The events had played themselves out as before. A few days before the chunin exams, Team Seven had met the Sand Siblings. Konohamaru had been the one who had bumped into Kankuro. Then Naruto and Sakura followed and the insulting began. Sasuke had arrived shortly after Gaara had entered the scene. He eyed the jinchuriki with calculative eyes. He remembered that from the previous timeline, Gaara had been a bloodthirsty maniac who practically lived off bloodlust. If the events were going to play themselves as before, then he best leave the job of repenting the one tailed jinchuriki to Naruto.

After introducing himself as Sasuke Uchiha, the Sand Siblings left. "Geez that guy is creepy. He has no eyebrows," Naruto said as he gnashed his teeth sarcastically. "Baka!" Sakura said as she smacked the dobe on top of his head. Naruto pouted. "That guy is very powerful," Sasuke said in his usual nonchalant voice. He decided against revealing the truth to them that he was a jinchuriki but it wouldn't hurt to give them a heads up. "Be careful," he concluded. Both members of Team Seven looked at Sasuke as if he had grown a second head, confused as to why Sasuke knew that much about foreign shinobi. They nodded in understanding, still puzzled.


The day of the chunin exams had finally arrived. Team Seven met at the place where the exams were taking place. Everyone was dressed the same except Sakura no longer wore her qipao dress with short sleeves but with no sleeves. They arrived at the building to find a crowd just outside the floor they were supposed to be in. "C'mon guys, let's hurry up if we wanna get a place inside!" Naruto shouted as he jumped up and down. "Quiet down dobe," Sasuke chastised the blonde with his usual cold voice.

"Let's go to the next floor," he said as he remembered that it was a genjutsu. Naruto tried to protest but was shut up with a big smack to the side of his head from Sakura. The three genin went to the next floor where they found that there were two chunin gaurding the door. "Looks like you guys figured it out," one of them said as he opened the door for them. They entered and found many genin already inside.

They walked to a free spot in a random corner. "There are a lot of genin here," Sakura commented as she looked. "Some of them look really powerful," Naruto added. "But that's the best part coz I get to kick their butts, dattebayo!" he said as he punched the air. "Naruto quiet down. You're making noise," the pink haired kunoichi said. Naruto grinned in return.

"Sasuke-kun!" a screech interrupted them and a purple blue latched itself onto Sasuke from behind. "Sasuke-kun, I missed you so much," Ino cooed into a disgusted Sasuke's ear. "Ino-pig, get off Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screeched at the blonde kunoichi. "Shut up forehead girl, I wasn't talking to you," the said kunoichi snapped at Sakura. Sakura fought to keep her anger in control. She didn't want to start acting like a fangirl in front of Sasuke. But Ino was getting on her nerves!

"I see you guys made it," a lazy voice drawled behind them. They turned to see Shikamaru and Chouji who had been looking for their teammate. "Oi Shikamaru, Chouji. You guys made it!," Naruto exclaimed happily. "Yeah. Spotted the genjutsu on the first floor," the Nara heir drawled out. "I bet Sakura saw nothing at all," Ino taunted the female member of Team Seven. "Actually, Sakura's got the best analytical skills among all of us which might even surpass my Sharingan. I'm sure she might've seen it before the dobe and I saw it," Sasuke replied the blonde kunoichi. Ino's jaw dropped as her mind frantically tried to process what Sasuke had just said. Sasuke looked at a baffled Sakura by the corner of his eye. He smirked inwardly. "Teme's right. Sakura's the smartest genin, dattebayo!" Naruto exclaimed loudly. Sakura swallowed hard. Sasuke had commented. Her mind began to swirl at the thought. ' Don't faint in front of Sasuke-kun after he just commented you. Shannaro!' Inner Sakura yelled. Sakura nodded inwardly. "Thanks Sasuke-kun," Sakura said with a genuine smile. "Hn," he said as he looked away, feeling heat rush up to his ears. Thank God his long hair covered his ears otherwise.

Team Eight entered the scene and the Rookie Nine conversed with each other. Kabuto then arrived and the Uchiha eyed the shinobi dangerously. It was unknown to all of them that he was a traitor. The medic nin had experimented on Sasuke's body and he felt disgusted by it. Kabuto offered them information on other genin and Rookie Nine had listened intently to what he was saying. Sasuke fought the urge to roll his eyes. Was he really that stupid to believe Kabuto in the previous timeline? After Kabuto left, Team Gai arrived with Lee challenging Sasuke to a battle and confessing his feelings to Sakura. Sakura had politely declined the bushy browed genin whereas Sasuke didn't even bother to acknowledge him. What would he gain anyway?

Then they went to the first exam which was a written exam. While the others looked intimidated, Sasuke looked boredly at Ibiki Morino. His threats were all dogwhistles. Then they sat down. From his seat, Sasuke could clearly see Naruto and Sakura. Sakura seemed to have no problem with the exam, considering she was a paper ninja. Naruto looked like he was about to wet his pants. Majority, if not all of the genin cheated and Sasuke commented on how each of them had cheated quite intelligently, though a few had been caught and were thrown out of the exam. At the tenth question, Ibiki told everyone that those who felt couldn't answer the question were free to drop out of the exams. Some genin left and twenty six teams were left. Then Ibiki announced that they all passed and went on to explain how.

Sasuke had been thinking of the loopholes on his master plan during the entire time. Anko had arrived with her grand opening. The twenty six genin teams had left for the Forest of Death with Anko. As Ibiki collected Sasuke's exam paper, he saw that he had drawn Ibiki in a polka dot two piece bikini and wrote at the bottom,'You and your exam both suck!' Ibiki stared hard at the paper in his hand before shouting "Uchiha!" whilst crushing the paper in his hand.

From where he was, Sasuke smirked.


"Alright everyone. This exam is a survival exam. Each team is going to be given either a Heaven or Earth scroll. There are thirteen Heaven scrolls and thirteen Earth scrolls. You have to reach the Tower in five days," Anko explained. "Every team has to have both the Heaven and Earth scroll. That means only thirteen teams can pass. Is that understood?" she asked as she looked at them hard. They all nodded in agreement. "The rules for this exam, well, let's just say don't die. It's either do or die," she said. "Before you go, I need you to sign these," she said as papers were passed out among them. "What is this?" a random genin shouted. "Oh, these are papers which don't hold me responsible if you die," she chirped. Some paled at her words. "Now sign them. I'm sure you're all dying to start the exam," she said. As soon as they all finished, the papers were collected. "Now that's done. Let the second exam begin!" she shouted as she opened the gates of the Forest of Death. The genin swarmed inside as each team had safely pocketed the scroll.

'Now let the real action begin,' Sasuke thought as he jumped from tree to tree with a firm resolve, both Naruto and Sakura flanking both his sides with determination of being ready to face whatever lay ahead of them.


I'm done with this chapter. I know it's really short but bear with me. Now let the real action begin! Read and review.

Tozoonana

AfricanFire