Paradox

The Preliminary rounds Part 8

"W-well..." Sakura started. "Their leader actually seemed to respect our other teammate, Naruto, a bit... It was really weird."

"Naruto, huh?" Kabuto repeated. "That Shadow Clone you two were travelling with was some kind of replica of him, right?"

Sasuke was keeping quiet all the time, being quite angry with his defeat, so he let Sakura do all the talking. "Yeah, but he hadn't even fought with Naruto!"

'Kinuta Dosu...' Kabuto thought. 'That kid has always had too strong beliefs in honor in fights. It'll be his downfall, one day.'

"I didn't think those three were capable of killing, but he promised not to kill to Naruto." Sakura was still talking. "Sasuke, he..." She seemed unsure to finish that sentence. "But it was three to one, so it was unfair to begin with! If it was one on one, Sasuke would have easily won!"

'Uchiha Sasuke seems to be quite the disappointment, if he can't handle little Zaku and Kin. Dosu's stronger, but not a match for a future vessel of Orochimaru, one would think.' The glasses-wearing Genin thought. "So, where's your other teammate, then?"

"No one knows, no one really cares!" The pinkhead let out exasperated. "He's got Clones-" She cut herself off, remembering what Naruto told her before they entered the Forest of Death.

'Don't tell anyone about my Clones... Not even other Konoha Ninja.'

"He's using that Kage Bunshin Technique too much, if you ask me." She rectified.

"Hey, I think I do okay."

Sakura, Sasuke and Kabuto both turned around to see Naruto descending towards them, obviously having launched himself from one of the tree branches nearby.

Kabuto had his eyes narrowed behind his glasses. 'I didn't sense him... at all. He's good.'

Sasuke was frowning at the blonde and Sakura was glaring at him. As he landed, he only had eyes for the stranger, though. "Who are you?"

"Ah, Yakushi Kabuto. Nice to meet you, Uzumaki Naruto-kun." Kabuto smiled.

Naruto, after staring at the guy for a second, shrugged half-heartedly. "Yeah, Nice to meet you, I guess. You travelling with us?" He replied, shaking the older nin's hand. "Or you waiting for a chance to steal one of our scrolls?"

"Naruto!" Sakura admonished.

Sasuke still remained silent, although he was agreeing with his blonde teammate. They had both scrolls now, so no way were they going to lose them to some suspicious Shinobi. The Uchiha already considered Kabuto to be too nice.

"Ah, two fair guesses, but the first is the correct one." The Yakushi calmly answered as he grabbed a few scrolls out of his pockets, obviously Heaven and Earth Scrolls.

Naruto still had his eyes narrowed. 'My Fuuin Bunshin have been tracking this guy's team from the start and have seen how they have taken their scrolls, but... He had disappeared for a while, actually managing to shake my Fuuin Bunshin off as he travelled away from his own team.' He sighed. 'Obviously he was heading for my own team, but for what purpose? ... He doesn't seem to have any ill intentions.'

"Alright. Let's get moving." Naruto said. "We're making bad time, I wanted to be the first to finish this Test, damn it!"

Kabuto chuckled. "There are veteran Genin around, if you can call Genin veteran. Your team is a Rookie Genin team. You can't expect to best the others."

Sasuke stared at Kabuto's back. "Aren't you a Genin Veteran... if such a title exists?"

Kabuto looked over his shoulder. "I am, I suppose. But that's why I am accompanying your team to the end."