Chapter 35

Whoever's bright idea it was to make a hidden village in the middle of miles and miles of sand, heat, and despair deserved to go down in history as one of the dumbest human beings to ever walk the Elemental Nations. The only thing they should ever be remembered for is their stupidity—morning more. The fact that whoever it was more than likely had children was enough food for thought to want to hunt down their tombstone and tap dance on their grave.

That was what Naruto thought as he wiped the sweat from his brow for the hundredth time that day, the unforgiving sun beating down on him and his team from the very moment trees turned to sand. Unlike the recently renamed Land of Snow, chakra could not cool the body as well as it could warm it, meaning that the team was left with no option other than enduring the heat.

The only thing they had going for them was the wind, which thankfully provided a little respite from the heat. Still, it did not take away the fact that Suna was a hellhole and that this was hopefully their last time ever venturing to such a desolated wasteland.

"It's too damn hooooot." Tenten groaned, the sweat rolling down her neck and back, making her uniform feel like a second layer of skin.

The chuckle that came from the front of the group was unwarranted and unwanted.

"You Konoha Shinobi are quite pitiful, aren't you? All that 'Will of Fire' jargon and heats' your weakness?" Their Suna Jonin escort mocked, the man seemingly unfazed despite wearing more layers than any of them.

"That's kind of unfair to say. Our climate is much cooler than your wasteland." Naruto defended his team and village.

"Just means you tree huggers don't understand true hardship. In Suna, we fight every day of our lives both for food and against the heat. Since the day we are born, we adapt to our environment. It makes us stronger, both in body and mind." He stated proudly, turning his head to show the trio the smirk he had plastered on his face. "But if it bothers you so much, then by all means, turn around and head on back. Probably would save you from being killed in the exam."

"Big words coming from arguably the weakest village amongst the great five." Neji chimed in. Instead of an angry retort, the man laughed.

"You may not be wrong in that sense, but that just means we have more to prove. Underestimate our Genin, and you just might be carried out of her in a scroll. Especially since that demon is participating this year." The man warned ominously.

"You mean your Jinchuuriki." Kagero spoke up, interested for the first time in the conversation.

"Jinchuuriki, demon, monster—all the same title, really. Every village has its own, but ours particularly has a few screws loose." He put emphasis on the last words by pointing a finger at his head and rotating it. "I'm not sure how they keep that thing from killing us all, but I can't really complain when Kazekage-sama is there to keep it in line."

The man went on and on about their Jinchuuriki, making Tenten in particular uncomfortable as she glanced at her teammate. She knew Jinchuuriki were dangerous, which she was sure played a part in why Naruto was hated amongst the civilian populace. Hearing so many insults towards someone who was just like him had to be bad for her teammate, but the uneasy feeling that Naruto could have easily ended up just like Suna's Jinchuuriki if fate had shifted even slightly.

"You can quit complaining now. Suna's just over this dune." The Suna Jonin announced as they began their final hike up a particularly large dune of sand.

The moment they crest the top was the moment Sunagakure came into view. In all honesty, it wasn't much from where they were looking. It was a good mile out, yet all there was to see was a wall of rock surrounded by, you guessed it, sand. There was no Oasis nearby to give the rock some color, nor any signs of greenery.

It was, to put it frankly, depressing.

"That, my friends, is home. And likely the last beautiful sight you'll see before you die in the exam."

"...If that's beauty, then I would rather go blind." Neji jabbed, once again getting the Suna Jonin to laugh rather than take offense.

"As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. You see rock and sand, while I see hard work and endurance. We don't have some huge monument with our Kage's faces on it for the whole world to see, but we're not the kind of people to rely on our strength and skill alone. We're practical, and that is the reason Suna has never fallen despite being the smallest village amongst the great 5."

"I think that's more because no one is stupid enough to invade a desert." Tenten pointed out.

"That, and it's a defensive nightmare for anyone not attacking from above." Kagero added, the Suna Jonin taking the words as the compliment it no doubt was.

"Now you're understanding! Keep that up and I may mourn for your brats after the exams." The man said as he began his trek towards the village with Team 4 following close behind.

They arrived at the gate in no time. Well, 'gate' isn't exactly the word to be used here. It was more like a massive crevasse carved into the side of the wall with a small booth situated off to the side. Two Suna Shinobi stood guard on each side of the crevasse, while multiple dots that were other likely sentries were seen at the top of the massive rock wall that stood almost taller than even the Hokage monument.

"Ryu reporting in with the team from Konoha!" The Suna Jonin announced, drawing the attention of the gate guards.

"You're early. The rest of the Villages won't arrive for a few more hours." The guard on the right said, his voice monotone and expression blank.

"Got to the point where their whining was getting annoying, so I picked up the pass a little." Ryu admitted nonchalantly. The guard ignored the Jonin's remark and looked over Team 4. All of them felt something touch their chakra, which they would have instinctively reacted to if their guide hadn't warned them of the probing before their arrival. Done checking for Genjutsu, the guard moved out of their way to the village.

"They're clear. Enter, but remember to leave any and all weapons on your person. I don't care if someone has a kunai to your neck, you are not to spill any Suna blood if it's not in the exams. Do I make myself perfectly clear?" The guard threatened, a hint of warning in his tone after giving the completely unfair rule.

"As glass," Kagero assured.

With a nod, the guard motioned for them to proceed. The four followed their guide in, the crevasse swallowing the light momentarily as they went in deeper. Light covered the end of the crevasse, actually blinding them as they emerged from the rock.

The first thing Naruto noticed was the return of the heat, followed closely by a scene he had never seen before.

Like the exterior, rocks covered most of the scenery. The streets were made of a strange stone that he couldn't identify, but did not reflect light as much as the normal stone would. People milled about, most either in robes of white, brown, or red covering them from head to toe, with the exception of a few wearing hoods and hats, likely to block the sun.

Shops and businesses were the first things to greet them. Unlike Konoha, none of the establishments had windows, instead relying on large doorways or tents set up outside their entrances to keep the sun's rays from entering. People flocked to and fro, many of whom were carrying a large gourd-like container of water, fruits, and many other miscellaneous objects either on their backs or against their hips.

Overall, it was a completely unique setup compared to Konoha or any other land he'd been to. He'd compare it to Fodlan if it wasn't for the heat.

"Not bad, right? May not be to you tree huggers' standards, but we're not without our charm." Ryu spoke, his voice holding a hint of pride as he took the sights in himself.

"It is adequate." Neji said, for once not meaning it as an insult.

"Now that's what I like to hear! If you'd said that a few hours ago, then I might have gotten us here even sooner." The man stated, his smile wide and eyes closed. "Now, as fun as our journey was, I believe this is where we part ways—duty complete and all."

"Wait, you're not escorting us to our lounging?" Tenten asked, a tad surprised by the sudden departure.

"I would if I could, but that's not my business, and I have other duties, particularly in regards to the Chunin Exams. Live long enough, and we may just see each other again. Tara!" The Suna-nin waved, turning to go on about his business, only to stop on a dime and turn back to the group. "Ah, since I like you guys, I'm gonna give you a bit of a tip for your stay. It might even help you in the exams."

"And that is?" Kagero asked cautiously.

The Suna-nin's face suddenly turned serious, a look the man hadn't shown even once in their presence.

"If you see a kid with red hair and a tattoo on his face, run the other way and never look back." He said ominously before he gave the trio a short bow, l disappearing in a swirl of sand not even a second later.

...

Finding a place to stay wasn't as easy as the Suna-nin made it out to be. With the Chunin Exams taking place, a good chunk of inns were booked, but the majority of those that weren't were either off limits to Shinobi or in an area where they feared a 'bump' in the night. Thankfully, Kagero was able to find a place that would take them. It wasn't the most lavish experience, but they'd deal with it, especially considering-

"Aaaaaaaaaair~." Tenten sang as she flopped onto her bed, a look of pure joy on her face as she took in the first breeze of cold air coming from the square in their wall that acted as their window. On the window sill was a bucket of ice, the wind blowing its natural temperature into the room and somehow filling it completely. "I was wondering how anyone could survive in this heat. Now I know. Still never want to visit again, but at least I can sleep peacefully tonight."

"Don't get too comfortable. We still have to get ready for the Exam tomorrow." Neji reminded, the only one actually preparing for the coming morning.

"Oh relax already you killjoy. We've been training since we got here. I don't know about you guys, but I want to do some exploring! Just thinking about all the weapons unique to Suna is making my storage seals gittery, heheh." Tenten drooled at the prospect, many tools of different shapes and sizes appearing above her in a cloud of imagination.

"I think I'll join you." Naruto volunteered, eager to do some shopping of his own.

"No, you shall all remain in the inn." Kagero immediately refuted, her voice not leaving any room for debate. "I shall be reporting to the Kazekage to complete your documents, meaning I will have no supervision over you lot till I am back. In that time, you are free to do what you will, but within the confines of the inn and no further." The Jonin made sure to put extra emphasis on her last words, knowing that a certain Genin amongst them was particularly hardheaded when it came to following orders.

"We'll be good, mom." Naruto sarcastically intoned with a roll of his eyes.

"I am serious, Uzumaki. You are here representing Konoha. Be on your best behavior, and stay out of trouble at all costs."

"We'll be fine. I'll make sure to keep these two block heads in line." Tenten waved her concerns away.

"...I certainly hope you do."

Kagero left with an uneasy feeling in her heart, but trusted that they wouldn't do anything that would potentially ruin their entrance into the exam.

The moment the door closed, Naruto turned to his teammates and grinned. "Ready to do the complete opposite of what she said?"

"I thought you'd never ask!" Tenten jumped from the bed and went for the door, followed quickly by the blonde. Neji reluctantly followed, only because he was the voice of reason and making sure they didn't screw their chances of becoming Chunin outside the inn was much easier than keeping them in it. They wouldn't do anything to jeopardize their chances to become Chunin, but they would be damned if they wouldn't make the best out of what little time they had away from training.

...

"You want HOW much?! For this thing?!" Tenten exclaimed, holding a gold curved sword of unknown origin in her hands. A scimitar, it was called, made by the very witch she stood across.

"30000 Ryo, brat." The seller, an old woman who could pass as a witch, repeated, her eyes unwavering and her face blank.

"This is a cheap imitation, at best! The blade isn't sharp enough, its weight is uneven, and this material isn't worth more than 2000! 5000 and no more!"

"Haven't changed my prices in 60 years and I'm darn sure not doing it for some tree huggers. My price is 30000, and that's the lowest I'll go." The woman repeated again, her tone firm and stance unmoving.

"...10000."

"30000."

"15000."

"30000."

"Ugh, 18000! It's as high as I can go!"

"Why are you so persistent for a sword you yourself say is worthless in a fight?" Naruto asked beside her.

"I'm a collector! No matter how crappy the make, every weapon deserves a place on my wall! Worse comes to worse, I'll melt this piece of junk and reshape it into a masterpiece!" Tenten exclaimed proudly, the confidence in her words shining through. Unfortunately, the old witch was not amused.

"...Just for that, 35000. 2500 for calling my art junk, and another 2500 for even thinking of melting my children."

Tenten's jaw dropped at the increase in price before she exclaimed, "What kinda bargain is that? Are you even trying to sell this thing?!"

"37500. Continue arguing, and I'll raise it to 50000."

"You're out of your goddamn mind if you think I'm paying 50000 for junk, you old witch!"

"...40000. I'll only raise it by 2500 because I've heard that insult before."

"Tenten," the girl was halted from releasing her rightful fury by the call of her name. Turning, she found Neji starting at her, his gaze incredulous. "Though I understand your anger, please try not to do or say anything that could get us in trouble."

With a gesture of his eyes, Tenten turned her attention once again and immediately spotted the two Suna Chunin staring their way, likely just waiting for things to turn violent so they could have an excuse to kick them out.

Immediately, Tenten swallowed her frustration down. The bitterness of defeat hit her next, and she turned to the old woman with a forced smile.

"3-30000 is a reasonable price, ma'am." She choked out the words.

"32000. Put on extra for wasting my time."

A vain popped on Tenten's forehead, but she swallowed it down and shakily pulled out her wallet.

In the end, Tenten walked away with a new sword, but a much lighter wallet. The comical tears wouldn't stop flowing down her face even when her blonde teammate reassuringly rubbing her back. But hey, at least she got an authentic Suna Scimitar from the village itself. It was worth the 32000 ryo. Totally worth it...

"I swear, the moment I become a Chunin, I'm taking her entire stock and selling it back for 100 ryo!" She exclaimed as the trio made their way through the market.

"I fail to see what that will accomplish other than emptying your wallet." Neji commented.

"It's about principle!" Tenten said petulantly, raising a finger to emphasize her point. "If I buy her entire stock, that's a power move. If I sell her the remains of her work, that's an insult. It's a way of saying 'I don't respect you and I want you to know it's in the business world."

"Sounds petty." Neji scoffed.

"That's the point!"

"Or maybe she'll be dead by then and you can take her stuff without having to pay." Naruto suggested, earning a horrified gasp from his female teammate. "...That was a joke."

"One in poor taste." Was Neji's response.

"...You guys don't laugh at my other jokes, so I thought I'd give dark humor a shot. Kakashi-san told me it was a good idea."

"I think it would be best to avoid using that man as a role model. He has many, many bad habits." Tenten said, remembering their short time with the Jonin. In terms of being a Shinobi, he was far more tolerant to be instructed by than their own sensei. His biggest flaw was the fact he couldn't be on time for his own funeral and tended to poke fun at people even at the most inappropriate of times.

Did she forget to mention that he was a massive pervert? Yeah, that definitely counted as a big strike against his character. What else would you think of someone who blatantly reads porn in public—his perverted giggles making it all the worse.

"He's alright." Naruto defended. "Just because he's late and does things he shouldn't be doing doesn't mean he's a bad person. If he was, then I wouldn't have learned so much under him...which reminds me of a joke he told me. What do you call a nurse with dirty-"

"No! Don't wanna hear it!" Tenten immediately stopped the blonde, covering her ears and closing her eyes just in case she accidentally read his lips. "You are NOT repeating whatever joke that perv told you! In fact, from this day forward, you are forbidden from ever telling jokes again! Got it?!"

"You'll never know unless you listen. I think it's a pretty good-"

"Lalala, not listening! Don't wanna hear-OOF!"

The object that she ran into, in no way due to having her eyes being closed, was like a brick wall. It took only a moment for her to recover, but once she did, she looked up and came face to face with the back of the one she'd irresponsibly run into.

Said back turned to look over his shoulder, his face square, and a very distinctive headband wrapped around his head as a bandana. She saw the moment he recognized her own headband, and his face immediately turned sour.

"S-sorry about that, sir. I wasn't paying attention to where I was going, heheh." Tenten tried laughing it off, hoping the man, clearly Jonin from the flak jacket he wore, would let it slide. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Not because of the Jonin, but the boy who spoke up behind him.

"Didn't know they allowed trash on the streets." The voice was cocky, as was the face of the one who spoke. Around the man, a Genin almost a head taller than them walked up, hands behind his head and a wide smirk on his face. He wore a sleeveless red shirt with baggy red pants. Black Shinobi sandals adorn his feet, and a headband symbolizing his allegiance to Iwagakure was worn proudly around his admittedly fit left bicep to complete the look. All in all, he looked like a carbon copy of the Jonin, the only difference being the man's flak jacket and headband around his head instead of his bicep.

Next to him were what Team 4 would assume were his teammates. One was even larger than the Jonin himself, standing at least 6"8 with a red shirt with one sleeve and shorts of similar color with chainmail comfortably underneath. Like his sensei, he wore his headband like a bandana with brown gloves to complete the get-up.

Finally, there was the short-haired ravenette with pink eyes. Unlike her team, she was their height. A red shirt that stopped just above her belly button with one long sleeve covered her top, along with chainmail that covered nearly all of her joints and black sandals. Her headband covered her forehead much like theirs, and black short shorts and gloves completed the look.

It took Team 4 all but a few seconds to take in every aspect of the Iwa Shinobi, much like how their Sensei nailed into their heads. They were ready for a fight if the situation called for it, and they could now remember their faces for a possible future encounter.

"There is no need to antagonize them, Katsuo. We are here on official business, not to stir trouble." The man stated, his eyes returning to Team 4. "I apologize for my Genin's words, Shinobi of the Leaf. He is just upset that we were not given proper guidance upon our arrival. I'm sure you understand."

"Not a problem, sir. It took us a few hours to find housing ourselves." Tenten smiled, trying to be cordial so as not to draw anymore attention to themselves. "If you need a suggestion, I know of a good inn close by that is fairly reasonable. It's called 'The Dusty Blade' and-"

"We'd rather sleep in the dunes than ever accept a suggestion from you tree huggers." The Genin they knew as Katsuo scoffed, the boy clicking his tongue upon receiving another look from his Jonin sensei.

"Your recommendation is noted, and we will be sure to give it some thought." The man paused, looking around the three Genin momentarily before his attention returned. "If I may ask, where is your Jonin sensei?"

"Close." Came Neji's immediate reply and nothing further. Whether the man believed it or not was a concern, but putting that doubt in his head gave them better chances of avoiding conflict if he was searching for one.

"...Sharp. I see not all Genin are wet behind the ears." The man smiled, to which only Tenten returned while her teammates retained their stoic features. "Now then, I think it's time we parted ways. I wish you all luck on the coming exams." With that, the Jonin turned.

At the same time, his eyes locked onto their blonde teammate. Blink, and you will miss it. The moment passed in less than a millisecond, the man continued his walk towards a destination unknown. His Genin followed close behind, all but Katsuo who suddenly grew a keen interest in Naruto.

"Oi, tree hugger, we met somewhere before?" He asked snarkly.

"I'm pretty sure I'd remember you if I did." Was Naruto's reply.

Katsuo stared at the blonde for a moment longer, trying to put a name to the face of the boy who looked familiar for reasons he could not explain. In the end, he shook his head with a smirk.

"Probably a good thing I don't remember. Wouldn't want to be associated with a tree hugger anyway." His smirk suddenly grew wider as he turned. "Do me a favor and try not to die before I can kill you all myself."

With those words, the Genin left, leaving Team 4 to sit on his parting words.

"...That went better than expected." Naruto commented following the brief lull.

"Yeah, it was a nice change of pace compared to what we're normally used to when trouble comes." Tenten agreed.

"I'd still rather we didn't have the run-in in the first place." Neji said, giving Tenten a disapproving look who at least had the mind to look sheepish. "Nevertheless, we've been out long enough. It's time we head back before our Sensei returns."

"Think it's kinda late for that now." Naruto pointed out, his eyes on something behind the two.

Turning, the duo found their Jonin sensei towering over them. Her face showed no signs of anger or frustration, just...disappointment. That, for some reason, made them feel worse than if she were angry at them.

"Aheheh, um, I kept them in line, Kagero-sensei~." Tenten waved awkwardly. Unfortunately for her, the woman continued to stare, her expression giving no hints to what she was thinking. "W-we didn't do anything that would jeopardize our chances in the Exam, at least! That has to count for something, right?" She tried again, yet still barely got a blink.

"...We're in trouble, aren't we?" Naruto tried his luck.

Her response was to turn on her heel and walk away in the direction of the inn. Tenten's upper body immediately sagged, knowing that if the Chunin Exams didn't kill them tomorrow or they failed to become Chunin, then she surely would put them through hell with whatever torture she called 'training'.


Later that night...

Jonin Akio Kenji stared through the window of his team's shared in reverse of his earlier encounter. On their beds, his Genin sat in silence, each doing one thing or another to occupy their time until the morning. He had to admit, of all the things he expected today, running into his opposition from Konoha wasn't exactly on the top of the list. Though it was unfortunate that his Genin decided to show his attitude, it gave him ample time to observe the Genin closely for any weaknesses his team could exploit in the exam.

The Hyuga was definitely an opponent to be wary of. The boy seemed to have a head on his shoulders, and his ability to keep his teammates in line despite their clear personality differences spoke of his capability as a leader. His Gentle Fist would prove difficult to Akatsuchi, but he had faith the other two could counter him accordingly.

The girl, however, was a clear weak point. Though she appeared capable, she was clearly the weakest. Going from the scrolls on her hip and the weapon in her hands, she was likely a weapons specialist—a dangerous field to go up against, especially when their opponent could potentially outlast them. Still, Katsuo was her natural weakness. It was just bad luck for them that two out of the three Konoha Genin were natural opposites of his Genin team.

Then there was the silent one.

The blonde with green bangs and whiskers.

The boy who looked uncannily like the late Fourth Hokage.

It took everything in him not to immediately attack him the moment their eyes locked. The urge to spill blood was almost too strong, the mere sight of his face digging up memories of that fateful night that cost him so much.

He knew not the boy's skills or weaknesses. Those eyes, so similar to the Fourth's, held not a lick of information. If he were truly the son of that man, then it meant he'd be trained by the best the Leaf had to offer. He'd no doubt have the same skills his father possessed, maybe even more. It wouldn't even surprise him if Konoha sent him here specifically because they knew Iwagakure would be in attendance—a sort of psychological warfare to throw their opponents off.

The man scoffed, his eyes narrowing as he saw that demon's face in the sky.

The boy needed to die.

He had never been so sure of a fact in his life.

No matter the cost, the boy needed to die.

"Genin," The man's voice drew his team's attention, all stopping on a dime to heed their sensei's call. "Make sure not to underestimate any of our opponents in tomorrow's exam. Remember, you are representing the Land of Stone, and there is no room for failure as an Iwa Shinobi. We fight, we conquer, and we endure... That being said," he turned from the window to the Genin. "Kurotsuchi, Katsuo, I expect you to be extra vigilant. These Konoha Genin no doubt have information regarding your abilities, and have likely been trained specifically to counter you. I expect you both to be prepared for the inevitable."

Both Genin gave their own forms of confirmation, though Kurotsuchi's was more enthusiastic while Katsuo's was more lackluster. Turning from them, he found the eyes of the older and larger of the three.

"Akatsuchi, You are not to engage the Hyuga at any point in this exam. Provide support from afar and help when needed. If you are to meet him in the arena, then you are to forfeit immediately. Your life is more important than a title, and I will not risk it for anything else."

"...Yes, Sensei." The man nodded, understanding the implications behind the words.

"But sensei, why are we focusing only on the tree huggers?" Kurotsuchi asked, understanding the focus on the Leaf but not understanding why he practically disregards the other villages entirely.

"Because, as of today, they are our main priority." He said, his tone dead serious. "Listen to me and listen to me well. That boy, the blonde, no matter what you have to do, no matter what you need to sacrifice, he needs to die in this exam."

The room fell silent at his words. Akatsuchi looked nonplussed by the words, Kurotsuchi remained confused, and Katsuo simply raised a brow.

"Well, I planned to kill the kid anyway, but why him specifically?" Katsuo asked, the first to break the silence.

Akai paused, his gaze turning back to the window where he could see the stars beginning to appear.

"That is not important. What is important is that he dies, and you follow orders. Trust me, you all shall be celebrated as heroes by the time we return to Iwagakure."

The Genin remained silent, not entirely understanding the secrecy or his later words, but reassured that their Sensei never gave them reason not to trust his judgment.

"If you want me to kill a bunch of tree hugging brats, then all you had to do was ask. Not like we're gonna say no or anything, right, Kurotsuchi-chan?" Katsuo said in a somewhat flirty tone towards his female companion.

Said girl huffed, yet a smile still arose on her face as she said, "If all we have to do is off some Konoha kid to get promoted, then I don't see why I should argue."

"Um, Sensei, I know it's wrong to question orders, but what did this guy do exactly?" Akatsuchi, ever the meek one, spoke up when no one else would.

"...It's not what he did, it's what he could do. That's all you need to know." Akio responded vaguely, remembering the Third Great Shinobi War and the destruction dealt by the Fourth Hokage. Though Akatsuchi was likely the only one on the team who was not personally affected by the outcome of that battle, the same could not be said for the rest of them. Telling them the truth would do no good other than make them prone to mistakes. One was prideful, and the other was arrogant. Neither was a good combination when it came to situations that could easily cloud their judgment.

Akatsuchi looked ready to push on, but Akio would hear no more.

"No more questions. It's time you got some rest. We'll be leaving as soon as the exam starts, so be prepared. I expect you all to perform at your best in the morning."

Not saying another word, he turned back to gaze out the window, the stars haunting him with the face of the Fourth no matter how he tried to blink the image away. He did not get the satisfaction of watching the Demon of the Leaf die, but at the very least, he could live knowing Iwagakure was responsible for his spawn's death.


Naruto couldn't sleep. He had tried, and he had failed—multiple times at that. The stress of tomorrow's exams made him restless, and the prospect of fighting once again without Sothis present to reverse his mistakes didn't help. His nerves were shot, and his mind was running. He was sure that if he had a heart, it would be beating a mile a minute.

Looking around, he found his team fast asleep, Kagero predictably being the only one awake in her bed. An ink pen was in her hand as it glided across an open scroll. She looked focused, relaxed even. It made him wonder what exactly she was writing to be so at ease.

Deciding not to question it, he returned his attention to the ceiling.

Tomorrow was the day. The day that would determine whether he became a Chunin, or died trying. The latter wasn't an option, yet he could not stop thinking about the possibility. It was unlike him to worry so, but what else could he do when both him and his friends' lives were on the line and there would be nothing he could do if they were to die?

"Go to sleep, Uzumaki." Kagero's voice broke him from his thoughts, the Jonin not even bothering to look up from her work.

"...How did you know?" Naruto asked, not because he was curious but because speaking was better than sitting in his thoughts.

"Your chakra is spiking. You're nervous, which is normal, but if you can't contain it, then sleep will not come to you."

...Ah, that's right. Sometimes he forgot that she had unnatural chakra-sensing abilities.

"I've been trying, but I can't." Was his response. "Is this what it's like for the others? Having a million and one things racing through your head so fast that you can't think straight?"

"It is normal. Nerves get the better of even Jonin. However, we are trained to deal with them. Thinking of the mission and its goal helps, while some prefer meditation—others, a distraction. As long as the task at hand is done and your mental state is intact, then any way is good enough."

"...And what do you do?" He asked.

"..." Kagero's hand stopped, her eyes glued to her scroll before she sighed. "I, draw."

Naruto blinked at how unexpectedly 'human' her choice of hobby was.

"That's...different. I figured you would've said training or 'doing whatever I must for the leaf'." Naruto said, mimicking her voice much to the woman's disapproval.

"I am Konoha's blade much like yourself. However, that does not mean that I do not have hobbies." She answered, resuming said hobby without another word.

"...What do you draw?" He asked, growing more curious at the new light his sensei was giving.

"Anything that catches my eye."

"Oh."

"..."

"...What are you drawing now?"

"...Cactus."

"A...cactus?"

"It is the first I've seen one. I thought it prudent to add to my collection."

"Oh..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Can I see?"

Kagero once again paused her brush to look at the blonde.

"Why?"

"Don't know, just want to see what your art looks like, I guess."

"...Will showing you help you sleep?"

"Possibly."

The Jonin seemed to ponder over it as they stared at one another. The moment passed, and Kagero's gaze returned to her scroll, her brush resuming its task.

"Fine." The moment the words were free from her lips, the sheets covering the blonde were thrown off, and he was next to her bed.

What he saw was definitely...something. There was definitely ink on the page, and yet, no matter how much he looked at the image, he couldn't find a cactus anywhere. In fact, he had a very hard time telling if the ink on the scroll was actually 'art' at all. It looked as if someone dipped an ink brush in ink and proceeded to swing it across the page, splashing the ink across till the entire canvas was covered.

"Well?" The woman asked, her eyes oddly expectant.

"It's...uh, unique." He said, the expectant looks in the woman's eyes dropping almost immediately at his words.

"I see... Can you at least tell me what it is you see?"

"Uh," Naruto paused, not expecting to be put on the spot. "Well, the, uh, like I said, it's...unique. Maybe it's just my eye, but I can't really tell what the splotch here are suppose to-"

"It's a cactus." She immediately interjected. "See here?" She pointed to one particular black splotch in the upper left corner. "That's the spines."

"I don't-"

"And this part here?" Her finger moved down to a bigger splotch. "That's the roots. I thought using more ink would better emphasize it."

"It looks more like-"

"And these are the branches. I thought a more rounded style would work, but-"

"Ok ok, I see it now." Naruto cut her off, the Jonin looking a tad annoyed at her words being interrupted. He didn't at all understand her explanations, but he supposed art was a matter of perspective and would leave it at that. "Who taught you how to draw so..." He searched for a word, his eyes darting side to side.

"Bodly?"

Naruto blinked.

"...Sure."

"...No one. I was self-taught. Drawing and painting were something I enjoyed when I was young, and the only hobby I had. Although I am currently learning under one of my subordinates. He's young, but has mastered the art of shading and the like. I find myself learning more from him than the books I read."

"...Is that why you're up drawing instead of sleeping?"

"Yes, I find the late night a peaceful time to learn."

"Hm." Naruto hummed, his attention returning to the scroll. "You're really into this, aren't you? It's the first time I've ever seen you-"

"I know the real reason you're here, Uzumaki." Kagero said suddenly, her hand going back to brushing the page.

"...I don't know what you're talking about." Naruto said obliviously.

"5 minutes ago, at the same time you got out of bed, a duplicate chakra signature appeared outside of this room. I can only assume you somehow replaced yourself with the original when I wasn't looking."

"..." The revealed clone was silent, seemingly having nothing to say now that the cat was out of the bag.

"When will you be back?"

"...Don't know. I just...needed to clear my head, and walking is a good way to do that."

"At the dead of night? In a foreign village?"

"...I didn't say it was smart." The clone said before he smirked. "Besides, your clone is following me, is it not?"

A chuckle, a genuine chuckle, left the woman's lips—the act so rare, and yet so welcoming.

"You are learning, Uzumaki."

...

Naruto really did plan on clearing his head. He didn't plan on getting into any trouble, or even doing anything that could possibly draw attention.

But when you're Naruto, things don't go according to plan.

Which is why he was currently running for his life as a sea of sand threatened to build him a new coffin.


A/N: For those of you who know Kagero from the game, we all remember that her art was notoriously bad/unique to the eye. It never explicitly showed images of her art, so I had to describe it to the best of my ability. As for her 'sensei', two guesses to who it is.

Got this chapter out a lot faster than I thought. I guess that's what happens when you're extremely motivated to write a particular arc.

Next chapter we meet Gaara, and the beginning of the Chunin Exams.

Also, since someone asked in AO3, here are the current pairing options. I'm leaning more towards Sothis, but will take suggestions.

Sothis

Edelgard

Fu

Tenten

Byleth (very unlikely)

As always, thank you all for the follows, favs, reviews, and have a DAMN good day!