Chapter 35: Chapter 34
Chapter 34
Shino was studying the notes his sensei gave him when he felt pretty hungry. Kaen-sensei has left him alone, stating he had other things to do. Shino had to acknowledge that fuinjutsu was very interested, even if he hated to admit that the seal that pushed his insects away was the one that got him on this road. Otherwise, he didn't believe he would have tried studying it.
Feeling his empty stomach, Shino paused. Training with Kaen-sensei taught him that he should take any opportunity to eat. If he didn't, he might not have a chance for some time. Shino hated his sensei's methods, but it worked, and he hated that even more. Not only did he learn much about combat, but he learned the mind games from him too.
Hunger became a common occurrence in his training. But it taught him how to preserve energy and fight while being tired. He had never thought of it before, but such situations are likely daily in wartime and dangerous missions. It made him reevaluate his strengths and weaknesses. Still, he will never forgive his sensei for messing with his insects. Even if it takes him years, he will have his revenge.
Just thinking about losing his insects gave him shivers. Even now, Shino would periodically check his sleeves to see if any were missing. The rumbling of his stomach stopped his musings. He remembered he hadn't eaten breakfast before his sensei whisked him away. Kaen-sensei didn't care much for their well-being, or at least Shino thought so.
As Shino walked through the streets of Konoha looking for a place to eat, he found Naruto and Sakura with three kids. One of them he recognized as the grandson of the Third Hokage. Before he could turn in another direction to walk, he saw a boy in dark clothes and a girl in bright clothes intercepting Naruto's group. Seeing Konohamaru bumping into the boy in dark clothes made Shino stop and observe.
No matter how he wished to avoid Naruto, there was always trouble whenever he was, and Shino didn't like trouble, but he couldn't do nothing when he saw a boy in dark clothes push Konohamaru to the ground. Shino didn't know the boy, but he was the grandson of the Third Hokage, a man he and his clan greatly respected.
"You bastard, what was that for?" Naruto yelled out as he helped Konohamaru up.
"Stupid kid should watch where he is going," The boy in dark clothes replied. "Well, what could one expect of leaf genins? They are all weak and pathetic."
"What did you say, you bastard?" Naruto asked, getting angry, but he didn't move to attack. "Who are you anyway, that not a headband of Konoha?"
"Hmph, if you want to know, we are from Suna, Village Hidden in Sand." The boy replied and motioned to Naruto and Konohamaru. "And I hate midgets."
"What did you say!?" That got Naruto even more furious. It was time for Shino to interfere before it would escalate any further.
"You should watch your words," Shino spoke as he approached them. "You just attacked the grandson of the Third Hokage. Even if you are on a quest for the Chunin exam, that could get you killed."
"Who gives a shit who he is?" The boy asked, looking at Shino. "And what a weakling like you are looking at me for?"
"I am just passing by, but your actions harbored quite a commotion," Shino replied. "And for the record, I would like to look at insects more than look at you."
"Ha, he said you were beneath insects, Kankuro" The girl in bright clothes laughed at her friend.
"You little shit, come here!" Kankuro moved towards Shino.
Shino watched as Kankuro stretched his hand towards his neck but didn't react. Kankuro lifted Shino with one hand, showing that he had some strength, but Shino's face was still calm. He simply picked a piece of paper and stuck it at Kankuro's arm. Kankuro looked at the paper and tried to move his other hand to remove it, but he couldn't.
"I am hungry, so I will be leaving," Shino said as he pushed himself off Kankuro and walked away, leaving behind stunned and unable to move Kankuro.
Shino hoped that his warning was enough for the two of them and the one who was hidden behind the tree. Maybe in Suna, they were considered prodigies, but here in Konoha, lived monsters like his sensei. His warning was not to mess with his village, where children could kill you. Shino knew enough about Naruto to know how monstrous his stamina and vicious pranks could be.
…
Naruto laughed as Kankuro tried to move but was unable to do so. It was hilarious to see him struggle after being so arrogant. He got what he deserved and didn't expect anything less from Kaen's students. But it was a warning to him, too. Naruto was prideful of his strength. After he secretly learned Shadow Clone jutsu, his training progressed much faster.
His sensei had taught him a few jutsu that was quite powerful, and using Shadow Clone jutsu, he tested them against himself every day. He would use his clones to fight him every day, and the stronger he got, so did his clones, so he quickly progressed in his taijutsu and the jutsu he learned from his sensei. Even Sasuke had trouble facing him before he awoke his sharingan.
It annoyed Naruto to no end. Sasuke would get stronger than before just when Naruto started gaining an advantage against him. Now with his sharingan, he could see through his dirty tricks and had not fallen for them again. Banishing his thoughts of his head, he turned to the two older kids who looked down on him.
"Be grateful it isn't an explosive tag, or you would be without a hand by now," Naruto laughed and walked up to Kankuro and took the seal away since his friend didn't bother to do so. "Now you know that you shouldn't mess with the shinobi of Konoha."
"Hmph, he was lucky," Kankuro stated. "He won't catch me off guard again."
"Let's go, Kankuro, Temari," A third voice came from behind the tree.
Naruto wasn't surprised by the third presence. He felt him looking. Years of being observed by others gave him the sense or rather a feeling when someone was staring at him from behind him. What surprised Naruto were the new kid's eyes. Naruto only had seen the same eyes once. Zabuza had the same eyes. He had the eyes of a demon, but even his eyes weren't as scary as the kid with the red hair had.
Naruto stood in place, not daring to move. He felt fear, and he didn't dare to stand before the boy with the red hair. Naruto saw that Sakura wanted to say something but was stopped when Sasuke jumped from the branch of the tree. Damn, I didn't sense him at all. His stealth skills have improved once again. Yet it relieved Naruto as Sasuke walked toward them. It made him relax.
"There you are," A voice above them distracted them from the fleeing shinobi of Suna. "I have some news that you might like to hear."
"What is it?" Naruto asked, knowing very well that his sensei just happened to meet them and wasn't looking for them.
"Is it about the Chunin exam?" Sakura asked.
"It seems you heard the news," Kakashi-sensei replied. "It is. Take this form and come to the Academy on Sunday. If you don't come, I know you do not wish to take the exam. I implore you to think about it seriously. The exam is very dangerous, and you will risk your lives."
Naruto wanted to scoff at his sensei words, but then he remembered the eyes of the boy who was his age and had eyes full of murder. If he had to face him in the exam, could he win? Naruto felt doubts, he promised himself he wouldn't be afraid anymore, but it was simpler said than done. But he knew one thing, he would try, and if he failed, he would try again.
"So, what did you do to him?" Sasuke asked Naruto as sensei started to walk away from them.
"Stinky bomb," Naruto replied, looking at the distant figures of the Suna shinobi. "It should soon activate, the smell will go deep into the skin, and he won't be able to wash it for days."
"His clothes are ruined?" Sasuke asked.
"Even burning them won't stop the smell," Naruto replied, fist-bumping Sasuke.
"Good," Sasuke replied. "I might not kill him the next time I see him out of pity."
Nobody messes with the people of Konoha. But even so, he had to think about the words his sensei said for a moment. While Sasuke didn't seem to care and walked away, Sakura took the form and started to read it. Naruto walked to his sensei, who was leaving. Seeing his student approach, he stopped and looked at Naruto, He waited for Naruto to speak, letting him gather his thoughts, and Naruto was grateful for that.
"Tell me the truth, sensei," Naruto began. "Are we ready?"
"If you need to ask that, then you are not," Kakashi-sensei replied to Naruto's shock, but he quickly accepted his sensei's words. "But only you can answer that question. You know well what a shinobi is, so ask yourself what you are ready for."
Naruto didn't understand those words but felt he needed to find meaning in them by himself. He left Sakura and Konohamaru with his friends and walked around the village. What should I be ready for? Naruto asked himself. To kill? To protect? He never killed. Am I prepared to kill? Naruto asked. He didn't know.
"You look troubled," Naruto was surprised to see Hinata before him.
"Ah, sorry, I was just thinking," He didn't know how to reply to her.
"Well, what were you thinking about?" Hinata asked, looking nervous and looking in a specific direction. Naruto looked in the direction where Hinata's eyes darted, only to find an older woman smiling at them.
"Well, about the Chunin Exams," Naruto answered and looked down sadly. "I don't know if I am ready."
"Naruto," Hinata wasn't familiar with this expression of Naruto. "I don't think I am ready to take the test either."
"You aren't?"
"No, I don't think I am ready," Hinata answered. "But I will still try. At least, I want to see how far I have gone since the Academy. I know I will regret it if I don't even try. And even if I make mistakes, I know my teammates will be here to help me. So, ah, if you decide to take the test, good luck."
Hinata seemed to be in a hurry as with her last words, she bolted away and ran past the older woman watching us. It was nice for her to talk with him even though she was in a hurry. Naruto decided that he should repay her kindness someday. And her words made him realize something. It didn't answer his question, but now he knew where to look for them.
The Chunin Exam, Naruto will take it. He wasn't afraid, and even if he failed, he would go there not to pass them, even if it would be nice, but test himself. He will see if he is ready. After all, there was nothing to lose. He wasn't afraid of danger, especially after the mission in the Lands of Wave. He understood that being shinobi meant risking their lives.
As Hinata said, he would regret it if he didn't try. He will give his all. Sunday was almost a week away. He still had time to iron out some flaws with his ninjutsu and chakra control. There wasn't a better time to train than now, so he ran to the field where his team always trained. Then he will have a nice bowl of ramen or two or three.
As Naruto entered the field with ramen on his mind, he smiled. Sakura and Sasuke were already there going through taijutsu katas. Sasuke would occasionally stop and correct Sakura when she made mistakes. When Naruto came to them, they smiled, and Naruto joined them. He will have to ask Sakura to teach him chakra control and ask Sasuke to spar with him after the warm-up.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone