Chapter 31 - Chuunin Exam(2)
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"Still…" Iruka still worried try to rebut what Kakashi just said as he as well had a hard time believing it like the rest of the jounin instructors
Kakashi sighed and let out a cold look "Enough! They are no longer your students but my team's ninja soldiers. I might have said either of us will kill one if not the other but Naruto needs more experience, the chuunin selection exam is a good experience for Naruto."
Iruka gritted his teeth knowing Kakashi was correct if he was indeed saying the truth about Naruto's ability.
Hiruzen diffused the situation by saying "Well… It's been decided. The three new genin teams will be participating in the chuunin selection exam."
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"I'm home!"
"Welcome home, Naruto-kun. How were the missions?" Haku smiled seeing Naruto come back.
"It went well but… It was mostly D-rank missions so it was boring. But when I was on my way home, I encountered interesting genin sand ninjas in the village." Naruto replied as he sat down on the chair by the table.
Haku replied as she cooked food "sand ninjas? Oh… it's indeed that time of the year, this year is Konoha's turn to hold it."
"Hm? Konoha's turn to hold it? It's really what I was thinking of? The Chuunin exam?"
"Yes, I encountered such information when I was being a spy for Zabuza in the past every year where lots of genin ninja's gather and it's only for the chuunin exam if not war. The destination of the chuunin exam change every year to show that the treaty between villages is still active. But usually there are wars hidden beneath such events."
"So I was correct, they indeed have ulterior motives."
"I'm done cooking, would you like to eat dinner now?" Haku asked with a smile
Naruto smiled back and said "Yes, please. I wanna try the cooking of my future wife."
Haku blushed but got ahold of herself in an instant.
Zabuza, who was sitting on the couch drinking beer, looked at them with a weird expression "You guys realize that I'm here right? Don't flirt, it makes me want to vomit."
Naruto simply glanced and said with an uninterested tone "Oh? You're still here? Why don't I buy you a house so you can get out?"
Zabuza's eyes twitched and continued to drink beer, he couldn't let Naruto get to him, he can't leave yet or Naruto would surprise him suddenly with a grandkid.
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A day later…
Naruto met up with Sakura and Sasuke in the usual waiting spot
"Good morning, guys." Naruto yawned
"Good morning, Naruto." Sakura replied
Sasuke nodded silently
Naruto wrapped his arm around Sasuke's neck and teased "Come on, don't be such a spoilsport. Smile!"
Sasuke forcefully smiled to mock Naruto "Is it fine now?"
Naruto saw Sasuke's face and facepalmed holding back his laugh "S-Sorry… I-I won't ask you to smile again…"
Sakura who was watching was also holding back her laugh
Sasuke's face paled, not reaching the desired effect and simply snorted.
Kakashi appeared suddenly and asked "What are you guys laughing at?"
Naruto's laugh bursted out and explained "HAHAHAHA! I asked Sasuke to smile but displayed a constipated face instead!"
Sasuke used [Body Flicker] and tried to kick Naruto in the head but Naruto simply ducked down and sweeped Sasuke off his feet and teased "Too bad. Try again, next time."
Sasuke stood up and clicked his tongue "Tsk!"
Kakashi sighed at their interaction and said "Well, anyway… I nominated you guys to the Chuunin selection exam."
"Huh?" Sakura in disbelief asked at the sudden announcement.
"As expected." Naruto chuckled
"!" Sasuke was excited to fight ninjas from different villages.
Kakashi brought out 3 slips of paper with signs "Here are your applications. What do you mean as expected? Naruto."
They all took one of the slips of paper and Naruto explained "I encountered sand genin ninjas yesterday."
"Hm? That doesn't explain why you'd expect a chuunin exam."
"Haku confirmed it for me. I heard from the sand ninjas that they were here for something, and Haku said that it's that time of the year and Konoha's turn to hold it. Obviously it's chuunin exam wouldn't think of anything else if you use your brain properly. She said that she encountered such info as a spy for Zabuza in the past."
Kakashi nodded in acknowledgement for Naruto's good perception and continued about the slips of paper he gave "These are just nominations, whether to take the exam is up to you guys. Those who wish to take it should sign and turn them in at room 301 in the academy by 4 pm tomorrow."
Kakashi smiled and said as he disappeared "That's all." Poof!
Naruto chuckled looking at the slip of paper "There's gonna be quite a few strong guys that could beat Sasuke there."
Sasuke snorted in reply "You wish. Maybe you meant guys that could beat you."
Naruto replied "That's it, Sasuke. Keep dreaming."
Sasuke, agitated as he couldn't respond to Naruto as he was stronger disappeared as well after he replied "I'll go first and perfect my jutsu."
Naruto smiled and looked at Sakura who wasn't sure of what to do, obviously worried as she couldn't keep up with him and Sasuke and now it was chuunin exam.
Naruto patted her on the shoulder and said with a smile "Don't worry, you don't need to be able to fight close combat to be a great ninja. You just need to be able to complete the mission. It doesn't matter if you fight cowardly or anything similar, you just need to be able to complete the mission and survive."
"Naruto…" Sakura looked at Naruto with a complicated look but nodded in reply as he brought back her confidence and brought out a tag scribed with seals "I adjusted the seals in the tag to combine both barrier seal and explosive seal. How is it?"
Naruto received the tag and smiled after he finished observing the tag "This looks good. If you attach this to someone and they don't notice, before it activates, it'll activate a barrier around them and isolate the explosion. Although the fire power is not that strong it's good enough to injure a ninja. How will you name it?"
"Yay! What? Name it?"
"Yup! You created this tag. I didn't create something like this before, or anyone else put it into the market so you have the right to name it."
"I see…" Sakura's confidence surged more and replied happily "I guess I'll name it [Isolated Explosive Tag.]"
Naruto gave the tag back and head patted Sakura with a smile "Don't lose confidence in your abilities, if you do, you won't be able to do things when it matters."
Naruto's words went out from one ear to another because Sakura was busy blushing as Naruto gave her a head pat.
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The next day…
Naruto yawned while walking side to side with Sasuke and Sakura. "I wanna go home and flirt with my Haku-chan…"
Sasuke snorted "That's it. Flirt and wait on the side as I surpass you."
Naruto shook his head "You don't understand, Sasuke-kun. Flirting with her makes me stronger than I'll ever be. So there's no chance of you ever surpassing me."
A commotion broke out as they were having a conversation in the stairs.
"Hm? What's going on?" Naruto commented as he saw a crowd of people in front of the door of room 301, well… 201. Naruto noticed it as they arrived on the floor.
"Hah! You plan to take the chuunin exam with that?! You should quit now! You're just a little kid." One of the two people getting in the way of entering the fake floor said as he sent a man in green clothes flying to the ground.
"Horrible…" One of the genins trying to take the exam said
One of the two heard that and said "What did you say? This is our kindness. The chuunin exam isn't… Puh!" A kick was delivered into his face sending him flying to the walls.
Naruto in annoyance said "Blah, Blah, Blah! Undo the genjutsu and let us pass already, I wanna go home immediately after the exam!"
The genins looked at Naruto in disbelief including Sakura and Sasuke
'How'd he get there?! I didn't even see him move!" Sasuke clenched his fist in desperation and was suddenly enlightened at what Naruto just said "You don't understand, Sasuke-kun. Flirting with her makes me stronger than I'll ever be. So there's no chance of you ever surpassing me."
He stared at Sakura
Sakura noticed it and blushed "W-What are you staring at me for…? Sasuke-kun…?"
He thought 'Should I flirt too?'
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(A/N: Leave a power stone if you like the story. Thanks!)