the Results, a D-Ranked Mission and a 'Friendly' Spar!

The Hokage sat at the small desk in his office, with a grin covering his face. In front of him sat Shiranui Genma, a jounin instructor whose face, you could tell, was going to burst at any moment from the frustration that only someone that was annoyed could come up with.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is wrong with me? How in the world did you know that Naruto was going to pass?"

The Hokage smiled. "Naruto has been learning about Shinobi since he was five years old, on account of the Kyuubi sealed inside of him. In that time, he has asked questions on what to do in situations conforming to various states of capture and caution. One time, about seven years ago, a man kidnapped the daughter of Hyuuga Hiashi, and at that time, Naruto was worried. Though he had never met Hinata, he knew Hiashi very well, and was worried for him, and by chances his girl.

One day, he was worried so much, he looked at me and said, "Hey, Old Man, what would have happened if the guy that took Hinata-chan wasn't caught?"

"No one can say for sure" the Hokage muttered to his student. "Naruto, when people do things like the man did with Hinata, they rarely, if ever, have a plan of action after. There was never a chance of him getting away. More than likely, he would have been caught by Morino Ibiki."

"Who's that, Old Man?"

"Morino is the leader of the Torture and Interrogation Squad, and a very powerful jounin. I trust him with my life."

"Kay, old man. Um... what's torture and interrogation?"

"It's where a man asks another man, a nukenin sometimes, questions, and if the man asking the question doesn't get answered, he hurts them until they are ready to answer."

"Hey, Old Man, what will happen if I get caught by Morino Ibiki?"

"He will probably ask about the Kyuubi."

"Does he know, then?" Naruto asked, worried. The man shook his head. "No, he doesn't know, and you mustn't ever tell him."

"How?"

The Hokage sighed, frowning. "In order to never tell your secret to interrogators, you must be willing to die for it. And, at the same time, you must be willing to order others to die for it, also. It takes many people years to learn that, Naruto. By the time it will be of use to you, though, you will have forgotten."

"Huh?" was Naruto's answer. The man smiled.

"You'll understand, someday."

"Alright, so you told him, but he should have forgotten."

"He did, Genma. I asked him three weeks ago, when he passed the Genin exam what a person should do in that situation, and he didn't remember. The only thing I can think of would be that the Kyuubi is influencing him. Telling him things, teaching and molding him, in a way that we can't begin to understand."

"Ano, Hokage-sama. Do you think the Kyuubi is trying to turn Naruto against us?"

"No, I've asked Naruto to talk to the Kyuubi. As long as Naruto and the Kyuubi are getting along, there will be no attempts at subterfuge. And, before you ask, they get along when Naurto lets the Kyuubi out, as a summon or through releasing power and letting the Kyuubi take over his body for a while, usually three hours.

In that time, he can run in the forest, or do whatever his heart, or Naruto's heart, desires. And, he won't kill Naruto during this time, the seal on Naruto's stomach prevents any attempt at murder, and will instantly rip the nine-tailed demon apart."

"That sounds like a large punishment." Genma commented. The man nodded. "The way Kyuubi explained it, the only way he can be released is by Naruto's releasing the seal. Kyuubi also knows that Naruto won't just release him, until he's sure that he could beat the demon if he tries anything. So, Kyuubi trains him, and Naruto lets him out as summon sometimes."

The man laughed. "That does sound like Naruto, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, and the best part, even if there is another seal placed to hold the Kyuubi, Naruto doesn't draw on the foxes' power to summon him, or anything other than his more powerful moves, like the Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu, which I will tell you now is of Naruto's creation."

"So in essence, I'm training our village's next Kage, Hokage-sama?"

The man nodded. "That still doesn't tell me how I'm going to choose the leader for the team. I have every reason to, and none that says otherwise. How did the Yondaime get through this?"

The man sighed. "Arashi was a complicated man, he saw the potential in Kakashi to be great, and I saw the same in him. Jiraiya saw the great in Arashi from the moment he saw him, and even told me that I'd choose him as the next Hokage. It was more of a gut instinct than anything. Do you know why Naruto isn't your choice for the command?"

The man nodded, "Naruto seems like the guy that will make decisions if he has too but doesn't necessarily like the fact. He is quick to anger, but even more quick at coming up with more combinations using Kage Bunshin than I am at using Katon based moves. He's more of a strong arm for the tough missions than the decision making part, which is what I figured Nushi or Kimourii would be good at, they have level minds, and more knowledge of the ways of a Shinobi than anyone I've ever seen."

"They'll be glad to hear such a compliment coming from their sensei, Genma. The problem will come in reassuring Naruto of his position on the team, instead of calling it the arms position, call it Tactical Planning, and for either Kimourii or Nushi, call the position Tracking and Stealth. They're both experts in that field, and the only difference between them is their fighting style versus their speed.

"Hokage-sama, my gut tells me to go with Kimourii, but I've seen instances where she has a crush on Naruto, what about that? What if feelings do develop between the two of them?"

The man sighed. "Naruto is just now getting involved with others his age, on a daily basis, he is not going to jump into anything. I doubt anything will come of that, even if they do have a futile relationship, Genma."

The man smiled. "Alright, thank you Hokage-sama, you've helped me make my decision."

The man smiled, "oh?"

"Yes, I, Shiranui Genma, hereby name as captain of Team 5 Riyousha Kimourii. She has proven her aptitude in following orders, and even though showed resistance to an order, was doing so under orders from Uzumaki Naruto, and a Kage Bunshin no Jutsu. She has the trust of her team, even as far as asking Uzumaki Naruto to die to complete a mission, which he did.

Inuzuka Nushi will be named as our Stealth and Tracker, while Uzumaki Naruto will be the tactician of the team. I believe, Hokage-sama, they are ready for their first D-ranked mission."

The man smiled. "Yes, I do seem to think that as well. If, and when, you think they are ready for a C-ranked mission, come by, and I will add that to their list. As you know, these are public records. Also, please hand Naruto this, in private if at all possible, it is something I have held from him for too long, and it is time to be returned."

The man nodded. He took the scroll for the boy and walked out of the room, while curious, never intending to open.

"Genma-sensei!" The three called to their leader as he walked up. The man smiled. "Hello you three. I have your information scrolls ready. Each show where you can improve in your training, and the others show what skills you need to learn to improve. Since you all specialize in Taijutsu, I have those marked at the maximum level, with only a description of increasing your speed by wearing weighted clothing.

"Also, I have your team assignment here, describing the position you will have in the team. Riyousha Kimourii, you are hereby elected Team Captain. Your decision making skills, and the loyalty your team has to you shows they will willingly lay aside their lives for the good of the mission, and trust you to make the appropriate decisions concerning that area.

Inuzuka Nushi, you have been elected the teams Stealth and Tracker, and in charge of locating enemies, or targets of lower ranked missions. You will be lead point in the group, because of your tracking abilities.

Uzumaki Naruto, you have been elected as the Tactician Specialist of Team 5. Your prowess at taijutsu and ninjutsu are what made me decide this position for you. The ability you have to summon a SS-ranked creature makes you the perfect person to lead a fight, or evade and escape an enemy encampment with minimal losses.

The only reason, in fact, you two were not chosen for the captaincy is your disability in Genjutsu. Kimourii has high levels in Taijutsu, and medium levels in Ninjutsu, but accurate levels in genjutsu. Naruto, you already know your skills lie in your Tai and ninjutsus, but your Genjutsu is bearable at best.

And Nushi, you have amazing skills in taijutsu, medium levels in ninjutsu, but almost no skill in taijutsu. Let's be candid, these scrolls are supposed to be private, but if a team cannot learn together, they cannot work together. You, Kimourii, are in charge of training times. Naruto will teach you chakra balancing, and ninjutsu. You will teach taijutsu. Nushi, you will teach tracking. I want this team to act like a well-oiled machine before going on anything higher than D-ranked missions.

'Now, Kimourii, this is your first official mission, a D-ranked. You have to go to the old botanist woman on Fires' Bend Way, and help her by planting several bushels of corn and wheat. Her husband just passed on, and while she is confident in her ability to pass the time watering plants, she is unable to confidently say she can plant."

You have until sunrise tomorrow to complete this mission, using only speed and your taijutsu."

The three nodded. At once they took to the roofs, mentally preparing a list of things that would need done for the woman. Kimourii again read the scroll, but all the information was given by the Team's Sensei.

"Ah, so you are the new Genin that I requested yesterday?" the woman at the door addressed Kimourii. She nodded, "Hai Oyame-sama, it is our pleasure to help you in your work today."

The woman thanked her. "Now, the supplies are in the supply closet closest to the house, on the left. You will find the plants, and any potting soil you will need there as well. After you get done, please come inside for drinks and a meal. Also, lunch will be served here, free of charge for you help, and I will send payment for this mission to the Hokage-sama for you."

"Thank you, Oyame-sama." Kimourii said. The others nodded and went outside.

"Alright, we'll need to set up a way of doing this most productively. This would seem like a good area to test Naruto's Tactician status, and your stealth, but I already know how both are, so what do you suggest Naruto?"

"Well, the best thing I can think of would be to take two rows and plant from left to right, while the water is on the entire time. We'll use the water to wet the soil so it's easier to move, and when we plant the produce, it should settle well."

Nushi nodded. "That is what I would have suggested actually. Other than that, the person not working from back to middle or middle to front, should be planting roses."

Naurto nodded. Kimourii looked pleased. "You both got exactly what I envisioned in my head. That was so cool. Alright, so you go ask permission to keep the water running from the well, Nushi. Naruto, help me get the supplies from the closet please?"

Naruto responded with a happy sounding "HAI!" and went off to the supply closet. He got two garden hoes, long shafts of wood with metallic claws at the end, used to dig large lines in the ground, out. After that, lifted the potting soil and the plants, he let stay inside so, until they got permission to run the water, they would not die in the heat.

"Kimourii, Oyame gave permission to use water, and cried saying that her husband had often told her the same thing. She smiled, and said that we would be receiving a bonus for making her feel useful."

Kimourii smiled. "Alright, I've figured it out. In order to work the relatively same amount of time, we will need to work, using our skills to the best. Naruto, you will need to work at the far end for near three hours, while we only do an hour and a half each time. Nushi will take the closest for six hours, and eat. After that, she and I will switch off from the closest every hour and a fifteen for the next four minutes.

Lunch will be at a given time. Nushi, at 10, Naruto at 12, and I will be at 1. After those given times, we will then eat at 6, 8 and 9 respectively.

That way, there will always be a shinobi digging. At ten, we should be finished digging, and from eleven on, we will all plant. About that time, it should be cooler, so we will work as long as the plants last out. I want us to be done before six tomorrow morning."

And so it went. For the next twelve hours, the genin switched off, some digging long, some other, shorter times. At the end of the digging, they had worked a collective of sixteen hours each. When it came to planting the bushels, however, is when the real work began. Some holes were to narrow, others were too large. They would have to dig them a bit more, or fill some dirt in for others. They barely had finished when Genma came up, and smiled down upon them.

"Alright team, good job working together, collaborating your efforts into the mission. That was a good first mission, and Oyame couldn't be happier if she had done it herself. I like the versatility you show, especially, Kimourii, in using Naruto's endurance as an anchor, while allowing yourselves to get accustomed to the life you're now leading. Alright, you do have today off, Neji, Lee and Tenten asked me earlier if you could get together.

As only one mission came in today, anyway, Team Gai did that."

The three groaned. "You are to meet them at training field seven at 12, ready to spar against your classmates, and rival team. Gai and I will be there, and whoever faces Lee, he has requested you not hold back his flames of youth, whatever the hell that means."

"It means Genma-sensei, that Lee doesn't want us to just use Taijutsu, but Ninjutsu. I think they're probably running an "enemy" play or something."

The man nodded. "Alright, get some sleep, and meet us there later. If what you're saying is true, then this will be good experience for you, Nushi, to learn to track, and you Naruto, to come up with attack patterns. Dismissed."

As Genma left, the awkward feeling of foreboding came to fill their heads with dread. "Why are we facing Team Gai? They have the Hyuuga, Tenten, and Lee." Nushi asked. It was a long held fact that most of the Inuzuka hate the Hyuuga family for their dishonorable act of sealing their branch family.

"Probably for the same reason we've been testing in the trials, Neji wants to know the secret of winning the trials. The problem is, Hokage-sama told me that only one team a year gets to do the Trials. And that I'm the only one to ever get the final question right."

"So, it's some elaborate attempt at getting information from us in a spar?"

Naruto shrugged. "Probably."

The two girls sighed. "Really, all we have to do is beat Neji, Tenten and Lee, and we won't have to say a thing. So, who wants who? Remember in the three cases. Neji was the Number One of our class. He has the Byakugan and, more than likely, the Hakke attacks.

Tenten is a weapons mistress, and capable of using deadly style attacks.

Lee" Naruto began, but was stopped by Nushi who smirked, "is a loser that can't do ninjutsu to save his life."

Naruto sighed. "You just volunteered to face Lee then, Nushi. Sucks to be you. I'll take Neji, with my Shunshin, I can outrun the Byakugan even with its circle vision."

Kimourii sighed. "I'll take Tenten then. Alright, so how do we go about fighting them then?"

Naruto shrugged. "The idea with Neji is simple, get in and attack before he can pull out any big attacks. The Kaiten, if he knows it, will probably be a hindrance, but I don't think he knows it yet. Hokage-sama told me that the Hyuuga don't teach the Kaiten to their young until they're thirteen. That's two years to go.

Kimourii nodded. "I agree. We will arrive at the field at seven. Naruto, work on your Chakra Shield technique, and pull it out your ass if he does the Hakke. I know he knows it, I saw him use it."

Naruto nodded. "Good, Nushi, you and Sutermaru need to get some way of sensing Lee-kun's attack. He's nearly faster than Naruto, except when Naruto has his Mokushioku active."

"Also, both of you, remember that these people are our friends, so don't do anything to much to hurt them. If they get in your way, attack, but if at all possible, avoid a conflict. Well, I'm going home to sleep, eat some Ramen and will be back later."

They disbursed. As he turned to leave, Genma shouted. "Oi, Naruto!"

Naruto looked at his sensei. "That was a good strategy, and way to show Nushi not to underestimate an opponent. Remember though, Branch member he may be, but he is a prodigy. Also, I didn't give this to you earlier, because the Hokage asked me to give it to you in private."

Naruto took the scroll, recognizing the symbol of the Kazama house. He took the scroll, it was his fathers' handwriting.

  Kazama Naruto,
That's what I called you the night you were born. The night I died protecting this village from the wrath of the Kyuubi. The night I did something that you will find hard to understand. As it stands now, I have just decided to seal you with the Kyuubi, giving you his power, and the ability to use it. Your mother said it was obvious, that you would possess my bloodline and her ability.

Your birthright, that's what I called it. I asked the Kyuubi to direct you to it when I felt you were ready. It was at your mothers' house, Naruto. All of my power, my secrets were stored there, while all of hers were stored in my personal chamber.

What no one realized, though, was that your mother was able to call herself the might of the village. She was more powerful than I, and determined that you would be just as powerful. If you've learned the Shunshin, and the Mokushioku, than you need to learn of her bloodline too.

She was Uzumaki Rioku. And, she loved you, dearly. Even though she only knew you for a few, brief seconds before the Kyuubi destroyed her section of the hospital.

She contained bloodline ability, I call it that because it's not a limit, just something that when combined with the Shunshin no jutsu and the Mokushioku, would make the greatest of men tremble in fear.

It was called the Chakra-crust. It was an ability that formed in her bloodline when one of her ancestors mated with a demon in human form. He called himself the Wanderer, and contained, in his truest form, three tails.

The Chakra-crust makes a shell around the body, much like that of armor, which is almost impossible to break. To enforce it, you must pour Chakra from your tenketsu and, from what she describes, focus it into an unbreakable wall.

Coupled with the Shunshin, you would theoretically become a human battering ram, whenever you wanted.

And, her punches, while not on the level of Tsunade-Sannin, were the strongest in the village at her death. As far as we've seen, there are no bloodline limits. Coupled with a taijutsu style though, and it is unstoppable.

Practice this, as you would my own, and when you are ready, go to the main entrance to my house, and use the release jutsu, "kai" on the picture of me. At that time, the door will open and you will have access to her scrolls.

I would suggest you DO NOT activate the release without mastering the chakra-crust. She told me there are very bad responses for those who do.

Father

Naruto held the paper in his hands, not caring about the outside world, or anything to do with it. Tears filled his eyes as he looked at the scarlet covered envelope, and sighed. So, he was a Kazama, but was also an Uzumaki?

"Don't things ever become simpler," he asked aloud to no one in particular.

Looking at the time, Naruto lay his head down, and fell asleep, setting the alarm to wake him in five hours.

"Where is he?" Genma asked as he and Gai looked around for the one missing person from their apparent spar. Gai chuckled, muttering something about Lee's "flames of youth" reaching to make the boy sick. Genma scowled, one minute and Naruto was going to be doing menial tasks for days upon end.

Fifteen seconds before they started, Naruto, bleary eyed and scowling arrived at the training field. He looked at his teammates, who were in shock that Naruto was late... he was never late

"Heh, sorry I'm late. My alarm was busted.

So, what are we doing here?"

Genma, relieved if not a little annoyed, said, "Well be sparing against your rival team, 6. Team 5 and Team 6, this is a mission-prepared spar, meaning you will be rivals on a mission. It will go until all members of one team are knocked out, and this badge taken from each person. I expect each team to act respectfully towards the other and hope there won't be any unsavory action taken against the other. First, and foremost, you are both Konoha-nin.

When you have two badges, it is your job to protect it until the end of the exam, I don't care how. If you lose your badge, get it back. This will go as long as needed for each person on a given team to win.

You have one hour to gather the necessary items, and then you will come back here. This is, though, part of the spar, so the badges are fair game."

The teams looked at each other, and grimaced. Gai looked gleeful, to the point of exuberance, and pointed at Lee, and made some motions with his hands. Neji and Tenten, both were looking nodded.

'Great, silent communication' Naruto thought. 'Well, let's wait to see what Kimourii has to say.

"Alright guys" she began. "We're going to use Evade and Escape procedures while we get somewhere to purchase items we will need. How much money is in your accounts?"

Nushi muttered about half of it, and she said the same thing. Naruto just quickly agreed, and let it be at that. "So, we have almost fifteen hundred to do what we need?"

They nodded. "Good, let's go."

Nushi took up the first position, like it was second nature though they only had discussed it once today. After her came Kimourii, the leader, and Naruto took the last position. "Alright you ass! We need to move at a steady pace, and, don't let us get caught. I don't want to fight unless we're on even ground. Right now, they could be above us, and Neji could be using the Byakugan to track us."

Sutermaru nodded, agreeing with the fact.

"Good, let's get out of here!"

"Hey Otousan!" Tenten said as she entered the shop her father ran. The man looked at his daughter, and her friends, and sighed. "Hey Tenten, Neji-sa..san, Lee-san. What brings you three by today?"

"Training mission, sir!" Neji said, "we're facing Naruto, Kimourii and Nushi in an overnight spar, and need to be prepared."

"Alright, I was notified of this, and have two sets together for the two teams, and yes Tenten, they are getting served here. It's not my business what happens in the Ninja community because I'm not part of it, but it is my business to run this place."

"Right, Otousan. How much for the stack?"

"Well, you are my daughter, so fifty percent off, 300."

She nodded and handed him the bills, and they sped off. He smirked. When the other team came in, he charged the same price.

"Tenten thought she'd get a discount while you three had to pay full price, I told her that the half-cost would be 300, when in reality that is the full price."

"Thank you, sir." the tall, black haired girl said. "Well, this is the survival package, tents, compass, and the like. Take care."

They ran out of the building, and into the streets of Konoha, heading back, knowing now they were behind the other three. Nushi sent Sutermaru ahead to find some dog scouts, and they agreed to help. Every once in a while there was a yelp, which Sutermaru interpreted to mean, "there's an ambush ahead" or "They went the way we were going to go."

They made it to the grounds in time too see Neji and Lee going over every part of the plan.

"Alright, here's what we need to do, divide and conquer. They will probably expect a full-scale attack, so we each attack one at a time, I'll attack Neji, and run off. He'll track me, and you Kimourii go after Tenten. Nushi, you wanted Lee, well, he's all yours."

Nushi grinned, smugly, thinking she got the easiest person in the entire group. Naruto laughed, launching himself forwards, towards Neji. The boy made to block the attack, but Naruto was too fast. He moved faster than light could see, and landed a solid blow on his friend.

Neji, of course, took this as a challenge. Up until now, Gai was talking about Neji, and how he would never fall for such a simple diversion. But, when Neji ran after Naruto, the man gasped. He made to scream out, "trap" but Genma only hit him in the back of the head.

Genma stood there, moving his finger back in forth in a "tutting" motion, saying, "we agreed, no interference."

Gai nodded, "Neji's Power of Youth shall defeat Naruto!"

"Right, keep deluding yourself. I have faith in Naruto!"

Gai seemed to agree with him, on having faith, anyway.

Soon after, Kimourii was engaging Tenten. Tenten saw through the obvious attempt at distancing them, and after a quick message to Lee, made off. Lee quickly grinned, released the weights and, after hesitating but a moment, pushed off.

"He's wearing how many weights?"

"Nearly a hundred pounds of weights." Gai laughed. Genma nodded, "after two weeks, that's amazing. I hope, though, that he doesn't push himself too far, Gai. Naruto wears three hundred and seventy-five pounds worth, now, himself. And, that's wearing anklets and bracelets, plus a weighted suit. Apparently, the anklets have some type of jutsu that can increase them automatically."

The man nodded. "Yes, Neji told me Naruto had those, but was sure his Byakugan could still spot him. Naruto, unless he has a hidden ability we don't know about, is still at a disadvantage."

The man snorted. "Says the guy that almost shit himself when Naruto summoned the Kyuubi."

The man groaned. "Neji, my dear fellow, you have no idea what to do. However, I am still confident we can win!"

"Gai, you do realize you're just pissing my team off, right? Yelling how you think your team will win is just making them mad. Sure, they may not win but it won't be because they aren't better."

"Yes, friend, just tell yourself that!"

Genma sighed.

Tenten eyed her opponent warily. She knew, dealing with Kimourii as often as she had, that the girl was as strong as an ox. So, the best way to avoid getting hurt would have to be avoid the girl altogether, and use her weapons.

She attacked, a scroll summoning about fifty different weapons. They all strolled towards the leader of Team 5, and imbedded themselves in her back. 'Just as I thought' she thought, until the girl disappeared.

"YOU TAUGHT HER THAT MOVE, GENMA! OH YOUR HIP WAYS ANGERS ME!"

Genma sighed, 'so Naruto taught her the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.'

Tenten smirked, though, and hit her with about seventeen different weapons, in different places. "It's a new tag, body seeking tag, and never misses.

Kimourii fainted, three seconds later, her badge now missing.

Genma sighed.

Lee eyed his rival in the flames of youth, and her dog Sutermaru. When he had been at academy, she was his most loyal rival, and thought that without taijutsu, he would amount to nothing. Well, Lee thought, "I'll show her, YOSH!"

"NUSHI, IT IS AN HONOR TO FIGHT YOU TODAY! I WILL NEED TO REMOVE MY WEIGHTS IN ORDER TO BATTLE YOU HONORABLY! I WILL BATTLE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY! YOSH, THE POWER OF YOUTH WILL PREVAIL!"

"Please spare me a talk on the power of youth, Lee. I'm tired of hearing it. Let's just battle. I'll use my family's taijutsu, to be fair to you."

Lee growled. "NO, USE YOUR NINJUTSU AND GENJUTSU! I CANNOT BECOME A GENIUS OF HARD WORK WITHOUT OBSTACLES! YOSH, WITH THE POWER OF YOUTH, I WILL PREVAIL, AND NOT LET GAI-SENSEI DOWN!"

The girl sighed. Fine, he wanted it, he had it. "Gatsuuga!"

Lee dodged the shot, but a call of "Juujin Bunshin" made him twirl around. Gai-sensei had told him a Kage Bunshin disappears on contact, so he grinned and attacked one. After making contact, it didn't disappear, so he just needed to attack the other one.

But, it didn't work that way. The one behind him grabbed, and bit him, smearing blood on his arm. Lee gasped, before leaping back.

"So, she knows the Inuzuka clan attacks then?"

The man nodded. "She's considered a prodigy, and I couldn't be more proud of her, as a sensei. She's our lead in Tracking, and more powerful than she realizes."

Gai nodded.

"Gatsuuga!" both yelled at once, The boy had no chance to block, and so instead jumped. As the two swirling masses met in mid air, the fell to the ground. Lee landed beside them, and took their badge.

Genma groaned, again. Gai was happy.

"What are you running for?" Neji smirked. Naruto grinned, turned around and said, "Shunshin no Jutsu! Shadoashige!"

Neji had no chance to block the move as his face met Naruto's foot. He flew back, and hit a tree... then disappeared. Naurto sighed. "Byakugan!" Neji grinned. Naruto laughed.

"I figured you wouldn't care that I beat your Bunshin. So, let's have a battle of the doujutsu?"

The boy stared, in shock. "You have a bloodline limit?"

Naruto grinned and nodded. "Mokushioku!"

"Speed sight? Ha! That takes three times my doujutsu to keep out! Sure, let's just sit here and see who faints first!"

The two would do this for the next few hours.

"Where is Neji-san and Naruto?" Gai asked, worried about his student and Genma's favorite student. They hadn't been seen in a few hours. Gai, personally, thought that Neji should have came back within a few minutes but, no, he stayed with Naruto, fighting. "Ah, he will be so rewarded when we come back!"

Genma shrugged.

Soon, there was a rustle from the plants, all around them.

"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled. Shuriken filled the area. Then, without warning, they multiplied about fifty times. Then, those multiplied fifty times each.

Gai was stunned. Tenten took five direct hits, all nonfatal, but still, a drag. Lee too, took about twice that, and fell to the ground, stunned.

"Yata!" Naruto said.

Both Gai and Genma were stunned. "How in the hell did he beat Neji?"

Genma shrugged.

Just then, though, Naruto fell to the ground, bored more than anything. "Genma-sensei! I'm bored, I have the badges, can I GO NOW!"

The man sighed. No doubt about, Naruto was one of a kind.

Gai sighed. "To think, that kid has more uses with the Kage Bunshin no jutsu than even I have ever seen. He doesn't quit, and his attacks are on the Jounin level.

"Please tell me he's taking the closest Chuunin exam available, or I may just cry."

"Please, cry ahead."

Gai did.

And it passed, days turned into weeks, and weeks into months.

End Chapter

Author's Notes:
This chapter skips the rest of the first two months worth of D-ranked missions, unless of course you want to hear about Naruto's experience walking a woman's dog, or having to clear a field of thorns, or something like that.

There has been no extra training, other than trying to learn the Chakra Shield spin, and Chakra Crust techniques.

Also, I would like to thank everyone for their graceful comments about my first Naruto Fanfiction. It's an honor to see such reviews.

William