101 Chapter 101:

The chunin exams had now come to an end, having had the final exam finish with the drastic last ditched move by Muse of the hidden rain. Muse, who had even sacrificed his life in a kamikaze-type attack in an attempt to take out his opponents with him.

Kimimaro, Chika, and Iseto had all been caught in the center of the explosion, while Tomo and Seno had been caught on the outside of the explosion, taking heavy damage from the debris that had been kicked up from the blast.

The time for the exam had been called early due to the after mass and damage that had been done, with each team's current states of flags being taken into account.

Team Kimimaro had drawn first place with team Hattori, as both squads had two flags each. Thanks to Botan of the waterfalls efforts he had been able to steal both flags from Chika's squad as he took Horime by surprise and tied her up while the others were busy fighting.

Those injured had been rushed to the hospital, being attended to by the medics as quickly as they could. However, the question of how Kimimaro, Chika, and Iseto remained unharmed still hung in the air for most.

Fuyona already knew how Kimimaro had survived, knowing he was able to call upon the three tails and use his power to create a barrier of hardened coral that was able to protect both him and Chika from the blast.

However, Iseto's survival was still a mystery and one that even Fugaku Uchiha himself seemed surprised at. Fuyona found himself going over different possibilities in his head, with the result being the same each time he thought about it.

"Somehow the threat to his life must have triggered his mangekyou Sharingan, granting him some kind of ability that allowed him to survive the blast at point-blank range," Fuyona thought as he came to the conclusion, knowing that must have been the only possible answer as no one else had interfered from the outside.

After the exam, everyone had been gathered into a meeting hall where the Hokage was currently giving a speech to all the chunin that had survived the exams, telling them how well they had done and how they had made their villages proud to make it this far.

Fuyona and the other instructors stood to the side while the Hokage gave his speech. During said speech, he also told them that the decision of who would be promoted to chunin, would be made over the course of the next week by the exam officials and that the results would be sent to those who had been promoted.

Once the speech was done, Haku and Kaga headed to the hospital in the hidden leaf village where Kimimaro had been taken. Koyuki also joined them, finally having been allowed to regroup now the final exam was over.

Koyuki was happy to see Haku, having been made to wait in the apartment with Kaga while the boys attended the fianl exam alone.

"Haku!" She shouted as she ran over to him, not being able to help notice that he didn't have a scratch on him.

"So how did you do!" She then said as she punched him in the arm, getting only a small smile from him.

"I got disqualified I'm afraid." He said.

Koyuki was shocked, but couldn't help but notice his expression, knowing that something else was wrong.

"What is it Haku, where is Kimimaro." She then asked, noticing he wasn't here with them.

"Kimimaro is in the hospital, we are going to see him now." Kaga said, dropping the news.

"Kimimaro is... No way, he's so strong, don't tell me he lost!" Koyuki said not believing it.

"He didn't lose Koyuki, there was an accident... Well, more like someone used a kamikaze attack almost killing everyone close by." Haku said, correcting himself.

Koyuki was still shocked at the news, having more questions than before. However, Kaga placed a hand on her shoulder before she could ask them.

"Don't worry, I will let you in on all the details on the way to the hospital." He said, giving her a comforting smile.

Koyuki slowly nodded her head before she looked at Haku.

"Alright, tell me everything."

Meanwhile, Fuyona had accompanied the Hokage back to his office, where he and the other exam instructors could discuss the exam. Everyone was there from the chunin that helped in the first exam to the higher officials, including Danzo who had not witnessed the final attack of the hidden rain ninja.

"Thankfully, only a small handful of lives were lost this time around. Make sure those who lost their lives during the exams have their corresponding villages notified." Hiruzen then said as he looked at the list of those who had been killed.

"Yes sir." Said the Anbu who took the paperwork from him before he left the office.

"That's a very small number considering it was the chunin exams. Last time more than double that were killed." Danzo suddenly spoke from across the other side of the room.

Some of the others seemed to agree, yet some chose to remain quiet. However, no one responded and simply waited for the Hokage to speak.

"Anyway, on to the matter at hand." He said choosing to also ignore Danzo's words rather than answer them.

I would like each of you to submit a report on those who took the exam. I want to see who should be recommended to become chunin from each of you. Leave no details as to why out either." The Hokage said, keeping a close eye on everyone in the office.

Everyone nodded in understanding as the Hokage then dismissed them, allowing everyone who would be leaving to stand and vacate the office, leaving only Hiruzen, Fuyona, Danzo, and Fugaku.

"You wished to see me Lord Hokage?" Fugaku asked once everyone else had left the room.

"Yes, Fugaku. How is Iseto doing?" The Hokage asked.

Fugaku didn't give anything away in his expression as he simply folded his arms.

"He is still asleep. However, his body shows no sign of injury which is still causing everyone to ask the question of how. But the doctors are happy for him to leave once he wakes up, it's just a matter of when."

"That's very good news," Hirzuen said as he interlocked his fingers.

Fugaku could tell that they wanted to know how he had survived the blast at point-blank range without so much as a scratch, but in all honesty, he had no idea himself.

"Is there anything else you need?" He then said, having nothing else to tell them as he decided to cut their meeting short.

"No, you may go Fugaku, thank you." The Hokage then said, offering him a smile.

Fugaku gave a slight bow of his head before he left the office, leaving just the three of them now.

"Do you not find it strange how the boy was able to survive such a jutsu at point-blank range Hiruzen?" Danzo asked, not wasting any time.

Hiruzen sighed as he placed his hand into his pocket looking for his pipe.

"It's nothing sort of a miracle if I do say so myself." The Hokage said as he started to place some tobacco into the pipe.

"They are getting stronger." Danzo said, not liking the whole thing one bit.

"Now is not the time, Danzo." Hiruzen said, knowing where Danzo was going with this.

Danzo knew that he had already said to much as he let his worry for the village get the better of him.

Fuyona knew exactly what Danzo was thinking. And he knew exactly what he had planned for the Uchiha, as well as both Itachi and Shisui with their up-and-coming assassination mission of the former Anbu captain that would set everything in motion.

"Very well, I shall excuse myself, if you don't mind, "Fuyona said, deciding it best that he vacate the room, leaving the two of them to their little meeting.

"Of course." The Hokage said, knowing that it was best he leave, but not wishing to say it as to seem rude.

Danzo didn't say anything, still not seeming to trust Fuyona, or anything to do with the alliance between their villages at all.

With that Fuyona walked out of the office, closed the door behind him, and entered the hall. On either side of him were two Anbu guards belonging to the Hokage, one of them being Kakashi and another someone Fuyona had never seen.

Fuyona smiled at Kakashi, giving him a slight nod before he turned and walked away, leaving Kakashi surprised as he watched him go.

Now that the chunin exams were over, Fuyona had no real reason to stay in the hidden leaf village. All of the paperwork had been done, and the arrangements were completed on both sides for things such as trade, open travel between villages, and other things that an alliance between villages offered.

The only thing left to do now was to go and see Kimimaro in the hospital and make sure he was healing alright before they returned to the hidden mist. Other than that, the next big event in the Naruto world would be the massacre of the Uchiha clan.

Something that weighed heavy on Fuyona's mind and something which he still wasn't sure of how he should handle yet. If he decided to interfere with Itachi's mission, the result could be something catastrophic, however, if he decided to leave things to take their natural course, would it really work out how things were supposed to. Fuyona had even asked himself the question, did he even want things to take their natural course. Or should he put a stop to all it before any of it happens?

Either way, each choice had the potential to course huge changes in the world. On one hand, if the Uchiha were killed by the hands of Itachi, he would leave the village and become a member of the Akatsuki, playing the role of a double agent and allowing the timeline to go on as planned, kind of.

On the other hand, if the Uchiha were left to live, they could revolt against the leaf village, take control of the ninetails which would result in Naruto's death, and even potentially kick start the next war ten years early, giving the other villages an opportunity to attack while they started a civil war within the land of fire, making them a target for all.

The Uchiha were a powerful clan indeed, having the potential to course a large power vacuum in the world wherever they decided to go. Now either way he had a very important decision to make on what he wanted to do in this world, and if it was the right thing to do.

Fuyona had become lost in thought and found himself walking through the streets of the hidden leaf, having dressed in a small disguise so that no one would recognize him.

He found it nice to take a stroll every now and again, helping to see how people went about their daily business without the pressure of a Kage looming over them. After all, it tended to make them act a little bit differently from how they would normally act, especially in the hidden mist.

thankfully, his identity to normal people was a secret. Only high-level ninja really knew the true identity of Kage in this day and age, it was not really something that ordinary people knew about all too much, other than the Kage of their own village of course.

Fuyona watched as the villagers of the hidden leaf made their way through their life, some having no care in the world other than what they were currently doing. Children ran through the streets as they played with one another, causing the odd bit of mischief as they did. The sun was shining brightly and the atmosphere in the village hidden in the leaves was peaceful.

Fuyona headed over a bridge that crossed the river flowing through the village, taking him to a small park where many children played.

Suddenly all of the children started to yell, seeming to direct their cries at a single person before they all ran off. Fuyona couldn't help but take a look at what was going on, seeing the target of their bullying.

He could see a small child with blond hair, blue eyes, and strange whisker-like marking on his cheeks, which of course, Fuyona recognized instantly.

"Naruto..." He said with a small smile coming to his face.

All this time in the Naruto verse and he had yet to meet the main character himself, only now after all these years had he finally crossed paths with him.

Fuyona couldn't help but notice the look on his face as the other children ran away from him as if he was a monster.

Fuyona understood his pain, having experienced something similar himself when he was younger. He watched as Naruto sat on a swing alone, trying to cheer himself up as he kicked off the ground ever so slight looking down at the ground.

Fuyona couldn't help himself, heading over towards him as he felt a need to make the kid feel better.

"Hey kid, do you need a push?" Fuyona asked.

Naruto looked in shock not having noticed him standing right in front of him.

"Me?" He said after a moment as he took a good look at the man before him.

"Well, do you see anyone else here?" Fuyona said flashing him a smile to help put him at ease.

The shocked expression on Naruto's face quickly faded, turning into a large smile on his face.

"Of course mister!" He then said.

Fuyona nodded and walked behind him, giving him a slight push so that his swing picked up a little more speed. Naruto laughed as he kicked his legs out helping to gain even more speed before Fuyona pushed him again.

"May I ask why you are here alone, don't you have any friends to play with?" Fuyona asked after a moment.

Naruto stopped kicking his legs and used them to stop himself from swinging as he dug them into the ground.

"I have friends... I-I just like to play by myself sometimes, believe it!" He shouted, turning around to look at Fuyona.

"Is that so?" Fuyona said as he looked into the boy's blue eyes.

"Yeah! And besides. One day I'm gonna become the Hokage, then everyone will be my friend and look up to me! Believe it!" He said with a determined look in his eye.

The boy's words echoed through Fuyona's mind as they had done so many times before when he had watched the anime. Yet hearing them in person seemed to tug differently on his heartstrings.

"I tell you what," Fuyona said as he crouched down so he was the same height as Naruto, looking into his eyes once more.

"From this day on, I will be your friend."

Naruto had a shocked expression on his face, not being able to hide his surprise that someone actually wanted to be his friend.

"You want to be my friend?" Naruto asked softly.

"That's right kid. Of course, I will be your friend." Fuyona said as he extended his fist.

Naruto looked at Fuyona's hand for a second as he wasn't sure how to react.

"Well come on, don't leave me hanging here kid."

Naruto shook his head quickly and extended his own fist, bumping it with Fuyona's with a large smile on his face.

"Alright, mister, from today on we are friends!" Naruto said.

Fuyona watched as Naruto's small fist-bumped off of his own, feeling his chakra connect with his for just a moment. However, even such a small moment was enough for him to feel the hatred and anger of the ninetails flow through him, having sensed that he too was a jinchuuriki.

Fuyona slowly stood up to his full height before looking down at Naruto who had a bright smile on his face.

"So what would you like to play first?" Fuyona then asked, getting an excited reaction from Naruto.

A while passed as Fuyona played games with Naruto, keeping the boy entertained and happy. However, his time had soon come to an end, knowing that he needed to get to the hospital to see Kimimaro.

He had enjoyed his time playing with the boy, and in such had learned a lot about him.

"Come on mister, play with me some more!" Naruto shouted as he charged toward Fuyona, getting ready to tag him.

Fuyona smiled and allowed Naruto to tag his arm, pretending he was too slow to avoid him.

"Oh no, you got me," Fuyona said before he stopped.

"But I'm afraid I'm out of time Naruto." He said, causing Naruto to also stop running.

"You mean you gotta go already?" He asked, trying not to get down as he placed his hands behind his head.

"I'm afraid so," Fuyona said.

"But we didn't finish our game of tag," Naruto said as he placed his hands behind his head.

Fuyona nodded.

"Yes, you're right. I tell you what, next time I visit, I will come and see you and we can play tag for a whole day?" Fuyona said.

Naruto quickly perked up as he opened his eyes.

"You mean it!" He shouted in excitement.

"Of course," Fuyona said as he extended his fingers.

"It's a promise."

Naruto looked at his hand and reached out, taking his little finger in his own.

"Its a promise," Fuyona said with a kind-hearted smile, one that Naruto could tell was genuine.

"See you later Naruto." He said as he prepared to head off.

"W-wait! You never told me your name." Naruto suddenly shouted, causing Fuyona to turn back and look at him.

"Of course... How silly of me." He said as he ran his hand through his hair.

"My name is Fuyona Yuki. It's a pleasure to meet you Naruto."

Naruto couldn't help but feel a sudden inspirational shiver run through his body as he looked at his new friend.

"You too Fuyona, make sure you come and play with me again soon!" Naruto shouted as he waved goodbye.

Fuyona smiled one last time before he walked away.

"I will."

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Alright that's the end of this chapter! So out MC has finally come face to face with Naruto himself!

Yes it only took 100 chapters to make it happen hahaha

Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and as always thank you for supporting the story, Have a great weekend!

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