreciate a person's control, and their ability to properly gauge a situation," Ginrei answered shortly. "It is good to see it in the shinobi forces so young, Sage knows we don't need half-cocked Chunin running around."

Naruto chuckled at his teacher's nod but confused stare at the last comment but decided not to comment on it. He returned to his book as the next contestants were called.

"Temari of the Desert and Samui of Kumogakure, please come down."

Naruto took notice not because one of the contestants is the Kazekage's only daughter but because the blonde kunoichi from Kumo is participating in this fight. She kept staring at him, which in of itself is creepy, but he was also interested in her skill as the Genin of the Eight-Tail Jinchuuriki. He had high hopes for what she could do, but also to find out how dangerous she could be if her staring is because of something sinister.

Oh, Sage, he's becoming paranoid.

"Begin."

Temari jumped backward while pulling out her fan, but her eyes widened when she saw that in her place is a boulder-sized crater from a simple punch delivered by her opponent. If she had been a second later, she would have become crushed by that single attack alone! From the looks of the small amount of lightning chakra running over her body, Samui used it to enhance her body to be able to move faster but that means she still has the natural raw strength to cause that much damage.

Temari opened her fan and channeled chakra through it to release a strong gust of wind at Samui with the hope of pushing the girl back. It did not work, instead, the Kumo kunoichi dashed forward through the technique and raised her fist for another attack. Her knuckles crackled with electricity as she charged her chakra into her fist.

"Chakra body enhancement, very nice," Ginrei commented with a small chuckle. "Unless Temari-san can find a way to properly counter Samui-san's aggression, she will fail."

"She seems to rely on her fan for all wind techniques," Naruto leaned forward on the railing. "I doubt she has proper taijutsu techniques unless that fan is for weapon fighting as well."

"I doubt it," Ginrei responded and chuckled when a single punch delivered by the Kumo girl snapped the fan in half. "As I was about to say, it did not look sturdy enough to be used for close combat."

Samui smirked slightly as she watched the war fan crumble into a small heap from a single punch. She grabbed the girl's light jacket and tossed her into the wall they are closest to, making the stone wall crack from the impact. Blood dribbled from the corner of the Suna kunoichi's mouth and dropped to the ground unceremoniously when she was let go.

Still, Temari tried to get up but collapsed when she got to her knees.

"Stop," Hayate jumped forward to stand in front of Samui. "Samui of Kumogakure wins. Medic!"

Naruto nodded his head as he was hoping the match would be called after that. There was no way that Temari would be able to recover from such a brutal attack, especially if she happened to get to her feet and tried to continue fighting desperately. She did her best, and it is just sad that she had to face an opponent that countered her fan techniques.

"This is why I have you train enough in everything," Ginrei laid a hand on Naruto's shoulder as he watched the Suna kunoichi be taken away by medic-nin.

Naruto understood this as the old man's way of assuring himself that he prepared the Prince as much as he could. He appreciated the man's concern and flashed a grin at the man. "Don't worry, Ginrei-ojisan, I plan on winning this so you have no reason to worry about me. I will use your and Onahana-obasan's teachings well."

Ginrei nodded his head curtly, but there was a proud shine in his eyes as he regarded his Prince. He remembered the image of the young brat at eight years old with an intense expression and a silence that spoke of the abuse he suffered mentally and emotionally, but he had the drive to be something more than he was given and forced to live with. He strove for something greater with the willpower that his grandfather held and a thirst for learning that every Uzumaki has possessed.

He and his family traveled with Retsu and her adopted daughters, and when they found young Naruto even under all the grime and the malnourished body they could see the potential he could. A proper Prince to remake the clan they lost because of the fears of the world, and his Uzumaki blood burned brighter than his mother who had no desire to gather her wandering retainers.

Naruto did all of that and more, and he, with his and Retsu's guidance, is set to emerge back into the world as strong as before. But now the Ancients have agreed to have a larger presence in the clan to better protect and strengthen their guardians. The Elder Beasts have made a point to test the heir of the clan and the tattoo is their approval of the blonde. The latest summoner of the Uzumaki Ancients.

Behemoth and Nergigante both got along with the blonde the most, having found and respected the darker side of the happy blonde. Those two have been itching for a fight ever since the blonde's grandfather died fighting for Uzushiogakure. They wanted payback in rivers of blood from their enemies.

Kakashi had watched the entire interaction with a sad expression, feeling that he was not truly Naruto's teacher any more than Hiruzen was Minato's. There was a bit of a relationship there but it wasn't the same. It just made him feel even worse about what little he has done for the blonde and he glanced at his other two students, noting that Sakura seemed to look at two with a small smile while Sasuke avoided any sight of the blonde. It seems he was still embarrassed by Naruto's teasing earlier.

"We have our winners of the first round."

Kakashi turned in surprise at the announcement, not realizing he had spaced out the rest of the fights. They must have gone by fast.

"We would normally allow another intermission to get yourselves prepared and a quick breather, but the Hokage has seen it fit to continue on without such a break so as to simulate the intense missions you will face as Chunin." Hayate looked around as he said the announcement. "The first round will be starting immediately after the choosing," he looked up as the board lit up and chose two names, "which will be Sasuke Uchiha and Fu of Takigakure."

Please just one or two more chapters I want this part over with ;-;

Also, a shoutout to DualEquinox for messaging me and sharing some cool ideas. I appreciate it when people do this as it gives a good second opinion, and of course, I will always give credit where it is due so never think that I will be stealing your ideas :)

PraetorXyn: You're telling me it makes this part a little bit of a bore tbh -.-

NinjaFang1331: Thank you :D

SurplusHook: Thank you I hope to deliver more good chapters :)

SeiferBoy: I don't blame you, but just gloss over the fights as there will be some interesting things sprinkled in whenever Naruto watches a fight (if he does)

dudebroelitekid: That's understandable and I do appreciate you giving the story a try. There's no hard feelings :)