'The unexamined life is not worth living'
-Socrates
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"IRUMM-SEMMSEI!" Naruto exclaimed with his mouth full of deer meat.
Yeah, I gave them the food like I said I would, and I'm glad I did because they're demolishing it like a pack of hungry wolves.
"Don't talk with your mouth full!" Sakura said in disgust, popping a handful of berries into her mouth.
"Hn" Sasuke said biting, into a piece of bird.
"Good to see you guys" Iruka-Sensei said smiling deeply "I take it Kakashi has been treating you well?"
Naruto hurriedly swallowed the piece of deer in his mouth, almost chocking on it in his haste to answer.
"Yeah he's alright!" Naruto exclaimed using his canine teeth to rip off another chunk of meat "but he....mm....has....mm.... nothing on you....Ruka where'd you get this?!"
I didn't answer and he didn't seem to mind seeing as he contiuned chowing into it. Sasuke, however, glanced at me suspiciously then looked away. Iruka-Sensei laughed and ruffled Naruto's air.
"Glad you feel that way, kiddo" he said "once you four are done you can go into the main room with the others."
With that final note, Iruka Sensei disappeared into a cloud of smoke. I think I was the only one that noticed, seeing as my teammates contiuned to eat. I decided to patiently wait until they were done....which took only 3 minutes.
"That was delicious!" Naruto said jumping up "believe it!"
Sakura sighed in content and patted her stomach. Sasuke just
stood up and don't say anything but I could tell he enjoyed it.
"Hey" Naruto said curiously "where's Iruka-Sensei?"
I sweatdropped and shook my head. I pointed towards the door he had mentioned before he left.
"He said once we were finished to head in there for further instructions" I explained.
Naruto smiled brightly and without warning grabbed my hand. I blushed a deep red and didn't react.
"Alright!" He exclaimed "LETS GO!"
Naruto sprinted over to the door as Sasuke and Sakura followed. He was still holding my hand and knowing he wasn't letting go anytime soon, I held it back. Naruto blushed slightly when I did and turned towards me, smiling deeply. We opened the door together and the four of us stepped inside; as every head in the room turned towards us. There was a lot of people already here.
Kiba
Hinata
Shino
Ino
Shikamaru
Choji
Neji
Lee
Tenten
Kabuto and his team
Gaara
Temari
Kankuro
And some other people. They just kept staring at us and I couldn't help but feel embarrassed. Everyone's Sensei was here and I noticed Kakashi Sensei and Iruka Sensei were saying something and staring at us. Are they talking about us? Sakura gave a small sneeze, yep, they are.
"Good to see you four" a voice said snapping everyone from their staring daze.
We all turned and I almost cried with relief when I saw Granddad. He looked me in the eyes and gave a sad smile before looking away.
"Go ahead and get in a group with everyone else" Granddad said.
We nodded and joined the large group of people as instructed. Once we had joined the group, Granddad stepped on a podium and smiled at us.
"First and foremost, I'd like to congratulate you all for making it this far" Granddad announced "you should all be very proud. However, there have been some slight modifications to the exam."
Naruto and I exchanged a look, the same question swirling in our mind.
What kind of modifications?
Everyone turned towards their teams and began to mutter quietly as Grandad stepped down from the podium and a new man came up.
"Settle down settle down!" The man exclaimed as the talking decreased.
Everyone turned towards the man as he cleared his throat and began to speak.
"My name is *cough* Hayate Gekkō and *cough* since a large amount of you *cough* have passed the exams we will be holding *cough, cough* we'll be holding *cough, cough, cough, cough*"
He stopped talking for a moment and went into a coughing fit as everyone stared at him anxiously.
Holding what?!
Naruto was rocking back and forth on the heel of his feet waiting for Hayate to finish. Finally, his coughing fit ceased and he cleared his throat again.
"Anyway" he said "my name is...."
"NO!" Naruto yelled, making everyone jump "YOU ALREADY SAID THAT!"
"Don't be rude Naruto!" Iruka Sensei scolded.
"BUT....!"
"NARUTO!"
Naruto started fuming angrily and glared at the ceiling. Hayate sighed deeply and coughed.
"Anyways" he said "my name is *cough* Hayate Gekkō and *cough* since a large amount of you *cough* have passed the exams we will be holding *cough* preliminary exams."
Everyone gasped and stared at him in disbelief. Preliminary exams?! We just came back from that forest; now we have to do something else?!
"Now" Hayate said "the name *cough* of the first competitors will *cough* appear on the board and *cough* the rest will *cough* procced to the stands."
I heard a sharp intake of pain and I looked back to see Sasuke grab at his curse mark and wince. Sakura glanced over at him and frowned.
"Sasuke-kun" she said pleadingly gripping his arm "you have to drop out. That thing is hurting you to much!"
Sasuke glared at her angrily and shook his head.
"I can't" he said "I'm not doing this because I want to be a Chūnin, I'm doing this because I have to prove to myself that I'm strong enough to avenge my family."
"No!" Sakura said, her eyes watering "if you won't drop out....I will!"
She then began to raise her hand but Sasuke grabbed it and yanked it back down, causing her to gasp in surprise.
"Don't be stupid!" He hissed "not only is that stupid, but it's selfish! I can handle this pain without you interfering, Naruto and I have waited for these exams all our lives and you're not gonna take this chance from me!"
A small tear slipped down Sakura's cheek and she nodded in understanding as I turned my head back to the front, exhaling deeply. Naruto glanced over at me and frowned slightly, noticing how nervous I was.
"Ruka" he muttered, gripping my hand tighter "are you sure you're up for this?"
I turned towards him and grinned, Sasuke's words mulling through my head. Naruto has been waiting for this moment; I can't drop out.
"What choice do I have" I relpied sadly "if one of us leaves we all have to leave, then how will you become a...."
"That doesn't matter."
I gasped and stared at him surprised. That doesn't matter?!
"I thought" I said confused "you wanted to become a Chūnin?"
"I do" he said smiling "but I'd rather remain a Genin for the rest of my life then see you get hurt again."
I blushed and bit my lip. Naruto....does he really feel that way? I looked up at him and he gave me a closed eye smile.
"No" I said "it's ok. I'll stay and become a Chūnin. I can take care of myself."
Naruto nodded in understanding and turned back towards the front as the board started flicking between names. I don't know who I'm going to fight, but I'll do my best....for Naruto's sake.
The board stopped flickering and we all stared up at it as the two names appeared bright as day. Oh no.
Sasuke Uchiha
vs.
Yoroi Akadō
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Me: Hey guys! That's the end of chapter. 60, and I'm so happy! We're really getting into this story! Oh, and I hope you enjoyed it!
Naruto: I wonder who I'm going to fight, believe it!
Me: You'll see soon enough
Sakura: Hey in the anime doesn't Kabuto leave?
Me: Yeah but he's not leaving in the book because he'll be Ruka's opponent
Ruka: Is that so?
Naruto: Beat that guy up Ruka!
Ruka: Will do
Sakura: Story_of_Fate13 doesn't own Naruto
Me: Later guys!