Chapter 30 - Chuunin Exam
(A/N: Um… I was sick… yeah… let's go with that reason… I'll write 3 chapters today to make up for the days I missed so don't pout.)
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Naruto sighed and replied while staring at Konohamaru "Do you even know what fuinjutsu is?"
Konohamaru scratched his head in embarrassment and replied "This… I don't know but it sounds like an amazing thing so teach me too!"
Naruto shook his head and explained "For someone like you, fuinjutsu is something really boring, if you really want to learn it, go ask Jiichan to make you take lessons on calligraphy, if he tells you that you've practiced enough, you can go ahead and come to me to learn."
Konohamaru's eyes shone not knowing what Calligraphy is and replied happily "Alright! Don't go back on your words, Naruto-niichan!"
Naruto nodded and walked with Sakura, Konohamaru and his friends. They decided to go somewhere to eat. As they were walking, Naruto was still answering Sakura's questions about Fuinjutsu.
Suddenly Konohamaru, who was playing a game of tag with his friends. Bumped into someone.
Konohamaru who bumped into someone screamed "Ouch!"
"That hurts." A guy with drawings all over his face said in annoyance. Beside him is a blonde girl.
The guy picked up Konohamaru by the collar and said in arrogance "That hurt! You little piece of shit!"
Naruto stopped talking to Sakura as he witnessed this and said to the guy with a smile "I hope you can be understanding, the kid was just playing around. I apologize that he bumped into you."
The guy looked at him as he thought 'Hmm? Looks like a Konoha genin.'
The blonde girl said to his companion "That guy is right. Stop that, we'll get yelled at later."
The guy smiled ignoring his companion and replied to Naruto "Yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?"
Naruto chuckled at this guy being arrogant.
"Hm? What are you laughing for?"
Naruto with a cold smile replied "You watch your words, sand ninja. You're currently in Konoha. It's not somewhere you can be arrogant as you please."
The guy replied in anger "You leaf genins are weak, the only thing you can do is talk big like your hokage."
He was suddenly dumbfounded while looking at Naruto's original place in disbelief as he didn't even see him moving from the spot but then heard a voice from behind him "Oh really?" with also the sound of wind grinding against each other. Naruto was already using his [Wind Style: Chakra Blade] in his hand.
*Slash* As it was about to reach the neck of the guy with drawings in his face. A wall made out of sand got in Naruto's way. Naruto used the wall of sand as leverage to jump to Konohamaru and get him from the hands of the foreign ninja.
Naruto asked as he reached the side of Sakura and Konohamaru's friends "Are you okay?"
Konohamaru's eyes shone and said "You're so strong! Niichan!"
Naruto chuckled in reply and said "Of course, I am. At least far stronger than that guy over there."
The guy disregarded what just happened and brought out the weapon in the bandage in his back to his hand "That bastard!"
A voice suddenly sounded from a tree somewhere "Stop it, Kankuro. You lost. If I didn't protect you'd have died. You're an embarrassment to our village."
Kankuro got a hold of himself, seemingly scared of the guy standing upside down in the tree "Ga… Gaara…"
"Losing yourself in a fight, what do you think we came to the leaf village?"
"That…"
As they were conversing Naruto appeared behind Gaara "Hm? What are you here for?"
Gaara got goosebumps as he heard Naruto behind him. He looked at the place where Naruto was standing, and found out that he disappeared and immediately attacked with his sand.
Naruto jumped away and chuckled, landing into the opposite tree. "So? What are you here for?"
The calm Gaara laughed almost maniacally at Naruto's appearance and said with a creepy voice "You're strong… I'll kill you…"
Naruto frowned seeing Gaara like this, he felt the chakra of Gaara was turbulent and was almost bursting out. 'That chakra…'
Gaara suddenly interrupted Naruto's thought by saying to him "You… you're the same as me…"
Naruto nodded, sensing his peculiar chakra. He wasn't a sensory ninja but he could sense that they had the same chakra.
Gaara hugged his body to stabilize his mood, muttering "Not now… It's not time yet…"
He said to Kankuro and the blonde girl in a calm tone "Kankuro, Temari. Let's go."
Kankuro and Temari who was sweating as they thought Gaara was gonna be consumed by the tailed beast nodded and sighed in relief seeing Gaara take a step back.
Naruto watched them go away and went back to Sakura and others.
Sakura asked in a concerned tone "What are foreign ninjas doing here?"
Naruto shook his head "I don't know but if they were granted entry in the gate of the village they have official business. Judging by the words of the guy with drawings in his face, they referred to us as leaf genins meaning they might be here for the chuunin exam if it's gonna be held this year here."
"That's great, I thought they trespassed here or something."
"They are definitely here for official business but… I don't think they don't have ulterior motives."
"Ulterior motives? How?"
"I'm not really sure for now, we'll know in a while."
Sakura just nodded in reply
Naruto said his goodbye "Well… I'll go first. Have a safe trip home, Sakura-chan."
"You too. Naruto."
Naruto nodded "Come, Konohamaru. I'll take you guys home."
Konohamaru and his friends nodded and followed Naruto pestering him to teach them jutsu but Naruto simply declined.
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Jounin instructors gathered in Hiruzen's house.
"I'm sure, you already know why I've gathered you here with this line up." Hiruzen said with his arms in the table
Kakashi sighed "It's already that time of the year…"
A random jounin instructor smiled and said "It's already been reported to the other villages, I saw them in the village."
Hiruzen puffed his pipe and replied "In a week"
"So soon?"
Hiruzen nodded "Well, I'll announce it properly, 7 days from now. On the first day of the seventh moon… The chuunin selection exam will commence."
He exhaled his pipe and continued "Now, we'll hear from those who are watching over the new genins. Kakashi, Kurenai, and Asuma."
They stepped forward, and Hiruzen asked "Well? What about it? Are there any genins that you would like to enter in the selection chuunin exam?
"I don't have to tell you but after a genin has properly completed at least 8 missions, they may take the exam if nominated by their jounin instructor."
Iruka who was standing behind watching what was about to be announced thought 'Of course, completing more missions is the norm. He doesn't need to ask, they aren't ready.'
Hiruzen continued "Starting with Kakashi."
With a half weaved hand seal with one hand he reported "Kakashi leading team 7, Uchiha Sasuke, Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura. Under the name of Hatake Kakashi, I nominate them to take the chuunin selection exam."
"What?" Iruka in the back stared in shock, not expecting such results.
Kurenai as well reported "Kurenai leading Team 8, Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. Under the name of Yuhi Kurenai, the same to my left, I also nominate them to take the chuunin selection exam."
Azuma also proceeded to report "Azuma leading team 10, Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, Akimichi Chouji. Under the name of Sarutobi Azuma, the same to my left, I also nominate them to take the chuunin selection exam."
"Hm… All of them? How rare."
"Hold on a second!"
"What is it? Iruka?" Hiruzen asked
"Hokage-sama, please let me have a word."
"Go ahead."
"I may be speaking out of place but most of these nine were students of mine in the academy. Of course they are all very talented, but it's too early to take the exam. They need more experience. I can't understand the jounin instructors' reasoning."
Kakashi rebutted with a nonchalant look "I became a chuunin when I was 6 years younger than Naruto."
Iruka agitated and replied "Naruto is different from you! Are you trying to crush these kids?!"
Kakashi chuckled at Iruka's reaction
"What's so funny? Kakashi-san?!"
"Well… In the academy, there are restrictions so you haven't really seen Naruto's ability. In the mission field, I've witnessed it myself and I myself know that Naruto is indeed qualified."
"But!"
"No buts! Let me tell you something that'll shock you for life."
Iruka just looked at Kakashi while sweating
"Naruto right now, can wipe the floor with me for a long time if one of us doesn't intend to kill each other in a fight. If we do fight for real, either one of us will die unless a miracle happens."
"What?" Iruka screamed in shock, he knew that Naruto was talented but not to that point
Azuma, Kurenai, and all the jounin instructors present were all shock
"That kid? He can wipe the floor with Kakashi-senpai? If it didn't come from Kakashi-senpai himself, I wouldn't be able to believe it!"
"What do you mean you would believe it? Even me who has heard it from the man himself finds it hard to believe."
Hiruzen smoked his pipe with a knowing smile as he looked at them who were reacting like this, even he would be shocked if he didn't know Naruto's capability.
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(A/N: Leave a power stone if you like the story. Thanks!)