True Potential By DryBonesKing

Part 17//Second Task Cleared

Disclaimer: I'm too lazy to tell you all that I don't own Naruto. I had enough energy to write this chapter. I have no other energy to write anything else...except maybe an author's note I guess.

Author's Note: Another quick update! Yeah! Now let's see if I can make this a routine! :) Anywho, let's not keep you all waiting. Here's the next chapter! Enjoy :)

"...Iruka-Sensei?" Naruto mumbled in surprise.

He and Hinata were both equally confused. After walking into the tower and realizing they needed to open both the heaven and earth scroll, their academy instructor, Umino Iruka, appeared in front of them in a cloud of smoke. The man looked at his two former students, a proud smile on his face.

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?" He joked. "I'm here to let you guys know that you all passed the second exam!"

"Hell yeah!" Naruto cheered as he jumped up and down. Shikamaru, who was still asleep on Naruto's back, was starting to mumble in his sleep about an earthquake. This caused Naruto to stop jumping and caused Hinata to giggle.

"...typical. I haven't seen him in months since you all graduated, and the first time I see him he is asleep. This feels nostalgic." Iruka said with a sigh.

"Shikamaru-Kun hasn't changed much, Iruka-Sensei." Hinata elaborated as she continued to giggle.

"I can see." The academy instructor said with another sigh. He then looked back at the awake members of Team Three with a smile. "I am proud of you all! I knew you would do great in your exam."

Naruto and Hinata returned his smile with a large smile of their own. Both of their smiles were filled with pride and happiness. It was evident to Iruka, who merely chuckled.

"I'd love to keep chatting with you guys, but I think you all might want to get to a room and let Shikamaru sleep on a bed. All of you genin teams will be staying in rooms down that hallway while you wait for the time limit to end. You can take any bedroom that isn't already used." Iruka stated as he pointed to a hallway to the left of the shinobi. "We all need to talk sometime soon. I'll treat you guys to ramen when the exam is over!"

"Thank you!" Hinata bowed to her former sensei.

"I'd love that dattebayo!" Naruto stated excitedly. "Thanks Iruka-Sensei!"

Iruka watched as the two genin rushed off down the hallway. The chūnin chuckled to himself.

'They don't have to call me Iruka-Sensei anymore. They aren't my students. And they'll probably be on my level soon too!' He noted, still chuckling. 'We really do need to get ramen again. I missed you all, my precious students...'

The bedrooms were all plain, simple rooms. There were three beds, one for each member of a genin team, along with a table and floor mats to the side of it. There was also a mini kitchen in the corner of the room. The room was simple, but comfortable.

Naruto laid Shikamaru on one of the beds in the room and covered him in a blanket. He and Hinata then walked out of the room.

The two walked down the hallway in comfortable silence until they were interrupted by a loud, familiar voice.

"I was wondering when you guys would get here!"

The two genin turned around and saw Anko walking towards them. Their jōnin sensei had a wide grin on her face.

"Anko-Sensei! What are you doing here?" Naruto asked as he and Hinata walked up to her.

"All of the jōnin senseis have been cooped up in this tower since the start of the second exam. We've been waiting for you brats to finish this exam already!" She answered as he her hands went towards her two students and ruffled their hair. An irritated groan came from Naruto's mouth and a gasp from Hinata's, which caused Anko to laugh. "Good to have you guys here and see that you all passed. Where's Shikamaru?"