(2 Days Later, 1000 Divine Years)
Inside forest of death, naruto's unconcious body was still untouched due to the aura of death surroundig him from past two days. It's been 4 days since they started the exam and today is the fifth day. Naruto stired somewhat as his body glowed with white light for a moments and when it disappeared, there stood Naruto Uzumaki wearing a black battle kimono with black pant and black sandals and have 3 swords strapped on his back.
Naruto stood up and looked around the area, "Ahh it's good to be back, let's see where is uchiha-teme and his fangirl is" said naruto and sent a minor wave of chakra only to find them a mile away from the tower.
"Are you going to kill them young master?" asked akaitsuki
'No I have no interest in killing them yet' replied naruto
"I was hoping for some bloodshed" said karyuuka
'Maybe if we find some enemy nin on our way to the tower' replied naruto
"Did you notice that naruto?" asked kurama who was laying lazily in a grass field now
'hm I know, someone noticed it and only uzumaki sensor having ability of kagura shingan is capable of doing that" said naruto
"That means there is someone from young masters clan here, are we going to look for that person?" asked senbonzakura
"Definately" said naruto and stretched his muscles and followed the faint chakra pulse that belonged to an uzumaki clan member.
---
(Somewhere in Forest of Death)
A red hair girl wearing a kusagakure headband, named Karin Uzumaki, sprinted through the dense forest, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Behind her, the deep growls of the massive bear echoed through the trees. She glanced over her shoulder, her crimson eyes widening as the beast closed in on her.
"I can't outrun it..." she whispered to herself, clutching her side where a shallow wound bled. Her chakra-sensing abilities told her there was no one nearby to help. She tripped over a root and fell to the ground, turning to face the oncoming bear. Fear gripped her as it raised a massive paw, ready to strike.
Before the paw could come down, golden chains shot out of the forest, wrapping around the bear's limbs with a metallic clang. The beast roared in frustration, thrashing against its bonds, but the chains tightened, immobilizing it completely.
Karin's eyes widened as a blonde boy stepped into view, his azure eyes burning with determination. His whisker-like marks made his face look fierce yet kind. The golden chains extended from his palm and wrapped around the bear.
"Stay away from her!" said naruto in a clam breadth. The bear struggled briefly before collapsing, unconscious from the sheer strength of the chains.
Naruto approached Karin, offering her a hand to help her up. "Are you okay?"
Karin hesitated for a moment before taking his hand, her cheeks reddening slightly. "Y-Yeah, I'm fine... Thank you for saving me."
Naruto smiled warmly, his eyes softening. "Good. That bear won't bother you anymore." As he retracted his chains, Karin couldn't help but stare, intrigued by the strange chains he'd just displayed.
"What... What was that?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Naruto's smile turned a bit sheepish. "Those are my Adamantine Sealing Chains. They're an ability unique to the Uzumaki clan, mostly seen in Royal Family and sometimes in other clan members as well. Speaking of which..." He paused, looking at her closely. "You're an Uzumaki, aren't you?"
Karin's eyes widened in shock. "H-How do you know that?"
Naruto grinned and pointed at her hair. "The red hair is a dead giveaway. Plus, I can sense your chakra. It's strong—just like an Uzumaki's."
Karin stared at him in disbelief. "You're... You're an Uzumaki too? But you have blonde hair!"
"Yep I got it from my father!" Naruto said proudly. "And not just any Uzumaki. I'm the heir to the clan—and the next head if I rebuild it in future. Maybe later, trying to find other Uzumaki's if possible. And now that I've found you..." He looked at her seriously. "Would you stay with me? Maybe, we can rebuild our clan and make it strong again."
Karin's breath caught in her throat. No one had ever shown her such kindness or acknowledged her worth like this before. She felt her cheeks flush as she stared into his earnest eyes.
"You... You really want me to stay?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Of course!" Naruto said with a wide grin. "You're family, and family looks out for each other. Besides, you're strong—I can tell."
Karin felt her heart skip a beat. His words, his smile, and the way he had saved her all stirred something deep within her. For the first time in her life, she felt wanted.
"I'll stay," she said softly, a small smile forming on her lips. "I'll stay with you,..."
Naruto's grin widened. "Great! ohh I am Naruto Uzumaki-Namikaze and I promise you won't regret it, btw what's your name?."
"I uh I am Karin Uzumaki" said karin as naruto helped her in getting up
As the two began to walk back through the forest towards the tower, Karin found herself sneaking glances at him, her cheeks still warm. He's not just strong... He's kind too.
And in that moment, she realized she might be developing a crush on the boy who had just saved her.
---
After walking for a almost 40 minutes, Naruto and Karin arrived to see sasuke and sakura entered the tower along with team 10 and kabuto and his teammates were there as well.
"Why aren't we going in?" asked karin
"Well you see my team kinda left me for dead, when I lost unconcious, I met my parents and they trained me and I absorbed their chakra and that's how I look now and I don't want to face them" said naruto
"I say right now, it's more pleasing to eyes than that orange jump suit you were wearing" said karin
"looks like someone is checking you out young master" said akaitsuki with a giggle and naruto also heard two more giggle
"Looks like kit remember the talk he had with his mother" said kurama with a small laugh
'Shutup you perverts, Akaitsuki, Karyuuka, Senbonzakura take swords away. I am not using any of you' said naruto
"Hai naruto-sama" said the trio in unison and swords disappeared from his back.
"Yeah yeah, come let's go I have to meet hokage-jiji" said naruto
Naruto and Karin approached the towering structure, as Karin walked nervously beside Naruto, clutching her sleeve, while Naruto had his hands behind his head, exuding his usual confidence.
"Don't look so stressed," Naruto said, glancing at her with a grin. "The Old Man's not scary. He's actually pretty cool once you get to know him."
Karin adjusted her glasses, sighing. "Easy for you to say. You've known him forever. I'm just… what if he doesn't let me stay?"
Naruto stopped, turning to place a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, you're an Uzumaki, and you're with me. The Hokage'll understand. Trust me."
Karin smiled faintly. "Alright. I'll trust you."
As soon as the duo entered the tower, they were surrounded by a squad of anbu. Karin hid herself behind naruto as she is somwhat afraid of facing the ninja's who were currently surrounding them.
"Naruto Uzumaki, we are ordered to take you to the hokage at once" said the leader of the group of four anbu who was wearing a boar mask
"I was going to see him as well" said naruto with a small smile
"Very well we'll take you and your companion there" said boar and seeing naruto nod, he placed his hands on their shoulders and disappeared in swirl of leaf and appeared within hokage's office where third hokage was busy looking at a few scrolls.
"Mission accomplished hokage-sama, Naruto Uzumaki is here with his companion" sais boar and hokage looked up to see a different naruto and a red haired girl with glasses standing beside him.
"Ah, Naruto," Hiruzen said with a kind smile, though there was a shadow of concern in his eyes. "You've returned. I was worried when your team came in and told iruka that you died at hands of my former student."
Naruto faced lost his smile immediately and had a cold look in his eyes which reminded the old man of his former successor "Those two traitors, they left me die at hands of orochimaru. That bastard uchiha switched placed with me to save his own life from orochimaru and when he hit me with his sword. That emo bastard and his pink haired fangirl left me and ran away to save their lives"
"I am sorry naruto. I didn't know that would you like to put forwards some charges against them?" asked third hokage 'I will see to their punishment whether naruto wants it or not' he thought
"Nahh not yet, I don't want council on me but you can punish them from your side if you like but if I face them in exams it is a different story" said naruto with a sickly sweet smile which promised immense pain.
"Before we talk about your changes, who is this girl beside you?" asked third hokage
Karin stepped forward, bowing. "Hokage-sama, thank you for meeting with me. I am Karin Uzumaki, a nin from Kusagakure but I want to join konohagakure"
"Very well that can be arranged, if you're an uzumaki no body will throw any fit in the council as well" said hokage and naruto and karin nodded.
Hiruzen gestured for them to sit. As they did, his gaze sharpened, focusing on Naruto. "But before we proceed… Naruto, explain your changes? Sakura reported you as dead, so how did you survive. What happened?"
Naruto's grin faded, replaced by a serious expression. He scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, about that… I woke up inside my mind, standing in front of the Nine-Tails' cage. But… I wasn't alone. My mom and dad were there. Turns out, they sealed parts of their chakra inside me when I was born."
Hiruzen's eyes widened. "Minato… and Kushina…"
Naruto nodded. "They explained everything—about the seal, the Nine-Tails, and even why I was chosen as its Jinchūriki. They saw how badly I was hurt from Orochimaru's attack and decided to loosen the seal a bit so I could heal completely. After that… they trained me."
"Trained you?" Hiruzen asked, astonishment clear in his tone.
Naruto's eyes gleamed with pride. "Yeah. For however long their remaining chakra allowed, they taught me everything they could—how to use sealing techniques, Mom's Adamantine Chains, Dad's Rasengan, and a bunch of other stuff. When their time was up… I absorbed the rest of their chakra. That's when I got this." He gestured to himself.
Hiruzen observed him closely, noticing subtle changes: the way Naruto carried himself, the faint aura of power surrounding him, and the confidence in his voice. "You mean to say you now have access to their memories and abilities?"
Naruto nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Everything they knew, I know now and can use it very well."
Hiruzen sat back, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "This is… extraordinary. But you must understand, Naruto, this kind of power and knowledge will attract attention. Orochimaru already has his eyes on Sasuke; if he learns about your lineage and abilities, he may turn his sights on you as well."
Naruto frowned. "What are you saying, Old Man?"
Hiruzen fixed him with a firm gaze. "I'm saying you must be cautious. In the preliminary rounds, use only what is necessary to win. Do not reveal the full extent of your abilities. And under no circumstances should you reveal your heritage as the son of the Fourth Hokage and Kushina Uzumaki."
Naruto blinked. "Why not? What's wrong with people knowing the truth?"
Hiruzen sighed, a hint of sadness in his voice. "Naruto, the Fourth Hokage had many enemies. If they learn that his son is alive and possesses such power, they will stop at nothing to destroy you. As for Kushina, the Uzumaki clan's legacy is tied to powerful sealing techniques coveted by many nations and not to mention Kumo tried to kidnapp your mother for her uzumaki genetics when she was a genin. Revealing yourself too soon could put you and those around you in grave danger."
"Tell him that you'll only use what is necessary in preliminary and in finals you'll show the legacy left behind by Yellow Flash and Red Death" said kurama and naruto nodded mentally
Naruto thought for a moment nodded. "Alright. I'll hold back in the preliminaries. But when the finals come around… I'll show everyone what I'm capable of. Not for me, but for my parents, for the Uzumaki name, and for Konoha. I am not afraid of Iwagakure and Kumogakure coming after me and you will not deny me my heritage."
Hiruzen sighed, "Very well I can agree to it. You've grown a great deal, Naruto. I'm sure your parents would be proud."
Naruto's expression softened, and he glanced down. "Thanks, Old Man."
Karin, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "Hokage-sama, if I may… I want to help Naruto. I may not be as strong as him, but I can be useful. My chakra-sensing abilities and Uzumaki blood can contribute to rebuilding what we've lost."
Hiruzen regarded her with a thoughtful smile. "You've already proven your loyalty by standing with Naruto. I have no doubt you'll find your place here in Konoha. We'll make the necessary arrangements to register you as a citizen and begin your training as a kunoichi while naruto-kun can train you in uzumaki clan arts he learned from his mother or scrolls his parents left for him."
Karin bowed her head deeply. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."
Naruto grinned, clapping her on the back. "See? Told you the Old Man's not so bad."
Hiruzen chuckled. "It seems you've already begun to inspire others, Naruto. That is the mark of a true leader. Now, go prepare for the preliminary rounds, Naruto-kun."
"Can she watch matches?" asked naruto
"She can, I will allow her to stay beside you for the entire preliminary round even though she didn't pass the exam" said hokage
"Thank you hokage-sama/jiji" said both karin and naruto and left the office.
As Naruto and Karin left the office, the Hokage watched them go, his thoughts heavy. Minato, Kushina… your son is growing into a fine shinobi. You'll be proud of him.
---
In the preliminary area stood all the jonin sensei's of every team who was currently present in the arena. Konoha has 5 teams, Suna has 1 team and Oto has 1 team. Naruto looked at all the participants as he entered the room.
"Ohh naruto you're here" said kakashi with a eye smile and rookie nine and other genins turned only to see naruto arriving with a red head girl.
'huh he looks different with something other than orange' thought kurenai yuhi, jonin sensei of team 8
'so deadlast finally arrived huh, who's that hot chick with him?' thought kiba
'Naruto-kun is so different and who is she beside him' thought a certain lavender eyed hyuuga heiress while shino just looked at naruto without any reaction.
'Troublesome Blonde' thought shikamaru
'Forehead said naruto-baka died then how's he here?' thought a certain platinum haired blonde
'Thank god naruto is fine' thought chouji
'Hm is it just change of clothes or something different?' questioned jonin sensei of team 10, Asuma Sarutobhi
'Kukukuku So my kusanagi and five element seal wasn't enough to kill you naruto-kun, you uzumaki's are certainly fascinating and very annoying' thought a certain disguised oto jonin
'How did that dobe survived?' thought one sasuke uchiha
'that baka he survived and left us alone for entire exam duration and who is that red head whore with him' thought one pink haired genin named Sakura Haruno
'Orochimaru-sama said he died? How does he survived?' were the thoughts of oto genin team along with kabuto and his teammates.
'Oh gaki got a glow up' thought anko
'is he the same jumpsuit wearing loud mouth? He look hot in other clothes' thought temari with a slight blush
'Is he the same midget?' questioned kankuro
'Mother will have blood' thought gaara
'Hm change of clothes doesn't changes one's Fate, once a deadlast always a deadlast' thought certain fate obsessed genin from team 9
'what the hell happened to him forest?' thought remaining two members
"Yeah but no thanks to you and those two so called teammates of mine" said naruto bluntly as kakashi flinched a bit to his response.
"Naruto-baka stop lying to everyone" screeched sakura and moved to hit narut who just dodged her punch making her fall face first on the groud due to her own action.
Everyone laughed at this while Karin and Hinata let out small giggle at this.
"do this shit again, I'll defend myself instead of dodging, you pink haired bitch" said naruto in a cold tone and took his place beside hinata who blushed and karin stood by him. Sakura was shocked at naruto's blunt reply and his insult to her. While most people from konoha also in shock since they knew Naruto have a huge crush on sakura.
"I am glad you are ok naruto-kun" said hinata in her shy quiet voice
"Thank you hinata-chan" replied naruto with his trademark foxy grin making her blush more
"You do know that oto jonin is orochimaru in disguise" said kurama
'That's the worst disguise I have ever seen' said naruto making her laugh along with others
"Naruto that red haired boy from is the jinchuriki of shukaku and I hope if you fight him, beat him good" said kurama
'So suna sent their jinchurki cool, I always wanted to meet one' replied naruto
"Be careful around him, I can feel his bloodlust even when my chakra is suppressed to hide my presence." said kurama
'Is shukaku always like this?' asked naruto
"That racoon is annoying but he was not this insane, for whatever reason it is not good" said kurama
'do you think it has something to do with seal?' asked naruto
"Possibly and it's starting" said kurama while naruto nodded and cut the connection
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood in front a gathering of wanna be chunins. Some were dirty and exhausted, some were in fresh clothes and well rested, there were very few of the latter "Congratulations on making it this far. Each and every one of you does your villages proud" Sarutobi said. "Now allow to tell you the true meaning of the chuninn exams…"
As the Hokage began his speech about the true meaning of the exams, Naruto was looking at the gathered competition. There was team 8, 9 and 10 as well as Kabutos team, the Sound team, the team from Suna. With the exception of Team 7, Kabuto's team and the Suna squad they all looked like they spent months in the training ground instead of 5 days.
"Is there anyone here who wishes to quit at this point in the exams?" said a voice and naruto focused on the speaker when he heard those words. It was a sickly looking jonin with the standard Konoha outfit and a bandana style headband.
"I would" a voice behind and to the right of naruto said. When he turned he was not surprised to see that it was Kabuto. "I'm afraid I don't have enough chakra to continue"
'He's lying, he still have chakra levels that of a jonin' thought naruto
"Very well ..cough…cough… you're excused" said the sickly jonin
"Sasuke-kun you should give up as well you know that mark" was all sakura said in low voice but unfortunately for her naruto heard
"You don't have to worry sakura, I will be fine but I am not withdrawing, beside you should worry about yourself" replied sasuke
'What mark, do you know anything about it kurama?' asked naruto mentally
"I have to see that mark once to verify it" said kurama
'Well that sucks' thought naruto as he saw proctor of second exam signalled and an screen open ups.
"Names of fighters will be announced on that screen, I am Gekko Hayate and I will be your proctor for preliminary matches, also when I saw match is over it's over otherthan that you have to fight unless one of you is unable to continue or givesup" said sickly jonin.
"Is killing allowed?" asked gaara while many narrowed thei eyes on him
"Yes but prevent it if you can" said hayate with gaara just nodding
"So for the first matchups..." said hayate and the screen rotated and stopped at two names, "FOR THE FIRST MATCH OF PRELIMINARY ROUND SASUKE UCHIHA AND YOROI stay and rest of you can move to the spectators balcony." said hayate in a loud voice
"From the start" said sasuke with an arrogant smirk while yoroi just grinned at him with an evil smile.
"Sasuke whatever happens don't use your sharingan" said kakashi before leaving to the balcony while sasuke nodded at his sensei's advice.
While everyone stood in the balcony, all leaf jonin and genins stood at one side while naruto stood separately with Karin away from most genins but was closer to team 8. Suna team and oto shinobi took opposite balcony and were staring at the arena.
Meanwhile in the arena itself, Sasuke and Yoroi were having a staring contest at each other with both wearing a confident smirk on their faces.
"FIRST MATCHUP OF PRELIMINARY FACES, SASUKE UCHIHA VS YOROI AKADO, BEGINS" announced hayate as both genin rushed at each other.
---
(Authord Notes)
Poll Status so far -
Shizuka - 4
Shizune - 1
Konan - 2
Haruna - 0
Toki - 0
@dragonslayerjahn = Fu is not in this list.
@thor94 = thank you, hope you'll like what I have planned for them
@AmsdeusG13 = I love konan as well and in my opinion second most beautiful character after Kushina with hinata being close but third on the list.
- Thank you for all the love and support so far..