The Winners

Back in the Chuunin Exam Stadium, everyone wondered where Naruto disappeared off to.

Enma, however, noticed that more and more people were getting up.

"Sarutobi!"

"Better wrap up, the people are waking up!" Enma said as he undid his summoning.

"Got it!" Hiruzen said as he looked towards Orochimaru.

Orochimaru understood the gaze instantly.

"Tsk!"

Orochimaru looked towards Sakon.

"Undo the barrier!" Orochimaru ordered.

"…" Sakon stared at Orochimaru for a moment, following which he looked towards the others on the battlefield.

"Undo the barrier!" Sakon ordered.

"Mm!" The remaining three of the sound four nodded.

*Sh!* The barrier got taken down.

….

"Hashirama, Lord Fourth!" Tobirama called out.

"Hmm?" The two looked towards Tobirama.

"Transform into ANBU units and report back at the office," Tobirama ordered.

"Got it!" Minato and Hashirama nodded.

(Poof!) The three transformed at once into the ANBU outfit.

Tobirama and Hashirama; however, walked towards Orochimaru after transforming.

"You are coming along with us!" Tobirama said.

"…" Orochimaru remained silent, not objecting to their orders.

(Whoosh!) Tobirama and Hashirama along with Orochimaru and Minato by himself all left in the direction of the Hokage building.

"Jiraiya!" Hiruzen called out following which he looked towards the Sound Four.

"Got it!" Jiraiya said as he walked towards Sakon.

"Follow Me!" Jiraiya said.

Sakon silently followed Jiraiya with the rest of his group behind him, as they left the arena as well.

…

"We should follow them too…" Kakashi said to Gai.

"Mm!" Gai nodded as they left the stadium along with Kabuto in tow.

….

"Sensei!" Tsunade called out.

"What is it?" Hiruzen asked.

"About Naruto, do you think we should leave the matter be?" Tsunade asked as she felt guilty for asking Naruto earlier.

"Tsunade…"

"As you know we were barely able to avoid this disaster just now, all thanks to Naruto."

"From Naruto's expression, you can make out that there is something far greater than this in store for the near future," Hiruzen said.

"…" Tsunade felt a bit relieved; however the same could not be said for Naruto.

"Return to your squad for now and report back in the office as soon as we clean up here," Hiruzen said as he walked away.

"Got it!" Tsunade nodded as she turned the other way around.

…

"Raidō!" Hiruzen called out.

(Whoosh!)

Raidō appeared beside Hiruzen.

"Go to Uchiha Sasuke and ask if he wants to battle," Hiruzen said.

"Is that all right, Hokage-dono?"

"After all this…?" Rasa asked.

"Well, the people and the feudal lords have arrived here today, not to mention we never know if there are any more hidden enemies, so best to finish everything here today," Hiruzen said following which he walked towards Rasa and brought his face near Rasa's.

"I have a feeling that the information to be revealed in the building, later on, might involve the entire ninja world as we know it, so I suggest Kazekage-dono to join us later," Hiruzen said.

"I'm happy that we are on the same side now…" Rasa said.

Hiruzen understood that Rasa was grateful towards Naruto for saving Rasa's life and his village from a major disaster.

("Naruto just where did you run off to…?") Hiruzen thought back to the moment when Naruto had vanished, but all he and the others saw was an Orange spark.

….

(Whoosh!)

Raidō appeared behind Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"Are you in a position to battle for the next round?" Raidō asked.

("Naruto left without warning, and they want me to battle against him…?") Sasuke thought as he turned towards the field where Naruto had faced the other Hokages…

——FlashBack——

"Sarutobi!" Hashirama called out.

"W-What is it… Lord First?" Hiruzen asked.

"I want you to help the boy out."

"I am sure he has his reasoning…"

"Isn't that right Naruto?"

"Or should I say…"

"Lord Seventh," Hashirama said, following which everyone's expression was frozen.

Not only on the battlefield but even Sakura, Shino, Kankurō, Temari, the other ninjas in the arena including Kakashi, Gai, Kabuto, Asuma, Kurenai, Hiashi, Zabuza, Haku, etc. were all shocked.

—-End of FlashBack——

("What happened in the time that I went for that battle with Kimimaro?") Sasuke thought as he tried to imagine Naruto at his peak battle power which he showed back in the forest.

("Will I be able to defeat that…?") Sasuke thought

Meanwhile…

("A battle after all this…?") The others in the balcony stared at Sasuke.

("Sasuke…") Sakura stared at him for an answer while also having complicated thoughts on Naruto.

————————————————

Somewhere in the grasslands…

(Whoosh!)

Naruto almost instantly appeared behind the grass ninja.

"Naruto!" Karin managed to wake up the moment Naruto came within her sensory range.

"Damn It!" The ninja cursed as he tried to pick up his speed.

"Where the hell do you think you are going?" Naruto asked as he shot a kunai to the front.

"Hmph!"

"One puny kunai!" The man turned around with Karin on his shoulder as he drew a kunai from his pocket to fend off against Naruto's incoming kunai.

(Clang!) The kunai's clashed, however, the man's eyes went wide as though he had seen a ghost.

It was Naruto, who instantly teleported upon the kunai's contact.

"Give her back!" Naruto sent a kick to the man's intestines.

*Blergh!* The man cringed in pain as he sent Karin flying vertically due to his reflex from the pain.

"Ah!" Karin let out a shout as she flew in the air.

She turned around to see Naruto on the ground with his hands wide open.

("He's here for me…") Karin thought as she suddenly felt her heart beat quicker…

*SH!*

Karin landed in Naruto's arms.

"Are you all right?" Naruto asked Karin.

Karin felt a soothing feeling as she stared at Naruto's deep blue eyes, almost falling into a trance.

——FlashBack ——

Karin and Hinata were walking on the way back from their Medical ninja training as usual…

"Hinata," Karin called out.

"Hmm…?" Hinata looked at Karin.

"Do you like Naruto?" Karin asked.

"…" Hinata stared at her with her face turning red as a tomato.

"mm.." She nodded timidly.

"What if another girl likes him?" Karin asked.

"…" Hinata stared silently at her.

After a few moments passed.

Hinata took a deep breath.

"Then, I would do my best to be the only one he looks at," Hinata said in a firm voice.

"Hinata…" Karin stared at her.

——End Of FlashBack——

"Oy, Karin!" Naruto called out again upon hearing no response.

"Yeah…"

"I'm all right…" Karin murmured.

"That's good to hear," Naruto said following which he walked up to the ninja.

Karin was in a daze as she stared at Naruto…

("Hinata,")

("I am unable to forget him after all") Karin thought back to the time she stared at the dandelions in Ino's flower shop which reminded her of Naruto.

There were many days where she would keep thinking about Naruto in those three weeks.

As the days passed by, her feeling would only become stronger.

…

"That's the grass village headband!" Naruto was shocked,

"Will we have to face that problem after all…?" Naruto murmured as he stared at the man who lost his consciousness.

*Sh!*

At this moment, Naruto was shocked,

He looked down to see two arms hugging around him.

"Thank You,"

"Naruto…" Karin said slowly as she hugged Naruto from the back.

Naruto felt somewhat sorry for her as well; after all, as an adult, he knew that these were feelings that had stemmed from him being there for her at the moment she required it the most.

(Whoosh!) Shibi and Tsume caught up finally.

"Lord se-" the two suddenly stopped upon seeing Karin next to Naruto.

"What are you doing here?" They asked.

Naruto looked at the two.

"I came to rescue her," Naruto said as he pointed to Karin who was beside him.

"Now, I must hurry back to the arena, so I am leaving you guys in-charge of the ninja there," Naruto said as he pointed towards the man who was unconscious on the grass.

——————————————-

Back in the balcony…

(Whoosh!)

Naruto appeared with Karin in tow.

"Naruto!" Sasuke and Shikamaru called out, while the rest stared at him, as though he was a monster.

"What happened?" Naruto asked.

"Oh,"

"You are just in time,"

"They are about to announce the names of the ninjas who became chuunin," Shikamaru said.

"What?" Naruto was surprised.

"Yeah…"

"Sasuke gave up when they asked him to battle, so you were declared as the winner of the tournament," Shikamaru said.

"WE HAVE THE LIST OF NINJAS WHO MADE IT TO BECOME CHUUNINS" Genma Announced.

Meanwhile, people were still cursing at Sasuke for giving up too early.

"THE NINJAS ARE…"

"UZUMAKI NARUTO!"

"NARA SHIKAMARU!"

"UCHIHA SASUKE"

"AND FINALLY GAARA OF THE HIDDEN SAND!" Genma announced.

"W-What…" Shikamaru stared in disbelief at Genma.

Naruto appeared behind Shikamaru and gave a pat on his back.

"You deserve it," Naruto said.

Shikamaru stared at Naruto.

("I would rather be a genin than to work my ass off as a chuunin") Shikamaru thought.

Soon the Chuunin exam event was over and Naruto along with Hiruzen, Tsunade and Rasa left in the direction of the Hokage's office.

———————————————

Back in the Hokage office building…

Minato was walking around the door repeatedly.

"What's with you?" Tobirama asked Minato.

"Hehe…"

"I guess I am impatient to meet my son," Minato said.

"I see…" Tobirama nodded.

Minato looked towards the door once again.

("Naruto, I have the best present for you…") Minato smiled in happiness.

*Door opens*

"Sorry I am late," Hiruzen said as he entered the room with Rasa, Naruto and Tsunade behind him.

("They are here…") Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Hashirama, and Tobirama looked towards the four who entered the room.