Chasing Yūgao-sensei into the street, the pair soon found themselves being stocked by a square rock … in the middle of street.

"Ah, Naruto-kun. Are we being hunted by a box poorly disguised as a rock?"

"No. I am." Naruto-kun was looking around. "Konohamaru is stalking me. As he has decided that he is my rival…" The blonde Genin had turned about and noticed the box. It was as if he was not just talking about it. Tenten realized that the 'other Naruto' had noticed it, but the prime Naruto-kun had missed it. He squatted down and poked it with his finger, causing it to explode in a cloud of smoke.

Three small voices coughed, as the two Genin just held their breath.

"Too much smoke." a young girl's voice reprimanded the bomb maker.

"Sorry," sniff, like the boy was congested, "You mix the chemicals next time."

"Quiet, the Boss is right there!" The voice of the 'Honorable Grandson' cut through the bickering. The smoke cleared, and the Genin allowed themselves to breathe. "How come you weren't coughing?" The Leader of the goggled trio glared at the crouching blonde before them.

Tenten snorted. "We just held our breath. We were far enough away to do so before the smoke reached us." She shifted her position, Naruto never moved. "You have too much smoke cloud, not enough pop. The smoke needed to wash out over us, leaving you in the clear. Also your stealth is lacking. A rock in the middle of the street, a dead give away. While you have the right color, you need to work on the shape. Naruto doesn't need a box to hide. A book or scroll from the Library, Stealth Tactics, a beginner's guide, urban. It will explain the basics of tracking a target while remaining concealed."

"And how do we get the librarian to give us a copy?"

Naruto sneezed. A flash of Chakra Fog and the Tokubetsu-Jonin Ebisu appeared beside the group. He pushed his glasses up his nose. "Honorable Grandson. Come away from that ruffen, it's time for your studies in the Library."

Konohamaru looked at the man in his stiffness, before looking at Naruto and noticing his smirk.

Naruto stood smoothly and snorted at the 'Adult'. "Find me later, and we will test your skills."

"Yes Boss!" The trio chorused before they trotted off around the corner, before the sound of a small body hitting something bigger, and falling to the ground.

Frowning, Naruto followed the sound …

To see what looked like a Kabuki Cat Man reach down and grab Konohamaru by the scarf, and drag him up, as he pulled back his fist to punch the boy. "I think I need to teach you to watch where you are going."

"You wouldn't dare, do you know who I am?" Konohamaru tried to put on a brave face.

"Some dirty faced street urchin, who doesn't know his place." The Kabuki faced youth sneered at the kid in his grip.

"Honorable Grandson," Ebisu stepped forward. "What trouble did you find this time?" The shaded gaze bore into the cat suited youth.

"Oh, please hit him." Naruto smiled at the boy, as his hands reached back under his jacket. "I want to see if I can get to you before his bodyguards."

"Bodyguards?" The blonde in a combat kimono with a very large fan across her back.

"You heard him being called 'Honorable Grandson', what did you think that ment?" Tenten asked from her seat.

"Kankuro. What did I say about behaving in the Village?" The voice was cold and monotone.

Everyone turned to look at the source. A red head in a burgundy robe stood on the underside of a branch of a nearby tree. A massive gourd was held to his back by a heavy leather belt.

"Gara-san." The youth simpered. "Was just looking for you."

"Shut up before I kill you. Time to return to the Hotel." He vanished in a swirl of sand. The other two turned and ran into the crowd.

"Kuza-nin." Yūgao-sensei was beside Naruto before anyone knew she was there. "Here for the Chunin Exams."

"Chunin exams?" Tenten sat up right.

"Yeah. Your Jonin Sensei should be telling you about it when you next meet up." Yūgao-sensei glared at the two. "I sensed your deviation in your heading…"

"A block back, Naruto-kun picked up a tail." Tenten smirked. "It seems that the Grandkids of the Hokage and the Councilors are playing ninja tag with him."

"And this…" the Jonin-Sensei waved at the street where the Kuza nin just were.

"Kono-kun has not learned to watch where he is running yet." Naruto answered. "He was in such a hurry to get to the library that he ran blindly into the guy."

Yūgao snorted. "Follow." And she vanished into the crowd, going the other way.

"Hold on." Naruto's warning almost came too late as he made a made dash towards the shop dead ahead and up the side. From there, he ran on two and four as he scrambled to catch up and overtake their instructor.

When Yūgao stopped to look around her, she was swarmed by twenty clone Narutos, each carrying a KB Tenten, and all wielding weapons.

The Jonin reacted, by instinct alone, and drew her katana and slaughtered all twenty pairs before she recognised who was attacking.

She heard a groan above her. Looking up, she saw the air shimmer and fall away as Naruto knelt on the edge of the roof, holding his head.

"I told you that it was a bad idea." Tenten shifted her hips to cause the male shift forward… and fall off the roof.

Yūgao gasped as the boy hung by his toes, the girl still seated just behind his shoulders.

"You think it was funny to attack a master of the Blade?"

"Not funny." Naruto answered, before grabbing the wall and releasing his hold on the roof, inverting and dropping to stand before her, completely ignoring his rider. "It was informative. You defended and defeated twenty pairs of attackers in under two seconds. Over half of your kills were two or more in one. Damn near every pair was killed by the same slice. Two sets were caught by the same cleave and I think you got another three pairs with another."

Yūgao raised an eyebrow. "And?"

"Attacking with Kage Bushin is a mistake." Naruto grinned. "If we want to take you, we should have used the environment. Your skill in combat is too well honed for anyone not at your level to match."

"Just for that… you are going to be running drills all day tomorrow." She turned to enter the store behind her.

Naruto and Tenten followed.

SCNS

The next Morning Naruto-kun sent 40 clones to pick up Tenten for drills with Yūgao-sensei as Prime headed to visit the Dojo training grounds of Team Gui.

As it was Sunday… he left Ino alone. Something told him that he wanted nothing to do with her present condition… whatever that was.

As he arrived at the Dojo's edge, he saw Rock Lee doing one handed, handstand pushups. He could hear the guy giving a three digit count.

He pulled on the Shadow Cloak and sprinted for the green body suited Genin. Dropping the cloak two steps out… "Orange Flash Ohayō!"

Rock Lee melted as Naruto's flying kick neared his abs.

Naruto's kick turned into a forward roll, abd he came to his feet… just in time to block a high roundhouse kick aimed for his head.

"Ohayō Naruto-kun!" Lee smiled at his friend.

Then began a dance of brute power.

Naruto's style was a mix of Academy Basic and Brawling.

Lee's style was a mix of Hard Fist and Iron Palm.

After an hour of making a mess of the field outside of the Dojo, a sharp whistle cut through the air and Lee vanished from the fight.

Naruto-kun was a bit slow to see Gui-Sensei standing on the porch of the log cabin style Dojo.

"Now that you are tired from your spar… we can do our warm ups." The Jonin-Sensei smiled at the four Genin before him. "Uzumaki, why are you here?"

"Continue with your agreement to continue my Taijutsu training."

"But Tenten is no longer on my team."

"Was that the only reason you were teaching me? Besides … Uchiha-teme still needs training in his Kekki."

Gui rocked back on his heels. "Give me a clone. Then the four of you, foot race, no Chakra use, to the Tower and back. Last one will drill with Me." Gui smiled. "Hie!"

The four Genin vanished into the trees.

"Don't do that." A clone of the Uzumaki appeared at his side. "You have no idea what he can do. Given enough time he can mimic you and your tics. A close friend or family member can trip us up … but we learn quickly."

"You are giving away secrets."

"You are classified as Loyal to the Hokage not the Village. The old man says 'burn it', you will either have a torch or an oil jug."

Might Gui hummed. "You might be correct." He turned to look at the clone. "I heard that the Boss is limited in his cognitive abilities but you can…"

"Do everything else but take a hit."

"What was that about Uchiha and his Kekkei Genkai?"

"Kakashi-sensei is the only loyal Keeper of the Eye. Uchiha will need to master it after the Chunin exams. It will improve his hand to hand skills. He is a master of the Kunai and Shuriken basic arts. Besides, it will force you to be in Kakashi-sensei's presence and allow you to challenge him to more pointless games."

"Why did I see you carrying Tenten and Yamanaka around on your back?"

"Chakra Control, strength building, and spacial awareness. When they get back, put Uchiha on Lee's back. Hyūga on Uzumaki. Now have the rider try to knock the rider off the other. The riden must hold their hands behind their backs. After half an hour, switch. Until each has carried the other three."

SCNS

Monday Morning, the Jonin-Sensei gathered at the Summons of the Hokage.

"As you all know. Next week is the Chunin exams. As each of you have a team that I have judged to be ready, I ask you to make the final decision. Asuma-Sensei."

"Team Ten. Ready."

"Gui-Sensei"

"Team Nine… ready."

"Kurenai-Sensei."

"Team Eight, Ready."

"Kakashi-sensei."

"Team Seven. Ready."

"Sir. Team six is not ready."

"Same with team five sir."

None of the other Sensei were ready to risk their Genin.

"Thank you. Everyone. Those who are putting forward their team stay. The rest of you… I believe you have some students to see to." The Hokage packed his pipe as the rest exited the office. "Okay. Take your teams just outside the Village Walls. Practice your Teamwork and Team Focused Skills. Gui. I want your team to smash anything everything. Asuma, capture and contain. Play Tag with Kakashi. Kurenai…"

"Actually. I was thinking about joining Asuma in hunting Naruto's team. If we just played tag in and around the Village, my team tracking Kakashi's team, Asumas tries to catch them, and Team Seven…"

Neko stepped out of the shadows. "Begin the idol hunt. Winning Team gets a night out on the Town."

"What counts as Victory?" Kakashi raised his eyebrow.

TBC