Chapter 11

"I want to fight you Uchiha Sasuke," said Lee from behind team 7.

Sakura jumped slightly at being sneaked up on.

"I am sorry but no," said Sasuke, "I do not want to risk disqualification for my team. If we fight it will have to be sanctioned during the exams."

"What's up Lee," said Naruto.

"I accept your decision," said Lee slightly downtrodden. "Hello Naruto-kun."

"This is my other teammate Sakura-chan."

Lee looked at her and had hearts in his eyes. He was instantly standing before her. "You're very pretty, will you go out with me?"

"No," said Sakura instantly crossing her arms and making an 'X' in front of herself trying to create a barrier between herself and the boy with crazy clothes and giant-ass eyebrows.

Naruto laughed sympathetically. "Don't feel bad gejimayu, I asked her out all the time and she always said no to me too. I think she might actually have a crush on Ino." He whispered the last part with a laugh cause he knew it would get a rise out of Sakura.

Sakura meanwhile clenched up. It was easy to see she was very angry. Then she screamed in frustration. "Just for that Naruto... Just for that... Fine, Lee, after the exams if we're both still alive I will go on one date with you. You'd better impress me or else..."

Naruto's jaw dropped.

Lee fainted with a giant smile on his face.

Sasuke was already gone.

"That just totally backfired," said Naruto in shocked disbelief as he watch Sakura storm away angrily.

"Oi, Naruto, what did you do to Lee?" called out Tenten coming down the hallway.

"I'm not really sure," said Naruto still trying to process what just happened. "Lee asked Sakura-chan on a date and she turned him down. I knew she would because always turned me down too or at least she used to. I made a joke out of it saying I think she likes girls. And then... And then... I guess I pushed her too far cause she changed her answer to yes. I think Lee just fainted. But still, she said yes to gejimayu. How did this happen?"

Tenten meanwhile was cracking up. She was holding her sides from laughing so hard.

"That will teach you," said Tenten finally catching her breath from laughing so hard.

Naruto clicked his tongue. "No shit. That totally backfired. I expected her to wallop me like she usually does when I'm a smartass."

"Anyway, good luck in there, I'll take care of Lee," said Tenten.

"You too," said Naruto with a wave as he turned and ran to catch up to his team.

"Naruto, glad you could join us," said Kakashi with a laugh. Apparently he'd been filled in on what just happened by Sakura.

"Laugh it up chuckles," said Naruto irritatedly.

Kakashi barked out an intentional laugh just to mess with him.

Naruto swung playfully at Kakashi who just leaned left slightly to dodge the swing.

"Anyway," said Kakashi, "Sakura-chan is in charge of overall team strategy while not in combat. In the event you are ambushed by another team Naruto you're in charge until the combat comes to an end. In the event you are ambushing or just run into another team and have to fight Sasuke is in charge of the strategy."

"Yes Kakashi-sensei," the three genin saluted.

"Two things. First, look underneath the underneath and second, remember you're a team until I say otherwise," said Kakashi, his book nowhere to be seen.

With that the trio entered the exam room and looked around. They spotted the other rookie teams but also a lot of other shinobi from all over the world. There was the team from Sunagakure that Naruto had run into with Konohamaru. Thinking about meeting that team made Naruto chuckle as he remember Konohamaru's jokes about the kitten make-up boy. There were teams from Amegakure, Otogakure, Takigakure, and Kusagakure. There were also a lot of teams from Konohagakure that Naruto didn't know or recognize.

"Yahoo!" shouted Kiba recognizing team 7. "Hey, everybody's here."

"Yo," said Naruto with a simple salute mimicking Kakashi. He and his team walked over toward where the other rookie teams were assembled.

"Troublesome," sighed Shikamaru. "Why did you guys have to be here?"

"Cause I'm a bad-ass and this wouldn't be much of an exam without me," answered Naruto without missing a beat.

"Ha!" barked Kiba. "Yeah right dead-last!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Kiba. "A lot has changed since the academy days dog-breath."

"Once a loser, always a loser," barked Kiba inconsiderate of anyone around him, even his teammates, or more specifically Hinata.

"Shut up dumb-ass," said Ino bashing Kiba in the head.

"What the hell Ino?"

"You're totally rude," said Ino with a frown. "We know that nothing that happened in the academy means shit you asshole. SIPA should have taught you that if nothing else."

Kiba rolled his eyes, "I'm sure they told him he'd make a great living shield for Sasuke.

"Not cool dog-breath," said Naruto defensively. He knew he was feeling angry about that comment and it was taking a lot of control not to go kyuubi on his ass just then.

"Alright that's enough you maggots. Shut your asses up, it already stinks in here," ordered a jounin entering the room. "My name is Morino Ibiki. I'll be the proctor for this exam. Everyone is to come up and take a test. Then you will sit in the chair that corresponds to the number on the test you're given."

Naruto and the rest of those present followed orders.

"You have one hour to answer 10 questions. If you're caught cheating you will lose a point. If you lose more than 2 points you will be automatically disqualified. At the end of one hour the tenth question will be given. Begin now."

Naruto had to shake his head and focus on what the man said again. He was pretty sure he said it was okay to cheat but if you're caught twice you fail. Cheating was something Naruto knew how to do. The question was, how was he going to cheat to get the answers. There were a lot of eyes watching as Naruto scanned the room. Then the first team was eliminated followed quickly by four more teams. He really needed to not be seen for a few minutes and as that thought occurred he smirked. It would be obvious he cheated but no one would be able to prove it conclusively. He just had to wait for his neighbor from Amegakure to finish cheating, assuming he didn't get caught. His alternative was the genin with blood red hair from Kusagakure sitting in front of him.

"You can copy from me," whispered a voice next to him.

Naruto glanced at Hinata and smiled. That could work too but he'd have to wait to not make it obvious.

"Just wait a few," whispered Naruto back.

Hinata nodded imperceptibly.

The boy on Naruto's left was then eliminated leaving it to either the red head in front of him or risk Hinata if his plan didn't work.

Hands under the desk Naruto had suddenly surrounded himself and the girl in front of him with a wall of wind. Pulling on a little of kyuubi's chakra to turn his eyes red.

"Hello little girl," he said in a deep dark voice.

Said girl turned back to look at him shaking a little. She swallowed when she looked at him trying once to break a genjutsu. "Kai."

Naruto chuckled darkly. "What's your name little girl?"

"Uzumaki Karin," she stuttered out terrified.

Naruto suddenly stopped with the dark evil approach and let go of the kyuubi chakra. "Seriously? You're an Uzumaki?"

The girl blinked. "Huh?"

"Are you really an Uzumaki?" he asked again with a smile this time.

"Why?" she asked still nervous.

"Just answer," said Naruto impatiently.

"Yes, I am, why?"

"Did your parents hide in Kusagakure after the fall? Or were you kidnapped as a child or something?"

"I don't understand, why does it matter?"

Naruto raised eyebrow. "I can go back to the evil thing if you prefer."

Karin swallowed thickly once. "Kusagakure took me in as a child after my mother was killed by bandits."

"Where did you live?" asked Naruto. He couldn't imagine anyone with history with Uzushiogakure would settle anywhere but Hi no Kuni given their close ties.

"Just inside the Hi no Kuni border," said Karin.

"Hmm," Naruto hummed in thought. "As clan head of the Uzumaki ichizoku I claim you as Uzumaki. I will have an exchanged worked out with Kusagakure to have you officially transferred to your clan's official home of Konohagakure as we are currently allied with Kusagakure."

"Wha...?" was Karin's eloquent response.

"Yep, I'm Uzumaki Naruto," said Naruto with a giant grin. "Welcome home. Now about this test. Mind if I copy your answers. I'm sure the jounin out there are pissed about now."

Karin blinked again. "You're Uzumaki? But how? I thought I was the last."

"So did I," said Naruto with a grin. "I know my mom was from Uzushiogakure. Jiji said there might be other survivors out there but he didn't know where or if there were any. He promised that if I ever found another Uzumaki he would do whatever he could to help me reestablish our clan here."

"So you're really Uzumaki then?" she said as she closed her eyes.

Naruto felt her chakra as she probed him. He was really happy to see the smile bloom on her face.

"You're really family," she said. It wasn't a question this time.

"Yep, so about that test," said Naruto, "I can keep this barrier up for hours but we've only got so much time left to finish the test."

"Of course Naruto-sama," said Karin overjoyed to have found family.

"Just Naruto," he said, "I don't go for formality. It's not really our families way."

"Oh thank goodness," said Karin breathing a sigh of relief as she handed him her test which he quickly copied down.

With one last grin to each other they both looked back forward while Naruto dropped the barrier pretending nothing happened in spite of all the people looking at him.

"Isn't that cheating?" asked one of the genin.

"Hey, I just wanted some privacy," said Naruto with shrug before putting his hands behind his head and putting his feet up on the desk.

"What, were you making out with her or something?" barked the all too familiar voice of Kiba.

Naruto had to restrain himself from leaping across the room and throttling the guy.

The killing intent from Karin directed at him was more than enough to placate Naruto for the moment.

"Silence," order Ibiki frowning. Technically it was only cheating once but because he could not see inside the barrier he had no way to know what actually happened. He almost smirked at how smart it really was.

"Cheat again any of you and you're all gone," said Ibiki firmly and thoroughly annoyed to have his rules interpreted that way.

Finally the hour had passed. "Time for the final question. However there is a new rule, a rule of desperation. If you take this question and get it wrong you will remain genin forever."

Naturally there was a lot of murmur through the genin.

"Or you can quit now and try again some other time," said Ibiki, stone-faced as usual.

Naruto frowned to himself. It was a stupid rule. As if he could ever become Hokage if he ever gave up. He looked around amazed by all the genin giving up. He noticed Hinata looking hesitant so looking her in the eye he shook his head and smiled. It was a small gesture but it was enough to convince her to stay the course.

Once the genin stopped surrendering Ibiki spoke again. "For those that remain, congratulations on passing the first phase of the chuunin exams."

"What do you mean we pass? What about the tenth question?" demanded the girl from the Sunakagure team Naruto met the other day.

Naruto snorted and laughed at their confusion. This was something he and jiji talked about often.

"Something funny genin?" asked Ibiki.

"Well duh, the tenth question was if you were going to take it or not. You can't be a coward and give up without even trying. How can you ever lead anyone if you just give up at the first hint of trouble? Honestly, those dumb-asses that quit should never be allowed to become chuunin. I sure as hell wouldn't follow their lead," said Naruto as if it were common sense.

"Damned right," said Ibiki with a smirk and a hint of pride. "I hope you the rest of you were listening. Stepping up to the fight is the first step in becoming a chuunin. The next part will tell us if any of you can make it happen."

"Incoming," shouted a voice from the window which exploded open as a body came tumbling in pinning a sheet up behind her.

"I'm Mitarashi Anko," said the woman. "I'll be the examiner for the next part of the exam."

Naruto smiled, he liked this chick's style.

"Follow me," she said as she walked out the door. Whatever she said before that was lost on Naruto as he was thinking of ways to use her entrance and improve it.

They walked for a while until they ended up before a very large fenced area.

"Welcome to my home away from home, this is training area 44. Lovingly known as the Shi no Mori." (Forest of Death)

"I like her," said Naruto with a laughing grin. As the last word left his mouth he had to tilt his head quickly to the right to dodge a kunai.

"Little genin that don't pay attention are most likely to die first," said Anko hugging him from behind sending chills down his spine.

Naruto shrugged lifting one of her breasts with his shoulders. As soon as he realized what he did his cheeks pinked slightly.

"I believe you dropped this," said a third voice behind Anko. This one through sent an entirely different kind of chill down Naruto's spine.

Naruto sniffed the air wanting to be sure he could recognize the scents and if at all possible avoid the second scent. He was confused though by how similar the two smelled. He guessed it could have been a plant like in the first test but all of the plants there were Konohagakure shinobi. It made him very nervous and uncomfortable. He would have to ask Mitarashi-sensei even if it did spoil the test some.

"In a minute you will enter the tent as a team to collect a scroll and sign a death release because some of you will die in there. If not to each other then to the forest itself," explained Anko as she entered the tent.

Team 7's turn finally came up and they entered the tent. They signed the forms and took their scroll of heaven. However before they left Naruto had to ask his question.

"Are there plants again like in the first test?"

Anko quirked an eyebrow at the boy. "Why?"

"That other genin, the one that came up behind you. I was wondering if it was a clone or something?"

"What makes you think it was a clone?" asked Anko narrowing her eyes.

"I thought maybe it was a water clone or mud clone 'cause that genin smelled a lot like you but more... earthy," explained Naruto.

"How exactly did we smell alike? What exact smell?" demanded Anko. It was clear it was upsetting her.

"Umm," sputtered Naruto nervous about how upset she was clearly becoming, not because of the killing intent but more because of the clear anger in her eyes.

"Speak!" she ordered loudly grabbing him by the throat.

"Snakes," squeaked Naruto as his face began to turn purple.

Anko's eyes widened. "Stay here. Do not move!"

She opened the flap of the tent and signaled one of the chuunin to come inside. "Signal the Hokage, code 3 break-in. Do it quietly, do not draw attention. I'm sure calling you in here has already called enough attention as it is. Be quick and take back up. You have to get to the Hokage immediately."

The chuunin nodded nervously as he ducked out, signaled another chuunin, and together they both vanished.

"We wait here," said Anko sternly seeing the confusion on their face. "If what you told me is correct then you just identified an S-rank nukenin."

"Do I get the bounty?" asked Naruto curiously earning a laugh from Anko.

"If you're right and we're able to capture or kill him here I'll take your virginity and be your personal fuck toy for the rest of my life," said Anko with a laugh. Then she laughed harder as Naruto's nose started to bleed ever so slightly.

Sakura naturally started to fume at the provocative woman making such a bold, and in her opinion, very inappropriate promise.

Sasuke was even slightly upset though what upset him was hard to tell.

It was only a moment later the Hokage flanked by two ANBU entered the tent.

"Verify code 3 break-in," said the Hokage immediately.

"A possible infiltration by Orochimaru has been identified by genin Uzumaki Naruto via scent comparison."

"Genin Uzumaki Naruto, report," said the Hokage completely serious.

Naruto knew immediately this was not the time to joke with his jiji. "Mitarashi-sensei had warned me after I didn't pay as close attention to her speech as I should have. She ended up behind me talking in my ear. Then a Kusagakure genin came up behind her. They talked momentarily. I wasn't focused on what they were say but how similar their smell was. They both smelled strongly of snakes but the Kusagakure genin was slightly different, maybe fresh blood and mud or dirt. I'm not an Inuzuka so I can't be completely certain but I'm sure they both had similar scents."

The Hokage nodded. "It's enough to warrant a one-on-one conversation."

The Hokage turned and walked out of the tent signaling those present to follow him out.

Naruto noticed how tense the Hokage was as well as how tense the ANBU surrounding him were.

The Kusagakure genin looked at the group now approaching and grinned. "I was overconfident." The genin then detonated his body taking out his teammates and sending shrapnel and mud flying. The visiting genin were scattering away from the blast. Luckily most were clear of the blast but many of them got a few cuts and scrapes.

"That was messed up," said Naruto ringing out his ear.

"ANBU, scour the area. Make sure he is not inside the testing grounds. I want the village on high alert immediately. I want flares up if anyone spots Orochimaru," Sarutobi ordered springing into action. "Attention all visiting genin, this exam is postponed 48 hours. Please return to your homes and hotel rooms. You will be under guard at all times until this security threat has been resolved."

"Umm jiji," said Naruto meekly. He wasn't sure if this was the right time to talk to him but he knew he would have to speak to him sooner rather than later.

Sarutobi frowned at Naruto's choice of address in that moment but turned to him all the same. "Yes genin Uzumaki?"

Naruto got the hint to speak formally. "Hokage-sama, when you have a few minutes I need to talk to you about something else."

"I will have an ANBU collect you tomorrow at 1:00pm from your apartment. For now go home and wait," ordered Sarutobi.

"Yes Hokage-sama," responded Naruto with a polite bow before stepping back, turning away and running for home. It wasn't difficult to spot the various chuunin that were tasked with following the genin.

BREAK

"How the hell did they know?" demanded a very angry shinobi. "They could not have found the bodies that fast."

"I do not know Orochimaru-sama," said Kabuto kneeling and to an extent praying he wasn't about to lose his head.

"It must have been someone on the Uchiha's team," said Orochimaru with a sneer as he continued pacing angrily.

"From the Uchiha's team?" questioned Kabuto adopting a thoughtful look.

"What do you know?" demanded Orochimaru.

"It could be a coincidence. But when I broke cover to steal those documents it was the kyuubi brat that chased me down and slowed my escape long enough for the ANBU to catch up. I believe the kyuubi brat is on the Uchiha's team," explained Kabuto hoping it would be enough to save his life.

"Do you think he tracked you by scent? Or is he a sensor? Somehow that boy either recognized me or felt something off about me to raise suspicion enough to call in that old bastard."

"I do not know, as you are aware I was unable to escape with the intelligence and the runner was killed before he could put any distance between us," said Kabuto.

"Tell those three I want the kyuubi brat dead," said Orochimaru with venom in his voice.

"What of the Uchiha?"

"If he makes it to the finals I will approach him during the training break," said Orochimaru smirking ever so slightly.

"That may be difficult," said Kabuto nervously. "I've had troubles tracking his activity since he became a genin."

"Difficult? Why?"

"I believe Danzo may have his claws in the boy," said Kabuto more nervous than before.

Orochimaru snarled. "They won't be able to hide him forever. I will have the boy."

"Perhaps... What if you were to send a message?" asked Kabuto with a smirk.

"Hmm... I'm sure Itachi would be interested to hear," said Orochimaru coldly.

BREAK

"Now Naruto-kun," began Sarutobi with a kind smile. "I'm sorry about yesterday but it was a very serious situation. I know you've been working on reading the atmosphere, keep working on it as you still have a ways to go it would seem."

Naruto ducked his head embarrassed and scratched at the back of his head. "Sorry, I thought it was okay at that point. I'll be more careful in the future."

"Let us both be glad that you chose to be quiet so not many heard you talk to me that way," said Sarutobi with a grin for the boy. "Now, what is it you needed to talk to me about?"

"I found an Uzumaki," said Naruto with a proud grin and a thump on his chest with his fist.

"Oh, did you now?" asked Sarutobi intrigued.

"Yep," said Naruto excitedly. "Her name is Karin and she's currently a Kusagakure shinobi. She was taken after her village and parents were killed."

"And you're sure she's Uzumaki?" asked Sarutobi.

"Yep, definitely. She has the red hair and her chakra. When I felt it... She was definitely family."

"And I assume you want me to do something about it?" asked Sarutobi with a smirk.

"You promised you'd help me if I found any family," said Naruto. "We're allied with Kusagakure right? So we should be able to work out an exchange right?"

"I'm sure they would trade her relatively cheaply if she's been claimed by her clan head," said Sarutobi with a knowing look at Naruto.

"Already done," said Naruto. "I paid attention when you were teaching me all about clan laws and traditions when we talked about what I needed to do to restore the Uzumaki clan to Konohagakure. I'm really glad too, this gets Uzumaki one step closer to being recognized as part of Konohagakure as a formally recognized ichizoku."

"I'll send a message to their taichou shinobi and start negotiations," said Sarutobi.

"Thanks jiji, you're the best," said Naruto enthusiastically.

"Now off with you, I have more work to do," said Sarutobi with a chuckle.

BREAK

"I want this to be treated like an escort," said Sakura to her gathered teammates as they waited for the gate to open. "Naruto, form up the perimeter and I want you to treat me like I'm the client. Here's the trick though. Sasuke will carry the scroll. If they think they are to go after me, it opens you and Sasuke to pick them off while they're being stupid."

Sasuke and Naruto both nodded their acknowledgment.

"Now, if we get to the tower without being attacked or for any reason we don't get the scroll we need we'll setup near the tower to ambush any teams coming in," explained Sakura.

"Do you want us to stay high in the trees or use the extra cover on the ground?" asked Sasuke.

"There are a lot of Konohagakure teams that will fight it out in the canopy of the trees. I'd rather we take out foreign competition so we'll stick to the ground and use the natural cover there," said Sakura getting two firm nods of acknowledgment from her teammates.

"As soon as the gate opens we move fast," said Sakura.

There was a loud gong and the seals keeping the gates closed fizzled and popped causing the gates to swing open.

Three blurs shot into the forest followed rapidly by a dozen more pops signaling Naruto's creation of clones to form a perimeter and stick to Sakura.

"Contact forward left," Naruto called out about an hour in. "Contact in retreat. Probably to meet up with her team."

"Disregard," said Sakura. "Send a clone to chase and observe only. Reform perimeter."

Naruto complied creating three new clones and sending them to do their work.

An another hour passed. "Ambush ahead. Poorly constructed too."

"Reverse ambush," said Sakura. "Sasuke command is yours."

"Uzumaki-san, send clones under henge to walk into the ambush," said Sasuke. "Sakura hide with clones, use a genjutsu to conceal yourself. Naruto, we're going up. We'll drop down on them once they attack the clones."

Naruto nodded and jumped up to join Sasuke on the charge upwards while he sent clones into the ambush.

The three Amegakure shinobi laid in a poorly made genjutsu to lure in the unsuspecting. Worse the three were all hiding together, they did nothing to create defenses expecting the genjutsu around them to be enough.

"Sad," said Naruto in a crouch having landed right in the middle of the group while his clones did their job.

The three Amegakure shinobi turned as one to look at the shinobi that just literally dropped into the middle of their group.

It would be the last thing two of them ever did and Sasuke dropped down behind two of them put a kunai into the back of each of their heads.

Naruto's clones pounced on the last one and tackled him to the ground. The fools dropped their genjutsu when Naruto first appeared.

"Situation stable," said Sasuke.

Naruto nodded and sent a clone to get Sakura.

"Scroll of heaven acquired," said Sasuke holding up a scroll he pulled from one of the corpses. He then walked to the one Naruto was restraining and quickly snapped his neck.

Naruto let the body drop in disgust. He didn't care for the way Sasuke killed without remorse or even giving it a second thought.

Sasuke tossed the extra scroll to Sakura to do as she wanted with it.

"Naruto, you carry this one," she said as she handed it to him.

Naruto paused and looked up. "Chakra shoheki no jutsu," he said forming some quick a hand seals enveloping his entire team just in time to protect them from a huge blast of wind.

"Otogakure," said Naruto. "One of them uses wind from his arms. One use some kind of metal gauntlet. I don't know the third's ability."

Two clones dropped from the canopy putting up a quick kaze shoheki allowing Naruto to drop the chakra shoheki.

"Naruto you have command," said Sakura annoyed. That attack came fast. Naruto would have usually warned them much faster than that.

"SOP," said Naruto spawning two dozen clones. "I'm sending a dozen with Sasuke to directly assault. I'm going to send the other dozen up to try and get around behind them. Until we know what that gauntlet does let my clones engage him, same with the girl Sasuke. I want you to focus on the wind user. Sakura, keep me clear of any possible genjutsu."

Sasuke charged out with the clones to engage the team that tried to ambush them. He saw the gauntlet user coming in to attack him in taijutsu and quickly substituted with a clone that was closer to the wind user. "Katon: gokakyu no jutsu," he spat out quickly forming a wide and low fireball to distract the wind user who foolishly jumped to avoid the fireball.

The wind user's head was suddenly separated from the rest of his body by Sasuke's glowing orange tanto. If one were to look closer they would see where the blade cut was completely cauterized.

"The girl uses genjutsu, the taijutsu specialist's gauntlet emits some kind of high frequency sound," said a Naruto clone that landed next to Sasuke.

Sasuke's eyes focused in on the girl. "I'll deal with the genjutsu user. The taijutsu specialist is yours."

"Agreed," said the clone slightly annoyed with Sasuke giving orders but not in the mood to argue while in the middle of combat. It dispelled to inform Naruto what was happening.

"Alright, you're good in here Sakura-chan. I am going to have to deal with that taijutsu specialist myself. He's pretty good."

"Be careful," said Sakura with fair concern.

Naruto gave her a quick thumbs up before he jumped through the barrier and sucker punched the taijutsu specialist that was in the middle of attempting to disrupt the barrier.

While the shinobi was stunned Naruto wrapped his hand around the gauntlet and channeled some of the kyuubi's chakra allowing him to crush the gauntlet and the shinobi's fist within it. "That's worked out nicely," mumbled Naruto not expecting to get the drop on him so easily. Still holding on to the crushed hand Naruto jerked the screaming shinobi forward into his waiting knee shattering multiple ribs. Naruto then grabbed the back of the shinobi's head and drove his face into the ground and a large rock crushing the boys face killing him almost instantly.

"I hate when they twitch," said Naruto with a shiver looking to see Sasuke had just finished killing the girl. A quick search provided an earth scroll which Naruto tossed to Sasuke. He then reformed his perimeter and waiting a moment for the all clear to come back from all his clones. "We're clear," he finally said letting the barrier around Sakura drop.

"What scroll did we get?" asked Sakura.

"Earth," answered Sasuke.

"Okay, let's increase our pace," said Sakura. "I want to rush the tower and get out of this forest. Naruto, guide us as needed to avoid any contact, you're on point from here out. Sasuke please take up trail."

Sasuke nodded without a word immediately moving to trail distance.

"Follow me," said Naruto with a serious face.

Unknown to the Sakura and Sasuke, Naruto purposely allowed team 10 to watch them.

"You guys okay?" asked Naruto dropping in behind them.

"I think so," said Ino. "That was pretty brutal."

"Yeah, sorry for that," said Naruto apologetically.

"You're not going to attack us are you?" asked Shikamaru.

"I'm not going to attack a Konohagakure shinobi unless I absolutely have to," said Naruto. "Did you guys need help?"

"We were going to attack you guys in your weakened state," said Shikamaru. "Unfortunately, you weren't weakened at all."

Naruto laughed at Shikamaru. "No problem. So you guys are good then?"

"Yeah, we'll be fine unless you want to give us your heaven scroll," said Shikamaru.

"Hold on," said Naruto dispelling.

A few minutes later another Naruto dropped in. "Catch up to us, if you team up with us to the tower we'll give you our extra."

Shikamaru startled at that.

"Sakura-chan is awesome," said Ino with a happy smile and thumbs up.

"We're gonna have to push to catch up though so lets get a move on," said Naruto taking off leading them along.

BREAK

"So they failed spectacularly," said Orochimaru ending the jutsu on the pool of water in front of him that allowed him to see through the eyes of the shinobi he sent to kill the kyuubi brat. He was very pleased with what he saw in regards to the Uchiha's progress but he was less so to see the kyuubi brat's. The fact the boy used the bijuu's chakra without hesitation or delay to channel it did not bode well for his plans. If that boy was to face the ichibi in the upcoming fights he may actually prevail.

"The boy did hold his own against me, even if only to delay me," said Kabuto. "And he didn't even use the kyuubi's chakra then."

"For now the boy will remain out of reach but a time will come where we can end him," said Orochimaru with a hiss.

"As you wish Orochimaru-sama," said Kabuto with a bow.

"Have you completed preparations for the kazekage?"

"Everything is proceeding as planned," said Kabuto. "We have acquired his travel route through Sasori's spy."

"And Sasori will not find out?" verified Orochimaru.

"I made sure Sasori would not be aware I made use of his spy. I was very careful," said Kabuto reassuring his master.

"Very well, proceed with my plans," said Orochimaru darkly.