Chapter 8: The Chūnin Exams Build up
The streets of Konoha buzzed with activity as shinobi from all over the Hidden Villages began arriving for the Chūnin Exams. Naruto strolled through the marketplace, flanked by the ever-loyal Konohamaru Corps—Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi. The younger kids hung on his every word as he regaled them with exaggerated stories of his missions.
"And then, with one mighty punch, I sent Zabuza flying!" Naruto exclaimed, throwing a dramatic air punch.
"Wow, Boss! You're amazing!" Konohamaru said, his eyes wide with zealous admiration.
Moegi giggled. "Yeah! You're gonna win the Chūnin Exams for sure!"
Naruto grinned, puffing out his chest. "Of course! I'm gonna crush everyone!"
As they walked, Konohamaru ran ahead, playing a game of ninja stealth through the crowd. He darted between stalls and around corners, until— wham!—he collided with something solid.
Konohamaru stumbled back, looking up to see a tall, broad-shouldered ninja with face paint and a strange puppet slung over his back. Kankuro of the Sand Village scowled down at him, his expression darkening.
"Hey, kid," Kankuro growled. "Watch where you're going."
Konohamaru gulped, stepping back nervously. "S-Sorry!"
But Kankuro grabbed him by the collar, lifting him effortlessly off the ground. "Sorry's not good enough. You wanna mess with me, brat?"
"Let him go!" Moegi and Udon shouted, running up to defend their friend.
Naruto appeared moments later, taking in the scene with a frown. "Hey! Put him down, you oversized freak!"
Kankuro turned his glare on Naruto, his grip on Konohamaru tightening. "What did you just call me?"
Naruto jabbed a finger at him. "You heard me! Let him go, or you'll regret it!"
Before Kankuro could respond, a voice cut through the tension.
"Kankuro, stop messing around," said a tall girl with blonde hair tied into four spiky pigtails. Temari, Kankuro's older sister, approached with an exasperated expression. "You're making a scene."
"I'm just teaching this little punk a lesson," Kankuro retorted.
Temari sighed, her fan clinking against her back. "Seriously, we don't have time for this."
"You wanna fight, tough guy?" Kankuro ignored her, glaring at Naruto. He still held Konohamaru in his grip.
Naruto stepped forward, rolling up his sleeves. "You bet I do!"
The standoff escalated, but before either of them could make a move, a small rock flew through the air, striking Kankuro's hand and forcing him to release Konohamaru.
"Who did that?!" Kankuro hissed, shaking his hand.
Above them, Sasuke sat on a tree branch, his face calm but his eyes sharp. "You're embarrassing yourself."
Kankuro growled, his hand moving toward the puppet on his back. "Oh, you wanna go, too?"
"Sasuke!" Naruto called out, grinning. "Perfect timing! Let's teach this guy a lesson!"
But before anything else could happen, a cold, menacing voice interrupted them.
"Kankuro."
Everyone froze as a red-haired boy appeared above them in a flourish of sand, standing upside-down on the side of a nearby tree. A large gourd was strapped to his back, and his teal eyes glared down at Kankuro with a mixture of annoyance and disdain.
"G-Gaara!" Kankuro stammered, immediately stepping back. "I was just—"
"Shut up, or I'll kill you," Gaara said coldly, his gaze shifting to Naruto, Sasuke, and the others. His killing intent was palpable, making the air heavy and suffocating. "You're an embarrassment to our village."
Kankuro flinched but didn't argue, shrinking back under his brother's intense glare.
Gaara's eyes lingered on Naruto and Sasuke, his presence exuding an aura of danger. "So, you're from the Leaf. Let's see if you're worth killing during the exams."
Naruto clenched his fists, meeting Gaara's gaze with defiance. "Bring it on, sand freak! I'm not afraid of you!"
Sasuke, however, remained calm, his expression unreadable. This guy... there's something different about him. He's dangerous.
Temari cleared her throat, stepping forward with an awkward smile. Naruto blushed, for the first time taking in her beauty as she said, "Uh, okay! We're done here! Sorry about the trouble. Let's go, guys."
Kankuro shot one last glare at Naruto before following Temari. Gaara lingered for a moment, his piercing gaze sweeping over Team 7, before disappearing in a swirl of sand.
As the tension faded, Konohamaru looked up at Naruto, his voice trembling. "Boss, who was that?"
"Just some jerks who don't know what they're in for." Naruto grinned, though his bravado was slightly forced.
Sasuke said nothing, his eyes still fixed on the spot where Gaara had stood. The Chūnin Exams are going to be interesting…
The large, crowded room buzzed with nervous energy as genin from various Hidden Villages gathered for the first part of the Chūnin Exams. Team 7 stood together near the edge of the room, Naruto's usual excitement clashing with Sasuke's calm demeanor and Sakura's quiet nervousness.
Naruto grinned, scanning the room. "Look at all these people! They're all here to see me shine!"
Sakura rolled her eyes. "They're here to compete, Naruto, to fight you. Not to watch you."
Sasuke, his gaze sharp, added, "You should focus. Most of these people will be stronger than you."
"Yeah, right! I'm gonna wipe the floor with them." Naruto crossed his arms, his grin unfazed.
Before they could continue, a voice interrupted. "You three are from the Leaf Village, right?"
The trio turned to see a ninja with silver hair and glasses approaching them. He wore a Leaf forehead protector and had an air of casual friendliness.
"The name's Kabuto Yakushi," he said, offering a polite smile. "You all seem new to this, so I thought I'd say hello."
Sakura tilted her head. "You're a Leaf ninja? You don't look like a genin."
Kabuto chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Well, this isn't my first Chūnin Exam. Actually, it's my seventh. I'm what you'd call a veteran."
Naruto blinked. "Seventh?! You must really suck if you haven't passed yet."
Kabuto laughed it off, though a faint twitch in his smile betrayed his irritation. "It's not that simple. These exams are designed to be challenging. But I've learned a lot from my failures."
He reached into his pouch and pulled out a stack of cards. "In fact, I've put together a bit of intel on the competition. Care to see?"
Naruto perked up immediately. "Yeah! Show us!"
Kabuto spread the cards out and held one up, channeling a small amount of chakra into it. The card revealed detailed information about the number of participants, the breakdown of genin from each village, and a few notable teams.
"This," Kabuto said, "is the kind of info you need to succeed. I can tell you about specific competitors, too."
Sasuke, always one to analyze his opponents, spoke up. "What do you have on Gaara of the Sand?"
Kabuto smirked, flipping to another card. "Ah, Gaara. From the Hidden Sand. He's completed several high-ranked missions, even as a genin. His abilities are... unique. You'll want to watch out for him, it says he's completed multiple B-rank missions… wow, even an A-rank mission. And he's never been scratched."
Sasuke frowned, filing the information away.
"Hey, Kabuto," Naruto piped up, his voice unusually serious. "Do you have anything on the First Hokage? Hashirama Senju?"
Kabuto raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the question. "The First Hokage? That's a bit unexpected." He sifted through his cards before pulling one out. "I don't have much—just an overview. Most of the First Hokage's secrets are highly classified."
He activated the card, and a holographic summary of Hashirama's abilities appeared. "Hashirama Senju," Kabuto began, "was one of the strongest shinobi in history. His kekkei genkai, Wood Release, allowed him to create and manipulate forests with ease. He had superhuman strength, immense chakra reserves, and a unique regenerative ability that let him heal without hand signs. He's also famous for his ability to suppress and control Tailed Beasts."
Naruto stared at the card, his mind racing as he absorbed the information. Super strength... healing... and Wood Release… Tailed Beasts? His fists clenched. I'm nowhere near that level, but if he could do it, maybe I can too. His mind lingered on the idea of controlling his Tailed Beast.
"Why the interest in the First Hokage?" Kabuto asked, his tone curious.
Naruto shrugged, masking his true thoughts. "No reason. Just curious."
Before Kabuto could press further, the room fell silent as a new figure entered. A man with a scarred face and a menacing presence strode to the front of the room, his headband bearing the mark of the Hidden Leaf.
"Ibiki Morino," Sakura whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "He's in charge of Konoha's Torture and Interrogation Unit..."
Ibiki's piercing gaze swept over the gathered genin, silencing any remaining chatter. "Welcome to the first phase of the Chūnin Exams," he said, his voice low and commanding. "From this moment on, your every action will be judged. Let's see if you have what it takes to survive."
The room tensed, the weight of his words settling over the competitors like a storm cloud. Naruto swallowed hard, his usual bravado replaced by a rare moment of apprehension.
This is it, he thought. Time to show everyone what I've got.
The room was heavy with tension as Ibiki Morino stood at the front of the room, his scarred face unreadable. Rows of genin sat at their desks, each one holding a test sheet. The silence was palpable, broken only by the occasional scribble of a pen or the shifting of a chair.
Naruto sat in the middle of the room, staring blankly at his test paper. His pencil rested uselessly in his hand as he looked at the questions. They were impossible—complex projectile motion equations, obscure historical facts, and technical ninja tactics he didn't understand at all.
What the heck is this? he thought, beads of sweat forming on his brow. How am I supposed to know any of this?
Meanwhile, Hinata sat a few rows behind him, her Byakugan activated subtly so she wouldn't draw attention. Her pale lavender eyes focused on Naruto, noting the way his pencil hadn't moved once since the exam started.
He hasn't written anything, she thought, her heart sinking. Naruto-kun... did you know this test would be this hard?
She felt a pang of gratitude that he had graduated after all. You've come so far... I just wish I could help you.
In a nearby seat, Sakura frowned as she scanned the questions, her sharp mind quickly piecing together what was happening. This test isn't about the answers, she realized. It's about finding a way to cheat without getting caught.
Her eyes darted around the room, noticing the subtle techniques being used by the other genin. The Hyuga were using their Byakugan to copy answers, while Kankuro from the Sand Village had hidden a puppet under his desk to peek at another student's sheet. Temari's fan moved slightly, catching glimpses of answers reflected in a polished surface. Sasuke's Sharingan glinted faintly as he copied the hand movements of a nearby competitor.
Sakura glanced at Naruto, who sat frozen, his pencil still hovering uselessly over his paper. He's never going to figure this out on his own.
She bit her lip, debating how she could help him. I can't just give him the answers, but maybe… no.
As the test dragged on, Ibiki's voice boomed through the room. "For those of you caught cheating five times, you will be dismissed immediately. For those who think this test is impossible, you are free to leave. But remember, if you leave, you fail."
Several genin shifted uncomfortably, their resolve faltering. Some began to leave, their heads hanging low as they exited the room.
Then came the announcement of the tenth question.
Ibiki's scarred face loomed over the room as he explained the final terms. "The tenth question is a gamble. If you choose to answer and fail, you will not only fail this exam but be banned from ever taking the Chūnin Exams again."
The room erupted in gasps and murmurs. The weight of the ultimatum bore down on everyone.
"If you don't want to take that risk," Ibiki continued, "you may leave now. But once you leave, there's no coming back."
One by one, genin stood, their faces pale as they opted out of the test. Sakura gripped the edges of her desk, her mind racing. Her gaze flicked to Naruto, who was shaking slightly, his hands balled into fists on his desk.
He's panicking, she thought, her heart sinking. If we take the tenth question and fail, we'll lose our only chance. Maybe I should—
Her thoughts froze as Naruto suddenly stood up, his chair screeching against the floor. Everyone turned to look at him.
"I'm not leaving!" Naruto shouted, his voice filled with determination. "I don't care what the question is or what the risk is! I'd rather stay a genin forever than give up now!"
Sakura stared at him, her mouth slightly open. Naruto...
His words sparked something in the remaining genin, many of whom straightened in their seats, their resolve renewed. Even Sasuke smirked faintly, his usual calm demeanor briefly giving way to admiration.
Ibiki's lips curled into a rare smile. "Interesting."
He paused, letting the tension in the room linger for a moment longer before speaking again. "Congratulations. You've all passed."
The room fell silent, stunned.
"The purpose of this test," Ibiki explained, "wasn't to measure your knowledge. It was to test your ability to endure pressure and make tough decisions as a ninja. Sometimes, you'll face missions where retreat isn't an option. Those who stayed demonstrated the resolve needed to be a chūnin ."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "Wait, that's it?! I didn't even answer a single question!"
Ibiki chuckled. "And yet, you didn't quit. That's what matters."
As the realization sank in, the tension in the room gave way to a mix of relief and pride. Sakura glanced at Naruto, who was grinning ear to ear, and couldn't help but smile herself. Maybe he's not so hopeless after all.
The sound of the door opening drew everyone's attention as a woman with purple hair strode into the room, her confident smile lighting up the space.
"Alright, enough chit-chat," she said, her voice lively. "I'm Anko Mitarashi, and I'll be your proctor for the next phase of the exam. Let's see if you've got what it takes to survive."
Naruto's grin widened. The Chūnin Exams are just getting started.