Wildflower | Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter72: Becoming A Chūnin

Sakura looked around, still in shock, as genin chattered away in the exam centre. Tsunade really put her in another team, did she? Even though she was glad, it was just such a shock. She never thought she would have the chance to get ahead.

She knew for sure Kakashi had absolutely nothing to do with this, so she wouldn't be talking to him about it at all. In all honesty, the man didn't take her seriously as his students. Heck not even Naruto and Sasuke took her seriously. To Naruto, she was an artifact to look at and marvel, something no more than just a pretty girl. She wasn't a teammate, not an equal, but just pretty Sakura who had to be his girlfriend. As for Sasuke, the jerk, he clearly didn't care much for being in a team at all. Let alone with Sakura and Naruto. From the beginning, he made it clear that he would rather have it otherwise, so she wasn't really shocked that he left, as much as it hurt.

Then, there were two heads of red that she recognised immediately. Along with their teammate, Karin and Akira made their way to Sakura excitedly. Sakura's teammates, unfamiliar with them, watched curiously as she immediately embraced the two sisters. Seeing them do the same, Akira and Karin's teammate stood to the side awkwardly.

"You guys! I can't believe it's really you. What happened? Why did you suddenly disappear like that? Do you know how much I missed you? I thought I'd never see you again!", Sakura cried as she slowly pulled away. Karin cackled and Akira giggled.

"We missed you too. We just had to go for special training outside the village. I'm really sorry that we didn't tell you.", Karin said. Sakura nodded in understanding.

"I get it. Besides, we all took up special training since then. Like how Naruto left with, Jiraiya roshi.", Sakura mused. There was a short pause as the sisters seemed to process what was said to them.

Why didn't Tama tell them that Naruto was gone?

Before they could even get to ask when their brother left, the doors flew open and a group of proctors entered the room. Everyone immediately got seated and waited for the eaxam to commence.

So it turned out that the Chūnin exams were not only different every time, but they also had different proctors. This year's main proctor for the first exam was an odd looking jōnin by the name of Shiranui Genma. He seemed like a rather mellow person as compared to the previous year's Morino Ibiki. Also, considering the fact that Tama singlehandedly almost emptied the room back then, they were especially glad that she wasn't here this time around.

Akira held her breath and watched as the proctors handed out the exam scripts. If her eforts were not in vain and the exam was as difficult as the previous one, then she would at least make it halfway through this one.

She et out a sharp breath as the proctor set her paper before her. There was no taking chances here, this was the one chance they had to reinstate the Uzumaki clan into the Shinobi world. Impressions last, they had to make a good one.

...

Back in the temple, a collective group of adults sat in the dining hall discussing what was said to be important news.

So, it had been revealed to the rest of the Uzumaki clan that the prophecy of Nōmendo shrine was in motion. Everyone was eager to meet this princess of Godly caliber that four generations of noro(priestess of Nōmendo shrine) once sang praises about. For when they spoke of her, they told their people to let her lead them, that way they would never suffer any grievance again. At first no one believed them, because the Uzumaki clan never did suffer. It was only during Mizubana's time as head priestess that the suffering came. Funnily enough, the suffering would be caused by people that they had absolutely nothing to do with.

"Do you think that she can make masks like those before her? She doesn't have any formal training, after all. I wonder if she can even do what noro can do.", one man asked, clearly skeptic as he munched on fried tofu.