(AN: I wrote the first 3.5k words last night in about an hour and a half. Finished it and polished it this morning. Thank you all for the great reviews, but let's go ahead and get into it!)
(AN 2: To Guest! You know who you are! Just you wait buddy. The World Map is about to be unlocked! And for Vini66 (not adding the last number) I hope you enjoy what I have in store for Sakura. I kind of hint at something at the end of the chapter! Keep it up with the reviews! They fuel me! And any Feedback is always welcome!)
"Only 91 EXP to go." Naruto sighed at his status screen.
A low grumble sounded nearby, and he turned an eye to Sasuke, who was shying away from Sakura, neither of which obviously hadn't eaten.
He swiped away his status bar and double checked his quest screen, where the timer was still counting down.
[Priority Quest Unlocked!]
[Step into the World of the Shinobi!]
[Description: Pass the True Genin Test before time is up.]
[Rewards: ?, ?, ?, ?]
[Failure:?]
[1:18:23 Left]
It was 10:42 right now, which meant the test needed to finish by 12. Yet Kakashi still hadn't arrived. Normally, Naruto would be bouncing off the walls, searching for any clue or answer that was right in front of him. Had the test actually started? Was Kakashi hiding in the area nearby? Was the man even still alive? Plus more. But the quest had shown up just as he was going to bed last night. The timer already ticking.
Alpha dispersed from within the forest, and Naruto sighed. Kakashi was nowhere to be found, at least with his current skills, he couldn't be found.
"This is sooooo boring!" He shouted into the air and fell to the ground onto his back. "Why'd we get stood up!"
"Are we sure he said it was today? Or at least at 7 in the morning?"
"He definitely said we'd meet in the morning." Sasuke grumbled out.
Naruto glanced at the boy and grimaced. He had seen the flashing red and silver R on his map for the last two hours. He wanted a fight, but if they had a test to do, then they'd need all their strength.
"Booooo!" Naruto shouted. He rolled his shoulders and summoned his group of 9 clones around him in the grass. "You guys go ahead and train on the water. Get to it."
"On the water?" Sasuke looked on, a strange glint in his eye. Naruto shrugged from the dirt and listened as the group stepped onto the lake behind him, practicing the Water Walking Technique. Ever since getting to Lvl 30, his clones now gave him 31% efficiency in their chakra control training. It was nice, to say the least. Plus, getting a 9th clone was awesome in itself. He couldn't wait till he hit 35 for that next boost! Only needed 61% of a Lvl for it.
"I didn't know you were on Water Walking already, Naruto." The boy blinked from his position, and titled his head back, only to see a shock of silver hair lying mirrored to him.
"Eh?"
"Sensei?" Sakura asked in a shocked tone. "Sensei!"
"You're late!" Naruto and the girl shouted. The blond boy jumped to his feet, pointing a finger accusingly at the man.
"Mah, mah. I'm sorry." The man shrugged into the gras. "I got lost on the road of life."
"The road of life?"
"Hn." Sasuke stood from the ground and stomped over. "I could have been training for the last four hours."
"Ah, ah." Kakashi waved a finger. "It's only 10:51. So only three hours and—"
"Are we getting onto this test yet?" Naruto butted in.
With a heavy sigh, Kakashi rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself to his feet. Stretching his body with a few loud cracks.
"Old age getting to you already, sensei?"
"Something like that." There was a smirk hidden behind that mask. Naruto knew it.
A loud rumble sounded from Sakura's stomach, and Kakashi looked at her. "Oh, is a missed breakfast that bad?"
Blushing brightly, Sakura muttered, "I had a light dinner. To keep up my figure."
"Your figure, huh?" There was something in that voice that Naruto couldn't quite pick up on. "Well, don't worry. I've brought us all lunch."
He revealed three bento boxes from behind his back. "Oooo, where'd you get it? Mama Shinji's?" Naruto asked, licking his lips.
The man shook his head. "No, no. Though I'm surprised you recognize the containers. No, I stole these years ago. They're filled with the love and respect of your new sensei."
Naruto grimaced. "I'm not sure if I'd trust you to cook. Especially from what Gai says."
"Mah, mah." The man waved off the comment as the bentos disappeared. "Gai is just jealous he's not as good of a cook. He doesn't even cook with many seasonings, you know."
"Are we eating before we start?" Sakura asked, a bead of sweat running down her forehead.
There was that evil eye smile of the man once more. "No, no. Sorry my cute little genin, but it is not time for food. You see, we will be starting right at 11."
Naruto glanced at the timer. 1:02:21.
"But—"
"No buts!" He waggled a finger at the three. "If I don't go over the rules of this test, then you all might not hear everything by the time we start."
Silence.
"That's better." From his pocket, the man pulled out a small box, a soft ringing sounding from inside. He opened it to reveal two bells. "As you can see, there are two silver bells. If you can take a bell, you pass."
Nothing more came.
"But there's only two?" Naruto finally asked as the clock continued to tick.
"And?" Kakashi asked with a shrug.
"So only two can pass." Sasuke was breathing heavily to Naruto right, an almost panicked glint in his eye, something Naruto hadn't seen before—no. that wasn't right. He had seen it before, that night, over a year ago. When he had taken Sasuke to the hospital.
Sakura wasn't fairing any better, now glancing nervously between Sasuke and himself. "this isn't good. They're already falling apart."
"Kill the Uchiha and take both bells for yourself."
Naruto shook his head at the fox and stepped forward. "Oi! We passed the Genin Exam, so what's the big deal?"
Kakashi smiled and quickly tied the two bells around his back belt loop. "That's only to weed out the truly horrible. This test, the True Genin Exam, is to make sure only the strong survive. If you pass, well then you join my team. If you fail, you either go back to the academy… or die."
"Die?" Sakura hiccuped.
"That's rare though." Kakashi waved off his worry. "If you're truly exceptional, you'll get added to the Genin Reserves until the next graduation. Of course, 66% of the people who take this test fail, and considering none of you are truly exceptional. Then I don't think any of you have to worry about going to the reserves."
Worry about going back to the academy. That was left unsaid, and Naruto swallowed thickly. 15 seconds left.
"You're wrong." Sasuke muttered.
"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Kakashi asked while pulling something from his back weapons pouch. Naruto immediately moved into a fighting stance, whipping out his own trusty kunai, but the man simply revealed a book.
"Icha Icha?" He said out loud.
"Ah, have you heard of it before? I must say the series is quite ex—"
"Flooding Wave!" Something Naruto discovered two days ago when training with his clones was an interesting fact. They could split the cost of a Jutsu by working together.
HIT!
Three massive waterfalls of water slammed down onto Kakashi as his clones celebrated. The other two already calling out their own Jutsu.
"Lightning Style: Pulsing Waves!"
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted in horror.
He ignored her as he pulled out a master craft Kunai and launched himself at the man, dispelling his clones on the water and re-summoning them.
10 against 1.
"Smart." The soaking wet man said. "I underestimated you, Naruto."
One clone fell from the sky, slamming a wind coated kunai into the ground as Kakashi back pedaled. Two more leaped over the first, aiming high and low, swing at the man, and sending him backward.
Kakashi tripped and fell back as his foot sunk into the water.
"Water Style: Descending Sphere!" Seven voices called out, slamming what was practically a wall of water in the man's back.
"Are you two just going to stand there?!" He shouted at Sasuke and Sakura.
"Are you trying to kill him?!" Sakura shrieked.
Sasuke whipped out a fist full of shuriken and threw them at the shadow of Kakashi. "He's a Jonin. If he dies to us, we might get promoted."
"That's not what I meant, teme!" Naruto grinned at his rival.
"Not bad, not bad at all!" Kakashi shot from the water, and landed on the middle of the lake, a small cut on his cheek, cutting through his mask, his hair falling damp against his forehead. "I most certainly underestimated you all! Any of the other Jonin Sensei might have gotten seriously injured from that!"
Naruto dispelled his clones and re-summoned them once more, replenishing their chakra as he sent them out onto the water's surface. He'd join them once his reserves went back up.
"Not going to face me head on, Naruto?" Kakashi shouted.
"Where's the fun in that?" His clones spread out around the man. "You guys know the drill! Just like we practiced."
"Practiced?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto grinned at the brunette's confused look. "I figured we'd have to spar or something. Didn't know about the bells, though. But I've been trying to train with them on overwhelming opponents."
Sasuke growled. Growled. It sounded almost as scary as Kurama's and Naruto couldn't help but gulped. "And you never used it against me?"
[-1 Relation—]
"Not now, game." Naruto hissed inwardly. "I'm still working on the tactics! Couldn't bring it out against my best rival until it was perfect."
[+5 Re—]
What a weirdo.
Lightning flashed across the lake, coupled with the water, and Naruto glanced at his notifications to check the hits, but all he did was gulp.
None of them had done more than three damage to the man, and that had been with a crit. How different was Kakashi from the Sound ninja? "Alright, you two, here's the plan."
"Plan?" Sasuke scoffed. "Who put you in charge?"
"Hellooo!" Naruto waved at the clone carnage. "Kicking the most butt out of all of us here?"
"I agree with Sasuke!" Sakura pitched in.
Glancing at the pink-haired girl wit ha grimace, the last Uchiha turned to Naruto and quickly added. "What's the plan?"
"Awww."
"I keep my clones on him. You two provide ranged back up?"
"That's it?"
He shrugged. "I just thought we'd be sparring a bit, so didn't come up with anything complicated. But if we—" Two clones suddenly died violently as water spikes flew through their crotch and out their skulls as killing intent flooded the lake. "I think I'm about to get killed by our sensei, so let's just hurry with this, alright. Sakura, use your ranged weapons, Sasuke throw some fireballs if you want? If you do, I'll cast a couple wind jutsu to boost them."
"Boost them?"
"I'll tell you later. Just go!" Alpha got ate by a shark, and Naruto quickly re-summoned the dead clones and followed them into the water.
"So you can only keep 9 clones at a time?" The question came from above the second Naruto was halfway across the lake, and he had to dive into the water to dodge the deadly swing.
After surfacing, he shouted. "That could have killed me!"
"Good!" Kakashi shouted. "Don't worry, I can get you to the hospital before too long! You'll just be a vegetable for a few days!"
Naruto cringed back. Not in fear, of course… who said anything about that?
Naruto planted his hands on the surface of the water and shot into the air, pocketing his master craft kunai and pulling out a fistful of shuriken from his inventory with a bit of sleight of hand. "Wind Style: Wind Coating!"
"Wind now?" Kakashi questioned.
Naruto smirked as the massive fireball from Sasuke flew at their sensei's back. His clones leaped onto the man, holding him tightly.
The original sailed through the air, holding a cross and the shuriken expanded and moved, forming a circle around the man just as the fire ball smashed into them. An inferno erupted into the sky as Naruto laughed at the sheer devastation. This was art. Art! Pure and total—
A foot slammed into the back of his skull and he blacked out.
Naruto gasped for air as he slammed into the surface of the water with enough force to bounce. Next, he hit the muddy shore and slid along the grass until a foot to the stomach stopped him.
"You know. I planned on telling my cute little genin hopefuls that they'd need to come at me with the intent to kill. But this? This! This was more that I could have guessed. I thought I would have to pretend to kill one of you before anything truly forceful happened."
Naruto grimaced and coughed as he checked his HP.
HP: 87/167
Nearly half his HP in one hit. He groaned and tried to stand, but another kick to the gut sent him sprawling once more, and taking another five HP with it.
"Fuck you." Naruto said through gasps of air.
"Sasuke. Here's a test for you. Kill Sakura, or I kill Naruto."
"What?" the boy asked.
"You're an avenger, are you not? I read your file. Don't think I don't know. If you kill Sakura, I'll train you in every single one of my 1153 jutsu. I'll train you into how to unlock and use your Sharingan. Heck. I'll convince the Hokage to give me the Scroll of Sealing if I need to."
"Sasuke—" Naruto groaned from the ground.
The boy was frozen in place, not moving, however.
"You have three seconds before I crush Naruto's skull."
"Three…"
"Sasuke." Sakura whipped out her own kunai and threw it at the man, who merely swatted them away.
"Two…" Kakashi picked up a hissing Naruto by the back of the skull.
The Uchiha sped through seven hand signs, only to stop and look on in horror. "You're fucking crazy…" Sasuke finally said.
"Oh, am I?" Kakashi chuckled.
"No, him." The man froze in thought and slowly turned Naruto toward himself. Revealing the grin of Konoha's Greatest Prankster, and a jacket full of paper bombs.
"Shit…"
The explosion rocked the training ground as the real Naruto pulled himself from the Lake water with the help of two other clones. "Fuck… you… sensei!" He said in between gasps.
"Holy shit!" Sasuke shouted. "I didn't know that was a clone!"
Naruto merely grinned and gave a quick thumbs up as Alpha hauled him across the mud.
"We mastered the Kawarami technique months ago." Alpha said. "Our creator dropped his seal pouch into the water once he saw your fireball coming. He summoned of of the clones sensei popped and dispelled it immediately so we knew the plan."
"Honestly. I thought we wouldn't have to use that jacket until the end of the test at least! You know how long it took to gather that many paper bombs anyhow?"
"Oh, my god." Sakura suddenly gasped. "We just killed our sensei!"
Naruto waved her off. "Nah. After hitting the real him with that inferno, he switched with a clone into the forest with minimal burns." The HIT notification told that much at least. Still, it was only 12 damage to the man.
[+5 Relationship with Sakura Haruno.]
[+10 Relationship with Sasuke Uchiha.]
[+20 Relationship with Kakashi Hatake.]
[Relationship with Kakashi Hatake has changed.]
Relationship: Trusted Sensei: 12/500
"I have to say, I don't think I've ever met a genin that could figure that out so quickly." Kakashi clapped, coming out of the tree line, giving that same damned eye smile.
Sakura immediately jumped to her feet and began chucking ranged weapons at the man in earnest.
"Whoa, whoa." The man dove to the ground. "Truce I say. Truce!"
"You tried to get Sasuke-kun to kill me! Me! The love of his life!"
"I wouldn't go—" Sasuke shut up as the girl turned a fire gaze onto him.
"The. Love. Of. His. Life!"
"Now, now." The Kakashi on the ground crumbled into dirt as a new one rose from the ground behind them, waving a small white flag. "I surrender, for a moment at least."
"A moment, he says."
"Yes, I just happened to notice something when your clones ganged up on me, is all." Kakashi smiled. "You're far stronger than you look, Naruto. Sasuke as well, though that's to be expected of an Uchiha, and one with unlimited access to his family's secret fault that he really shouldn't have access to."
"I don't—"
Kakashi waved the boy off. "I know exactly what hand signs you were about to use against me when I held Naruto. You probably would have killed yourself with that technique, by the way. But I must say, trying to save your teammate even at the cost of your life is impressive. Sakura. Nice kunai. But you'll need more than a good arm to save a hostage."
"You—"
"Enough with the 'Oh sensei, you tried to kill me!' spiel. I had a clone under the ground just in case Sasuke did try anything, but I knew he wouldn't… well, at least a 30% chance he wouldn't…"
"Thirty Percent!"
Kakashi shrugged, but finally turned back to Naruto. "One of your clones tried to use the Gentle Fist on me." Naruto was going to strangle Beta. Though it seemed Alpha beat him to it as the oldest clone slugged his younger brother behind everyone, popping him into smoke.
"Yeah? And?" Naruto tried to act nonchalant.
"Where did you learn it?" There was zero room for argument. Naruto swallowed as an oppressive feeling wrapped over his shoulders.
"Uhhh. I found a scroll of it."
"A scroll?" the man interrogated him.
"It was just a beginner's version."
Sasuke stepped into Naruto's personal space. "The Gentle Fist is the Hyuga's technique. How did you learn it? Do you know any other Taijutsu?" He was obviously asking for his own clan techniques.
"No! No. No I don't!" Naruto quickly defended himself. "I found the scroll. It's not really to my liking, but I've seen Hinata and Neji Hyuga spar enough to know enough to get by."
"Gai mentioned you train with his star pupil, Lee. But he only ever said you fought with Lee."
"I've seen Neji spar, though. It's an interesting technique, but I started making my own instead, to try and—" He clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Your own style."
"Eheh." Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "Can we get back to the test instead?"
Kakashi snorted. "You all passed the test. It was a test of teamwork by the way. Congratulations. Only one team ever actually passed on the first try. That was Team Jiraiya's."
"Team Jiraiya's? Wasn't that the Fourth's?"
"What other type of technique are you learning, Naruto?"
"You haven't been holding out on me, have you dobe?"
"How am I weaker than that, Baka?" Sakure muttered from the side.
"Ah shit…" Naruto groaned.
Naruto rolled his shoulders and dropped the paint bucket as he finished his side of the fence. He heard Sasuke from the other side grunted as he too finished. Sakura sat nearby playing with the homeowner's cat, having finished long ago.
"All done then?" Kakashi looked up from his chair by the owner.
"Looks alright." The old man said. "Thanks for the work, boys."
"Ahem." Sakura cleared her throat.
"And girly."
Kakashi stood, snapping his book shut. "That's us done for the day, then. Let's head back to the Hokage's tower."
Filing in line behind the man, the three genin headed on the way across the Village.
Naruto stuck a finger in his ear to clear it out, much to Sakura's annoyance and gagging noise. He had gotten used to the girls 'standards' but it was still odd that Sasuke always scoffed at him too. "Come on, I bet you do it too, teme."
"As if I would do something that disgusting."
Naruto grinned at the two and laughed. He was honestly happy with his team. Though they still bickered, they surprisingly got along. So long as he didn't hold back too much against Sasuke. Who was somehow catching up to him faster than a diving falcon. "Damned Prodigies."
"As if this system isn't a boost to you."
They had been a team for almost two weeks now, and while Sakura was still trying to keep her diet going, she wasn't doing too badly. She had even almost instantly learned the Tree Walking Technique and was already learning the Water Walking, on par with Naruto.
It had taken a lot of talking and convincing of Naruto to get the three shinobi off his back after the Genin Exam, but it had definitely worth it.
Of course, he hadn't revealed the System still. Maybe one day… maybe.
A big maybe.
Still, Kakashi had been impressed with his Gentle Palm style. And apparently you weren't Maito Gai's Eternal Rival without being someone of a Taijutsu master yourself. So his skill had already reached Lvl 11.
He still remembered the odd words he had said. "Consider this pay back for teaching me something last year." He had no clue what the man was talking about, but it had to have been something awesome he had done for the man.
Still, it had been a calm couple weeks, which was why Naruto was surprised when his sensei asked the Old Man.
"Lord Third, I think it's a good time for the team to take on a C-Rank."
You could hear a pin drop.
"That is absurd!" Iruka jumped up.
"Now, now, Iruka-san." Kakashi held a hand up. "They're perfectly ready. I'm sure there's an escort mission or message delivery that could be done. Something that stays in the Land of Fire, at least."
"They've only been under your wing for a couple of weeks!"
"Need I remind you who exactly is on my team?" Kakashi sighed.
Iruka made to speak, but Lord Third raised his hands, silencing the room. Slowly, the man lowered his hand and asked. "Are you sure about this?"
"As ever." The Jonin replied. "You remember the fight I had with them? A few bandits wouldn't be an issue. Plus, Naruto is already blooded as you know."
It was weird to hear it that way. But Naruto let the words roll over him.
"But the last Uchiha and young Sakura are not."
Kakashi shrugged. "I know my team. Plus, I will be able to keep an eye on them. Their team work is already very good, and their skills are certainly nothing to scoff at. I should say now, but unless there is a reason to not, I will most likely have then entered the Chunin Exam in Four month's time."
Iruka looked like he was going to explode, but the Third Hokage commanded the room at the moment. Silence stretched, and stretched, until finally, their leader pulled a single paper from the pile on his desk and threw it quickly through the air. "I will have the client informed. You are to leave first thing in the morning."
"But Lord Third!" Iruka shouted.
"We thank you for your benevolence, Lord Third." Kakashi saluted the man, with his genin followed suit, and off they went.
"What just happened?" Sakura asked.
Naruto grinned at her. "We're going to leave the village!" His voice was a loud whisper as Kakashi shuffled them from the building.
"This'll be a good test for my strength."
"Test this, test that," Naruto waved the boy off. "We get to leave the village! I've never been out for more than a few hours at a time!"
Kakashi laughed as they finally left the building. Watching as Naruto practically bounced around the street, telling everyone. "Calm down, Naruto. It's nothing truly exciting. We'll be escorting a young couple to a small town just a few days from the village."
"A young couple? Are they secret diplomats? A Prince and Princess? King and Queen?"
"Just farmers who came to sell their goods in Konoha." He quelled the boy's excitement. "They have their profits now, and simply need to make sure they keep it on the way home."
"Well…" Naruto frowned at the dirt. "That's not too bad, at least. Maybe we'll get to kick some serious ass!"
"Language." Kakashi chided the boy. "Now them. I want you all to pack for a two-week trip and make sure you have the proper rations. While we can hunt on trips such as this, pickings may not be the best."
"I thought it was only for a few days? Why two weeks?"
"Always, always, be prepared." Kakashi answered. "It's something my own sensei drilled into my team and I. You never know what to expect. And if you do expect something—" He shot a finger at Sakura, who rolled her eyes.
"Look underneath the underneath. We get it, sensei."
He shrugged. "Maybe one day you will. Maybe."
"Sensei! Which gate are we meeting at!" Naruto was halfway down the road by now, but had turned to shout.
"The North gate!" He called back. "Eight AM, sharp!"
"Got it! Ten AM!" Naruto laughed as the man shouted after him.
As their sensei chased after his student. Sakura turned to Sasuke with a blush. "Sasuke can you—"
"Not interested." The boy swung away, trying to escape. But somehow, the rabid fangirl was faster than ever, and grabbed his arm.
"Wait, wait. Please. It's not about a date. I just… would you be able to help test my new jutsu?"
"Hn." Sasuke turned to her with a look of wariness.
"You'll be able to test your fireball to do it! Or any other Jutsu you're working on." She added hurriedly.
"…"
"Please?"
"Fine. Let's go."
"Yeah! Who won the Lottery! I did!" Sakura cheered mentally. "Coming, Sasuke-kun~~~,"
"Don't call me that."
"Yes Sasuke-sama."
"Ugh."
"Taichou." Kakashi looked up from his couch and watched as a certain purple haired ANBU climbed in through his open window.
"I'm not your commander anymore, Yugao." He waved at a nearby chair and leaned back once more to continue reading his precious Icha Icha.
"Taichou." She said again, a hint of rebellion lacing her voice. "I heard you are taking your team on a C-rank already."
"And what if I am?"
"They're fresh genin."
"And? They'll be fine."
He could feel her eyes burning into the side of his head.
"Can I help you with anything else?"
"They are not ANBU, Taichou."
Kakashi snapped his book shut and sat up with a sigh. "I know that."
"Do you? You only left the corps three weeks ago." He would almost assume she was accusing him of something. But his cute little student would never do such a thing. Not to him.
"They'll be fine."
"Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha are two of the most important genin in the Village."
"Which is why I am in charge of them." Kakashi pointed out.
She scoffed. Scoffed! At him! "From what I heard, it almost came to blows in order to take that team. Not to mention Anko being against it the whole time."
"She just wanted someone who enjoys the forest as much as she doers." Kakashi ignored the other part of that sentence. One didn't threaten his own Kage and get away with it scot-free.
"I worry."
"How many times do I have to say this? They'll be—"
"About you, Kakashi." There it was. Yugao always had a bleeding heart. "These Genin are just that. Genin. Yes, Naruto-san took out a Chunin and Jonin level opponent. But one severely underestimated him, and the other was already a walking corpse thanks to my team."
"It always makes my ears itch when you say that." Passing on Team Ro had been one of his most difficult decisions. But if it meant building his Sensei's and Teammates Legacies back from the ashes, then it would be done.
"They're Genin." She repeated for the fifth time.
"And they have me."
"You are the best in the village, I suppose." She poked at him.
"Ah, I'm not at Jiraiya's level just yet."
"Maybe a few more months, then?"
"Something like that." He waved her off. "Now have I settled your nerves?"
"Not even by an inch."
He laughed. "Why don't you go visit your boyfriend, or check on Naruto? I'm sure one of them will calm you down. Hell, you should challenge the brat to a fight. He almost had me."
"No one 'almost has' the Copy Ninja."
He smiled at her. "Well, I simply mean he almost did a bit of serious damage to me."
"First, he gives you an idea to grow by leaps and bounds, and now he almost hurts you? Maybe next year he'll have surpassed you already."
Kakashi chuckled. "I wouldn't doubt it. Without him, I never would have evolved my Raikiri. Either way, you should check on him. It'll put your mind at ease. I'm sure after spending years looking after him in between missions, it's hard to break the habit. But don't forget. You're in charge of the Hokage's personal ANBU now. Do not let your emotions get in the way."
"Hai… Taichou." And then she was gone, leaving behind a whirlwind of leaves in his freshly swept apartment. He was going to get her back. No doubt about it.
(AN: Woooo! First C-rank already! Only two weeks into being a team. I didn't reference it in this chapter, but if you look below, Naruto did get a level up to 17. Also, as said by Yugao and Kakashi, big changes to canon! Kakashi only recently left the ANBU, and hasn't lost his touch like in canon, at least not yet, but who knows? Anyhow, thank you all for the views and reviews! Don't forget to drop another and I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Let's get into the next one!)
Name: Naruto Uzumaki
Title: Genin
Job: Genin
EXP: 1210/6500
Level: 17
Health: 181/181
Chakra: 1900(9500)/1800(9500)
STR: 47
CON: 70
DEX: 79
INT: 42
WIS: 48
LUK: ?
Attribute Points: +19
Skill Points: +7
Perk Points: +4