Naruto's POV (Kage Box of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
Naruto and his group were silent as they gathered the two unconscious samurai. Kakashi and Neji having elected to carry them. Naruto kept glancing back at the group of Kage, who silently observed them, clearly waiting for them to leave before discussing promotions.
Naruto sighed, disappointed to have to leave the room already. But as he went to leave, suddenly, he felt an arm grab his. Naruto stopped to see who had stopped him, Kushina, Kakashi, and Neji also stopped, realizing the blonde had stopped walking with them.
Naruto turned to see a strange, tall man facing him. The man's head was covered in a cloth that even covered half his face. The Suna headband clearly marked him; he was Gaara's sensei, right?
"Naruto Uzumaki, would you be so kind as to allow me your time? Preferably alone, it is a private matter." Baki asked with forced politeness.
"I think you, Suna shinobi, have done more than enough to my son." Kushina declared frostily, stepping between the two.
"It is a bit absurd to expect him to agree. This sounds like a standard set up to me." Kakashi agreed with a raised brow.
"Let's be realistic, Naruto will agree, if you don't mind Kushina, I'll stay with him." Neji offered. "The fool needs someone to keep an eye on him."
"If it was merely one shinobi, that would be more than fine. A witness will serve nicely, in fact." Baki added.
"If Neji is with him…" Kakashi mused. "Besides the building is full of peace keeping samurai, there couldn't be a worse place for him to plot an assault." The Cyclops reasoned.
"Creepy wording aside, I suppose if Naruto is okay with such, I'll allow it." Kushina hesitantly agreed. Glancing at Naruto subtly, she intended to deny such if he didn't want to, but also respected him enough to allow him the choice.
"Uh, sure, I guess?" Naruto agreed. "No harm in hearing him out."
With that decided, Neji handed off the injured samurai to a worried Kushina, and the group left the Kage Box; Kushina and Kakashi headed toward the Medical Ward, while Naruto, Neji, and Baki walked off in the opposite direction.
The two male members of Team Seven walked side by side slightly behind Baki as they silently trekked wherever he wished to discuss things.
"Do you know what he may want to talk about?" Naruto asked his teammate curiously. Unlike his mother, the blonde doubted it was anything nefarious.
"I cannot be certain, but a sensei coming to a recent opponent of his student does not bode well," Neji warned. "While there should be no issue between us, it would be wise to be prepared. Issues with shinobi are never so simple. Watch your words and actions; the repercussions could potentially be severe."
"Okay, so you're seeing it the same way I am. The whole thing screams hidden intentions." Naruto agreed.
"Then why agree to come?" Neji asked calmly.
"Like I said earlier, it doesn't hurt to hear him out. Worst case scenario, we jump him. Easy peasy." Naruto replied flippantly.
"There will be no violence nor any need to "jump" me." Baki calmly responded from the lead as if unbothered.
"You fool.." Neji said as his eye twitched, Naruto merely chuckled, similarly as unbothered as Baki.
"Oh, come on Neji, a future Hokage like me has to be skilled socially and politically. Consider this live practice." Naruto said with a giant smirk.
Neji merely grunted in response. Muttering something about this being unwise both socially and politically but Naruto ignored such. Neji had come a long way but was still a cynic at heart.
Baki stopped after a short while at a door. He opened it and allowed the two to enter the room. Naruto and Neji glanced at each other before walking into the room. Both unsure what to expect cautiously scanned it as they entered. Prepared for any attack or trap it may contain. Inside was something of a small kitchen: a simple wood stove with a countertop, a microwave, various cooking tools and pots, and a large counter separating the actual kitchen portion of the room from the rest. At that counter, Kankuro and Temari sat, unsurprised by their arrival. In fact even eating a meal seemingly having been waiting a little while.
Naruto and Neji tensed in sync. Neji dropped into a low stance and squared off against Temari and Kankuro, looking mere seconds away from launching at them. Naruto turned to face Baki, hand resting on Riptide's hilt but kept the blade holstered. Holding out to hope this would not get violent. If it did, it would likely be a hard fight. Naruto was healed, but not a hundred percent quite yet, and Baki as a Jounin would be just as strong if not stronger than Gaara, not to mention the other two siblings of him were no weaklings either…
"Hey, what's the idea here?" Naruto asked, his tone light, yet the air around the room seemed heavier, filled with the blonde's presence. There was no killing intent and yet each felt the weight of crossing the blonde in that moment.
"Whoa there, Uzumaki!" Kankuro called out hurriedly. "We come in peace!"
"Indeed." Baki agreed readily. "Our lord has asked us to speak with you; the other two also have their reasons."
Naruto and Neji looked at each other, nodded, and relaxed, confident this was not an ambush or trap.
"So uh," Naruto said while rubbing his head. "What's up?"
"Firstly, we would like to personally apologize for the actions of Gaara, for Gaara." Baki recited as if it was written into memory. "He is a disturbed mon-"
"Shut it, you piece of shit!" Temari snapped. "He's our brother and fought for the Sand!"
"Silence Temari, I only speak the truth." Baki replied with ease.
"He's only that because of people like you," Naruto replied calmly. Baki seemed surprised by him Interjecting into the age-old argument between the two. "I don't need an apology either; Gaara and I needed to fight. I wanted it as badly as he did. Besides I wouldn't change a thing, well maybe the whole losing part, ya know?"
That drove Baki to silence and made Temari and Kankuro smile.
"I apologize. I am here to make things right with you. Not to antagonize you or anyone else." Baki backtracked slightly. "Allow me to continue. We would also like to thank you for your aid in the fate of Gaara. In fact, the Kazekage has authorized me to give you this." As he finished, he pulled out and handed over a signed envelope. "This stands as proof of the gift we offer."
"Proof of an offer?" Neji asked suspiciously. "You wouldn't be attempting to poach my teammate, would you?"
"Nothing of the sort," Baki countered. "The Kazekage is offering you something of a favor. Should a time come when you need aid, please call on us to do so. We will not fight your battles or kill for you in fact their are a litany limitations with this, but you will find favor from a man of the Kazekage's stature has quite a few uses regardless."
"We—" Temari started dragging a complaining Kankuro behind her. She threw him onto his knees in front of Naruto and Neji, did the same, and bowed deeply. Kankuro hesitantly followed her lead. When she rose, she stood before Naruto with a severe look. "We incredibly appreciate you fighting for our brother in that meeting and even during the exam. We recognize you had no need to do such and owe you as well. Our brother isn't… he isn't…"
Kankuro sighed heavily but spoke out as well. "Though people, especially father, like to pretend otherwise, there was a time when Gaara was a normal child. He may be some sort of crazy, but he's never been wrong. He has been treated unfairly, he has only seen the ugly side of humanity. Father ensured such. Yet seeing him treat himself like a monster… shamed me as an older sibling… It should've been me to set my brother straight but I was too weak… I've never seen anyone stand up to Gaara like you did. You didn't even flinch once and at the end Gaara was too shocked to even try to kill you… So, thanks, I doubt it did much, and arguably, Gaara deserved punishment, but he's still my brother. So I have no choice but to thank you sincerely."
The two stood tall and proud as if they had not even bowed. They quickly moved past Naruto and Neji quickly, joining their sensei at the door.
"We of the Sand are a proud, self-sufficient nation. One that rarely forgets debts, good or bad. We now owe you one Naruto Uzumaki. Remember that the Sand never forgets its allies nor to repay them." Baki informed the two. His face seemed to freeze before he spoke again. "If I am to speak personally as an experienced Jounin," Baki started, "I think you have some maturing to do. I do not besmirch how far you have come nor your strength. But to risk your life so heedlessly for virtually no benefit is not an act befitting of a shinobi. I only say this due to the favor you have paid us. In time you will have to learn when to not fight." Baki warned before exiting the room in short order.
"Thanks anyway, Blondie~!" Temari sang as they exited. Kankuro chuckled as they went. The two seemingly amused by Baki's mere serious closer. And regaining their composure in the awkward tension.
There was silence for a moment as the two processed what had happened. Both faced the door, confused, before Naruto chuckled nervously turning to face the room again, Neji sighed heavily.
"I truly will never understand how you seem to befriend others so effortlessly, especially after beating a prized asset half to death," Neji snarked. "Regardless, you have earned yourself quite the gift."
"A favor, huh? Not too bad, I suppose." Naruto nodded.
Neji shook his head in disbelief. "It's a favor from a world leader, limited as it may be. Many would risk their lives for such. Though Gaara did nearly kill you, an earned gift if nothing else."
"Maybe I should ask for some money!" Naruto said, turning away from Neji with a shit-eating grin.
"I will end you if you waste a political favor on mere wealth," Neji warned.
"Oh! Maybe some fancy sake! Or an endless amount of Ichiraku!"
"You dare not waste much on mere carnal pleasures!" Neji snapped.
"I know," Naruto replied, finally facing the Hyuga. He saw Neji frown as he processed the gaslighting.
"You are getting sharper." Neji complimented begrudgingly.
"Thanks, you aren't!" Naruto sniped, ducking Neji's predictable swipe at his head.
The two smiled, and then suddenly, the door was kicked open. Naruto and Neji looked confused, but not for long, for Ino marched into the room, eyes locked on the blonde Uzumaki.
Naruto felt fear fill his body, remembering the fury she had shown earlier. He grabbed Neji's shoulder and leaned toward him to whisper, "We were totally bonding earlier. We're bros. Please help!" He only half-joked as Ino marched closer.
He could not see Neji's face but could tell by his tone that he was smiling. "Yes, we were, and as your "bro," I feel the need to give the two of you the space you need to bond as well." Neji smugly whispered back. Naruto gulped as Neji brushed off his hand, offered a polite bow to Ino, and offered the same with a sweet smile as Ino to Naruto before he made his leave.
There was silence for a few seconds, longer; it seemed to drag on. Naruto wished to break the ice impulsively, but Ino's smile seemed false and put him on edge. But Naruto's finite patience broke when it stretched to nearly two minutes, and he spoke.
"Ino listen, I understand why you're upset, but I had to fight him. And it's not like I intended to die; I was confident I could win. If I knew how strong the dude was, well, maybe I wouldn't have fought him, ya know? It's not like I want to die." Naruto explained, ending with a joke to keep things light.
Ino's fake smile dropped, and to Naruto's surprise, she didn't seem infuriated or even angry anymore. She looked tired and even somewhat guilty. "I know…... I can't pretend to understand why you had to do what you did, why your beliefs are worth dying for, and maybe I never will. It's frustrating for me, making me feel useless and hopeless. Yet at the same time, I really admire that trait, Blondie."
Naruto felt an odd surge of emotions at that but stayed silent. He is not too confident in his ability to traverse the conversation with his clumsy and impulsive manner of speech.
"I meant what I said, but I didn't mean to treat it like you were at fault, not fully. You didn't deserve nor want to be beaten by Gaara." Ino smiled sadly as she said this.
"Hey, it was a close fight!" Naruto complained. "Next time, I'll kick his ass!"
"That's another thing." Ino chuckled at Naruto. "After I lost to Samui, I felt like an utter failure. It felt like I had betrayed Anko and Kakashi-sensei and that I hadn't grown; I felt like trying would almost be stupid or pointless in a way. Yet you're already back to normal and confident as ever." Ino said. "My point is, you are one of my closest… friends. One that I worry about, and sometimes I worry you're not even worried about dying. Like you would gladly die if it would serve the people or ideals you care for." Ino explained. "I don't think you realize how haunting that sounds to me. That one day in the future, I might have to watch you die, knowing you could've lived if you cared about yourself more…"
"Ino," Naruto said, sitting on the counter with a frown. "It's not like I want to die or even expect it. Hell, make no mistake, no one kills Naruto Uzumaki with ease! But on that same hand, I don't really fear it. If I die pursuing my ideals and beliefs, then I can live with that. That being said, I'll make you a promise; you know I'm a man of my word."
Ino raised a brow, looking less than impressed. "A promise? I trust you, Blondie, but I'm not sure that holds any weight. Not after you've shown such a pension for risking your life on a drop of a dime."
"Have I broken a promise yet?" Naruto asked with a small smile.
"Well, no." Ino admitted.
"Then it should be enough, Blondie!" Naruto snarked.
Ino smirked, chuckling at their shared trait. She walked toward Naruto, who was sitting on the counter next to him. "I suppose so, so let's hear it."
"I promise no matter what trouble finds me or how stacked the odds are, I won't die, and if I need help, I'll come running to you and Neji. Probably more you than Neji, though. Can't let the bastard get a big head." Naruto promised.
The two of them laughed fragilely at the joke. Once again, silence filled the room. Naruto wished he had something to say, but Ino had drawn him to silence. Naruto had never considered how other people felt watching him struggle. Never thought that watching it might hurt them. He needed to become strong enough to solve that as well as he supposed.
Naruto's eyes sneakily glanced over at Ino. His female teammate closed her eyes, seemingly in a mental daze; Naruto was never the most knowledgeable on the mind, both his own and others. At times, the blonde struggled to relate to others, yet he knew Ino was supposed to be somewhat of the master of the mind due to her heritage. Naruto wondered what she was thinking right now. Was she still furious? Perhaps worried about Gaara coming back or him screwing up again? Naruto blinked, realizing he had been staring.
Luckily, Ino had not noticed, likely too tired or in her head to pay attention. Naruto had never really realized it, but Ino was, well, pretty. Naruto had never and would likely never say such a thing, but he found Ino's hair enticing. She was blonde like him, but here, it was platinum blonde instead of his more yellow hair, long and fine it almost seemed like threads of pure gold. Naruto had wondered how it would feel before, brushing his hand through it, not often but on occasion when looking at Ino. It covered half her features, which were soft and pleasant. It made her slightly difficult to read and somehow was perfectly fitting for her. Naruto blinked again and wiped his eyes from her.
'What kinda asshole leers at his teammate!' Naruto berated himself as he glanced at the wall. Naruto's thoughts were interrupted as he felt a weight suddenly settle on his shoulder. His eyes glanced over and roughly met Ino's; she had rested her head on his shoulder. And was lazily looking into his eyes. Naruto could feel his heart rate quicken. Since when had Ino had this effect on him?!
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"Things seemed simpler when we first became a team," Ino said airily.
Naruto's mind whirled back then. Glad for the distraction to their close proximity. It hadn't truly been that long, but it certainly felt that way. Back then, the three of them had been practical strangers, Neji resenting them and the two bonding over such. They would often gang up on Neji to tease him or to admonish Kakashi. It had been different from now, Ino and him had been steadfast friends, easily getting along with little cause for concern or argument. Now it seemed Neji and Ino had switched positions in the team. "Yeah it wasn't even that long ago, but things were simpler." Naruto said with a smile.
"I remembered Neji intimidating me a bit. I was surprised you were so willing to fight him. Weren't you worried about losing? Then I remember, when I realized you could win, I felt utterly inspired, if you felt like you were fighting for me too in a way." Ino reminisced further. "Now, everything seems so complicated. You keep risking yourself, drama keeps emerging, and a certain lady…"
"Lady?" Naruto asked, confused. He was unsure who she meant.
"So let's just restart a bit, okay? I'll forgive you for this, and in exchange, next time there's trouble you grab Neji and me, we are Team Seven. We face our problems together." Ino continued.
Naruto beamed at such. "I promise, believe it."
They sat in content silence for a while, Ino resting on Naruto, the two just enjoying each other's company. Naruto was surprised at how much he enjoyed the contact. He had never worried much about romance or anything like that. He understood the idea but never worried about it. Perhaps this was why people seemed so concerned about a partner… this was nice…
However, their peace was disturbed when a voice rumbled throughout the arena.
"ALL PARTICIPANTS, AKA CHUNIN HOPEFULS, PLEASE PROCEED TO THE COURTYARD OF THE IRON ARENA. THE FIVE KAGE ARE PREPARED TO ANNOUNCE THE RESULTS! ANYONE NOT IN FIVE MINUTES WILL BE DISQUALIFIED!"
The two jumped up to their feet and began to run to make it.
"Let's go, Blondie!"
"Come on, Ino!"
The two roared as they raced to face the future.
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Mifune's POV (Courtyard of Iron Arena - Land of Iron)
Mifune stood with a small group of samurai and shinobi surrounding him, and the Five Kage stood slightly behind them. The audience roared with support and excitement as they saw the gathering of so many well-known names. Citizens from each of the Five nations and even the homeland citizens roared to support their particular representatives. One would not guess there had nearly been a massive incident.
It was something leaders learned early on. The ability of the populace to move on as long as they were safe. It was fortunate the situation had gone as well as it had. And now the people would act as if they had never been in danger in the first place.
Mifune, if honest, was at his wit's end. The death of Reizo weighed on him heavily, not an unfamiliar weight, but unpleasant all the same. The first argument between Gaara had frustrated him incredibly. Had Mifune gotten his way, he would've beheaded the monster himself. Only for the beast to be spared by his own victim. The discussion of promotions had been more straightforward but timely; the Kage were incapable of being unbiased, and the whole debate had been full of subtext and attempted manipulation. But it had been decided.
The Genin who had made it to the final were lined up facing Mifune and the Kage with admirable composure. Though Mifune could not help but realize the Leaf were missing some, yet another recent mistake of Mifune's.
The disappearances had now reached five: Sakura Haruno, Rock Lee, Kiba Inuzuka, Choji Akimichi, and Yuno Uchiha. It was clear whatever had happened was against their will and potentially violent. Some even disappeared in front of witnesses. Each was a mark against the promise Mifune had made for these exams. That the Iron would not allow its guests to unnecessarily suffer. Mifune resented having had these exams, and shinobi had a way of complicating things. But for now, he finished his duty; the time to respond would come.
"My name is Mifune of the Iron, I serve as the General of the Samurai Council. I have been honored to host this special rendition of the Chunin Exams as part of my duties." Mifune began his booming voice reaching throughout the Iron Arena. "It truly has been a gift to oversee such a thing, one that has now ended. Battles had been had, ideals and personalities clashed, and willpower and talent had traded victories in equal measure. But as it always has been, conflict raises victors. Though the tournament had to be called off, there are clearly those who have shown the worth of being given a promotion. For those who have worked diligently and, as such, have shined, a rise of station is needed! The Five Kage and I have debated such a thing in depth. Now you will hear the verdicts we reached."
The crowd had seen more than enough to be satisfied; they now roared to know their champions. Mifune smiled, enjoying the excitement and allowing it to momentarily clear his stressed mind.
"One by one, each Kage will approach and address its entrants. They shall do so for each and, in time, reveal the Chunin promotions. We ask for silence until all the vests are given for each village. Remember, this is not about sides, but cooperation and acknowledgment of the next generation." Mifune answered, and the crowd fell into silence, knowing better than to take the word of a world leader lightly. " Firstly, the Mizukage of the Mist, The Hero of Blood, Yagura Karatachi!" Mifune announced with a lack of excitement. The crowd matched such.
Yagura stepped forward, seeming unaware of the awkward atmosphere Mifune had created. His smile was relaxed and amused, but his eyes did not seem to shine kindly toward his shinobi. Unlike the other Kage, however, many of the crowd did not like the young man. They had heard tales, but admittedly, from a distance, he seemed ordinary. The messy green hair, short stature, and sizeable ornate-looking staff portrayed an aloof young man, yet he held himself unequally. Could this really be the Kage behind the Bloody Mist Civil War. Eyes never leaving his men, he began.
"In the Mist, we value strength more than most. We recognize the need for strength, tempered by a hero's instinct and wisdom. We suffer more than most, but we create the men you see before you through that pain. Heroes born of tragedy, soldiers of misfortune. I say such to remember the expectations a Hero like myself must have." Yagura started the crowd, silently stunned by his monologue. His eyes glanced at the first Genin to be addressed. Suigetsu stood, obviously nervous to all. "Suigetsu Hozuki, I have admired you and your brother for the selfless service you gave the Mist. However, you know as well as I that we cannot tolerate weakness; a weak hero is a failure. To lose in the first round and act as brash and foolish as you choose to leave me no choice but to leave you as a Genin for now. Perhaps the shame will nurture the more heroic aspects of your personality." Yagura lectured. The crowd was silent; no one expected such a public dressing down. Suigetsu's eyes were firmly planted on the ground, and shame and self-hatred were evident for all to see. Yagura did not hesitate, however, as he turned to Magetsu. "Magetsu Hozuki, you performed better than your sibling; you held your own relatively well. However, your arrogance is unfounded and, as such, a weakness. May this shame nurture your heroic nature." The dressing down was softer and less brutal, but nonetheless, it brought down the mood in the same way. Chuckling merrily to himself, seemingly pleased with his decisions and behavior, Yagura returned to the line.
The crowd was silent yet not disappointed. It was rare to see or hear from Mist shinobi these days outside of their violent civil war. As such, it had been expected none would even come, let alone be promoted. It likely wouldn't affect the war-torn Mist much, but it was certainly a lost opportunity.
Mifune disapproved of such cruel reactions but would not disrespect Yagura by voicing such; instead, he coughed as his voice sounded off again. "Next to speak will be the leader of the Stone. The Tsuchikage, Onoki of the Scales!" Mifune had always respected Onoki; the man was complicated but often fair, as fair as a shinobi could be anyway.
Onoki floated forward, facing the crowd and smiling, pleased with their roars of support. Doubtless, the man enjoyed showing up Yagura; wise and patient Onoki was, but Mifune had always seen he had a more petty side. "I have lived many years… more than most men could wish for or would wish for." He explained with a smile. "In that time as a leader of my great home, I have participated in, watched, hosted, and even judged many Chunin Exams. This one was a rarity, containing a litany of talents that only the best could hope to shine in. As such, it brings me great pride to see my granddaughter hold her own. You outfoxed a rather game shinobi easily and even pressured an opponent well above your abilities. Thanks to your tactics, talents, and unique way of thinking, Kurotsuchi of the Stone, I grant you the honor of becoming a Chunin of the Stone. May you serve loyally and without hesitation." Onoki lectured as Mifune handed him the Iwa vest for Chunin.
Kurotsuchi stepped forward, beaming. She accepted the vest and immediately put it on. Once she had regained her composure, she bowed to Onoki and stepped back.
Onoki floated back gracefully, though no one missed that only one Iwa shinobi was promoted.
Rasa likely realized the crowd may be against the Sand and the failure it had brought him, so he stomped forward and faced the crowd boldly. He looks confident despite the circumstances and has his back to five of the strongest warriors in the world. "The Sand has always been an independent and proud nation. One that values self-independence and loyalty above all else. It is because I had to judge harshly, even regarding my own men." His eyes slid to Kankuro first, Kankuro, my eldest son. You were confident and prepared for battle, but such means little if you cannot adapt to your opponent and waste time with needless self-congratulatory prattle. You have shamed the Sand on this day. You will not be receiving a promotion." Kankuro looked a mix of ashamed and furious. But Mifune watched grimly as Rasa moved on to the next of his kin. "Temari, you are my eldest daughter. You are skilled, powerful, and wise beyond your years. Regardless of whether you have failed on this day, let this be a lesson learned. While performing better than your foolish sibling, you have shamed the Sand. No promotion for such a performance." Temari seemed to take the news worse than Kankuro, who looked abashed and withdrawn. It was a shame to see a proud woman dragged to such by her father. Mifune had thought both had performed well, but his mercy was withheld. The last of Rasa's kin was to blame for such. "Gaara…" Rasa started cold and cruel eyes locked onto the redhead. He was interrupted by the crowd, who hurled abuse at the jinchuriki. Words of hatred were somewhat justifiable. Mifune was not the biggest fan of the beast; however, seeing such unrestrained hate pained him. Gaara fearlessly matched his glare with one of his own. "You, unlike your siblings, have always been powerful and shockingly skilled, though all of which is pointless considering your disloyalty. I had thought the time had come when you realized your position in this world. See, now I was wrong. I will address this once we arrive home. Unpromoted as well." With his piece said Rasa marched back. Only Gaara of the proud Sand Trio seemed unaffected, though he glanced at his siblings in bewilderment.
A was next, the man seemed somewhat pleased to have watched Rasa not promote any of his students. He eyed the crowd before popping a pose to a roar of applause. A chuckled merrily at such before he continued. "I am known by many titles, the Raikage, the Grand Lord of the Cloud, Unruly A of the Cloud. My wonderful home has produced some of the best shinobi to walk this world for years. The crop you have seen in these exams is a mere sliver of the greatness the Cloud offers. Unfortunately, I must address one who has fallen short…" A glanced at Omoi; faster than most of the shinobi could see, A lunged forward, grabbing Omoi by the face and lifting him up into the sky. "For such an offense, face the IRON CLAW!" A roared, Omoi wildly crying out in pain. Samui, next to her suffering teammate, merely face-palmed in embarrassment. With several samurai's collective efforts, Omoi was freed, a little pained but ultimately unharmed. A laughed, apparently pleased with himself yet again. "Luckily, I will work to improve you, young Omoi. You have failed, but I will remedy that imperfection. Now, to address the shinobi that did the Cloud justice today. Samui of the Cloud, I shall promote you to a Chunin for your skill, intelligence, and unflappable manner. May you use your strength and loyalty to serve the Cloud without compromise." A marched back as Samui nursed Omoi back to his feet.
Hiruzen was last but certainly not the least. The man was a living legend, just like Onoki. The crowd allowed their approval to be heard. Hiruzen showed no reaction kindly regarding the crowd and Chunin hopefuls, with a grace and aura that few could hope to match. Mifune felt shame once again. Nearly every failure of the Iron these exams had been at the cost of the Hokage. But despite it all, Hiruzen seemed pleased and patient as he allowed the crowd to quiet before speaking.
"First, let me say, regardless of the results or words of my colleagues. I want to assure all the Genin and future Chunin who have fought, bled, and, in some unfortunate cases, even died today that such was not in vain. These exams serve as peace-keeping practice, representing the unity between our villages, our willingness to peacefully discourse, and the focus on the future we've held. Not too long ago, the treaty all five villages signed was printed, and it was an even shorter time since we decided to change how we did Genin. This exam has shown the benefit of such. But before I can address the future, the present must be accepted. During these exams, there was a tragedy. Kiba Inuzuka, Choji Akimichi, Yuno Uchiha, Rock Lee, and Sakura Haruno all disappeared during these exams, and their fates are currently unknown. Please keep them in mind. Hopefully, they shall be found soon. But for now, let us focus on the positive, as it were. Because of the number, excuse me for being a little brief while I discuss my men. Firstly Shikamaru Nara,"
Shikamaru stepped forward, looking utterly miserable and despondent.
"You showed great strategy, wisdom, restraint, and the ability to improvise; while not the strongest, you use your tools well. I am proud to promote you to Chunin; take your vest and stand with pride." Shikamaru took his vest as if disgusted by it. Hiruzen nodded at the Nara, who matched it after some hesitation. Hiruzen continued on to the next Leaf Genin. "Shino Aburame."
Shino stepped forward as unreadable as ever. However, Mifune noticed a slight excitement in his step. It seemed even the Aburame could be emotional.
"You did not get much chance to showcase your skills, an unfortunate draw to combat one's teammate. I know such a battle is not one easily won. However, we must judge based on what is shown. Unfortunately, such is not enough to receive a promotion." Shino nodded at such and marched back into line. Mifune nodded at such, respecting the dignity the young man held in defeat. "Next up Sasuke Uchiha."
The crowd roared in response to such with a roar of approval. Sasuke allowed a slight smirk but marched to face Hiruzen without theatrics.
"Your performance will be remembered well. You faced an onslaught of skilled and powerful opponents. Each of you matched and eventually overcame, even that of a jinchuriki. I am aware of how you may feel about me. The man who ultimately agreed to have the Uchiha… taken care of. But I must admit, you do the Leaf justice and the very blood in your veins. I proudly promote you to Chunin for your skill, power, and adaptability." Hiruzen finished with a slight bow, not one of subservience but acknowledgment.
Sasuke repaid such with a mere second of hesitation. Which led to further support from the crowd. The support increased in volume as he accepted the vest.
"Neji Hyuga," Hiruzen continued. Neji received the most polite applause and faced Hiruzen politely, bowing to show his loyalty. "You only had one battle to showcase your abilities. Yet it would be remiss of not only me but my fellow Kage if I did not acknowledge your performance. You showed adaptability, decent strategy, and the skill to back it up. In fact, it is doubtless. Had your luck been better, you would've done much better. With this in mind, I insisted on making this decision. Neji Hyuga, I will promote you to Chunin. Own this vest with pride, for it was earned." Neji bowed deeply to such before he rose, retrieved his vest and rejoined the line. Seeing the youth maintain the decorum and manners their predecessors had developed over the years was good. "Hinata Hyuga."
Hinata politely walked forward, stopping to bow to Neji, who matched such, then once facing the Kage, bowed again, not rising and in perfect pose.
"It is not always easy to participate with family, as has been shown it is easy to be outshined by one's peers. Especially when one is an inherent prodigy, but you've managed such with grace and gusto in equal measure. Your battle with Sai showcased your unique skills and abilities. Your battle with Gaara showed ingenuity and the willpower to surpass your limits and achieve your goals. As such, I am proud to promote you to Chunin." Hiruzen explained with a kind smile to the female Hyuga.
Hinata bowed even deeper, and though the crowd could not see the tears drop from her face, the Kage bore witness. Onoki and Hiruzen smiled at the pleasant moment, and Yagura, Rasa, and Mifune bore it no mind. Though A made sure to loudly snort at such, Mifune sighed as he glared at A. The combined efforts of both him and Hiruzen silenced the Raikage for now. Hinata regained her composure, took her vest, and retreated to the line.
"Tenten of the Leaf." Hiruzen said.
Tenten marched forward, looking remarkably unbothered. Mifune was impressed; she must have nerves of steel.
"Your performance was impressive, and I assure you that it was also enlightening. Unfortunately, it was not enough, and despite your impressive showing, you chose to fight head-on against a superior opponent. Perhaps you will write this in the future, but I must withhold a promotion for now." Hiruzen apologized.
Tenten nodded respectfully, taking it in stride. Mifune made a note to contact the young woman at some point; he might know where she could look into her newly discovered bloodline. And if Tenten's slight smile was any indicator, she likely was excited to explore her origins.
Hiruzen idly scratched his face. It was a small gesture to most, but to Mifune, it spoke of hidden stress. It surprised Mifune little to catch that Hiruzen felt miserable delivering bad news.
"Ino Yamanaka." Hiruzen said grimly.
To her credit, Ino marched forward with her head held high, though the grimace her face locked in made it clear. It was apparent to her how this would go, and Mifune respected her for facing such with dignity.
"I have met you several times, and every time, you have changed. Your growth this time was nothing short of unpredictable and shocking. Know that your time will come shortly, and when it does, I look forward to seeing it. But for now, I must ask you to hone yourself further…" Hiruzen politely lectured Ino. To her credit, Ino did not cry or flinch; she merely nodded, bowed, and returned to the line dutifully.
"Sai of the Leaf." Hiruzen began again. Sai, unlike those thus far, seemed awfully unaffected by it all. Facing his leader with an odd smile. "I know of you well, Sai, and I must admit I expected much from you. A shinobi who uses more than mere power or jutsu to overwhelm their opponents. As expected by a student of my old friend. You have performed well; just watch those people's skills."
"As you say, Old Man." Sai replied.
Hiruzen's smile disappeared for a moment before returning. "Quite, you have been promoted to Chunin. Congratulations", Hiruzen replied, a small measure of annoyance breaking through his tone.
Sai nodded as if unsurprised, gathered his vest, and returned with the others.
'Shinobi are always such strange people,' Mifune thought as he hummed as Hiruzen called the next one.
"Naruto Uzumaki." Hiruzen said he wore a smile yet again—more prominent than before. Mifune raised a brow at this but allowed it to go on.
Naruto stepped forward, head up high, yet there was a noticeable hesitance. Mifune was unsurpassed; a defeat of the nature Naruto had suffered often shook one's confidence.
"I met you several times throughout your life; each time, you warned me the time will come for you to take this hat from me." Hiruzen mused out loud. "I never took this all that seriously; determination and ambition are nothing special. However, you are a rarity, and I doubt anyone doubts your abilities. I can count the number of shinobi I know with the hand that has lived to tell the tale of a no-hold-barred battle against a jinchuriki. Now, I can add you to that list. I have decided to promote you to Chunin for fearless loyalty, impressive ability and power, and impressive battle intelligence."
"DAMN FUCKING RIGHT!"
"DAMN FUCKING RIGHT!"
Naruto and a voice from the crowd called in sync. Naruto smiled at such, sure it had been his mother.
Hiruzen rolled his eyes as he tossed Naruto his vest and nodded at Mifune. Naruto walked back to the line, smile huge and attitude infectious. Ino and Neji at his sides matched his smile, proud of their friend. Hiruzen nodded at Mifune, allowing him to handle the final part.
"As the leader of the Waterfall is unable to be present. I will take his place and present for Fuu of the same." Mifune explained. As such, Fuu cheerfully skipped over to the older samurai. Mifune eyed the strange young woman oddly, but Fuu merely smiled back. "We had discussed your performance at length; to call you anything less than a powerful warrior would be a disservice. Unfortunately, Chunin must be more than mere powerhouses. Even samurai see the value in strategy, flexibility, and intelligence. Such aspects of which you failed to show off." Mifune explained. "We have deemed you unworthy of a promotion."
Fuu shrugged at such, skipping back to humming quietly to herself, waiting.
Mifune was beginning to detest these damn shinobi.
"Right then. Those have been selected to become Chunin for this exam session. If those in question would step forward and allow the audience to congratulate them." With Mifune's words concluding, the new Chunin stepped forward; with a snap of Mifune's fingers, several anbu subtly activated an earth jutsu to rise above the others. As if to showcase them to the crowd. Who followed the words of Mifune, cheering wildly as they faced their champions. "The new Chunin of the Elemental Nation are Kurotsuchi of the Stone, Shikamaru Nara, Sasuke Uchiha, Neji Hyuga, Naruto Uzumaki, Sai of the Leaf, Hinata Hyuga, Samui of the Cloud!" Mifune roared but was soon drowned out by the loud roar of the citizens of the nations supporting the shinobi before them. Mifune could not blame them; these exams were nothing short of shocking. But he needed their attention; a quick smash of his sheath into the ground interrupted such, the loud snap it made cutting through their roar. "One more thing before we may all move on. We shall be holding another fair to celebrate the successful exams. So, if you wish to continue the energy and praise these wonderful shinobi of the future, do so!"
The crowd did reply, but it was merely the sound of thousands voicing approval.