Enter The Tower

Team Seven and Karin were mere steps away from entering the tower, their final destination after the grueling trek through the Forest of Death. The towering structure loomed before them, promising respite and the next stage of the Chunin Exams. But just as they thought they could relax, their path was blocked by a wave of Rain Ninja, their numbers almost absurdly overwhelming.

These weren't just any ordinary shinobi. The Rain Ninja were decked out in their usual ominous gear—heavy cloaks and strange, mask-like helmets that made them look like something out of a bad sci-fi movie. They appeared out of nowhere, like mushrooms after a rainstorm, multiplying at an alarming rate. There were so many of them that it seemed like the very air was filled with their presence, each one more menacing than the last. They moved with a fluid grace, their eyes sharp and focused, ready to take down their prey.

Sasuke, ever the stoic, narrowed his eyes, his Sharingan already activated and analyzing the enemy's movements. He was calm on the outside, but even he had to admit that this was a lot of ninja to deal with. Sakura, bless her heart, tried to steady her nerves, but she was visibly shaken by the sheer number of opponents. Her hands trembled slightly as she gripped her kunai, readying herself for a fight she wasn't sure they could win.

Karin, on the other hand, was not handling it well. She was practically vibrating with anxiety, her usual bravado all but evaporated in the face of such overwhelming odds. Her eyes darted around frantically, searching for some way out of this mess, but all she saw was a sea of enemies.

Naruto, however, remained utterly unfazed. Her glowing sapphire eyes blinked once, twice, taking in the situation with the cool detachment of a machine. If her stoic face showed any emotion at all, it was mild confusion—perhaps a touch of boredom. This wasn't what she'd expected when she envisioned herself as Hokage, that's for sure.

She tilted her head slightly, mentally reaching out to her ever-present digital assistant. 'Bitch,' Naruto thought, her voice in her mind as calm and robotic as ever. 'What should we do?'

-Use a lightning jutsu. Granting temporary access to the Lightning Jutsu Playlist.

Naruto's eyes, as devoid of emotion as ever, lit up with a faint spark of interest. The mental interface flickered into view, offering her a smorgasbord of lightning jutsus to choose from. Her finger hovered over the options, skipping past the A-rank techniques—those were for amateurs. No, if she was going to do this, she was going to do it in style.

'As the future Hokage, I should always go for the best,' she thought, her choice landing on the most powerful jutsu in the playlist. An S-rank technique, the kind of move that makes your hair stand on end—literally.

"Dattebayo," she declared, her voice as flat as ever, but with a strange sort of robotic enthusiasm as she prepared to unleash her chosen attack.

The Rain Ninja, sensing the change in the atmosphere, hesitated. The air around Naruto began to buzz with electricity, the ground beneath her feet humming with anticipation. Dark clouds gathered overhead, swirling ominously as if drawn to the immense power she was channeling. Sparks began to crackle around her, dancing along the edges of her frilly black dress and long gloves, giving her an almost ethereal glow.

"Shiki," she said, her voice like she was introducing a person, as a massive bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens. It was as if the very sky had split open to unleash the wrath of the gods. The bolt took the form of a colossal Bird, its scales made of pure lightning, as it roared down toward the ground with terrifying speed.

The Rain Ninja didn't even have time to react. The hawk slammed into the earth with a deafening explosion, sending shockwaves rippling through the forest. Trees were uprooted, the ground shattered, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of ozone. The Rain Ninja were thrown in every direction, their bodies limp and lifeless as they were caught in the blast. Some were charred beyond recognition, others simply passed out from the sheer force of the attack.

As the dust settled, Naruto stood in the midst of the devastation, looking as pristine as ever. Her white hair fluttered slightly in the residual breeze, her attire completely unscathed. She turned on her heel, striking a dramatic pose with one hand on her hip and the other raised in a stiff, triumphant salute. Her sapphire eyes scanned the battlefield, a small— barely visible, satisfied smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

But then she noticed something odd. The silence was… unsettling. She turned to her comrades, expecting cheers or at least a round of applause for her heroic display.

Instead, she found them all…sleeping.

Sasuke was leaning against a tree, his usually impeccable hair now standing straight up as if he'd been struck by lightning — which, to be fair, he had been. His face was frozen in a comical expression of shock, his eyes wide and unfocused. Sakura had collapsed in a heap on the ground, her pink hair sticking out at odd angles like a bad attempt at a punk rock style. Karin was sprawled out nearby, her red hair puffed up like she'd just stuck a fork in an electrical socket. They all looked like they'd been dragged through a wind tunnel and then dunked in water for good measure.

"They fell asleep?" Naruto's voice was flat, but there was a clear note of irritation. "They missed my cool action scene. And what's with their hair? Instead of fighting, they were changing hairstyles? Talk about slacking off."

She sighed, her shoulders drooping slightly as she realized that her epic moment had gone completely unappreciated. With a resigned shrug, she created three shadow clones, each one looking as unimpressed as the original. "Alright, you guys," she said, her tone almost bored, "carry these tasteless people to the tower."

The clones dutifully picked up the unconscious trio, slinging them over their shoulders with minimal effort. Naruto led the way, her high heels clicking against the ground with each step, the sound oddly loud in the now-quiet forest. As she walked, she continued to grumble under her breath about ungrateful teammates who didn't know how to appreciate good action sequences.

"Honestly," she muttered, her voice tinged with robotic frustration, "if this is what it's like to be Hokage, they can keep the job. Dattebayo."

Ū—Ū

Arriving at the tower, Naruto didn't bother with any grand entrances or dramatic poses. She simply strode in with her white hair swaying gently behind her, her frilly black dress rustling quietly as her high heels clicked against the stone floor. The three shadow clones carrying her unconscious teammates followed dutifully, looking about as enthusiastic as one might expect from clones.

Once inside, she unceremoniously dropped the trio on the nearest bench and plopped herself down across from them, crossing her legs and folding her gloved hands in her lap. Her glowing sapphire eyes scanned the room, her expression as stoic and robotic as ever, waiting patiently for her teammates to wake up.

It didn't take long for them to stir. Sakura was the first to groggily open her eyes, rubbing her head and wincing as if she had the world's worst hangover. Sasuke followed shortly after, blinking blearily as he took in his surroundings. Karin, still a little frazzled from the events in the forest, groaned as she sat up, her red hair still frizzed up in odd angles like a porcupine.

As soon as Sakura realized where she was, her eyes zeroed in on Naruto with the precision of a hawk spotting its prey. "Naruto!" she snapped, her voice carrying that distinct tone that mothers use when their children have done something reckless. "What the heck were you thinking, using a jutsu like that? You could've fried us all! There are safety protocols for a reason, you know!"

Naruto blinked at her, her expression unchanging. "It was an effective jutsu," she replied flatly. "Dattebayo."

"Effective?!" Sakura's voice went up an octave. "You nearly turned us into crispy critters! Do you have any idea what could've happened if that lightning had hit us directly? Jutsu safety is not something to be taken lightly, Naruto! There's a reason they make us study all those boring textbooks on chakra control and jutsu management. Do you even remember the chapter on lightning chakra manipulation? Do you?!"

Naruto's response was a noncommittal blink. She tilted her head slightly, as if the information was being processed in the background. "Chapter seven, section four," she droned, as if reciting it from memory. "Lightning chakra requires precision and control to avoid collateral damage. Dattebayo."

Sakura threw her hands up in exasperation. "Then why didn't you follow it?!"

"It was unnecessary," Naruto replied with the same robotic tone. "The enemies were neutralized. Mission accomplished."

Sasuke, who had been silently fuming, couldn't hold it in anymore. "You're always doing everything, Naruto," he grumbled, crossing his arms. "I didn't even get to do anything this time. It's like you're hogging all the action."

Naruto blinked again, her sapphire eyes reflecting his frustration with all the empathy of a brick wall. "You were unconscious," she stated matter-of-factly. "Dattebayo."

Sasuke's eye twitched. "That's not the point!"

Karin, who was still recovering from the shock, was too busy trying to smooth down her hair to add much to the conversation. But when she finally got it under some semblance of control, she couldn't help but throw in her two cents. "Naruto, your jutsus are… how should I put this… overkill?" she said, her voice shaky as she fiddled with her now somewhat flattened bangs.

"Efficiency is key," Naruto said, still as calm as ever. "Dattebayo."

Before the argument could escalate any further, Sakura decided it was time to move on to something productive. "Okay, okay, let's just focus on what we're supposed to do now," she sighed, pulling out the scrolls they had collected. "Naruto, let's open these together."

Naruto wordlessly joined Sakura, the two of them unfolding the scrolls with precision. The moment the scrolls were opened, there was a puff of smoke, and out of it stepped Iruka, their former academy teacher. His warm smile and familiar face were a welcome sight after the chaos of the forest.

"Congratulations, Team Seven!" Iruka beamed at them, his voice filled with pride. "You've successfully made it through the second stage of the Chunin Exams. I'm really proud of all of you."

Sakura smiled back, clearly relieved to see Iruka-sensei. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei. It was a tough one."

Iruka nodded, then glanced at Sasuke, who was still sulking, and Naruto, who looked as unruffled as ever. "You guys did great out there. But for now, you should all rest. The final part of the exam will be held at the arena at 4 PM. Make sure you're ready."

Naruto stared at Iruka with her usual blank expression. "Understood."

Iruka's eyes then fell on Karin, who was still looking a bit worse for wear. "And who's this?" he asked, his tone friendly but curious.

Naruto's reply was instantaneous and monotone. "She is my cousin. Karin Uzumaki."

Iruka blinked, caught off guard. "Your cousin? I didn't know you had a cousin."

"It is new information," Naruto said, as if she had just been informed of it herself. "Please take her to my apartment."

Iruka raised an eyebrow. "Why? What about her team?"

"They are all dead," Karin said.

"Oh, I am sorry—"

"There's another thing, Iruka-sensei." Naruto interuptted.

"Oh?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed slightly, in what could almost be interpreted as suspicion. "She cannot be trusted with my instant ramen collection."

Karin's eyes widened, and she held up her hands defensively. "Wait, what?! I wasn't planning on eating your ramen!"

Naruto's gaze remained locked on Karin, her expression unreadable. "If you touch it, there will be severe consequences. Dattebayo."

Iruka chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, alright. I'll take her to your place, Naruto. Don't worry."

"See that you do," Naruto replied, her tone still robotic but with a hint of something that could almost be called protectiveness. "My ramen must remain untouched."

With that, Iruka led a rather confused and slightly intimidated Karin out of the tower, leaving Naruto to stare after them with an unwavering gaze. Sasuke and Sakura exchanged glances, not entirely sure what to make of the whole situation.

As the door closed behind Iruka and Karin, Naruto finally relaxed her posture, or at least as much as a robot could. She turned to her remaining teammates, her expression still as flat as ever. "Now we wait."

Sasuke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "You're something else, Naruto."

"Affirmative," Naruto replied, not a hint of pride or humility in her voice. Just the simple acknowledgment of a fact.

Sakura couldn't help but chuckle. "At least it won't be boring with you around, Naruto."

Naruto blinked slowly, her sapphire eyes reflecting nothing but the ceiling lights. "Entertainment is subjective. Dattebayo."

And with that, they settled in to wait, wondering just what the next stage of the Chunin Exams would bring—assuming Naruto didn't accidentally electrocute them all before then.

Ū—Ū

TBC