Team Seven stood in their usual training grounds, the wind rustling through the trees as Kakashi faced them with his usual relaxed demeanor. His single visible eye crinkled as he spoke.
"Alright, you three," he began, "I've nominated you for the Chunin Exams. It's up to you if you want to participate, but let me warn you, the exams are no joke. You'll be facing ninja from different villages—some stronger than you, some weaker—but all of them aiming for the same goal."
Naruto gave a small smile. "Tch, doesn't matter."
Sasuke smirked, crossing his arms. "We'll see."
Sakura looked uncertain, but after a moment, she nodded. "I won't back down."
Kakashi nodded approvingly. "Good. The exam will test not just your strength, but your intelligence, teamwork, and ability to think under pressure. Be prepared for anything."
With that, he handed each of them a slip of paper. "Meet at the Academy in two days if you choose to participate. The decision is yours."
He then disappeared in a swirl of leaves.
Sasuke, not one to stick around long, immediately started leaving as well, probably rushing out to do whatever a power-hungry emo would do… train.
Sakura looked torn. This was usually the moment she would try to coax Sasuke into a date, but today, she found herself lost in thought, trailing behind Naruto without realizing it.
Naruto noticed her but chose not to say anything. She seems troubled about this whole exam.
Heading toward Ichiraku's, they rounded a corner only to be met with what seemed like a fight. Three academy students were backed up against a trio of the weirdest-looking people Naruto had ever seen. The tall girl seemed somewhat normal, but the massive fan strapped to her back was an oddity in anyone's world.
A strange boy in what appeared to be a cat-shaped suit, his face plastered with makeup, was the primary aggressor. In the back stood a boy with the brightest red hair Naruto had ever seen.
The argument had escalated to the point where the "cat boy" threw a punch toward the kids. Rushing in without thinking, Naruto caught his fist before pushing his arm aside.
"Who do you think you're messing with?!" the cat boy shouted, glaring at Naruto.
Not sparing him a glance, Naruto turned to check if the kids were okay, only to be shocked to realize that one of them was Konohamaru, the Hokage's very own grandson. She'd only seen him in the small picture on the Hokage's desk, but she was sure this was the same kid.
"Hey, don't ignore me! Don't you hear me talking to you?" the boy grabbed Naruto's shoulder to shake her. Shrugging him off, Naruto steered the kids toward Sakura, who was standing off to the side, watching with apprehension.
"Who are you, and why did you just try to hit the Hokage's grandson?" Naruto asked darkly.
The boy in the cat suit scowled, his eyes narrowing as he sized Naruto up. "What's it to you, huh? This brat was asking for it." His voice was harsh but seemed laced with nervousness, realizing that he wasn't dealing with some random kid.
Naruto didn't flinch. "The Hokage's grandson deserves respect, not threats," she said firmly, her gaze steely, making it clear she wasn't backing down.
Sakura, now catching up, instinctively took a protective stance next to Naruto, her eyes narrowing at the boy. "Who do you think you are, picking on children like that?"
The tall girl with the fan stepped forward, her expression cool but almost bored. "You shouldn't interfere with matters that don't concern you." She glanced over at Naruto, giving her an appraising look. "But... you're a strong one, aren't you?"
Naruto's grip tightened on Konohamaru's shoulder, urging him to move back toward Sakura. Her eyes flicked toward the red-haired boy, who had been silent until now. His gaze was fixed on Naruto, an unreadable expression on his face.
Ignoring the taller girl's challenge, Naruto shrugged it off. "You'd be surprised what concerns me." She shot a look at Sakura, who was already moving to guide Konohamaru away from the situation.
Before the cat boy could respond, Naruto continued, "Look, I don't know who you are or why you're here, but if you mess with people like that again, you'll regret it."
The boy huffed, stepping back slightly, clearly irritated. "You think you can take me on? You're just a kid!"
Naruto smirked, her voice cold and steady. "You'll find out soon enough, won't you?" Her posture was relaxed, but there was a subtle tension in the air, like a coiled spring ready to snap.
The red-haired boy stepped forward, his hands casually resting at his sides. "Enough, Temari," he said, his voice smooth but dangerous. His eyes locked onto Naruto. "Let's not waste time. We're not here to pick fights with random ninjas from Konoha."
Naruto's heart skipped a beat. Konoha. She didn't want to give anything away, but there was something about this boy that felt ominous. His eyes, though soft and calculating, seemed to pierce right through her.
Sakura, having pulled Konohamaru to a safe distance, looked confused. "Who... who are they, Naruto?"
Naruto's hand tightened on the small boy's shoulder. "It doesn't matter. They're trouble."
Temari narrowed her eyes at Naruto, recognizing the unspoken threat. "You seem like you know what you're doing, kid. Maybe I'll be seeing you in the Chunin Exams."
Before anyone could respond, the trio turned and walked away, their presence still heavy in the air. As they left, the red-haired boy paused and glanced back at her, his gaze lingering just a little too long.
When they were finally out of earshot, Sakura turned to Naruto. "What was that all about?"
Naruto gave a half-hearted shrug. "Just some kids with a fan club. Don't worry about it."
But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would come back to haunt them. That boy… there was something unsettling about him, something that made her wonder if they were about to face far more than they'd signed up for in the upcoming exams.
As she watched the group disappear into the distance, her thoughts were interrupted by Konohamaru's eager voice.
"Thanks for helping me out back there! I owe you one!" he grinned widely.
Naruto couldn't help but smile, ruffling his hair. "Don't mention it, kid. Just keep your head down next time, alright?"
Sakura gave her a curious glance, but Naruto simply looked away, her expression softening as she considered the upcoming Chunin Exams. She knew the path ahead was going to be tough, but with her secret still intact, it was about to get even more complicated.
Two days later...
Naruto stood at the entrance of the Academy, staring up at the old building with a mixture of excitement and unease. The last time she had been here, she had only dreamed of being a great ninja. Now, she was back—this time, to prove herself worthy of the next rank.
Sasuke stood beside her with his usual indifferent expression, hands in his pockets, while Sakura fidgeted, glancing at the many unfamiliar faces gathering in front of the Academy.
"Well, this is it," Kakashi said lazily, hands resting in his pockets. "The Chunin Exams are no joke. You'll be facing ninja from different villages—some stronger than you, some weaker—but all of them aiming for the same goal."
"Doesn't matter," Sasuke smirked. "I'm going to win."
Kakashi chuckled. "Just try not to get disqualified before it even begins. That being said, I have faith in all of you."
"Alright, meet me back here in one piece," Kakashi said before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
As they made their way inside, Naruto noticed the tension in the air. Ninja from all over the continent had gathered here, their sharp eyes analyzing every competitor. Some looked eager, others bored, and a few sent unsettling glares in their direction.
"Try not to embarrass us," Sasuke muttered as they walked down the hall.
Naruto scowled. "Whatever, Sasuke. We'll see who's laughing at the end of this."
Thinking back to this morning, as she was preparing, she had worn one of her looser outfits with her bindings as tight as she could bear without restricting her breathing or movements. She had plenty of sealing scrolls and ink sealed in a storage scroll, with some in her pouch on her thigh for cases when she didn't have time to open a scroll. She had checked all her weapons, even resharpening some herself. She felt as prepared as she was going to get.
After making it past the initial attempt to weed out weaker ninja, they descended the floor to enter the room, only to be met with more hostile and curious stares from the ninja already inside. Try as she might to ignore them, she still felt the eyes on her. Sasuke, of course, seemed unbothered by the attention. His gaze flicked across the room, sharp and calculating, a perfect picture of indifference. His arrogance, however, was starting to show again as he took a step forward, clearly confident in his abilities. Naruto rolled her eyes, knowing full well that Sasuke's cocky attitude could easily get him into trouble if he wasn't careful.
Sakura, on the other hand, was visibly shaking. Her eyes darted between the other ninja, her nerves starting to get the best of her. Naruto shot her a glance, noticing the trembling hands and her pale face. Sakura had always been the most self-conscious, but this was different. The Chunin Exams had a way of breaking even the most composed.
"Hey, don't freak out," Naruto whispered under her breath, giving her a quick, reassuring smile. Sakura blinked, her eyes wide with surprise at Naruto's sudden kindness. It was rare for Naruto to show any vulnerability, and even rarer for her to offer reassurance to anyone, but in this moment, Sakura needed it.
"I—I'm fine!" Sakura replied, attempting to force a smile, though it was clear she was far from it. "It's just... so many people. They're all so strong."
Naruto's gaze wandered across the room, noting the varying levels of confidence in the other competitors. Some were staring ahead, focused, while others were whispering to their teammates. There was an unspoken tension hanging in the air, a kind of raw energy that made even the most casual ninja seem on edge.
Out of the corner of her eye, Naruto noticed a familiar figure standing near the back of the room. The red-haired boy was watching her, his cold eyes never leaving her form. She had no idea why, but there was something about his gaze that unsettled her. It wasn't curiosity; it was as if he were studying her, calculating her every move. She swallowed, forcing herself to look away before he noticed her noticing.
Sasuke seemed to sense her discomfort and raised an eyebrow. "You good, Naruto?"
Naruto nodded, forcing a small smirk. "Yeah, just thinking."
As if on cue, a man with a stern expression and dark robes entered the room, causing the chatter to die down immediately. He was tall, with a sharp, no-nonsense demeanor, and his presence immediately commanded respect.
"Listen up," the man said, his voice cutting through the silence. "My name is Ibiki Morino. I'll be overseeing the first phase of the Chunin Exams. This phase is about testing your intelligence and your ability to think under pressure."
Naruto's heartbeat quickened. She had been ready for this, but the mention of "thinking under pressure" held an added weight. She glanced around the room, gauging the other competitors. She couldn't afford to be distracted now.
"Now, take your seats," Ibiki continued. "And get ready for the test. Remember, no matter what happens, this test will push you to your limits."