7 Bell Test-part two

[you can skip to chap 12 to avoid re-reading the parts of summoner of the league, it deviates starting from there.]

Perhaps, Naruto had to admit that using a new summoning formula, whose intricate design and functions were alien to him, was probably a rather, unreasonable use of resources in an exam against a jonin. Yet, Naruto had held the understanding that this jutsu was the same as any other jutsu. The smoke had clouded the area just like it would have for a quote-unquote regular summoning jutsu. However, Naruto was at least expecting something to come to his aid. When the smoke dissipated, he summoned nothing! All he had gotten for his troubles was a cloud of smoke.

Naruto's eyebrow twitched while Sasuke and Sakura, even Kakashi, waited for something to happen. Kakashi was the one with the most amused look on his face while Sakura and Sasuke blinked. Sasuke's was more out of a sudden interest than anything else. "Since when was the dobe capable of the summoning technique? Though judging by the effects. He screwed it up somehow," Sasuke thought to himself.

Naruto turned a small eye to the sealing formula on his right hand. Everything looked fine as far as he could tell. There weren't any smudge marks that could probably tamper with the summoning array. Did this have something to do with Annie and Ashe? Naruto wasn't exactly sure. Given how the two had been summoned by him, it seemed that they had the option to refuse to be summoned. Perhaps the two were having important matters to attend to that didn't allow them to be summoned right now. And maybe he could only summon those two

It was definitely one plausible theory Naruto had. However Naruto couldn't rule out the possibility of something happening to the summoning formula. Although as far as Naruto understood it, there was no one in Konoha who specialized in seals or summoning techniques, besides Jiraya. This left Naruto with an internal curse. He had a plan where he would have liked Annie's assistance, but that seemed to be off the table.

"Am…I to be waiting for something?" Kakashi asked, breaking Naruto out of his thoughts. Naruto sent a glare to the smiling jonin. Quickly he realized their predicament before reaching into his pouch. Naruto quickly grabbed a smoke bomb and slammed it into the ground covering the area in more smoke. It didn't take long for the smoke to dispel until Kakashi realized he was the only one in the fields. He narrowed his visible eye. "Well, it looks like despite that…interesting start, they all know how to hide. Let's see, Sasuke's over there. Sakura's over there. The only person I can't find is Naruto. Well, let's see what they can come up with," Kakashi thought to himself. Well, he was sure that he could handle three academy students. So…he took out an orange book and placed one of his hands in his pockets. He just had to bide his time.

Meanwhile, in another section of the forest, Naruto slammed his hand on the ground. He had made the attempt to summon Ashe and Annie one more time, but all he got was smoke in return. Naruto had thereby concluded that he wouldn't be getting any help from either Ashe nor Annie. Add to the fact that Naruto wasn't sure if or how he could summon anyone else, but given that some parts of the seal were now blackened and red then there had to have been something that he was missing. Still, the bad part was Naruto didn't have the time to think about it.

"I have to get to Sakura and Sasuke." Naruto said to himself as he stood. Just as he stood Naruto heard a piercing scream that sounded much like Sakura. Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Looked like Kakashi had his first victim. Okay, he had to get to Sasuke…and then maybe get to Sakura. Still, Naruto wasn't sure how he could help. His only technique was being blocked somehow. Naruto looked at his right hand before he clenched it. No matter. Uzumaki Naruto wouldn't let something so insignificant stop him. As Naruto dashed from where he was previously standing, he didn't notice the seal begin to brighten.

It hadn't taken Naruto very long to find Sasuke and if he were honest, if he weren't him, then he would have outright laughed in the Uchiha's face. He only settled for looking at the pride of the Uchiha clan buried up to his neck in dirt. Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other for a rather long time. Naruto gave a small sigh. "Discovered that you couldn't match a jonin, didn't you?" Naruto asked. Sasuke resisted the urge to scowl.

"Just get me out of here dobe!" Sasuke said with a growl. However to Sasuke's rising irritation, he watched Naruto kneel in front of him. Naruto knew he could dig up the Uchiha, but right now Sasuke was as restrained as Naruto was going to get him so he might as well have used this opportunity.

"Listen to what I have to say first," Naruto said. Now, generally Sasuke would have told Naruto to dig him out with more of a demand, but Sasuke wasn't really in the mood to try and dare he say he couldn't do anything without Naruto helping him anyway. It's not like he had much of a choice to listen to Naruto. So…Sasuke heard Naruto speak his possible theories. Each made Sasuke surprised at the sudden intellect he didn't know Naruto could have. Much as Sasuke loathed to admit it, he had come to see recently that Naruto actually had a knack for theory and strategy games. Sasuke couldn't deny that Naruto's theories held some type of weight. Even in his mind, Sasuke could…begrudgingly agree that even with his skills he couldn't fight a jonin…at least on his own. Once Naruto finished, Sasuke wasn't sure how to respond.

"Hn, and if you're wrong, what then? We'll all fail!" Sasuke said. Naruto eyed the Uchiha for a moment. He had to admit that what he was telling Sasuke to do was actually a huge jeopardy of interests, especially Sasuke's interests, but Naruto definitely knew that this was the best choice of action. He gave a short breath before staring into Uchiha Sasuke's eyes.

"Because I know that with how we're dong right now…none of us are going to get those bells and we'll all fail then. You trusted me when I told you about Kakashi's little test in us eating. I'm asking you to place that same trust in my judgment right now." Naruto said plainly.

Sasuke glared into Naruto's eyes for quite a long time, but finally he heaved out a sigh. If, and Sasuke sure as hell meant if, Naruto was wrong he was going to make sure Naruto never spoke like this again. However, for now, Sasuke just nodded…willing to go along with this…theory of Naruto's.

So, Naruto gave a nod and effortlessly dug Sasuke out of the pit. The two young men stood at the outer rims of the forest. Naruto looked back in the direction that Sakura was most likely in. "We'll need Sakura to cooperate as well. Despite her…tendencies she is still a pretty good shot. She got an 8 out of 10 in kunai and shuriken practice. She also has some logically sound strategies. I understand your opinion of her isn't the highest, but curb it for now." Naruto said. Sasuke gave a snort, but that meant his acceptance of Naruto's request even though he didn't like it.

"And what about you? Your little technique backfired back there. Do you have anything else?" Sasuke asked. Truth be told, Naruto did have the shadow clone jutsu, but that's his trump card. And he had the recently mastered with help of his clones, Henge, Kawarimi, and Bunshin technique, but how long those would last against someone like a jonin was yet to be seen. Naruto looked at his arm. He clenched it.

"I'll make it work. I promise!" Naruto urged as he walked off. Sasuke squinted for a short moment before he followed after Naruto to go and search for Sakura. They had to hurry. Obviously time was running out for all of them.

Naruto and Sasuke looked down at the ground. Or perhaps it was better to say who was on the ground. Sasuke and Naruto watched Sakura, unconscious. Naruto resisted the urge to sigh. "I remember reading that during the time of the Third Great Shinobi War, genin like us were capable of taking B and A-rank missions. I think our standards have fallen," Naruto said. Sasuke folded his arms.

"Wartime will do that," Sasuke added in. Naruto just nodded before motioning for the Uchiha to play the role of the prince and wake up the unconscious princess. Sasuke grunted before rubbing Sakura's shoulders. A quick groan and a small squeal later, Sakura quickly wrapped her arms around Sasuke nearly crying that he was quote-unquote…alright. Naruto could feel the glare coming from Sasuke for the ordeal. That glare amused Naruto.

With Sakura's…attitude dropping back to a reasonable level, Naruto and Sasuke quickly filled her in on Naruto's theories. In her mind, Sakura had to actually applaud Naruto for the sound judgment…as irritating as he was.

Despite her misgivings, Sakura just nodded. "Okay so how do we team up against him? Naruto's jutsu didn't work while Sasuke and I didn't last very long either. I think we're at the end of our rope," Sakura said dejectedly. Naruto turned back to the forest.

"Don't be so quick to give up Sakura. While he's a jonin, Kakashi's also human. He's not perfect and even he can make mistakes. Right now he knows he's essentially overpowered us in some way, he'll underestimate us. It's a given. All we need is one tactic that will break his perceptions of us," Naruto said. Sasuke and Sakura stood to their feet.

"What do you suggest?" Sasuke asked. Sakura was surprised to see Sasuke actually conceding…to Naruto of all people, but she figured that he knew what he was doing. Naruto tightened his right hand. Right now, the fact that he couldn't summon Ashe nor Annie had some weight on his mind, but he couldn't dwell on those two anymore. He needed someone, anyone that he could summon. He would revise the tactic but dammit he needed a summon to make it work.

Naruto felt the skin on his right hand burn as he looked down. He glanced down and noticed the had fully lit up in two places. Naruto turned back to Sasuke and Sakura. "Simple. We're going to make him pay for this mockery. This is how we will proceed…," Naruto said as his voice grew lower and lower. Sasuke and Sakura widened their eyes, but continued to nod.

Meanwhile, Kakashi rubbed the back of his head as he looked at the sun in the sky for a moment. It was close to the hour. He probably should have given them an extra hour, but they were already deep into the exercise. He couldn't just do that. Though given what hat happened in the last half of that hour, he doubted that these kids were going to really last any further. He had disabled Sakura with a D-rank genjutsu of the Uchiha near death. He then disabled the Uchiha who claimed himself to be…different from Sakura and Naruto. Oh, he was different alright. Kakashi admitted that Sasuke was talented in being able to catch him slightly off-guard with that Katon jutsu. He had actually almost touched one of the bells. Maybe Kakashi had taken that a little too seriously that time. He sighed, the only one he had yet to see was Naruto after the spectacle the blond made of himself with his failure at summoning…whatever he was trying to summon. Well, it was no skin off his bones if they all decided to give up. Much easier on him, actually.

Kakashi was brought from his thoughts when he heard the leaves rustle. He glanced down and noticed Naruto walking out into the plains. Kakashi doubted he would ever take the 'serious' look of a genin to heart, but the look in Naruto's eyes nearly made him put his book away all together. To walk out into the fields…where Kakashi could see him either told Kakashi that Naruto was either very confident or very stupid…maybe even both. He watched Naruto stand at the edge of the forest. "Where are your teammates?" Kakashi asked with an eye smile. Naruto frowned before snorting. Tactic number 1…begin.

"I don't need those idiots. I'm more than capable of taking you down on my own," Naruto said and Kakashi twitched before he sighed. Great, just like the Uchiha. What a group of students this was. Kakashi refused to give a sigh and only settled for a chuckle. Naruto frowned when he heard Kakashi's snicker.

"Say that after you get one of these bells. I doubt that if the Rookie of the Year couldn't get one, then the dead last would actually be worse off," Kakashi taunted. However Naruto didn't rise to that taunt. Actually in his mind, that wouldn't have been far off. Naruto was the dead last…for some other reasons, but he would have thought the same if he was in Kakashi's position. Yet, Naruto was going to shatter that logic.

"You would be surprised Hatake," Naruto said as he raised his right hand into the air. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. Looked like the blond was going to attempt another summoning. Kakashi shook his head, but smiled. When students had a jutsu that they liked they would continue to try it, even if there was doubt that it worked.

"Anyone, if I can summon anyone then grant me your strength. If only for a short while. Anyone, hear me!" Naruto pleaded as he raised his right hand into the air. Let it be known that Uzumaki Naruto was not known for his begging or pleading. However, he required a strength that wasn't his own just yet. He required skills that he didn't have yet. He required a partner who could help him out right now. For reasons, Ashe and Annie couldn't reply to his plea. However, if this summoning held any value…someone, anyone would hear him. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!" Naruto shouted as he slammed his hand on the ground. A vast amount of smoke exploded from upon the ground. From their places, Sasuke and Sakura widened their eyes as the smoke nearly covered the plains. Kakashi quickly jumped back as the smoke dispelled.

This feeling. Naruto remembered this feeling. The same feeling that Ashe and Annie gave him when he had first summoned them. He could feel his thoughts were filled with this person's memories. He could feel…their desire and at the same time their curiosity. Naruto watched the person turn. He could hear their names in his mind. Their light blue eyes so similar to Ashe's eyes connected with his own eyes. He glanced down at the person's body. Obviously a female in his eyes. She wore a single white chest plate that covered her feminine form. Her shoulders were weighted by golden armor pads. Her hands were covered in a gold armor band that protect her hands. Her dark green/blue pants fell down to her legs and the cape she wore fell down her backside as it flapped in the wind. The most notable thing was her short hair. Her black hair was only enhanced by the two strands of red hair that hung on the sides of her face. Her blade was absolutely stunning as it shined in the sunlight. However, that could not compare to her natural beauty and her natural deathly glare. She looked at him for an order. Naruto was happy to oblige. "Here is a worthy opponent. Go, Fiora." Naruto said. Fiora turned around and held her blade. A sharp grin appeared on her face. "At once, Summoner "