It wasn't long after his teammate had informed him that she somehow knew what was now his most guarded secret that he and his team were moving towards the massive tower at the center of the forest of death at great speed. A part of him was sure that her knowing that he housed the very same demon that had killed so many of their people was going to be the cause of not a small amount of headaches for him in the coming days. Pushing such thoughts aside he turned his gaze forward to what now appeared before them. A massive tower of dull gray stone sat in the middle of a clearing that acted as both the home of the third phase of the Chunin Exams as well as a forward operating base (FOB) for the ANBU forces in case of attack. In Naruto's honest opinion the tower's placement was inadequate and showed a clear misunderstanding on what this tower was meant to do. It sat far too deep behind their chakra barrier to serve as anything besides as a mild distraction to any would-be attackers and was set too far away from the village proper to be easily reinforced should the ANBU posted inside the tower be overrun by the same. Making a mental note to voice his opinions to the Hokage the next time he was able to meet with him Naruto quickly set himself to the task now presented before him. Clearing the last set of trees the trio soon stopped before a sizeable black plaque that sat just outside the entrance to the tower.
"What is this meant to tell us"? Sasuke asked as he read the plaque a few more times trying to work out what it was trying to say. When it became clear they would be here a while if nobody helped the poor boy in understanding what it was trying to convey Naruto answered the duckbutt haired boy.
"It's telling us to train our minds as well as our bodies. A proper ninja must ensure both are fine-tuned. A Chunin with a dull mind will not last long out on the battlefield nor will one with a weak body. It is in essence reminding us to train both sides of ourselves and not focus on only one half. History is littered with those who were foolish enough to do so and they are now not but bone and stone whose names have long since been forgotten by time." Naruto said as he walked past the plaque and inside the tower. The inside stood in stark contrast to its exterior which Naruto mused was sort of the point. By making it look imposing on the outside and welcoming on the inside it ensured that the defenders would be in high spirits while the attackers would have doubts on their chances. It was a sort of mental manipulation that he found he agreed with. As a ninja, any edge one could gain upon a foe was a welcomed one. Winning a battle before one even starts was far better then winning a battle with loss of life.
"Wow, they sure do know how to make a place look lively. I would have never guessed it would look this welcoming". Naruto said as he walked slowly around the space. On one side stood pictures of all the Hokage and below them sat a few lines covering their lives. For Naruto being able to learn more about his father was something he was all too happy to partake in. His mother always avoided the topic of her late husband and thinking back on that he guessed the loss was still too much for her to bear. Just as he thought that Naruto felt the unmistakable sensation of air being displaced a few inches behind his back. Spinning on his heel he soon came face-to-face with Kakashi who as always held that odd eye smile of his that he always seemed able to do.
"Kakashi-sensei what are you doing here"? Naruto asked his ever lazy sensei. His hand moving away from his ninja pouch nearly imperceptibly. A fact Kakashi was quick to pick up on and one he noted with clear happiness.
"Oh, I just wanted to congratulate you three. You're the first team of the Leaf to get to the tower. Hell, you're the first team in the Chunin Exams this year to get to the tower. Normally we wouldn't meet back up until after this phase of the exams were done but I was never big on following the rules anyway. The non-leaf Genin will be taken to their rooms by an ANBU and watched until the exam starts. So sadly there will be no meeting with any of the other village teams until tomorrow". Kakashi said with a carefree tone as he eyed his team. As soon as the team assignments were announced all those weeks ago he was sure that Naruto would easily be one of the greatest of his generation. Sasuke was clearly not far behind him in skill but the boy wasn't his brother. He didn't have the skill to be worthy of much in-fighting by any of the senseis of their year. Though the one who did get him would be the talk of the village for a few days afterward. Seeing as he was the one to get the boy he was forced to alter his daily walks around the parks for a week or two unless he wanted to be forced to hear the insistent mumblings of the villagers. Turning his gaze on to Sakura his thoughts shifted from pleasant and carefree to analytical and suspicious. As was the norm he was handed all her paperwork on the day of the team assignments. However, her file was edited to hell and back before he was allowed to so much as gaze at it. When he asked why her file was redacted to such an unusual level all he got in response was a cold dismissal and a warning to never broach the subject again by his lifelong friend. But as she had never shown much skill in the ninja arts he had simply passed it off as some dark family secret that they had gotten the Hokage to hide for them at great cost.
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
"Anyway I'll see you three after the fights. I expect all three of you to pass. I have a carefully maintained reputation to consider and it'll do me no good to have my skills as a sensei tarnished because of you three underperforming in the exams". Kakashi said before he disappeared in a spiral of smoke and leaves.
"Pff...we underperforming...what does he take us for? We aren't some greenhorn Genin two days out of the academy. We have done a flipping A-rank for crying out loud. We are ready for whatever comes our way". Naruto said annoyed at his sensei for his apparent concern that they would ever underperform.
"Come on I'm beat lets find our room". Sasuke said as he moved forward all the while fighting back a yawn that seemed unwilling to be held back by his hand.
-
A few minutes later the trio were falling onto the soft welcoming mattresses inside their room. Three beds all lined one side while a small kitchenette and bathroom made up the rest of the space. All in all, it was fairly basic in its accommodations.
"It's kind of small don't you think"? Naruto asked as he looked around the small room.
"It's just to sleep in for the exams dobe. These rooms aren't meant to be lived in. Being spacious was never the intent". Sasuke said as he rolled onto his side and was fast asleep.
"What are you going to do, Sakura-chan"? Naruto asked Sakura once he was done eyeing the fairly spartan room that was to be their living area for the next few days. This year's exams was by far the biggest in a generation and as such the exams would need preliminary fights in order to drop the total to around a dozen combatants
"Take a bath. If I were you I would do the same. You could join me...Naruto". Sakura said as she opened the door and looked back at her teammate.
"We are thirteen years old. We are too young to be doing that and besides I like Ino-chan.
"I know that...I was talking about your companion". Sakura said eyeing his stomach while subconsciously licking her lips.
"I have no clue what you're talking about". Naruto tried before he was pulled close to the girl and the door closed behind him with a click.
"Don't you dare lie to me...human. I could smell my mate inside you the second you entered that classroom. Now that we can be alone I want to enjoy myself". Sakura said as her eyes turning foxlike in an instant. Upon seeing this Naruto was pulled inside his mindscape. Being quick on the uptake Naruto soon turned around to face the massive silhouette of the nine-tailed fox who seemed almost happy to see him.
"Release me from this cage...human". Kurama yelled as he butted against the bars with as much force a mountain size fox could muster.
"What do I get if I release you"? Naruto asked now unafraid of the massive demon fox.
"Whatever you wish just open this damn door. I have been without my mate for far too long. I will not be without her now that she is so close". Kurama yelled his teeth reflecting the silhouette of his mental representation a dozen times over.
"What will happen once I release you"? Naruto asked.
"I shall appear as a large dog-sized fox with nine tails or as a human of thirteen years". Kurama said calmly.
"Anything else I should know"? Naruto asked arm taking hold of the seal.
"The release of so much chakra will no doubt cause a panic but that can't be helped. Besides that you will have access to the entirety of my chakra. You will be without equal. Fire will do you no harm nor will you be fooled by any genjutsu less than an S-rank which seems to be few in number and none in your village seems to have the skills to use those at this time so no worries there. You will live a life three times longer than most as will any offspring you should happen to father in your long life. You will be the first of a new race of beings. You will be akin to a god". Kurama said as he watched as the boy took hold of the seal and waited for the bliss that was freedom.
"If I do this you will be my summons". Naruto said eyeing the fox daring him to object to such a proposal.
"If that is what must be done so be it. Now release me". Kurama yelled before the cage fell away and he forcefully ejected his jailer from his mindscape.