~~~
"Oh? So you're knowledgable in some aspects." Sakura and Satsuki pulled out a kunai of their own and held it tightly. Naruto stared at the man in front of him.
"Move," said Naruto, ordering the Ame-nin to move aside so they could all avoid fighting in broad daylight. But the man just laughed in his face.
"Me? Move? There is no way." He slowly approached them in a silent manner.
"I see. So you have approached us to pick aight." The Ame-nin stood there, silently listening to everything that Naruto was currently saying to him.
"Hm. If you want to imagine that, then yes. But for me, this is only a way for me to see your limits." Naruto, Satsuki, and Sakura slightly narrowed their eyes at him.
"Limits." Naruto looked at the other and nodded at them. They had no idea how strong this person could actually be. Cautions were needed at a time like this.
"You two read?"
"Ready."
"Ready."
Naruto nodded, getting his answer from both Satsuki and Sakura. He thought of a simple plan that they could use in a time like this one that they were currently in.
"Use the same strategy as the one when we fought Kakashi-sensei on the bell-test. Coordinated attacks. Sakura, to the left. Satsuki, to the right. I'll take the middle area." They nodded, trusting Naruto's plan.
"There is no guarantee that this will surely and 100 percent work in the end of it." The trio slowly started to approach the Ame-nin that seemingly had bad intentions.
The Ame-nin looked at them, following each of their exact movements to the tee. Though he did notice something odd about the 3 of them.
They're waiting for me to make a move. Thought the Ame-nin, slowly analyzing the 3 genin in front of him. They could without a doubt be considered the strongest genin team in Konoha.
The Ame-nin had enough of waiting fore them to make a move.
"If you're not going to instigate the battle, then I will!" He shouted, quickly picking up his pace to a very quick speed. But this was not enough for them to be thrown off.
"We've experienced things much more dangerous than this," said Satsuki, slowly picking up her own pace alongside Naruto and Sakura.
"Oh? Now I'm curious on what they could be." The man jumped up in the air and pulling out a pair of kunai that he soon threw right towards them all.
The 3 saw this and easily dodged it.
"Put the plan in action," ordered Naruto, getting a pair of nods from Satsuki and Sakura. They all split apart and went to their own respective sides.
They then threw the kunai that they were holding very tightly within their own grasp.
They then watched as the Ame-nin pulling something out from his back. The 3 narrowed their eyes at the weapon that the Ame-nin was currently going to use.
Is that an. . . umbrella? Thought Satsuki, seeing as the Ame-nin used the umbrella-like weapon to deflect all of their kunais that they had just thrown at them,
"See? Tactics like this is something that won't help you in the Chunin Exams!" The Ame-nin yelled, taking the umbrella-like weapon out of his field of view.
"Huh?" The Ame-nin question in an aloud manner. He looked at the spots and locations that Naruto, Satsuki, and Saura were at when they had thrown the kunais.
They were no longer there.
He widened his eyes at this sight, knowing full well where they were now at. With barely any seconds left, the Ame-nin turned around with his umbrella-like weapon and deflect another batch of kunais that came his way.
The Ame-nin then landed back on the ground, once again pulling his weapon out of his field of view. He then saw that they were also no longer there.
He turned around out of pure instinct and saw that they were not there either.
Where? He thought. But after a few seconds of observing, he suddenly felt the heat rise all around him. A tiny bit of sweat escaped his face as he saw 2 giant fireballs being aimed right towards him.
Shit.
This was an unexpected turn of events. The Ame-nin barely managed to dodge the incoming attack that was from Naruto and Satsuki. An explosion appeared due to the impact of the two fireballs hitting and colliding with the ground.
Smoke entered the atmosphere due to this. And soon enough, everything was covered in smoke. The Ame-nin blocked everything out with his own forearms.
"Now, Sakura!" Satsuki yelled, gritted her teeth as she was also blocking the smoke with her forearms. And as intended, Sakura appeared right behind of the Ame-nin.
She jumped up slightly and delivered a kick to the Ame-nin's head. And the moment the kick had connected, the Ame-nin from before just disappeared and a log replaced his place.
Sakura widened her eyes at this, landing back on the ground.
The smoke slowly disappeared from oblivion. The only people that was left of this were the 3 members of Team 7. They all looked around and saw that the Ame-nin was no longer there.
Naruto sighed, falling down to the ground.
He looked up to the sky.
We clearly outclassed him. But something was off about him. Naruto thought, noticing how weird this whole fight was as a whole. First was how the Ame-nin had approached them.
Second. . .
Everything he said sounded so. . . fabricated. Naruto thought, continuing to look up into the sky above.
~~~
The Ame-nin moved silently through the night sky. God, they certainly could have potentially killed him without much more hesitation.
He jumped and planted his feet on the side of a wall. The Ame-nin launched himself to the very top of the building that he was currently on as of right now.
Once appearing on the top of the building, he looked at the person whom was in front of him. He walked right behind him, just a couple of meters away.
"You were right; they're ready, Kakashi." A puff of smoke appeared in the Ame-nin's place. Kakashi turned around, already knowing he was correct since the beginning.
"I know they are, Iruka."
~~~
"Is she here yet?" Asked Naruto, looking at Satsuki.
"Tch, what do you think? If we're the only two here, then that means she isn't here." Naruto shrugged, not shaken even the slightest at the scowl that formed on her face.
"You seem to get very angry when I say something very obvious." Naruto heard a scoff in response to these words that climbed right out of his own mouth.
"I do not know how you can be so smart but can't even recognize the most obvious things." Naruto ignored her, choosing to stay silent instead of entertaining her idea of arguing with her.
"Sorry!" They suddenly heard someone yell from a distance. Their heads shot up, looking right in front of them to see Sakura approaching the two of them.
"Sorry that I was late. I woke up late." They nodded, accepting such an excuse to be a plausible and entirely real. The 3 looked at the building right in front of them.
God, they were back at the academy.
"Brings good memories. I guess." Satsuki had an amused scoff that escaped the grips of her own mouth.
"You don't even go to class. Saying that you are experiencing memories is dumb." Naruto gave her a lazy look with narrowed eyes right along with it.
"It sure does bring memories," said Sakura, agreeing with what Naruto had just said a few seconds ago. Satsuki stayed silent, preferring to not give her own opinion.
"I guess. There is no reason for me to miss a place like the academy." Naruto walked right beside them as they all made their way towards the academy doors.
But he does have to admit, it certainly has been quite some time since they were last in the academy walls.
While he didn't have that feeling of nostalgia washing over him, he does understand how Sakura could feel the nostalgia that loomed right over her.
Fortunately, Naruto didn't feel that, nor does he need such nostalgia to hold him down. They opened the door to the academy and entered the halls.
As they walked around, looking for the room that they all had to go to. Why couldn't they just make the exam room on the first damn floor? They didn't have to do so many trivial things.
"GAHHH!" They heard someone yell from afar. The trio followed the sound of the person's voice.
"Hm. You can't even get past us. Just give up if you're taking the Chunin Exams." Naruto looked at the direction of the person who had screamed in pain earlier ago.
Hm? Green spandex? Naruto thought, looking at the person who had a bowl-cut. He then paid back attention to the 2 that were guarding the door.
"Genjutsu. It's quite a simple one too." Naruto butted in with his own voice. Everyone's attention snapped to him. The 2 guards smirked a bit before chuckling in an evil way.
"Good job, I guess. But that was unneeded for you to do." Naruto stared at the two, making them feel quite uncomfortable with the gaze that he was holding.
"The Chunin Exams contain only the strongest of genin. There would be no point if there are no strong enemies." Their smirks never ended from Naruto's words.
"Naruto looked at Satsuki and Salura before nodding.
"Alright, I see what you like doing. Then, how will you deal with this!" One yelled, throwing a punch right beside. Naruto didn't react or flinch to this very effacement.
He just stood there killing looking at the balled up hand that turned into a tight and needy gym.
Someone suddenly appeared right in the middle of this and stopped the Chunin's leg from connecting with Naruto's face. Naruto looked at the person that who had had just blocked the attack for him.
The green spandex's teammates approached him, wondering what he was doing.
"I thought you said we should stay a low profile." Naruto observed his two other teammates that he had. It seems like they had an agreement on not showing their full power.
"Ah, sorry about that." The boy walked past them and set his sights right in front of Satsuki and Sakura. Nartuo suddenly gained an amused look on his face.
Satsuki noticed this and glared at him.
What the hell is he amused at? She thought, wondering what was the exact reason on why he was giving them a look of such amusement on his.
Naruto was then back to thinking.
"My name is Rock Lee! Satsuki-san or Sakura-san, please go out with me! I will protect you with my life!" Satsuki sent Naruto a slight glare to the side.
"No. I had enough love confession." Satsuki walked past the deflated Lee and stood right next to Naruto. She glared at Naruto with such fiery rage.
Lee still had a chance, looking at Sakura. She smiled lightly.
"Sorry, I decline. Though, maybe in the future." Lee immediately brightened up at these words and bowed down slightly, showing his gratitude to Sakura.
"Thank you! I'll ask you again in the future." Naruto ignored everything all around them and continued to think about what could possibly happen in the exams today.
Seeing as we are in the academy, then that means we're probably doing a written exam first. Yes, that does seem most likely. Naruto thought, looking at the person right next to him.
"What?" He asked, annoyed at the look that she was currently giving him. God, she was a very dangerous human who had to be kept in check at all times.
Satsuki was about to say something but soon saw that Naruto was once again lost in his deep thoughts once more. Naruto slightly furrowed his eyebrows.
Should we just go up the floor? Our designated room is just a floor or two away. Naruto thought, looking down at the floor that he was currently standing right on top of.
Is there a hidden message in the Chunin Exams? Naruto thought to himself, ignoring most of his current surroundings. As he continued to thought for a few more seconds, it was soon disturbed.
Naruto felt the wind rush right behind him.
Out of instinct, Naruto had dodged a kick to the head by ducking right down towards the floor. Satsuki and Sakura widened their eyes at the unexpected turn of events.
Naruto then felt the win quickly pressure down.
Naruto switched himself with a Shadow Clone that he had summoned out of secrecy. Naruto appeared right behind of Lee. He and his lazy eyes just wouldn't stop looking at him.
The one that Lee had just kicked was the clone that he had substituted with.
"It's too early for a fight," Naruto yawned, bowing down slightly. "We'll get going now." Naruto walked past Lee and gestured Satsuki and Sakura to follow.
They nodded.
"Naruto-san! You are strong! That is why if Sakura-san rejects me again, then I shall compete with you for the love of Satsuki-san." Oh, there was an awkward amount of silence that came way.
Naruto had a puzzled look on his face.
"You chase her or something, I don't really care. Romantic relationships are not my thing and will never be my thing." Naruto got a pinch from his sides. He looked to the left and saw Satsuki glaring at him.
"I see, Naruto-san. But, even then, I shall compete with you! That is youth!" God, Lee was amusing Naruto. He just shrugged in response and turned around.
Lee did the same and faced his other two teammates.
"Sorry about that, Neji-san, Tenten-san."
~~~
Team 7 went up the third floor, trying to find the room that they were all assigned to go to. They all suddenly saw something worth their sight.
They guess.
"Kakashi-sensei," said Naruto, getting Kakashi to turn around and give them his signature eye-smile. He waved alongside it as he walked up right towards the two of them.
"Yo," he said, stopping his walk once he was right in front of the 3 of them. They all nodded. "It seems you all are here." They nodded once more.
"You make it seem like us 3 coming here holds some significance," commented Sakura, gaining a puzzled look as she thought about what Kakashi had said.
Naruto knew exactly what Kakashi was talking about.
"We wouldn't have been able to enter if only 2 members had shown up." Oh, this sure enlightened them. No, this was not sarcasm, but the truth.
Satsuki and Sakura widened their eyes at this news.
"So, if I hadn't come, then you and Satsuki wouldn't have been able to participate." Naruto and Kakashi nodded, knowing that Sakura was absolutely correct in that theory.
"It was sort of like the Bell-Test, but at the same time, not like it at all. 2 people in a team is not good enough and is considered inadequate and 'not eligible'." They nodded.
Kakashi smiled behind his mask.
"You see, if I had said this beforehand, then Satsuki would have pressured Sakura to join." Satsuki scoffed at Kakashi's own words that were directed right at her.
"I would not have pressured her to join." Naruto shook his head at her own denial. Yeah, she totally wouldn't have pressured Sakura to join the Chunin Exams.
"Your nature as a human begs to differ, Satsuki," said Kakashi, getting a fierce glare from Satsuki in return. Although Kakashi had chose to ignore the fiery hatred she was emitting.
"Anyway, It has only been a month or two since our team has been formed and you all are already growing up to become Chunin Exam. You make your own sensei proud." Kakashi had fake-tears.
Naruto shrugged.
"Great, now, can we go now? You're holding us up." These words of such hurtfulness were coming from the one and only Uchiha Satsuki.
"Naruto, you need to put a leash on her. She gets aggravated too easily." Kakashi smiled behind his mask as he moved to the side and gestured for the 3 to into the room that they has to actually go in.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Satsuki asked, glaring Kakashi as they walked right past him. Kakashi chose to ignore these words and to just disappear in a swirl of leaves.
This left Satsuki unanswered.
But it seems like Naruto had the answer.
"It means I'm the only one who can quote-on-quote 'tame' or 'subdue' you to stop being a quote-on-quote 'asshole'." Satsuki looked at Naruto, hating how he was taking Kakashi's side.
"You make it sound weird. Just stop," Satsuki commented. Naruto was still stoic as he gazed into Satsuki's eyes.
"Stop. You're being a pervert again." Naruto raised an eyebrow, not knowing the definition of 'pervert' was gazing at a person for a long period of time.
"I think you misunderstand the meaning of 'pervert', Satsuki." He earned a scoff in return.
"Whatever, Naruto. Let's just go inside. We have like. . . 20 minutes left. Kakashi-sensei was holding us up for a long time." Naruto and Satsuki agreed with this.
The trio stopped right in front of the sliding door.
Naruto took and did the honors of sliding and opening the door for the 3 of them. The 3 silently walked inside the room that was filled to the brim with genin.
As they settled down by standing in place, silently that is; they heard a voice suddenly appear from their sides. This voice was quite recognizable.
"Oh, it's the troublesome team," said a lazy pineapple-head.
~~~
DONE! This shall be the end of this chapter for today. Will try and take it slow and steady. My life has been a mess lately.
Pretty sad that I can't update 2 times a day. This will be the case for awhile. But on the bright side, this does give me the opportunity of watching anime.
Writing has been taking over my life, so anime has been a no-no for me due to the amount of time writing consumes my days.
This, I am thankful for. Just finished watching Yahari Ore no Seishun Love Comedy wa Machigatteiru. A slice of life anime. I like it. Really good imo.
You can just call it Oregairu. But anyway, the Chunin Exams are now right upon them all. Um, nothing really much to say other than that.
If you want, vote for this chapter. It is much appreciated.
But until next time.
CYA!