Team 7 calmly proceed through the Academy halls at a sedate pace with Sasuke at the lead. Being told by their Sensei that they'd need to hold themselves back and help out the weaker Genin in their age-group put a bit of a dampener on their spirits. Sakura felt internally disappointed as well.
Sakura had grown increasingly confident since being taken under Kakashi's wing, and she hadn't hesitated to join her teammates in participating in the exam. When Naruto had suggested that they set some new records, she was in full agreement and ready for any opportunity that might come their way.
Their Sensei had been sympathetic. He ultimately spent a good amount of time explaining that the majority of Genin from their graduating class were clan heirs with little ambition for growing stronger at present, but are still important to the village as a whole due to their significant potential in clan-related Hiden Jutsu. The more people performing Hiden Jutsu, the more effective their teams would be in the grand scheme of the village. Weak they may be, but still stronger than the average Genin team, and that made all the difference.
Sasuke had rightly been of the mind that the Chuunin Exams are a competition. A crucible to determine who is fit to become a Chuunin and that the other teams should damn-well earn their right to compete instead of expecting assistance from those who put the hard work in to succeed.
Naruto is a bit more in tune with the big picture, and cools Sasuke off with an acknowledgement that Team 7 are freaks of nature and clearly more powerful than anyone else Konoha has to offer in the way of Genin. He follows it up with an agreement that the clan heirs should not be competing if they require help, but doesn't reiterate Kakashi's point of them having strong potential. He instead insists that maybe they didn't have all the information, and perhaps their parents were pushing for them to compete in order to wise them up to the brutal reality of Shinobi that they hadn't seen in an entire six months of being Genin.
The pink-haired girl had been thoughtful at that. Maybe it isn't the fault of the clans or even the Genin, but of their teachers instead. Sakura didn't know where they would be without Kakashi-Sensei, but maybe she would see if they met their fellow graduates. Who else could claim having the legendary Copy-Nin as their teacher, after all?
"You there! Please wait!" A boyish voice speaks to Sasuke as they pass more and more loitering Genin.
Sakura snaps out of her thoughts and sees another Konoha team. One of the boys wore a green jumpsuit and had the thickest eyebrows she'd ever seen. The boy next to him looked comparatively less eccentric but held the characteristic pale eyes of the Hyuuga Clan. An exasperated looking girl stood behind them.
She nearly grins when Sasuke starts to walk slightly faster. He is clearly trying to ignore the weird green guy and is seemingly giving the impression that the stranger must be talking to someone else. After six-months, she has developed an understanding that there are very few people that Sasuke is willing to stop for in the street and it's obvious that he's tired of sycophants talking him up and bullies attempting to establish a misplaced and unearned sense of superiority.
'Bowl-cut' frowns and steps in front of Sasuke.
"Sasuke-san! I-" The boy is cut off when Naruto steps up and lightly pushes him out of the way.
"Uchiha-sama will not be taking questions at this time. You may direct inquiries to his agent, Hatake Kakashi. Move along, young man."
Sakura can't help the snicker that escapes her.
"Just leave them alone, Lee." The girl with her hair done in buns says with a sigh.
"Don't bait, Naruto. Let's just get on with it." Sasuke is in no mood to play around with strangers.
The Hyuuga-boy steps in this time. He seems to be more mild-mannered than 'Lee'.
"My apologies for my teammate, he can be quite... eccentric. I am Hyuuga Neji. The one in green is Rock Lee, and she's Tenten."
"Yo." Tenten gives a jaunty wave.
"Nice to meet you." Sakura's eyes flitter to Naruto, and she sees a frown under his bangs at the presence of the Hyuuga.
Neji continues like he hasn't noticed. "What Lee was trying to get at is, as fellow Konoha Genin, it would be nice to watch each other's backs throughout the exam. There are more participants than ever from other nations, and it would be wise to ally in case they attempt to team up against us as they have done in the past."
Sakura and Sasuke immediately turn to Naruto, who's serious gaze is unsettling to the other Genin.
"His clan is scared that the Kumogakure Genin are going to make another attempt on the Byakugan." Naruto translates stoically. "And he seems clued in as to why I might want to team up as well."
Neji looks slightly sheepish at the accurate guess. "Well, that's one way to put it. But yes, the Hyuuga Clan has expressed concern that unscrupulous factions that are competing this time won't be able to behave themselves. I was also told of the extensive... criminal history of those nations against the Uzumaki Clan."
'Uzumaki Clan?' Sakura mouthed to Sasuke, who seemed equally unsure.
"You don't seem as stuck up as the other Hyuuga." Sasuke comments instead. Sakura feels that this particular assessment is true, there are too many snobby Hyuuga in the village. Hinata not included.
"The influence of my father, I assure you." Neji's smile is kind and disarming.
It clearly takes no effect on Naruto. He remains stern and focused.
"Well... I don't see why not?" Sakura looks up at Naruto, deferring to him as the de-facto leader of the team.
"No." Naruto refuses.
Neji, Lee and Tenten all blink. As do Sakura and Sasuke.
"No?"
Naruto turns on his foot and heads in the direction they're meant to meet Kakashi. His teammates are puzzled but make no fuss for now.
Lee springs in front of Naruto, stopping him from walking again.
"I dislike it when geniuses underestimate others!" Lee states fiercely.
"Presumptuous of you to believe that we are underestimating you." Naruto looks down at Lee, who is a bit shorter than he is.
"Then why do you protest an alliance?! Do you somehow believe that we would hold you back?!"
Naruto remains cool-headed as usual when dealing with people like this.
"Don't put words in my mouth. We aren't obligated to give you an answer, either."
Sakura admires Naruto's confidence. This 'Lee' is huge for a Genin, and the green spandex makes his muscle stand out even more. But Naruto is brave and decisive, and it doesn't hurt that Naruto is taller and just as built under the loose shirts he usually wears.
She knows that Naruto would probably be more cooperative if Lee hadn't annoyed him, but giving the situation even a second thought made her understand that their secondary task in the exam should be kept on the down-low. If more people know, it's more likely that the information would spread around. And information being passed around in a village full of foreign diplomats and competing shinobi about the weakness of the current generation of valued clan heirs would be very, very bad.
"Let's just go." Sasuke suggests tactfully, but the annoyance at the current situation combined with their orders had bled into his voice.
Lee scowls at him, and Sakura's shoulders stiffen. From experience, that look meant impending attack.
Without warning, Lee drops low to the floor and sends a blurring kick at Sasuke's stomach.
Before it connects, another figure in green catches the kick in his hand and punches Lee hard enough to send him tumbling down the hallway.
"LEE!" The newcomer thunders at the nuisance Genin.
"Gai-sensei!" Tenten looks rather relieved.
Gai turns to Team 7 and in great contrast to his demeanor when stopping Lee, smiles brightly and offers them a thumbs-up.
"Kakashi's Genin!" Gai booms in joy, making Sakura reel back at the volume. "It's wonderful to know that my Eternal Rival has taught such disciplined students!"
"Hi." Sakura replies weakly, weirded out by how similar the Sensei is to his student, along with the creepy eyebrows.
Gai doesn't notice and instead hurries them along. "I must exercise my own discipline on my misbehaving Genin. You must hurry along! Kakashi is waiting for you!"
And without another word, he storms down the hall and picks up Lee. Neji and Tenten chase after without a glance back at Team 7.
"What the hell?" Is all Sakura can say.
They meet with Kakashi but a minute later, who gives them the spiel about being unable to compete if even one of them didn't show. He gives them unwanted pats on their heads and reminds them of their standing orders to 'help' the other Genin. They each receive a slip of paper with which seat they'll be required to sit in and sends them on their way.
He just smiles when Naruto asks if they could sabotage the clan heirs to prevent them from competing at all.
Naruto leads his team into the examination room. He can feel several powerful chakra sources inside. It makes him glad to know that his holding out on revealing his abilities would be rewarded with strong opponents going forward. No Chuunin Exam is complete without some international competition.
He opens the door and as he expected, there are dozens upon dozens of Genin, ages varying greatly though most of them appeared to be barely older than he is.
They enter and take in their surroundings. Naruto spots the Konoha Genin their age loitering at the back of the room with the Hokage's Assistant.
Slowly, all eyes in the room turn towards Team 7. Naruto takes note of the recognition on their faces, as if somehow these people that he'd never seen before knew of not only him, but Sasuke and Sakura too.
Their killing intent rolls in on them. Predictably, it takes no effect on him. It is tremendous in only how pathetic their combined effort to intimidate them is.
But Sakura trembles beside him. Her chakra is disturbed and she is frightened by the psychological assault. Sasuke is unnerved but handles it better than their teammate does.
Killing Intent is essentially a Jutsu. It affects humans on the base level of fear. It is an animalistic technique to weaken the prey of its user. By expressing their chakra into the environment or directly at a person instead of using it to take control and place them in Genjutsu, it affects its victim by overloading their senses. Just as one might see a dangerous beast or hear its roar, Killing Intent abuses its victims desire for survival. If they cannot conquer their fear, they will remain rooted and vulnerable. If they overcome their fear, they live on stronger than ever.
But being the victim of the combined Killing Intent of many more experienced Genin is not fair play, and it makes Naruto angry that Sakura is the undeserving victim of an attack like this. She hasn't done anything that might warrant a cowardly assault. One or two teams she could probably handle; being around a walking pool of unnaturally strong chakra like him would probably desensitize her to it over time, but this many is clearly too much for her.
Kakashi, genius that he is, can do the opposite of Killing Intent and inspire the people around him with bravery or other positive emotions.
He sees their gleeful faces. He feels rage at the joy they have at making his team suffer. Naruto doesn't know how to do what Kakashi can do but he doesn't need to.
These children have clearly never met an animal with teeth sharper than all of theirs united.
Yugito sees the pink-haired girl crack first and joins in the group project with a bit of her own Killing Intent.
'This is not a good idea! Do not provoke that boy!'
'Chuunin Exams are team missions, if one of them leaves then we won't have to deal with the other two.' Yugito tries to reason with her Bijuu.
It scares her that this Uzumaki Naruto is completely unaffected by all of it. But if they can make the girl back out...
Naruto narrows his eyes at all of them.
Yugito sees the floorboards beneath his feet crack first. A near-invisible explosion of chakra blasts out of him and washes over the entirety of the room. She swallows thickly when she realises that the floor broke from just releasing his chakra and that the retaliation hasn't actually hit her senses yet.
Then... she feels fear.
She feels her eyes strain and blur. She feels raw hatred rake across her skin. She feels her lungs seize and fail to take in air.
Yugito breaks out in a cold sweat and any effort she was using to expel the Killing Intent instead goes instead to regaining control over her body.
'I warned you, Yugito.'
Karin doesn't even know how to use Killing Intent, but sure can sure as hell sense it being used. She doesn't even attempt to resonate her chakra with the vile attempt at getting this team to quit.
The monster Genin gives back far more than everyone else gives him. She feels the chakra wash over her, but it is careful around her. Cautious, and prodding her skin tentatively as if to test that she's real.
She raises her head when she realizes that she alone is unaffected by the display of intimidating power. Looking around, she sees that every other person in the room save for the creep imposter from Oto and the gourd guy from Suna are being affected intensely. The Oto hag pokes her tongue out and gives a shiver-inducing flick, and gourd-guy looks about ready to froth at the mouth. Figures that two unstable freaks wouldn't sense imminent danger.
Many of them are shaking violently. Some even have tears streaming out of clenched eyes and though the room is mostly silent, there are noises of strain coming from throats as they clearly struggle to breath.
'Why aren't you hurting me?' Karin wants to ask when she looks at the monster.
She sees him staring back at her.
Oh dear.
Before she can hyperventilate at the thought of catching his attention, a huge plume of smoke erupts at the front of the room.
A giant scarred guy and a number of other ranked Konoha Shinobi stand at the ready behind him. The scarred guy puts a hand on Naruto's shoulder and in an instant, the Killing Intent vanishes.
Karin breathes a sigh of relief.
Naruto smirks openly when he feels the proctor reach out to him. He cuts the stream of the most vile emotions he can muster and turns to the man.
"Funny how you step in now. Where were you a moment ago when my teammate was being assaulted by this foreign trash?"
The proctor looks down at him unnamused.
"I don't want my exam ruined before it even starts. Now find your seat." He gives a weak explanation for his choice.
"Hmn. I don't see how that's my problem. Maybe I'll give them a little more? Thin out the weaklings so that you don't have to."
Naruto's voice carries through the silence and he is happy to note that every other Genin in the room recoils at the suggestion.
"If you do, I will disqualify you. Now take your seat Genin."
"C'mon, Naruto." Sakura tugs him arm nervously, and at least leads him into the gap between desks before he can indulge in another psychotic urge.
"You're gonna rip my arm off." Naruto lies in an almost-playful way.
Sakura shakes her head at him and whispers before they part ways. "Thanks, Naruto."
"See you when we finish this stage." Naruto gives her a nod.
Sasuke looks like he wants to say something to him, and the muscles around his eyes give away that he isn't going to take no for an answer if he does ask.
But since they're short on time, Sasuke just swallows the bitter pill and looks as though he has resolved to ask later. Sasuke gives him a reluctant nod and separates as well.
Naruto passes aisle after aisle and feels several peculiar chakra types on the way to his seat. Their chakra is so wildly different from normal humans that it is practically a broadcast to say 'look at me'. The two that stand out the most must be Jinchuuriki.
How exciting! It's almost enough to get his blood pumping at the thought of fighting and defeating a Jinchuuriki for the first public display of his true power. They would be useful tools in springing him up into the role of 'International Deterrent'.
But even more interesting to him are the two seemingly human sources of immensely strong chakra in the room. One of them is unlike any other human being. It pings at him as though it is normal, but normal chakra doesn't grow that powerful without extreme effort or tampering of the body. This Kusa Genin has a foul tinge to her chakra, and it is a messy conglomerate of several weaker chakra types that seem to serve symbiotically to the host chakra, so his bet is on the latter reason.
And of course... the girl with red hair. He knows that kind of chakra from Madara's memories.
She is Uzumaki. His family.
Naruto resolves to poach her at the first possible opportunity. He'll take on all of Kusa alone if he has to.
'They will not keep you from me.'
Naruto is rather proud of his solution to the 'don't get caught cheating' exam. He does eventually realise that the exam can be beaten without so much as answering a single question but that felt... weak. Escaping from participating due to a technicality didn't seem like it was in the spirit of the exam. True, this stage isn't about cheating or espionage. It is about nerve and how well the Genin could perform under pressure. The fact of the matter is, Team 7 would not break from an exam like this, and it wouldn't be rewarding to him if he just sat still for an hour waiting to win.
But Naruto didn't have access to the tool that he would normally use; the Sharingan. He fully acknowledges that he isn't a reconnaissance-type Shinobi. What would happen the day that he does need to pull some sly trick that the Sharingan couldn't do? Unlikely, but Naruto feels that the challenge of cheating without getting caught might give him a moment of inspiration that could help him in the future.
He invents a Ninjutsu on the spot. He fails several times trying to get it to work, but he isn't caught doing it once.
Sogo Kawarimi no Jutsu(Mutual Substitution Technique). The act of replacing an object with another in an altered form of the academy-taught Kawarimi no Jutsu. Instead of using himself as the replacer, he would use two seperate objects.
After training in the use of his Kongo Fusa, he has gained better chakra control. The increased control allows him to reach out to another object and imprint it with his chakra, the same way one would to a log to substitute themselves with. The chakra is very thin and invisible to non-dojutsu wielders, and it is functionally the same as using Genjutsu. He imprints his own paper and tries to swap it with another piece. Small as the paper is, the Jutsu is significantly harder to use than the Academy Jutsu for the fact alone that he only just made it and has never practiced with it.
Naruto does get it down eventually and swaps his paper with an indignant Rock Lee, who is seated several rows in front of him.
The look on the annoying Genin's face when he sees the blank paper with only a poorly drawn rendition of Naruto's face on it, truly made his day.
An explosive introduction from the next proctor sends all of the remaining Genin to the next stage of the exam. And so Team 7 finds itself waiting at the sign-in area for access to the Forty-Fourth Training Ground; The Forest of Death.
It's truly a sight to see. The entire forest is dark, blanketed with the foliage of massive trees. Wild birds sat on the surrounding chain-link fence, and the distinct noise of predatory animals from within could occasionally be heard.
"Pathetic." Naruto states openly but simply when all of the other Genin give his team a wide-berth.
"Naruto," Sasuke starts, and Naruto tries not to sigh at an impending interrogation. He instead goes for his immediate tactic when Sasuke is being annoying by being equally annoying.
"Wondering how I beat that test?" Naruto's lips curl into a mocking rendition of smugness, as though he is some manga villain ready to spill the beans on his master plan.
"No." Sasuke shuts it down and looks too focused to jest with him. Rather boring to Naruto, who wants to maintain the good mood he's in for finally getting closer to a stage where he'd be able to use his Kekkei-Genkai. Plus the happy feeling he had at inventing and using his own Ninjutsu to beat the written test.
Naruto just raises his brow and waves his hand in a 'get-on-with-it' gesture.
"I want to know about the Uzumaki Clan."
'Damnit.' Naruto curses that idiot Hyuuga for giving everyone a clue to chase about him.
Sakura is clearly interested too after being reminded of it.
But saving him from the trouble is the unusual Genin from Kusagakure. Not his Uzumaki, but the one with the messy chakra. He can't tell it's a male or a female.
"Oh my... the Uzumaki Clan?" The mystery Genin asks in a rhetorical way. It approaches them fearlessly, which alone is enough to make Naruto suspicious.
"Don't butt in." Sasuke dismisses the wanderer.
"Kukuku, so cold Konoha-kun." Kusa-nin chuckles sickly. "I am something of a historian, I cannot help but feel attracted to discussing a clan as legendary as the Uzumaki."
"It's rude to intrude, especially when you haven't introduced yourself."
Maybe this Kusa-nin would be useful in distracting Sasuke long enough until the exam started.
"Oh, I'm sure that won't matter in the forest." The perpetual smile doesn't fade from (his?) face.
"Hn." Sasuke grunts with a sneer. "If you don't have anything useful to say, then leave."
The Kusa-nin chuckles again, completely ignoring the rude tone Sasuke had taken.
"I am rather surprised that you need to ask about the Uzumaki. After all, they were a key component in the creation of Konoha. It is said that their strength was matched only by the Uchiha and Senju in that time. The Uzumaki pioneered Fuinjutsu as a Shinobi art. Even your Yondaime Hokage used Uzumaki knowledge, and became feared as the 'Yellow Flash' all across the world. A most valuable ally... but even they were not immune to tragedy. All of their mythical strong chakra was not enough to stop them from being slaughtered."
Naruto narrows his eyes at the wording used. It made that long week of fighting that the Uzumaki went through sound like a quiet death in the night.
A kunai is slung through the air and slices the tag off the Kusa-nin's sakkat. The Kusa-nin doesn't so much as flinch, and instead smiles a little wider.
Mitarashi Anko, the proctor for this stage of the exam, looks none-too-pleased with being ignored in spite of the grin on her face.
"I think you'd better go back to your team, Kusa-chan." Anko's smile is disturbingly similar to the subject of her torment.
"Kukuku, of course proctor-san." The Genin gives her an unsatisfactory response and leaves as requested.
"What a creep." Sakura shivers when the Kusa-nin is out of hearing-range.
Naruto nods and his stony expression doesn't change.
"Gather 'round, idiot Genin!" Anko summons them with the same fantastic attitude she had while introducing herself.
Team 7 does so while huddling closely, giving the illusion that they're the kind of team that keeps things to themselves. Mysterious enemies are more dangerous opponents when fighting at this level, so it is a tactical deterrent they use pre-exam stage that might come in useful if they come across other Konoha teams in need of assistance. After Naruto's display in the previous stage, enemy teams may be convinced to leave by their presence alone.
Anko explains the rules briefly, and several people seem upset with the idea that they could be in there for five days.
"Line up! Each team will enter the tent and be given a scroll and a number for which gate they're starting at!"
Naruto leads his team into the tent and they are given the Heaven Scroll.
"You're making us run a marathon to get to our gate?" Naruto's lip twitches irritably.
"Punishment for nearly spoiling my Senpai's test two hours ago." Anko doesn't even hide her glee at Genin suffrage. "Anything else, stupid Genin?"
"Does your mother let you go out dressed like that? Not that I'm complaining-"
Team 7 is forced to flee from a hailstorm of kunai and sprint to their gate.
The opening of the gates is synchronized via stopwatch. As soon as the padlock dropped, they dashed into the darkness of the forest.
One day passes and Team 7 is taking a leisurely approach to this stage. They encounter some of the weaker teams, but they make no effort to kill them. Naruto demands only their scrolls in exchange for their lives.
So they had obtained three Heaven scrolls. The one they started with and the two they'd collected within the first day.
"We're developing quite the collection." Sasuke wears a sardonic smile. "I sure hope we only get more Heaven scrolls."
"Don't jinx us! Knowing our luck, that might just be what we get." Sakura doesn't like the idea of an impending procrastination to obtain their required scroll.
"But if we did get all of the Heaven scrolls..." A mite of mischief in Naruto's voice told Sakura that in any other occasion, he'd be glad to completely ruin the exam.
"...Then no-one would pass."
"Anyway, listen." Naruto's voice changes to something more serious, and it gains the interest of his teammates.
"There's this girl, a red-head who's wearing glasses. She's part of the other Kusagakure team. I'm abducting her."
A few seconds of confused silence passes.
"WHAT?!" Sakura shrieks at him. "What the hell would you need to abduct someone for?!"
"She's an Uzumaki. I'm certain of it." Naruto appears dead-serious. "I'll grab her and keep her from Kusagakure by any means necessary."
"You know damn well it's not that easy." Sasuke retorts sharply. "You can't just take a foreign Kunoichi. Look what happened with Kumo the last time they tried, it'll be an international disaster for Konoha. Family or not, you can't just make rogue efforts for the sake of bolstering your clan! You could be arrested for sabotaging Konoha, or worse!"
Naruto is inwardly disturbed about Sasuke's outlook on the situation. Surely he of all people would understand his desire to unite with his clanmate, and protect her from these scum foreigners?
"I damn well can take her when she's my family!" Naruto's brow furrows deeply in anger, and it makes Sakura visibly nervous.
Sasuke glares right back at Naruto.
"Do you even understand what you're saying, you imbecile?!"
"I understand perfectly! Konoha has a duty and obligation to save Uzumaki refugees, and I am going to make sure that agreement and alliance is still being honoured!"
"We could go to war with Kusagakure! Innocents Konoha Shinobi could die at the hands of Kusa for just one girl!"
Naruto's chakra explodes out of him and cracks the branch they're standing on, making Sakura reel back in fright at his anger.
"Then I will slaughter those pigs myself! I'll kill anyone who dares to defy ME!"
Sasuke grabs Naruto's shirt aggressively and looks him in the eyes.
"My brother murdered my clan to get what he wanted! An action like this will put innocent people on the line, are you willing to have that on your conscienc- urk!" Sasuke is cut off by Naruto picking him up by his neck in one hand, strangling Sasuke.
"Do not compare me to a traitor that murdered his family and betrayed his village!" Naruto snarls viciously. "My decision to save that girl does not just satisfy my desire to protect her, but it fulfills the agreement between the Uzumaki Clan and Konoha, and strengthens Konoha by increasing the population of one its premier clans and bloodlines! Her home is with her family, not in an enemy nation where she will be only of use in aiding the destruction of Konoha Shinobi!"
Naruto throws Sasuke backhandedly into the trunk of the giant tree, right next to Sakura.
"Konoha has an obligation."
"What makes you think-" Sasuke coughs weakly. "That she even wants to be saved? What makes you think Konoha won't just cut you loose? You might be strong Naruto, but you overestimate your value to this village. If the higher-ups think you're not worth the trouble, then you'll be all alone against the whole village."
"Sometimes people don't know what's best for them, and as the strongest it is my right to decide it. I am selfish enough to pursue my desires, and I will take on the whole world if I have to in order to get what I want."
"You're mad." Sasuke says in utter disbelief, while Sakura tends to him at his side. They're both wide-eyed at the sheer selfishness and arrogance Naruto is displaying.
"Only from the perspective of a weakling." Naruto spat out. "You disappoint me. You of all people should understand me right now."
Sasuke Sharingan whirls and his face shows hatred at Naruto.
Naruto takes a few deep breaths while Sasuke isn't speaking and tries to calm down.
Then... he senses a huge influx of Futon Chakra.
He turns to see branches in the canopy of trees part rapidly by near-invisible force, but they are blasted apart and the moss growing on the tree bark rips off, signifying the approach of a Jutsu too fast and powerful to conventionally counter.
"Get down!"
The Jutsu slams directly onto their branch and shakes it so violently that it cracks and falls. Team 7 regain their senses and leap from the falling branch to the next.
Naruto looks in the direction the Jutsu came from and sees only the controlled path of destruction. He uses his Mind's Eye of the Kagura to sense the impending arrival of the Kusa Genin that spoke to them yesterday.
He then senses the arrival of several more chakra types, distinctly non-human. His sharp eyes detect plumes of smoke revealed by the light from the shaking leaf canopy.
"Summon animals!" Naruto realizes, a bit stunned. How could this person have something as rare as a Summon Contract?
These creatures are far too quick. He needed to act fast. This Kusa-nin is clearly not a Genin, but an imposter.
Naruto focuses as much chakra into his lungs as possible and weaves as few signs as possible to get the job done quickly.
"Katon: Goka Messhitsu!"
A violent flamethrower is breathed out of his mouth. The Jutsu is designed to expand on impact, and travels an extraordinary distance to the trees he felt the Summons nearing.
It crashes into a massive trunk and burns away at its middle so quickly that it falls not long after. The burning tree dives and lands on the ground with a deafening crack, and falling from the tree is a half-cremated snake so massive that Naruto realises that they are dealing with someone even he cannot defeat right now without attracting the attention of a traitor more foul than any other.
"We have to run!" Naruto orders quickly, before half-a-dozen more snakes wrap around and climb the tree that they're standing on.
Sakura flurries through signs to try and distract the snakes, but they are massive enough to be confident that any object she tries to redirect them with would just be smashed through.
Naruto curses and directs chakra to his back and lungs simultaneously.
Two dense light-blue chains sprout from under his hair. They are gilded with a thin veneer of gold chakra, and their tips sported pointed dragon-heads with glowing gold eyes. They spear into the head of a snake each. The snakes are effectively nailed to the tree before they can strike. The Adamantine Sealing Chains function as negation or conduit of Fuinjutsu instead of Ninjutsu, so it dispels the two summons without more effort required.
Sasuke wildly fires off his Hosenka no Jutsu and Naruto tries Ryuen Hoka. The cunning snakes learn from the failure of the previous two and travel on the underside of the branch using chakra, not unlike the tree-walking exercise. Naruto recalls his chains back into his body.
"Go! Now!"
They leap from branch to branch with as much speed as they can. The tree they leap to already has a snake climbing up it and meets them before they can run again.
Naruto sends another chain with blinding speed at the head of the snake from his palm, but just as it is about to connect, a human hand reaches out of the snake's mouth and grabs the chain behind its dragon-head.
A familiar figure climbs out of the mouth of the snake, covered in slime. There is only one shinobi with that kind of affinity to snakes.
"Kukuku, Naruto-kun. I see that your Uzumaki blood runs true." The Kusa-nin flicks its long tongue in disgusting pleasure.
"Orochimaru!" Naruto tries to retract his chain back into his body.
The Snake Sannin whips the chain and yanks Naruto off the edge of the tree branch. He then lets go of it before Naruto is pulled towards him.
"Futon: Daitoppa!" Orochimaru seal-lessly blasts Naruto with wind the same strength as the first assault.
Naruto barely has a second to breath before it slams into him, and his chains aren't quick enough to latch on to something. With no solid ground to stick to, Naruto is sent flying away and deep into the darkness of the forest.
"Now-" Orochimaru tastes the fear exuded by Sasuke and Sakura on his tongue. They are rooted to the spot in terror.
"-Where was I? Kukuku~"
Naruto lands too far from the battle to be effective. He slams into a tree with such velocity that he can't help but wheeze in pain. Nothing is broken but his whole back is going to be bruised.
He shakes it off as best he can and deftly drops to the forest floor. He tries his best to conceal his chakra signature to attempt a surprise rescue of his teammates.
Six giant snakes have caught his scent however, and are completely unaware of his disguised chakra.
'I can't beat these without more power!' Naruto feels disgusted in himself for his inability to combat these summons.
He has no choice. He can't save Sasuke and Sakura in an acceptable time-frame if he doesn't use his full power. Any delay will jeopardize their lives.
Naruto activates his Sharingan and activates a Jutsu with his left eye.
"Amaterasu!"
He lets the black flames disintegrate their target, and controls another snake to eat the other. Naruto frees his chakra from the stranglehold he has kept on it and unleashes it in full force.
Orochimaru retracts his fangs from the screaming Uchiha.
"A parting gift." He smiles evilly at the quivering pink-haired girl.
Sasuke grips his neck helplessly and cries out in agony.
Sakura sobs and throws anything sharp in her pouch. "LEAVE US ALONE!"
"Of course, my dear." Orochimaru soothes. "He will seek me out of his own accord. Now, I really must be going. Do take care of Sasuke-kun for me, won't you? If you don't, well... things may end badly for you."
As he gave his message, a hideous snake that exceeded the size of all the others before it appeared around the tree. It has zipped up with terrifying speed and left Sakura believing her end is imminent.
The monstrous snake opened its maw, and it looked to Sakura that it is about to strike. But there is no snapping motion to end her life. Inside the mouth of the summon... is Naruto.
"What?" Orochimaru is uncharacteristically stunned.
Naruto is on a Tiger Sign when he is revealed. "Katon: Goryuuka no Jutsu!"
A massive dragon head erupts from Naruto's mouth. It rapidly expands and hits the branch Orochimaru is on with such concussive, burning force that it virtually disintegrates. Orochimaru is quick enough to leap away with unnatural agility, but the surprise attack has forced him to abandon his taunting. The remains of the branch fall far to the forest floor and landed with a deafening thump.
'A child using another Jutsu like that?' Orochimaru narrows his eyes. That Jutsu was near the size of the head of that Snake by the time it hit its mark. And he could sense a Genjutsu on the snake, keeping it in line. The boys eyes were shut, possible from the strain of controlling such a creature.
"Katon-" Naruto's chakra is already set, it needs no further seals to send another Jutsu. "-Goryuuka no Jutsu!"
'Again?' Orochimaru was intrigued. Placing a summon animal under Genjutsu and then firing another B-Rank Jutsu was far too unusual for a young boy.
Perhaps this boys strength would be enough to make Sasuke crave more power. Perhaps his manipulation needed less effort than he thought.
Orochimaru leaps to a higher branch before the Katon can turn him into ashes.
"Most impressive, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru hissed, mouth forming a sick smile around his long tongue. "I see that Sasuke-kun has much to live up to if he wants to use you as his stepping stone. Perhaps I'll test you a little more, hmm? I am always in need of strong disciples."
"Die, filth."
A light blue ribcage manifests around Naruto and he leaps out of the snake's mouth. He sends the snake to devour Orochimaru while large skeletal hands pick up Sasuke and Sakura in each. Naruto leaps away and focuses his real hands into a Ram sign.
"An intriguing Jutsu." Orochimaru is forced to tend to his wayward summon and defeats it with an adjustable-length sword from his mouth.
He chases Naruto and swings his elongated blade at the skeletal construct.
"Sogo Kawarimi no Jutsu!" Team 7 vanishes, and is replaced by a single Kage Bunshin of Naruto.
The Sword of Kusanagi bisects the clone and it dispels instantly.
Orochimaru smiles.
"A most interesting child you are, Naruto-kun."
Naruto cuts all flow to the Sharingan and his Susanoo fades away. He instead throws up a sphere of chains around the team. A thin translucent barrier forms between them.
The chains and barrier take on the flow of what chakra is he currently emitting, and so the sphere hides their chakra signatures from enemy teams and more importantly, Orochimaru. The Sannin is out of sensory-range, meaning that they're safe for now.
But the noise coming from Sasuke escapes his rudimentary barrier. He wraps a kunai hilt with the sleeve of his shirt and puts it into Sasuke's mouth to try and muffle the noise. Sasuke bites down on it and after a few minutes, passes out.
Sakura is barely lucid and sobbing loudly.
"Sakura, listen to me." Naruto puts his hands on the sides of her face and makes her look at him through her hyperventilating.
She can't even respond verbally but her weak and shaky nod gives Naruto hope that he'll be able to get her to focus.
"I need you to diagnose Sasuke with Medical-Ninjutsu. Figure out why he's hurt. Focus on him."
With a weak nod, she shakily weaves slow signs and sprouts misty green chakra in her palms. He hands roll over Sasuke's head, bite-wound and some kind of Juinjutsu on his shoulder.
"I don't know." She is breathing heavily and starting to panic. "I don't know what's wrong with him!"
Naruto tries to calm her down, but she drops her head into the crook of his shoulder and cries silently into it.
'That's a start at least.'
Naruto maintains the barrier for a full day. But even his monstrous reserves began to wane.
"Damnit." Naruto curses as the barrier begins to fizzle. He retracts the chains to conserve what remains of his chakra. The Mutual Substitution he'd performed with his clone had chewed up a massive amount of his stamina and chakra. The range at which he'd done it did not make it easier. The Mangekyou Sharingan had strained him more, and the Adamantine Sealing Chains are not some passive pretty light show either. Every link is a Jutsu that consumes chakra to maintain.
The gel-food rations he'd been eating weren't enough to help him regain chakra at the same rate he was using it. At least Sasuke, in his unconscious state, is still instinctively able to swallow them when placed in his mouth. Naruto hoped the gel mixture would help to hydrate Sasuke but he knew they'd need to find water soon. The fever he is developing can only be staved off briefly by Sakura, and she doesn't have anywhere near the amount of chakra needed to prevent Sasuke from falling ill.
He hadn't slept since the attack. But Sakura has recovered mentally and offers to keep watch.
"Sleep, Naruto." Sakura asks of him.
Naruto gazes into her green eyes with his own grey-ish ones. He's liking the idea of sleep more than ever.
"Wake me- when you need me." Naruto's head drops into her lap.
Sakura brushes his bangs out of his face and places him down gently with a fond promise on her lips.
"I will."
Naruto wakes to the sound of pained screaming.
He jolts up and sees Sasuke pulling on the arms of an Oto Genin.
Sakura is trying to convince him to calm down. No-wonder she hadn't tried to wake him up. She's asking about what the hell these guys have to do with Orochimaru. A connection?
Sasuke is clearly delirious.
There is a black flame pattern on Sasuke's body. And his chakra is far stronger than before.
'Did that Juin increase his strength?'
Sasuke pulls the Oto Genin's arms out of their shoulder sockets, leading to more helpless screaming.
"We give up!" The other male Genin on their team surrenders. "Please, take our scroll and we'll leave in peace!"
It's an Earth scroll, which is nice. Sasuke only lost one of their Heaven scrolls trying to get Orochimaru off their back. Naruto kept the other two in his pouch, so they have at least one complete set.
The Oto Genin all flee and Naruto swipes the scroll up off the dirt.
"Guess we can count ourselves lucky with this one." Naruto says mostly to himself, appreciating the karma at being put against someone like Orochimaru and being rewarded with what they needed to advance.
"Sakura, are you alright?" Naruto looks at the disturbed and tired girl. He can sense some vulture Genin around them, although they appear to be refraining from interacting with them.
Before Sakura can answer him, Sasuke glares him down with his Sharingan. The black pattern on his skin whirls and covers more of his body.
And then Sasuke attacks him.
Naruto is forced to cartwheel backwards to avoid a furious flurry of kicks and punches at a speed that Sauske had never been capable of previously. He is surprised, but his Uzumaki blood has helped him recover enough to avoid even these enhanced strikes.
"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Naruto begins to meet each rough blow.
"You are what's wrong with me!" Sasuke's bitterness is evident in his violent effort to beat him. "You hide your strength from us, your teammates, and then you admit that you're willing to destroy innocent lives just to get what you want! Your entire existence is a lie, just like my fucking brother!"
It takes some more agile dodging to get Sasuke at a distance that he might be able to reason with him.
"Now is not the time for an argument like this! Look what just happened with Orochimaru! We are surrounded by enemies in this forest, if you have something to say then save it for later when we're safe!"
"Sasuke-kun, please listen to him!" Sakura pleads fearfully.
But Sasuke doesn't listen and continues his assault.
'That mark, it's not just increasing his power. It must be affecting his mind.' Naruto assesses Sasuke's behaviour. The other boy is usually just willing to let it go, but that buried frustration is bubbling out with this dark chakra.
Naruto uses all of his speed to vanish from Sasuke's Sharingan-enhanced vision and appear behind him. He creates a chain, and its head opens up and grabs Sasuke's shoulder from behind.
The curse-pattern visibly falters when the chain comes into contact with his skin. One clearly isn't enough but now that he knows the chain works on the Juinjutsu, he sends more spiked chains that wrap around Sasuke from head-to-toe.
Sasuke struggles, but his Sharingan fades into the normal coal-black of his eyes and the curse mark recedes entirely back into the source point. He passes out, and Naruto keeps the first chain locked onto the curse-mark just in case while he returns the remainder back into his body.
"What a mess." Naruto puts Sasuke down under the branch they'd hidden in. "Sakura, get some sleep."
"'Kay." Sakura agrees and collapses immediately, trusting in Naruto more than in herself.
"You lot hiding in the bushes. If you're not here to give me help, then leave." Naruto calls out Teams 9 and 10.
More chains spike out of him and create a barrier sphere around Team 7.
Rock Lee jumps down from the branch he'd been spying on. Neji and Tenten follow behind him.
Team 10 approaches much more cautiously and maintains a firm distance between them and everyone else. Despite Ino's worry for the condition of Sasuke, she makes no move to get closer and instead quivers pathetically on the spot.
"What is this?" Neji looks at the barrier using his Byakugan.
"A Kekkei-Genkai." Naruto gets straight to the point.
"One that channels the properties of Fuinjutsu? That's unheard of." Neji seems fascinated while his female teammate looked envious.
"You could say that the Uzumaki Clan were capable of many unusual things." He makes no effort to explain further.
"Not capable of staying uninjured clearly." Lee taunts, still sore about Naruto's switcheroo during the written portion.
"Don't be rude, Lee!" Neji hisses at him.
Naruto looks irritated.
"I wonder if you'd be so cocky when forced to face Orochimaru, one of the most legendary Shinobi to be produced by Konoha in recent history. He went easy on us and we still ended up like this. He could have killed us if he wanted to."
"The traitor?" Neji looks stunned and disbelieving. "You can't be serious, what would he be doing here of all places?"
"You can ask the Hokage. She'll know better than anyone at this point." Naruto doesn't much feel like explaining the possible connection between the intel they gathered on Otogakure and Orochimaru's appearance, especially when he doesn't know all of the facts.
"Nara!" Naruto barks loudly at the 'shyer' group.
"Y- yeah?" Shikamaru asks back hesitantly.
"What scroll do you have? And do not lie to me."
"Earth." Shikamaru replies guilelessly.
Naruto throws one of his Heaven scrolls out of the barrier, which flickers off for a split second to let it pass through.
"Pick it up and go to the tower. Don't trip and fall on something sharp on your way there."
Team 10 gulp at Naruto's annoyed voice. "Thank you." And then they run away.
He then turns to Neji. "I take it that you don't need a scroll seeing as you didn't just steal that one."
"We have both."
"Then you shouldn't delay."
"What about you?" Neji appears to be more at ease around Naruto now that he's witnessed him being nice to another team.
"What Sasuke and Sakura need right now is rest and some quiet. I'll get them to the tower before the time limit is up."
Lee looks like he has more to say, but Neji is the de-facto leader of their team and he calls the shots.
"Good luck, Uzumaki-san. I hope to see you at the tower."
Naruto gives the politest wave he can manage. A gift to Neji for being the least insufferable person they'd met in this exam so far.
He looks up at the darkening sky through the dense foliage of the forest and sighs.
'How troublesome.'
It's noon on day four, and Team 7 is slowly approaching the tower. Sasuke fades in and out of consciousness, forcing Naruto to carry him around. The curse-mark victim doesn't speak to Naruto while he's awake. He just ignores the Uzumaki before conking out repeatedly.
But he's willing to bear the burden of lugging around this useless sack of meat, because he has been given the opportunity to achieve his own goal in this exam. He has sensed the presence of a strong chakra and he knows exactly who it is. It is giving a signal of distress, so he has to act quickly.
"Let's go, Sakura." Naruto starts to run in the direction he senses it coming from.
"Gimme a break." Sakura groans but chases after him.
Naruto dashes nimbly over roots and rocks and he finds his quarry being attacked by a gigantic bear.
Blue chains shoot out of his palm and arm, which bury deeply into the tough skin of the bear. The last chain hits its head when the bear is immobilized, killing it before it can suffer for too long. He uses the control he has gathered to sever the tips of the chains off and retract them so he wouldn't get covered in blood.
He lands in front of his Uzumaki.
"I've been looking for you." Naruto's grin scares her.
She is stuck to the spot in pure fear.
"Please don't kill me!"
"I won't kill you, or hurt you. What's your name?" Naruto soothes gently.
"Karin." She cries quietly while introducing herself.
"Naruto, your ugly face is scaring her! Get out of the way." Sakura figures that she wouldn't be able to convince Naruto to stray from his plan, so she'd just indulge him until someone more qualified could talk him down.
"Hey, I'm Sakura. Look, we're not gonna hurt you. Naruto wants to protect you, that's why we're here." Sakura puts on the best smile she can after her own horrifying adventure in this damn forest.
Karin nods silently.
"Let me do a check-up." Sakura's hands glow brighter now that her chakra has mostly restored.
The red-head watches careful and her eyes dart nervously to the tall Genin holding his unconscious teammate.
"How long have you been sick?" Sakura asks, looking mystified from the feeling result after using her diagnosis Jutsu.
"I'm always sick." Karin answers honestly.
Naruto activates the Sharingan hidden under his hair. He sees messy, swirling chakra clashing with Karin's in her arms. It warps and slaps the insides of her coils and is stopping correct chakra flow.
"Check her arms." Naruto orders stoically.
Sakura first asks permission, like a normal person. "Can I roll up your sleeves?"
"O- okay." Karin makes the first weak tug before Sakura's confident Medic mentality lets her take professional control.
"Oh my god..." Sakura can't help but stare.
Karin shuts her eyes in shame.
Hundreds of bite marks, leaving horrid red scars all over her skin, are plainly visible. The sizes range wildly, making it clear that this is the work of a great many people.
"Why?" Sakura's horror is evident.
Karin sniffles. "My chakra heals people. Kusa makes its Shinobi bite me to get better quickly. They used up my Kaa-chan and they're doing the same to me."
Sakura looks up at Naruto.
His face is blank as stone.
Now she's on board to liberate this girl from Kusagakure.
"I can stop the infections. I'll purge the foreign chakra slipping into your system every time you've been, err... bitten. You just need to never let anyone bite you again." Sakura gives her a standing order.
"I don't have a choice." Bitter tears steam from her eyes.
"You do now." Naruto insists.
Karin looks up at him this time.
"The reason that your chakra has potent healing properties is because you possess the blood of the same clan that I hail from. You are an Uzumaki, and so was your mother by the sounds of it. You belong here, with me. Your family."
"'Uzumaki'?" Karin's unsure repeat of the word sounds lost, as if she is trying to remember something. "How can you be so sure?"
Naruto frowns deeply. "You really don't know?"
The redhead shakes her head.
"Our chakra is... similar. I used a sensory Jutsu that is exclusive to our clan to determine that you are an Uzumaki. It's called Mind's Eye of the Kagura."
"My Kaa-chan told me that!" Karin's back straightens, memory coming to the forefront of her mind. "My Kaa-chan taught me that!"
Naruto smiles brightly, seeing that his wayward clan member is starting to see things his way.
"The Uzumaki Clan also had a reputation for having vibrant red hair. Something that skipped a generation in me, but it looks like you inherited the same beautiful hair that my mother had."
Karin grabs a fistful of said vibrant hair, looking between him and the ugly hair that she'd never been complimented for in her life. She bites her bottom lip.
Naruto puts Sasuke down gently with Sakura's assistance.
"Uzumaki Karin." Naruto kneels and puts his arms out. The name is oh so right!
Naruto's chakra unseals slowly, letting Karin feel up close just how similar their chakra is.
She crawls to him, hoping it's all not some cruel dream or illusion. Naruto lets her feel his arms and the chakra that exudes from it. Her own chakra resonates with it, making splashes of light blue chakra flick off their skin joyously.
"Welcome home."
She throws her arms around him and sobs into his chest.
"I swear I will protect you."
Karin remains glued to Naruto for their short journey to the forest tower. Sakura tries not to be bitter at all the positive attention the girl was getting from a handsome guy like Naruto, while she is stuck with the moody Uchiha. Sasuke doesn't so much as speak to Naruto or even her, and she just silently keeps one of his arms over her shoulder while they walk at a sedate pace up the short flight of steps to a door.
"What if they say no?"
"Then I'll find somewhere else that we can be together."
Karin melts at Naruto's words. She quickly discards the Kusa forehead protector and leaves it littered on the cold ground.
Sasuke's fist clenches. But he still refrains from speaking.
They make their way in through one of the many surrounding doors and come across a riddle written on the wall. It's quickly figured out that they need to open the scrolls in order to progress.
Umino Iruka appears from their scroll to congratulate them for completing the stage.
He sasses Naruto on his 'abduction' of an enemy Shinobi, and Naruto is tired of people giving him the 'good' argument when he has definitely decided to be 'bad'. Killing Intent erupts from him and silences Iruka, who is forced to let them pass and run off to tell someone stronger than him.
And unfortunately, he had time to go and find the Hokage herself who is present to watch the next part of the exams.
"You and I will speak. Now."
Naruto tugs Karin along with him, and Tsunade leads them to a private basement floor.
Tsunade however, is disturbingly agreeable to letting Naruto do as he pleases.
But she has conditions. And an explanation.
"Given the fact Sasuke was whining about these Uzumaki going to war, I take it you know a bit about the Uzumaki Clan."
"Probably as much as you do."
"I'm willing to honour the alliance." Tsunade's words are a weight of Karin's shoulder. "However, you will tell me how you know these things."
"I will, once you give me a public space to flaunt my power at the enemy publicly."
Tsunade smiles at his stubbornness and manipulative nature. It reminds her of... herself, actually.
"A little conflict will do this village some good. Especially the younger ones."
Naruto looks confused. "But you're the one who ordered us to help the weaklings?"
She looks at him with a raised, delicate brow for an explanation to his reaction.
"You had us help them. You weakened them by taking that conflict away from them in the first place."
She actually smiles. "I knew that letting you learn without the Academy influence was a good idea."
"It's true. I did order such a thing, but these are promotion exams. Even when lives are on the line, it doesn't seem to come across that way to the younger generations. Real war is a better wake up call than nearly dying in the Chuunin Exams. Better that they learn the real lesson sooner, and let Konoha remain on its pedestal of high-morality by honouring a long-standing tradition with the Uzumaki Clan."
Naruto carefully takes in her words.
"You are already expecting war with someone. Even without my decision to take Karin."
Karin looks completely lost. She doesn't appear to be capable of understanding the nature of growth in conflict like Naruto and Tsunade.
The Hokage looks at him with an almost affectionate gaze. "Yes. A good friend of mine has discovered that there is an organisation currently scouting for Bijuu and Jinchuuriki. Kumogakure is extremely weak right now, so it would be essentially effortless for a number of S-Rank criminals to take their Bijuu away from them. The more they collect, the easier it becomes to get more, and the less of a chance we have at survival."
Naruto sees the hidden message. He looks unsurely between Tsunade and Karin.
"I'll need a month." He decides.
"A month for what?" Karin tugs on his remaining sleeve nervously.
"To prove that the Uzumaki Clan is worth war with another nation."
"I'll leave you two alone. You're going to be expected in the upper level exam room shortly, however." She pets the top of Naruto's head. "I'll make sure you have your month."
She leaves them alone, and Naruto is left to explain what needs to happen from this point on.
"You know that you're safe now, right? Regardless if I fail, you'll still be welcome in Konoha." Naruto looks unsure of how to proceed.
"What does she mean by all that?"
"She means that Kumogakure has sent a Jinchuuriki into these exams... and that she wants me to obtain its Bijuu. By sealing it into you."
"Me?" Karin squeaks.
"Yes."
"But what does that mean?" Karin looks confused and scared.
"Functionally, not a whole lot. I will need to learn how to seal the Bijuu inside of you safely, and you'll get a significant extra pool of chakra to draw from in the best case scenario. Worst case, your chakra reserves will be limited. But even then, you'll still obtain emergency access chakra that is stronger than your own."
"I'm scared. I don't understand."
Naruto wraps his arms around her.
"Don't worry. My mother was the Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi, and she was completely fine. I'll have more time to explain once we get out of this forest. I'll take you home and we can learn about the Fuinjutsu I'll need. No matter what, everythings going to be okay."
"Tori."
An ANBU drops down in front of Tsunade.
"Gather your squad and head to Kusagakure. Recover everything related to this Karin girl. Medical records, personal belongings, family members corpses. Everything, and bring them back to Konoha."
"Understood." Tori nods and vanishes.
Every successful team is gathered before the Hokage and Jounin Sensei in rows.
Naruto's team, plus another four teams from Konoha are in attendance. Kumo, Oto and Suna have one team each, and Karin waits on one of the balconies already. Her former Jounin Sensei is nowhere to be found, so Naruto figures that Tsunade must have already acted on his behalf before he could cause more trouble than strictly necessary.
Thankfully, Naruto gets to watch Sakura completely destroy Yamanaka Ino before his match starts. He isn't planning on spending a single second longer here than he needs to when he has study and practice he needs to urgently get to.
He is the second match, and he suspects that Tsunade may have had some hand in getting him out early...
"Uzumaki Naruto and Rock Lee, please step into the arena." The proctor summons them, coughing a bit as he finishes.
...But with clear intent on revenge for making her expend more effort.
Senju bitch.
So he meanders his way down the stairs and stands in opposition to a Genin that clearly has something against him.
"It is time to show you what hard work can do in the face of genius talent!" Lee looks all too pumped.
"Do you think you have a monopoly on hard work? Give me a break." Naruto rolls his eyes at the pre-match trash talk.
Lee narrows his eyes. "I am tired of prodigies disrespecting the efforts of those born without talen-"
"I don't care." Naruto interrupts with a voice that matches his words. "Your juvenile outlook proves that even you don't value the hard work that those 'prodigies' put in to achieve their goals. I don't care about what makes you think you're better. I don't care about your history that has made you this way. You clearly exist in your own, tiny bubble that is free from understanding that every single living soul in this world has their own struggles. Even talented geniuses suffer from loss and have to learn painful lessons to become stronger. So shut your trap, and hope that you're a better fighter than you are a speaker or a thinker."
The proctor doesn't need to say start. Lee has already launched into a Taijutsu flurry that Naruto matches with some effort.
"He's as fast as Naruto!" Sakura looks amazed. She'd never seen anyone besides Kakashi match Naruto in Taijutsu.
"Kick his ass!" Karin cheers for her clanmate.
"His youthful vigor will allow him to win! Even against your student, Kakashi." Gai's proud face sports a glorious grin.
There is a moment of silence.
"Hmm? Did you say something?"
Gai's grin turns upside down and he grabs his head dramatically.
"Damn you, Kakashi!"
Naruto skids back.
"Not bad, but at this rate I'm going to outlast you." Naruto knows that his stamina and healing rate will settle a stalemate.
"Then I'll have to up the ante!" Lee leaps deftly onto the statue at the forefront of the room.
"Do it Lee! Show everyone what you can do! Protect your beliefs and your pride!"
'Leg weights? That's it?' Sure, Naruto is having trouble with Lee's Taijutsu prowess, but a bit of weight wouldn't make much difference.
The weights hit the floor with an explosion of dust, and Naruto quickly realises how wrong he is.
Lee vanishes from the statue and reappears behind Naruto. He kicks Naruto in the side which sends him flying.
Naruto lets out a pained noise and rights himself in the air. Before his feet hit the ground, he immediately needs to block a punch to his side. His sensory capability allows him to tell which direction he's going to be attacked from but he's unable to make definitive damage while Lee is moving this quickly. He has to rely on defense.
'He's a glass cannon. He's going to tire, I just need to survive until he does so I can end it.'
Naruto focuses his senses and takes calming breath. He puts his hands in a Tiger sign.
"No you don't!" Lee shouts and unleashes a durious barrage.
But Naruto manages to avoid each. He makes blurring flips and weaves through the relentless assault at his highest speed and leaves the spectators amazed.
"Katon: Haijingakure no Jutsu!"
His mouth bursts out an enormous cloud of black smog, completely blanketing the arena. Only Hinata and Neji are able to see through it, but it is not a Jutsu designed to last. It's a quick escape, and only Karin can sense why Naruto did it instead of something more damaging. She's not spilling the beans on the trick, however.
While hidden in the smoke, Naruto weaves several more hand signs into a variant of one of his own unique Jutsu.
"Futon: Shinku Tobikomu!(Wind Release: Vacuum Dive)."
The same Jutsu he'd used in Nami to save Sasuke, only this time it's a sustained version. The wind swirling around his form will boost each movement he makes with speed, and can be thrown off of his body in a last-ditch blast for the sake of making distance between him and Lee.
When the ashes of his technique settle, Lee catches sight of him on the same statue he'd released the weights on.
Gai's student makes no hesitation in attacking again, but with Naruto's now-enhanced speed, he's too hard to catch. His evasiveness will eventually wear Lee down if he doesn't try something else.
"I will not lose here! Especially not to you!"
He takes an unfamiliar stance. And unknown to everyone but him in the room, the chakra-disguised ornamental statue with glowing red eyes in the corner is copying every move.
Lee continues his grating monologue.
"The lotus will bloom, and I shall be the victor! Kaimon, Kyumon. KAI!"
"Hachimon?!" Naruto is amazed, but knows that his life is on the line if he doesn't act fast. "Katon: Ryuen Hoka no Jutsu!"
Five dense flames take the form of dragon-heads. Lee dodges effortlessly with his dramatically enhanced speed. The Jutsu leaves huge craters from their concussive and burning force in the arena flooring.
"Not yet!" Lee stands still for a moment. Seimon. Shomon. Tomon. KAI!"
'Five gates! If he gets me, he'll damage me too much for me to heal it off. I'll die!'
Lee vanishes. Naruto can't keep up at present.
He gets bounced around the room like a rubber ball before he realises what's happening. His insides are being brutalised without a moment's rest to heal them.
Naruto launches as many chains as possible out of his body in order to suspend himself in the air. He manages to form a weak and choppy barrier around himself and launches into a flurry of hand-signs.
Lee destroys the barrier with a punch and wraps his wrist bandages around Naruto's waist. Now, there is nothing between them. Even his chains are too slow to stop the impending assault.
'I need to time this perfectly!'
"URA RENGE!"
Lee's final move connects, sending Naruto into the ground and causing a devastating explosion of dust.
For a moment, no-one can see anything.
Until Lee comes tumbling out of the cloud at the far end of the room. Looking scorched.
His muscles are visible on one side of his body. His skin looks like it has been blasted off, and only his face is unharmed.
It looks like he was the victim of an overpowered exploding tag, but the lack of a body in the crater left in the wake of his attack has made it all clear.
Bunshin Daibakuha.
This fight is over.
The statue in the corner of the room dispels its transformation, revealing an extremely injured Naruto who's substituted with the transformed Kage Bunshin.
"Hehe, HAHAHAHA!" Naruto's exhilarated laughter is the only noise that is heard in the silent aftermath.
Naruto vomits up blood and crawls on his knees for a moment, but even his injuries are incomparable to Lee's.
"The winner is, Uzumaki Naruto!" The coughing proctor announces.
A trio of medics run to Naruto and the remainder to Lee.
But Naruto is already standing up. His grazes and cuts from slamming into the stone floor are steaming and closing themselves. His face develops bruises and swelling before they shrink and return to his normal light skin tone.
Lee has been removed from the room. In the ten minutes it took to prepare him for transport and for Naruto to walk back up the balcony to his Uzumaki, he had nearly healed from his fight with Gai's protege.
"You're unreal. I was scared." Karin throws her arms around him.
Naruto's ribs are broken and he lets out a guttural noise of pain from his throat.
The Medics take him away to tend to his broken bones and Karin follows. Neither see the following fights.
Every Genin in the room looks like they don't understand what just happened.
Kurenai and Asuma are becoming increasingly unsure about having their teams participate. As do their students.
Kakashi doesn't feel any closer to unraveling the mystery of his Sensei's son.
And the Hokage simply smiles.
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Pairing: The pairing will be Naruto and Karin. I spent a whole lot of time deciding this and with the direction I want the story to go in and the development needed, I felt that what I have done with Karin as a character will be important going forward as lessons to Naruto.
Naruto's character: It will be glaringly obvious that there is now a stark contrast between his and Sasuke's character. Naruto is unnapologetically selfish, and Sasuke is a very 'pro-Konoha' kind of chap now due to Kakashi's influence and his own desire to not turn out like Itachi. I will also point out that Naruto did live in his own little bubble with Madara for the time they had together and neither of them know the full truth behind the Uchiha Incident.
Trying to validate Naruto's strength: In this chapter I tried to show that Naruto is a powerhouse even without the Sharingan, and has inherited Madara's ingenuity by way of inventing Jutsu and strategies on the fly. At the same time, he is suffering from the personality flaw in his belief that he must keep his power hidden until just the right moment, and this puts the lives of his team at risk when going up against an enemy that they cannot possibly defeat at this point in time.
About Neji and Lee: Some of you might have forgotten that in the first chapter, I don't explicitly say that Hizashi Hyuuga dies. That I think gives a bit of an opportunity to put Neji on the backburner if his behaviour is different from the influence of his dad and allow Lee to shine as the teams 'mouthpeace'. Without anyone like Neji to real him in, Lee has become a rather insufferable but still almost close character to his canon counterpart.