Chapter 33: Into the Chunin Exams

First Idea (Hiruzen's apprentice ANBU Commander): 6 votes

Second Idea (Double Agent with Orochimaru): 8 votes

It had been two months since the Wave mission, and for most, things had settled back to routine. But for Kakashi Hatake, those two months had been hell. Not because of missions, or the condition of his team—but because of the cruel punishment handed down by the Hokage himself: a complete confiscation of his entire Icha Icha collection.

Naruto still laughed when he remembered walking into the Hokage's office one day, only to catch the old man himself—Hiruzen Sarutobi, the most powerful shinobi in the village—sitting at his desk, red-faced and giggling like a schoolboy while flipping through one of Kakashi's confiscated books. When Naruto had called him out, Hiruzen shamelessly replied that Kakashi's collection had books missing from his own, prompting Naruto to deadpan, wondering how this village was still standing when its leader was such a pervert.

During the span of those two months, Team 7 had completed around 30 D-rank missions and 5 C-rank missions. It wasn't a particularly large number, especially for genin, but Kakashi had deliberately pulled back their mission count. After what he'd seen in Wave, he had decided to prioritize their training over simple errands.

The three genin had grown considerably in that time.

For Hinata, Kakashi focused on polishing her Water Style-enhanced Dancing Fist, particularly improving her fluidity and evasive skills. But Kakashi noticed something else—Hinata's discomfort at the thought of hurting others. So he adjusted her training. Without saying much, he had bought her a few books on beginner-level medical ninjutsu—simple things at first, like human anatomy, pressure points, and the basic properties of medicinal herbs. While Kakashi wasn't well-versed in the healing arts himself, he wanted her to have another option, something that would fit her heart better.

Sasuke's training was far more intense. Kakashi had drilled him day and night on the mastery of his three-tomoe Sharingan, ensuring he could predict movements, copy enemy taijutsu, and wield genjutsu without faltering. He taught him the intricacies of the Uchiha Interceptor Fist when paired with the Sharingan's predictive ability, and helped refine his lightning techniques. In secret, Kakashi had even passed Sasuke an ace up his sleeve—a technique Sasuke refused to reveal yet, saying he'd show it when the time was right.

Outside of their team training, Sasuke spent a fair amount of time honing his skill with Hakutora and working on the jutsu Naruto had given him. But his biggest development had been in his summoning. After a few attempts, Sasuke had successfully summoned his familiar—a small phoenix, no larger than a parrot, with scarlet feathers, sharp intelligent eyes, and a trail of flame-like patterns across its wings. The phoenix had introduced itself as Kaen, son of Ifrit, the boss of the Phoenix Contract, and though small, it radiated power and an unsettling sharpness of mind. Sasuke spent hours learning to communicate and strategize with Kaen, their bond steadily strengthening.

Naruto's training, however, had been the most varied and exhausting. Kakashi had focused on fine-tuning his chakra control, even though Naruto's control was already exceptional. He wanted to push him to absolute precision. For that, he took Naruto to a secluded training ground with a tall, crashing waterfall. There, Naruto spent days running up and down its slick surface, holding his chakra perfectly against the shifting, powerful current—a brutal combination of tree-climbing and water-walking exercises.

Beyond that, Kakashi helped him master the third and final stages of all his elemental manipulations, introducing him to higher-ranked techniques and making sure his massive chakra reserves were used efficiently. But the most crucial part of Naruto's training, and the most challenging, was unlocking control over his Adamantine Chains.

It wasn't something Kakashi could teach him directly, so he made Naruto meditate for hours, trying to replicate the exact feeling he had when the chains erupted from him during his fight with Raiga. Day after day, Naruto would sit under the waterfall or in the middle of a quiet field, focusing, pulling at the core of that memory.

It took almost two weeks, but one morning, when the sun barely touched the horizon, Naruto managed to manifest two of the golden, spiked chains—though their movement was shaky and uncontrolled. Kakashi didn't let him rest. For the next few weeks, he kept Naruto on his toes, running circles around him while Naruto desperately tried to strike, bind, or block him with the chains.

The Hokage Office

The Hokage's office was filled with tension. Several jōnin stood silently before the desk of Hiruzen Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi. Despite his old age, the man radiated an aura of power and authority that every one of them respected—and a few even feared. Yet, amongst the gathered jōnin, one particular person was conspicuously absent.

Kurenai sighed, crossing her arms. "You'd think he would at least be on time when summoned by the Hokage."

Standing next to her, a loud and distinct voice chimed in, full of youthful energy. "Such unyouthfulness from my eternal rival! It pains my heart to see Kakashi so careless with this opportunity to meet Hokage-sama!" Maito Gai declared, striking a dramatic pose in his usual green spandex.

Before Kurenai could respond, the door slid open and in walked Kakashi Hatake, one hand raised in casual greeting, a lazy eye-smile on his face.

"Yo," Kakashi greeted, as if he hadn't kept them all waiting. "Sorry I'm late. You see, I came across a turtle trying to cross the road and had to help it. But then the turtle turned out to be a retired shinobi, and we ended up reminiscing about the Third Great War over tea. Time just flew."

Kurenai shot him a sharp glare while Gai began to sob anime tears about how hip and cool Kakashi was.

Hiruzen only chuckled, shaking his head at the silver-haired jōnin's antics. "At least you made it," he said, amusement laced in his voice.

Once the greetings settled, Hiruzen's expression turned serious. He addressed the room. "Now, the purpose of this meeting. I need to know which of you believe your genin are ready to participate in this year's Chūnin Exams."

One by one, a few jōnin nominated their teams, confident in their students' abilities. After the last name was called, Kakashi stepped forward, voice even but sharp.

"I, Kakashi Hatake, jōnin-sensei of Team 7, hereby nominate my students: Naruto Uzumaki, Sasuke Uchiha, and Hinata Hyūga."

A silence fell over the room, followed by audible gasps. It had been years since any rookies fresh out of the Academy were nominated. Gai turned toward Kakashi, his brows furrowed.

"Are you sure, Kakashi?" Gai asked, a rare note of concern in his tone. "Even I waited a year before allowing my team to enter. My students are stronger, and would wipe the floor with yours."

Kakashi glanced lazily at him, voice as dry as ever. "Did you say something, Gai?"

Gai's eyes shimmered, and a waterfall of anime tears erupted down his cheeks. "KAKASHI! Your hip and cool attitude burns my youthful heart!"

Before Gai's drama could spiral further, Hiruzen cleared his throat, drawing their attention back. "Enough. My jōnin are free to decide whether their students are ready. If I suspect any of you are endangering your genin by being overzealous, I will pull the plug myself."

Kurenai stepped forward, cool and composed. "In that case, I nominate my students as well—Shino Aburame, Kiba Inuzuka, and Sakura Haruno."

Asuma followed shortly after, offering a nod. "Team 10 will participate too."

A thin smile tugged at Hiruzen's lips as he leaned back in his chair. "So this year… nine rookies will participate in the Chūnin Exams."

Once the formalities were over, the other jōnin quietly left, leaving only Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma behind. Hiruzen's gaze sharpened as he spoke again.

"Do you truly believe your teams are ready?"

Kakashi, hands in his pockets, spoke without hesitation. "They're more than ready. My genin will be the strongest team in this year's exams."

Kurenai shot him a glare. "You shouldn't be so sure, Kakashi. My team has been training hard too. I'll admit, Sakura still has a long way to go—but I know that Shino and Kiba are more than capable of defeating Naruto and Sasuke."

Asuma chuckled nervously, scratching the back of his head. "Well… knowing how strong your team is, Kakashi, I won't underestimate them. But I'm confident in my team too."

Hiruzen observed the three carefully, then gave a slow nod. "Very well. I trust your judgment."

The three jōnin bowed slightly, and as they left the office, the Third Hokage smiled to himself, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

On the busy streets of Konoha, Naruto and Hinata walked side by side, enjoying the warm afternoon sun. Sasuke wasn't with them; as far as Naruto was concerned, the teme was probably off somewhere on a date with Ino. Naruto snorted to himself, thinking, knowing them, they were probably making out in her room by now.

Turning to Hinata, he grinned. "Oi, Hinata-chan, wanna go grab some ramen? My treat."

Hinata's lips curled into a soft smile, and she nodded shyly. "I'd like that, Naruto-kun."

As they walked further down the street, Naruto suddenly deadpanned, his senses tingling. His gaze flickered behind them, and sure enough, his eyes landed on a rather poorly disguised cardboard box. It had rock-like scribbles drawn around it and two large holes cut out for observation.

Hinata followed his gaze, confused. "Naruto-kun… what is that?"

Naruto sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "You three can come out. I can sense your chakra, ya know."

A familiar voice squeaked from inside the box. "Ah! You caught us again, boss! That's why I respect you as my eternal rival!"

Before Hinata could even react, the box exploded in a puff of smoke and a flash of light, the sound of coughing following immediately after.

Out of the smoke stood three kids, covered in soot and ash. The boy in the middle wiped his nose and spoke first. "Man, I think we used too much gunpowder again…"

Naruto shook his head while Hinata giggled softly.

The tallest of the three kids, a boy with glasses and a perpetual runny nose, stepped forward and introduced himself in a monotone voice. "I'm Udon. I like algebra."

Next, a young girl with orange hair tied in pigtails grinned cheekily. "I'm Moegi, the sassiest kunoichi in the academy!"

Finally, the smallest of the trio, a boy with spiky brown hair, a blue scarf around his neck, and a bright, toothy grin puffed out his chest. "I'm Konohamaru! The future strongest ninja in Konoha, and grandson of the Hokage!"

All three stood side by side and announced in unison, "Together, we are… the Konohamaru Corps!"

Hinata couldn't help but giggle at their enthusiasm, covering her mouth politely. Naruto simply shook his head, a fond smile tugging at his lips.

Konohamaru then nudged Naruto, giving him a mischievous smirk. "Hey, boss… is she your girlfriend?" He not-so-subtly pointed at Hinata.

Hinata's face instantly flushed red, her fingers tapping together nervously. Naruto just chuckled, shaking his head. "Nah, she's my teammate. Like a little sister to me."

Hinata nodded along quietly, trying to hide her embarrassment as she politely introduced herself to the Konohamaru Corps.

Konohamaru smiled at her, nodding approvingly. "She's really nice! I like her."

Naruto ruffled the kid's hair. "Oi, Kono, didn't you say you wanted to play ninja today?"

Konohamaru's eyes sparkled. "Yeah! You promised!"

Naruto stretched, grinning lazily. "Alright, but first, me and Hinata-chan were about to grab some ramen. Wanna join?"

All three of them screamed in unison. "Yes!"

Just as they were about to head toward Ichiraku, a shrill voice pierced the air. "What kind of ninja plays ninja with kids?!"

Naruto immediately recognized that voice and sighed in exasperation. He turned around slowly to see Sakura stomping toward them, an irritated look on her face.

She folded her arms, glaring at him. "Naruto! Where's my Sasuke-kun?!"

Naruto's smirk turned wicked. "Oh, probably at Ino's place. Exchanging saliva by now… who knows, maybe they've reached second base."

Sakura's face turned red—not out of embarrassment but sheer, burning rage.

Before she could scream, Konohamaru pointed at her and asked innocently, "Hey, Niichan, who's this flatty?"

The entire street went silent for a moment. The temperature dropped drastically.

Naruto sighed and glanced down at Konohamaru. "Kono… if I were you, I'd run."

The Konohamaru Corps didn't need to be told twice. All three turned on their heels and bolted down the street, Sakura chasing after them, yelling bloody murder while Naruto and Hinata stood watching, Naruto shaking his head.

"She's never gonna catch them," Naruto muttered.

Hinata giggled again, hiding her smile behind her sleeve.

They began to jog toward the noise when a rough voice shouted, "Watch where you're going, punk!" Naruto and Hinata rushed forward to find a kid being held up by the collar.

Konohamaru was dangling in the air, gripped by the shirt by an older boy in a black bodysuit with a hood, his face marked with purple triangular paint under his eyes, like war paint. His brown hair poked out messily from the hood. He wore a cocky expression that only pissed Naruto off further. The guy was big, lanky, and looked way too smug for someone bullying a kid.

"This brat bumped into me," the boy growled, "Guess I'll have to teach him some manners."

Sakura stood nearby, nervously trying to calm the situation down. "It's not his fault! I should've been watching them—I'm sorry."

Moegi and Udon were huddled behind her, both trembling and looking like they'd burst into tears any second.

"Put him down, Kankuro," a smooth voice called out.

Naruto turned toward the source, and for a moment, everything slowed.

There she stood—a girl couple years older than him, but with the confidence and beauty of a goddess. Her short-sleeved purple kimono hugged her curves in all the right places, revealing her toned arms and dangerously long, creamy legs. Her ash-blonde hair was tied up in four perfect puffs, her aqua-green eyes lined darkly, giving her a sharp, exotic charm. Her waist was cinched tight, her hips flaring beautifully into a well-rounded backside. Her chest, modest but full, pressed comfortably against her outfit and her ass was sculpted like art. Her face had just the right balance of sharp and soft, with a natural smirk that made her look dangerous and beautiful all at once.

Naruto blinked, stunned. Holy crap. He blushed slightly, not even bothering to hide it.

"Kankuro," she said with authority, "we're not here to cause trouble."

The boy, Kankuro, rolled his eyes. "Tch. Relax, Temari. This'll only take a minute. I'll be done before he shows up."

Naruto stepped forward, his tone sharp. "Put him down, clown."

Kankuro turned, eyes narrowing. "Who the hell are—"

That's when he noticed the boy who had just spoken. Fairly tall for his age, lean but well-muscled, dressed in a simple but clean black high-collared T-shirt with navy-blue cargo pants. His spiky blond hair danced a little with the wind, his icy blue eyes staring daggers into Kankuro's skull.

Temari turned to look too—and she stopped breathing.

What the hell? Local hottie alert? she thought as her face turned slightly red. There was something about him—raw, untamed, dangerous, but not cocky. Confident. Her eyes lingered a moment too long.

Naruto noticed her gaze and smirked slightly, giving her a playful wink.

Temari flushed harder and looked away.

Kankuro scoffed, irritated. "I'm not a clown. And I'm not gonna put him down. What're you gonna do about it?"

Naruto grinned coolly. "Only a clown would steal his sister's makeup and dress like a rejected cat."

That got a laugh out of Temari, and even Sakura snorted before catching herself. Kankuro's eye twitched.

"That's it, I'm gonna—!"

A cold voice interrupted him from behind. "You're gonna what?"

Kankuro froze. Slowly, he turned his head to find a blond boy standing behind him, a kunai pressed lightly against the skin of his neck. Naruto's clone. The original still stood at a distance, smirking.

The clone's eyes weren't playful—they were cold. Focused. Merciless.

Kankuro shivered involuntarily. His bravado crumbled as he felt that killing intent roll off the clone in waves.

Kankuro glanced down at his hand, confusion flashing across his face when he realized that instead of Konohamaru's collar, he was gripping nothing but a piece of cloth. His eyes snapped up to see Konohamaru safely in Naruto's arms, the blond glaring at him with cold eyes.

"Get going," Naruto told the three kids softly, not taking his eyes off Kankuro.

Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi nodded and bolted without wasting another second.

Temari's hand instinctively went to the massive fan strapped to her back, narrowing her eyes slightly. How did I not see him move? she thought. His speed was something else entirely. She was about to unfurl her fan when another voice stopped her cold.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Her hand froze. A hand was now lightly holding her wrist. She turned her head to find another boy, dark-haired, sharp-featured, dressed in a navy blue shirt with a high collar and white shorts. His black eyes were calm yet calculating, his posture casual but ready to strike at any moment. His lean, athletic frame and cool expression made him look attractive—dangerously so—but Temari's eyes flickered back to the blond standing in front. That one still looks yummier.

Before she could say anything, Naruto spoke without taking his eyes off Kankuro. "Come out already. I know you're there."

A heartbeat passed, then another voice echoed lazily through the air.

"You're sharp."

They all looked up to see a boy standing upside down on a branch, his arms crossed. He had seafoam-green eyes, dark red hair, and carried an enormous gourd strapped to his back. He wore a long-sleeved, sand-colored tunic with a dark red sash. His eyes were emotionless, almost hollow.

Naruto gave him a glance. "I'm guessing they're your teammates?"

The redhead nodded, sand swirling briefly around his feet as he effortlessly dropped to the ground in front of them. "I apologize for my teammate's behavior," he said monotonously, turning to Kankuro. "You're a disgrace to our village."

Kankuro tried to defend himself. "B-but Gaara, the brat—"

Gaara's killer intent rolled off him like a suffocating wave. "Shut up," he said simply. "Or I'll kill you."

Kankuro immediately shut his mouth, Temari looking away awkwardly.

The three of them turned to leave when Gaara suddenly stopped and looked back over his shoulder. "What's your name?"

Sasuke smirked, arms folded. "Sasuke Uchiha."

Gaara's eyes didn't even flicker towards him. "Not you. You don't interest me."

Sasuke's smirk dropped slightly, his frown returning.

Gaara's gaze locked onto Naruto.

Naruto stuffed his hands in his pockets, smirking lazily. "Naruto Uzumaki."

Gaara nodded once in acknowledgment.

Naruto, not missing a beat, tilted his head. "What about you? What's your name?"

The redhead stared back expressionless. "Gaara no Sabaku."

Naruto's smirk widened mischievously, glancing at Temari. "Not you. I meant the hottie beside you."

Temari blinked, her face heating up instantly. She looked away, hiding her blush while Sasuke smirked at Naruto's antics.

Temari cleared her throat. "Temari no Sabaku."

Before anyone else could speak, Sakura finally found her voice, stepping forward. "I know you're Suna shinobi. Even though Konoha and Suna are allies, you can't just walk freely in our village. What are you doing here?"

Temari scoffed, rolling her eyes. "What, your senseis didn't tell you? We're here for the Chunin Exams."

Naruto, Hinata, Sasuke and Sakura all looked at each other, surprised.

Temari continued, smirking. "Guess you're a little behind."

Gaara finished it off, his cold voice cutting through the air. "If you do participate... I look forward to killing you."

Without another word, the three of them vanished into the trees.

For a few moments, no one said anything. The air felt heavy after Gaara's words.

Naruto broke the silence first. "That guy's nuts… but strong."

Sasuke nodded. "Really strong."

Hinata's eyes widened slightly. "Naruto-kun… did you sense…"

Naruto nodded seriously. "Yeah. His chakra was leaking malice. But there was something else in him too. Something… wrong."

Sasuke's expression tightened in realization.

Sakura blinked at them in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Just then, Naruto interrupted Sakura, turning sharply with narrowed eyes toward some trees behind them. "I know you three are there, too. You might as well come out."

Almost immediately, three blurred figures darted away into the trees, attempting to flee. Sasuke instinctively started to move, but Naruto calmly placed a hand on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Leave them. They're just genin, judging by their chakra," Naruto said evenly. "Fairly strong for genin, but not really enough of a threat to worry about. That's why I didn't bother earlier."

Sasuke relaxed, trusting Naruto's judgment. Sakura quickly turned back towards Sasuke, her eyes shining as she blushed slightly. "So, Sasuke-kun, wanna ditch Ino-pig and spend some time with a real woman?"

Naruto smiled mischievously, his eyes glinting with amusement. Deciding he couldn't resist, he turned dramatically to Hinata. "Hey, Hinata-chan, did another real woman show up? Because I don't see one anywhere," he said theatrically, glancing around in exaggerated confusion.

Hinata giggled, covering her mouth delicately as Sasuke openly burst into laughter at Sakura's mortified face. Furious, Sakura screamed and lunged at Naruto with her fist raised—but before she could reach him, she suddenly tripped over a vine that Naruto quickly summoned with his earth release. Unable to catch herself, she face-planted straight into a large, conveniently placed mud puddle, also courtesy of Naruto.

She sat up, sputtering and dripping mud, her face completely brown and hair plastered to her forehead. When she opened her eyes, all three were gone. Sakura shouted after them, but received only silence.

A distance away, in their usual training ground, even Hinata was laughing freely, her voice loud and joyful. Sasuke and Naruto were sprawled on the grass, clutching their stomachs as they laughed until their sides hurt.

After finally catching his breath, Sasuke gave Naruto an approving grin. "Gotta hand it to you, Naruto. Putting that banshee in her place? That was priceless. Even Hinata couldn't hold back!"

Hinata smiled sheepishly, still giggling softly as she watched them, her cheeks flushed with laughter.

Their moment of amusement was suddenly interrupted when a familiar chakra signature appeared nearby, followed by the swirl of leaves marking their sensei's trademark arrival. Eye-smiling, Kakashi regarded his students curiously. "What's got you three laughing so hard?"

Naruto grinned cheekily, "Ah, nothing much, Kakashi-sensei. Just pulling a few harmless pranks."

Kakashi nodded knowingly. "I see."

His tone then turned serious as he reached into his vest, pulling out three sheets of paper and holding them out to his team. "Anyway, the reason I'm here is because I've nominated you three for the Chunin Exams."

Their eyes widened, excitement clearly visible on each of their faces.

Kakashi continued seriously, "I truly believe that you three are ready for this, but it's completely your decision. Here are your registration forms. If you choose to participate, sign them and meet at the Academy in two days at 8 a.m. sharp. You can take these two days to rest and make your choice carefully."

Naruto didn't hesitate, stepping forward with a confident smirk. "I don't need to think about it. This is just another step towards becoming Hokage!"

Sasuke nodded, determination blazing in his eyes. "Count me in as well. It'll be the perfect chance to test myself against stronger opponents."

Everyone then turned expectantly towards Hinata, who surprised them all by stepping forward confidently, speaking clearly without any of her usual timidness. "I'm in, too. I won't be someone who has to be carried by my teammates. I'll prove myself."

Kakashi's single visible eye softened with pride, the corners crinkling as he regarded his team fondly. "I knew you'd all say that."