17 Departure!

Hurizen had just finished writing a letter that would be sent the the Raikage informing him that he would be sending a single genin to this years chunnin exams, which were starting in two weeks. He rolled the scroll closed after marking it with his personal signature and stamp before sitting back in his chair, lighting his pipe and taking a long drag from it.

He was both proud and impressed with narutos progress these last two and a half months. The boy had managed to master three of his five elements. He had mastered fire, wind, and water within the first month of jiraya being gone and instead of just focusing on mastering the other two elements he focused on building his jutsu arsenal with the elements he could control. Kakashi had willingly taken some time off from anbu in order to train the boy in some jutsu from his own arsenal along with going on a few C to low B ranked missions as a normal jounin in order to get the boy more experience.

When jiraya had come back a month later he was very pleased with the boys progress and had given kakashi an entire collection of icha icha books that were personally signed by said sannin, the white haired jounin almost had a heart attack over it too.

Jiraya had spent the last week training naruto in the sealing arts along with battle tactics. The boy was a natural born sealer too, when asked why he was so good narutos reply was ' I don't know, its as if the seals speak to me.. if that makes any sensei?' Both hurizen and jiraya knew that it was his uzumaki blood kicking in. The boy could now make most beginner seals with ease.

He also knew that naruto had also been busy with helping hinata create her own tijutsu style these last few months. He didn't know how it was truly coming along but he was excited to find out what the two kids would come up with, after all it wasn't easy to create a brand new tijutsu style.

Hurizen let out a sigh as he ordered his secretary to send the scroll out to kumo. He still had an hour an a half to make it to the gates in order to see his student and surrogated grandson off. So he decided to relax until he had to go meet up with them.

-with naruto-

Naruto was currently in his apartment packing a bag of essentials for his trip to kumo. Hinata and hinabi were sitting on his bed behind him as he folded and packed his clothes away in a dark green backpack.

"Are you sure you have to go aniki?" Hinabi asked with a pout.

Naruto let out a small chuckle." Yes im sure firecracker-chan. Ill only be gone for about a month or two." Naruto replied.

"That's such a long time!" Hinabi cried out as she plopped back on the mattress and stared up at the white ceiling.

Hinata let out a giggle at her little sisters antics." Maybe, but this is very important for him hinabi-chan." Hinata told the young girl."anyways, the chunnin exams final stage will be broadcast all over the nations. We'll be able to watch naruto-kuns matches." She tried to cheer the small girl up.

It apparently worked as hinabi jumped up to her feet and began jumping on his bed." True. But I already know anikis gonna win the whole thing!" Hinabi declared boldly.

"I thank you for your confidence hinabi-chan." Naruto stood up and put the bag on his back before walking over to the girl and poking her on the nose." But you need to remember, never underestimate an opponent" he told her with a small smile." For all I know there could be a gennin there thats far stronger than me. All we can really do is do our best and hope it all works out in the end" hinabi nodded her head in understanding.

" are you sure you packed everything?" Hinata asked the boy.

"Yup!" He replied."now then-" he reached into his pocket and pulled out his apartments door key and handed it to hinata." Im trusting you and hinabi to look after my place while im gone okay?"

"Of course!" Hinata gave him a smile as she put the key into her coat pocket." Alright lets go meet up with mom, I know she wanted to see you before you left."

"Lead the way hime!" Naruto said with an eye smile. Hinata blushed and began walking towards the door.

"Wait for me!" Hinabi called out as she jumped from the bed and on to narutos shoulders, wrapping her arms around his head in order to keep her balance.

Naruto just chuckled and fallowed hinata out of his apartment before fallowing her to her home. Once there naruto set hinabi on the floor as he closed the door behind him.

"Momma, were back!" Hinabi called out as she ran deeper into the house with naruto and hinata fallowing at a more sedated pace.

"Welcome back." Hitome said as she left the kitchen an met them in the living room. She gave hinabi and hinata a hug before turning to the blond and walking up to him." Youre growing up to fast naruto" she told him as she adjusted the collar of his shirt.

" am I?" He asked with a small tilt of the head. Hitome gave him a smile as she bent down and hugged the boy. Naruto was a little surprised by the hug but managed to hug her back.

"Whatever happens, wether you make it to the finals or not, know that I am extremely proud of you." She hugged him a bit tighter." But no matter what I want you to come back in one piece you hear me?" She questioned softly.

"Yeah, I hear you hitome-chan." Naruto replied just as softly. Hitome broke the hug and smiled down at him.

"So its time already huh?" Everyone looked to the living room entrance and saw hashi standing there with a small smile on his face. He walked forward and clapped naruto on his right shoulder." Im very proud of you naruto. Youre becoming a very talented shinobe." He told the boy.

Naruto chuckled and scratched the back of his head." Thank you hashi-sama." Naruto replied.

"No matter what, know that we are rooting for you and I do plan on watching you in the finals." Hashi told him.

"What if I don't make it to the finals?" Naruto asked quietly.

"You will. I have no doubt in my mind that youll pull through and win the exams." Hashi told him with absolute confidence.

" yeah no pressure or anything." Naruto replied with a deadpan, getting chuckled from everyone in the room.

They were interrupted by the sound of knocking coming from the front door. Hitome went to answer it and came back a few minutes later with jiraya fallowing behind the women with his arms crossed. The sannin looked at naruto and gave him a small grin.

"Well brat, you ready to go?" Jiraya questioned. Naruto adjusted his backpack before giving the man a small nod.

"Yeah I got everything packed up and ready." Naruto answered. Jiraya nodded and looked at everyone in the room before speaking.

"Well finish saying goodbye and lets get a move on. We got two weeks to get to kumo. Ill be outside waiting" with that jiraya left the room.

Naruto hugged hinata before facing hinabi who was starting to tear up. He knelt down and wrapped the kid in a hug as she started to cry.

" I don't want you to go big brother." She cried out into the boys chest.

" I know firecracker-chan." He replied softly as he rubbed the back of her head." Ill only be gone for a little while and youll be able to see my matches on the tv." He soothed the small kid." And when I get back ill take you and hinata-chan out to get some ice-cream and then we'll spend the day at the park. Sound like a plan?" He asked.

"Can I get vanilla ice cream with sprinkles on it? " hinabi asked with a sniffle. Naruto chuckled and nodded.

"Of course. Now you gotta stay here and look after everyone for me okay?" Naruto asked as he stood up and patted hinabis head as she nodded and wiped her eyes.

" okay I will!" She promised. Naruto turned around and hugged hitome before shaking hashis hand. After another round of goodbyes naruto met up with jiraya who was waiting for him on the front porch.

"Ready to go?" Jiraya asked.

"Yup, lets go." Naruto answered. The two left the hyuga compound and headed for the village gates. Once they got there naruto saw the tell tail red and white robed of the hokage waiting there for them." Old man?" Naruto called out.

Hurizen turned and faced the duo before smiling softly." Naruto-kun, jiraya " he greeted the two as they stopped in front of him." I wanted to come say goodbye and to wish you luck." He explained." Are you nervous?" He asked.

Naruto chuckled a bit as he scratched his cheek." Yeah im feeling nervous." He answered truthfully.

"Its only natural to feel nervous naruto." The third stated as he put his hand on the boys head and looked down at him." But I know that you'll be just fine." He added.

"Thanks old man, that means a lot to me." Naruto told him with a smile.

" now I wanna give you a warning." Hurizen took his hand off the boy and looked at him with a serious gaze, naruto gave the man his full attention." Youre the only gennin were sending so besides jiraya there will be no other leaf ninja there for you. The other gennin will be on teams of three or even four so you need to be careful." He explained." Last but not least I know that there will be at least one team there from iwa. Theres no doubt in my mind that they will be very hostile towards you so be sure to watch them closely, got it?"

"Yeah, ill be careful and ill watch my back. I promise old man." Naruto told him, getting a small smile from the hokage.

" now I wont hold you up any longer. Good luck naruto." Hurizen gave him a pat of the head before heading off back to his office.

"Well lets get a move on kid." Jiraya stated as he began walking out of the village gates.

" yes sensei!" Naruto quickly fallowed after the man.

-2 weeks later-

It had been two weeks since they left konoha and naruto and jiraya could finally see the entrance gate of kumo. Naruto had never been so glad to see another village in his life.

He didn't think the walk would be so bad but he was wrong! At first it was nice, seeing the different scenery and different villages along their rout. But that changed after they entered the land of lightning. The place was practically one big mountain that eventually carried them up higher and higher into the atmosphere. At first it was hard to breath since the air was thinner but once naruto got used to it he noticed how humid and damp everything was. Jiraya had said that it was because they were basically walking through clouds so everything was damper.

Another thing the blond noticed was how militarized the land of lightning really was. They had been stopped by at least twenty different shinobe check points from the time hed entered the country to now. Yeah the land of fire had different check point for civilians and shinobe to check in at but nowhere near as many as lightning had.

"Halt, identify yourselves!" A kumo gate guard ordered as the duo stopped at the gate. Jiraya handed the man two pieces of identification, one for him and one for naruto.

"My students taking the exams." Jiraya told the man." Were not late are we?"

The guard ignored his questioned and looked through the paperwork for a minute before handing them back to jiraya." Here-" he reached into his pocket and pulled out two red passes and handed them to jiraya." Youll need these passes in order to stay in the village. If you get stopped by any kumo shinobe show them that and you should be alright. Theres a hotel called 'the clouds rain' on the east side of the village, its where all chunnin exam takers are staying." The guard told them with a bored tone as if he was reciting his words from a pamphlet." If youre discovered attempting to entering any military building you will be either detained and questioned or out right killed. Last but not least, when the chunnin exams start tomorrow morning a chunnin will come and get you to lead you to the place youll be starting the exams at. Have a good day." The guard finished and walked back to his little guard shack without another word.

" that was enlightening." Naruto deadpanned. Jiraya snorted and handed the boy one of the passes. Naruto took the pass and clipped it onto the front left part of his shirt, right over his heart.

" lets just go get some food before heading to the hotel." Jiraya began walking into the village with naruto fallowing next to him.

After a bit of searching they found a restaurant and entered the place. Finding an open booth they sat down across from each other and searched through the menus that were placed on the table.

Not long after a waitress walked up to their table with a small notebook and pen in her hands." What can I get for you guys?" She asked with a smile on her face.

"Ill have some pork slices with a side of white rice please." Jiraya ordered.

The women scribbled in the notebook for a moment before looking at the blond." How about you sweetheart?"   She asked curiously.

Naruto looked up at her with a small curious tilt of his head before answering." Can I get a large steak with mashed potatoes please pretty lady?" Naruto asked innocently. Jiraya almost choked on his own spit when he saw the waitress blush a bit.

"Why of course you can you sweet boy!" She gushed as she pinched his masked cheek and cooed at him. She quickly scribbled his order down."ill be back soon with your food, anything to drink?" She asked.

" some sake for me please." Jiraya stated as he stared at naruto with narrowed eyes.

"Ill have a large soda please." Naruto answered.

"Ill be right back with your drinks." The waitress smiled happily as she walked off towards the kitchen area.

After she was gone naruto looked back at jiraya who was still looking at him." What?" He asked curiously.

"Don't what me you little brat!" Jiraya gave him a grin." What was that about?" He asked.

"What was what about?" Naruto asked.

"You just flirted with the waitress kid!" Jiraya gushed." Don't act like you didn't know what you were doing."

"Oh, that." Naruto nodded sagely." Some times acting like an innocent kid gets me free things. I found that older women think small kids are adorable and are more likely to give them free things." The blond explained.

"You little player you!" Jiraya chuckled.

"Heres your drinks" the waitress spoke up as she came to their table. She handed jiraya a bottle of sake and a small cup while handing naruto a glass full of soda." I also brought two chocolate chip cookies for the cute boy here" she laid a napkin in front of naruto that did indeed have to cookies on it. Naruto beamed up at her.

" you are a goddess trapped in human form pretty lady!" Naruto raised the girl.

"You are just two cute!" She cooed back at him." Ill be back soon with your food, enjoy your treat sweetheart." She gave naruto a little kiss on the cheek before heading back to the kitchen.

Naruto looked at a shocked jiraya." Told you." With that the boy picked up a cookie and ate it through his mask. It was something he made kakashi teach him last month. Naruto actually had his mask off but he had a small genjutsu over his face making it look like he still had his mask on. The genjutsu was actually pretty simple but most people just never noticed it. It was quite handy if he did say so himself.

-later that night-

Naruto and jiraya had made it to their hotel room. It was a small room with two twin sized beds in it, along with a bathroom that had a toilet, shower and sink. It wasn't much but it would do.

"Ill make some clones to keep guard." Naruto told the sannin who just nodded before falling face first onto a bed." Shadow clone jutsu." Three clones appeared next to him." I want two outside the door and one at the window." Naruto ordered.

"Yes sir!" The clones replied before going up in smoke. The smoke cleared and naruto saw that two of them turned into small spiders that quickly crawled out into the hallway to keep guard and the third clone had changed into a fly that flew over to the window and landed on the windowsill.

" time for bed!" Naruto spoke to himself as he went to the bathroom to change into his night clothes before turning the rooms lights off and lying in the only other free bed that the room had.