"Ugh... My head." Was the first thing that came from Naruto's lips the moment he awoke.

His entire world was spinning, still reeling from the blow that was given to him. It was probable that he had a concussion but thanks to the fox it was almost completely cured outside of the dizziness that he felt. However it wasn't like Naruto thought like that or knew the fox healed him and kept his body at peak condition at all times whenever possible.

After all, Kyuubi would not have a weak vessel.

However it became painfully obvious where Naruto was when his dizzy spell came to an end. He was in what looked like a dark and dank sewer. This seemed somewhat familiar to him though he wasn't sure why. Once he was to his feet, he looked around before groaning.

He had no clue where he was.

So going with his gut instinct, he headed into the maze like halls of the sewer. But after a moment he realized that it felt like he was in autonomous mode for even he couldn't contemplate why he was heading deeper into the maze. If anything he wanted out but his gut told him otherwise which led him to this open room...

With giant steel bars with a strip of paper keeping the steel gates together.

Despite never having been here before, Naruto had begun to understand where he was. He was in his own mind and that meant this cage before him held the bane of his existence. So without further hesitation, Naruto called the fox out. "Hey wimpy fox! What am I doing here?"

On second thought, Naruto really should have chose his words better for a loud roar bellowed through the cage followed by an oppressive wave of red chakra that soon collided into him and flung him against the wall.

Groaning as he peeled his body off the wall, Naruto stumbled to feet before another roar from the fox demon caught his attention. "Insolent fool! The one time I bring you here to talk you poke fun at my situation! I will enjoy the day I'm free for I will eviscerate your corpses and devour your friends!"

"Well since that's never happening can you get on with what you brought me here for you idiot fox?" Naruto responded with an amused tone, finding it rather hilarious that he could get a rise out of the fox.

Either Naruto had a death wish or had masochistic tendencies for he got blasted into the wall again for angering the demon fox and got back up just like before. "Do you enjoy this because I can do this all day? If not I rather get down to business worthless human!"

"So can we get on with it then? Unlike you I don't have all day to just sit around." Naruto just didn't seem to know when to stop and insulted Kyuubi once more.

However this time the demon fox twitched at the blonde before him. Growling underneath its breath, the demon fox glared at the Uzumaki. "Damn mortal... You are just like her."

"Wait, what? Just like who?" Naruto's curiosity had now been peaked. Apparently the Kyuubi had someone in its past that reminded it of her and now he was somewhat interested to who he was compared to.

"It is unimportant as of now. That is for a different time." Kyuubi responded in a growl before getting to the reason for why it had brought Naruto here. "Mortal... Did you sense what that power when you're new sensei knocked you unconscious?"

Blinking for he had no clue what the demon fox was even talking about, for the event was rather hazy, Naruto thought about it for a moment. "I did sense he had a lot of power. It felt like he was very strong. However I get the same vibe when I'm around the old man."

Looking at the blonde for a moment, a dark chuckle escaped the demon's muzzle. "You are young and foolish boy... But at least you have a sense about you knowing he is powerful. However you have no clue just how powerful he is for you failed to see its depth."

Naruto was taken aback by what Kyuubi had said. Just how was it that the demon fox knew of this yet he was unable to sense the same thing? "What? Just how do you know..."

"It matters not. Let us just say you are my window to the world." The nine tails responded before its crimson eyes gazed over his being with intensity. "However I have a request of you... Accept whatever he tries to teach you. This one has power I've never seen before and anything he can teach you will be beneficial."

The blonde couldn't help but frown at the way Kyuubi had phrased "beneficial". It sounded like it, the demon fox that terrorized Konoha almost thirteen years ago, found something interesting about his sensei and wanted to 'learn' from him. If that it could learn that could be disastrous later on in his life.

"What are you up to?" Naruto narrowed his eyes while he tried to figure out what it was the fox wanted.

Kyuubi simply gaze Naruto a feral grin before a crimson aura began to grow around him. "What I want is inconsequential to you at this time. However for now your strength is what matters, not mine. And I need a strong vessel for I will not bow to Nanabi or any others in any aspect. You will become stronger if I have to force my power into you!"

"Now be gone from this place!" Kyuubi roared before the crimson chakra exploded from the demon fox's body and washed over Naruto, pushing him back despite his effort to stand his ground.

In the end it did not matter and the red chakra blasted him from the room and back into the world of the living.

"Ugh... My head." Naruto woke in the same kind of funk he had awoken to within his mind. "Stupid fox... Would it have killed him to take care of this massive headache?"

"Hey! You're finally awake!" Goku's voice echoed from nearby.

Of course it was too early in the morning for Naruto and his senses weren't the sharpest at this time of day. So he did what mostly anyone would do in the same situation.

He jumped up and screamed like a little girl.

After he turned to see who it was that spoke, Naruto clutched his hand over his heart before glaring at the saiyan. He absently noted his clothing was different, wearing an orange gi and a blue undershirt, but that didn't matter at the moment. "DON'T DO THAT! It isn't even six in the morning! Most people sleep in till at least eight and Kakashi-sensei doesn't start his training till at least noon!"

Goku laughed sheepishly for a moment before he shrugged his shoulders before his face fell and turned serious. "Well get use to it. Starting today you will be getting up at this time to start on our training. Today will be one of the harder days for you since this is the start of the routine. After today the work load will increase day by day to the point where you might not be able to handle it."

"So prepare yourself and get ready. When you are we're going to run laps around Konoha till I say to stop before moving onto other tasks I have set up for you today." Goku added before he jumped from the window seal and into the room, tilting his head just enough to each side to pop it.

Gulping, wondering just what he was in for, Naruto nodded and in a hurry he slid on only his jump pants and fresher t-shirt since the one he was wearing was soaked with his sweat. Yet just before he was ready to follow, Goku sat down at his small table before revealing a small bowl. "But before we begin... It isn't good to start on an empty stomach so I brought some food for you."

Sighing in relief, Naruto greedily dove into the ramen bowl that Goku had brought for him. The saiyan simply laughed and shook his head.

They were just so alike at times it was funny.

Things were weird for her without her other teammate and her sensei around, the last few days felt rather awkward. If she were to guess she would have to say she had become use to their eccentric personalities and the flair they brought into her mornings and without them...

Everything else was rather dull.

Tenten sighed as she adjusted her left bun for it had become slightly undone from her morning workout. It just wasn't the same without Lee or Gai there occasionally lapping by her and Neji as they sprinted through their laps while shouting encouragement back to her to keep up with the good work.

Unlike the two of them she just didn't have the stamina to sprint ten laps around Konoha and then go straight into their training workouts. So instead she would jog the laps while wearing weighted wrist and ankle bands. Nothing too heavy, only ten pounds each but enough to put a strain on her limbs while she was training.

It was then she remembered her fight against Temari and how easily she had been outclassed. Clenching her fists and grinding her teeth together, she refrained from lashing out at the closest inanimate object to her, a building for she was almost to the outside of Konoha to do her routine laps around the village.

Despite all her hard work and her expertise in weapons she came up short against an opponent that neutralized what she did best. But now that she looked back on the fight, if she had just snuck in and made it a close range fight... She could have destroyed the Sand kunoichi.

Tenten made a mental note to start increasing her training weights. She had to get stronger so she wouldn't fall against someone like her again. There would be others that would be able to neutralize her weaponry or best in her in her expertise and she needed something to fall back on.

And thanks to Gai-sensei... She had that something but she needed to work on it more.

"Well, well... Look what we have here." A voice that Tenten wished she would never have to hear again before turning to see the bane of her current thoughts.

Sabaku Temari.

Repressing the urge to draw a kunai and to beat her down for that ever confident grin and cocky attitude, Tenten uttered a growl. "Do you have something to say? If not I would rather just leave you be and get on to what I came out here for."

"Now, now... There is no need to be so hostile." Temari's grin widened seeing Tenten's ire for it seemed she was just there to taunt her. "I've only come out here for the same reason you probably have."

Tenten had half a mind to groan out in despair. Of course something like this had to happen just as she got out here after telling her parents she was going out to train and would come back in the afternoon to look after the shop. Her luck just had to be that bad.

It seemed Temari noticed this before showing her papers to the gate guard before speaking up to the guard. "My friend and I here are going to run some laps if that is okay?"

The gate guard, Izumo, simply shrugged his shoulders since that was a rather normal occurrence at this time of day before his partner, Kotetsu, spoke for him. "Yeah go ahead. There is already a few doing their laps for the day."

"...Never thought I'd see the day someone could keep up with and then blow by Gai without his weights on." Kotetsu muttered to himself afterwards, shaking his head in disbelief at what he had saw not too long ago.

Luckily Tenten didn't catch this mutter otherwise she would have fallen unconscious from the shock. Instead she was heatedly glaring at Temari for calling her a friend. She didn't like the sadistic kunoichi in the slightest and being considered a friend to her just... just...

There was no freaking way!

Sensing this anger directed towards her, Temari simply grinned. She had always found it rather fun to get under other's skin and fluster them, making them say more then what they truly wanted to say. It was a great way to get intelligence and right now she was scouting out her and her brothers' opponents for the finals.

Not that it mattered but still...

"Oh stop it already... It isn't like what I did was anything personal. I was sending a message and hopefully those two bimbos and the spineless one got it." Temari rolled her eyes before figuring that she would go by and try to get on her good side.

Or at least try too. It wasn't like she needed to do this anyways. It was just to get data on those that could be a threat.

Tenten raised her eyebrow at this. She understood what she meant and who she was pointing out but she didn't strike her as the type to care for anyone other then herself. "At least you take your training seriously and work to get better... You just got bad luck and I happened to be your opponent."

'There we go... That sounds more like the conceded wench.' Tenten commented before adjusting her weights slightly before she suddenly took off; not giving any Temari any warning.

The wind maiden simply smirked and even with her fan behind her, Temari quickly caught up to Tenten and kept pace with her.

Widening her eyes in shock at what she was seeing, Tenten couldn't help but curse. This kunoichi was good and now she was beginning to understand why she lost. However that much she had to give her credit for. "You... I see. We're more alike that I wanted to think."

"Probably; except I'm a little more sadistic then you." Temari nodded for she could see some similarities in the girl she was keeping up with, finding the speed they was rather relaxing since it was about the same speed she went doing laps around Suna.

'Then again being around Gaara these last few years and seeing what he does... I guess he has rubbed off onto me a little.' The wind maiden added mentally as her thoughts went to her red haired brother before shivering, remembering what he did to those rain ninja and the crazed glint that he gained during the fight against this girl's teammate.

"I just have one thing I want to ask you... It is about that teammate of yours if you would." Tenten suddenly spoke up and knocked Temari out of her thoughts before shrugging back at her. "...Does anyone here stand a chance against him?"

"No. ...Your friend was the first person that has ever managed to hit him and that was only because of his speed. The Uchiha and Hyuuga stand no chance of ever beating him. Not even the jounin in our village dare challenge Gaara." Temari answered honestly since there was no harm in telling her what their odds were.

Tenten narrowed her eyes. It sounded as if the Sand had brought over a jounin in guise of a genin to take these exams. However because of his age it wasn't hard to believe that he was a genin since he seemed to only be twelve but from what she had heard... "So no one stands a chance but the sand, is that it?"

"Unless one of you leaf ninja come out of nowhere and gain incredible strength for this tournament, Gaara will win it since the two best of Konoha are on his side and he will only get stronger through the matches." Temari stated without fail for she knew her brother was the best there was.

It was then two people pass by them, one in an orange gi while the other wore a green spandex and jounin flak jacket, both of them running backwards. "Come on Naruto! Just ten more lap and we'll move onto the agility building exercise next!"

While for Tenten ten laps was normal, and even to an extent for Temari, to hear ten more laps to go for someone outside of Gai or Lee was rather ridiculous for her. Temari was just wondering who in the world would want to run that much and then do agility building drills after.

"YOSH! Let the springtime of your youth drive you forward to greatness young Naruto-kun! I will help you get to fifty laps or I will run twenty laps for you!" Gai boisterously bellowed afterwards, gladly helping a fellow leaf ninja train in an area he happened to excel in.

A large bead of sweat fell from the back of her head, knowing this was Tenten's sensei, and turned to the girl who was blushing up a storm. "Just letting you know... I'm sorry."

"Yeah... I get that a lot so thanks." Tenten muttered back, grateful that at least someone else could see her sensei's insanity other than her before her she raised her eyebrow. "But did he say he was helping someone get to fifty... Who in the world could do that many laps?

It was just then they noted there was a third presence hustling behind them and they realized they were in the way. Grimacing sensing that there was no way that they could get out of the way, they prepared for the impact.

But it never came.

A black and orange figure leapt over their eyes and landed in a crouch before them, sweat pouring from his body as heavy pants escaped his lips. Surging back to his feet, his cerulean eyes burned as he tightened his fists before he burst forward to catch the two, dust billowing behind him.

Skidding to a stop, seeing what just happened, both Temari and Tenten had to blink. Then they looked at each other before the spot where they had just saw who they thought to be Uzumaki Naruto trailing after Gai and this unknown body builder.

"Okay... Now I'm interested. Hope dad can forgive me for abandoning the shop today but I've got to figure this out." Tenten looked rather surprised as she remembered Naruto since he was in her class for a short time.

Temari nodded in response, looking rather contemplative at what she saw. It was obvious to see the difference between him now and what he had been little less than a week ago. However what she nodded at was that he was either hiding his rather muscular build with that jacket of his or he was taking steroids for his muscle growth was obvious. Not in a ridiculous overbuilt way but they were definitely noticeable now.

"He looks pretty good like that..." Temari stated, not caring what she had just said before she blinked and turned to Tenten seeing the girl stare at her. "What? Didn't you see him? Without that jacket on he looks pretty good. He should just get rid of the gaudy thing and he would have a few girls wanting him."

Twitching at his comment, Tenten refused to respond for she knew Naruto. He wasn't very intelligent and from what she remembered he was a goofball and an idiot, someone definitely not worth paying attention to. But now after seeing him like this...

She just might have to reconsider her opinion of the blonde and put him in her 'dateable' book.

...Without the jacket of course since Temari was dead-on about it.

"Excuse us again ladies!" Goku commented rushing by them again, this time running forward with a slight laugh in his voice.

"YOSH!" Gai yelled as he passed by them in a blur, trying to catch Goku without resorting to opening the gates in their race. "I WILL BEAT YOU OR I WILL DO TEN MORE LAPS ON MY HANDS! BELIEVE IT!"

Blinking at the statement, Temari and Tenten looked at each other for a moment.

Then they fell onto their buttocks, laughing at how weird Gai sounded saying 'Believe it!'.

When he first thought about training with Goku, the first thing Naruto thought of was learning some supper cool technique and some physical training to get faster. Sure he thought it was going to be tough but this... This...

This was insanity.

Refraining from a Sparta joke, Naruto panted as he looked over at Goku to see he had not even broken a sweat. Even with his races against Gai, going through their movement drills between these dummies and then cutting down trees with an axe he had gotten last night he had not had a single drop of sweat fall from his body.

And then to top that off Goku had told him that all of this would become his morning workout routine soon enough.

Naruto was sure his sanity was going to be tested before this was over with.

Despite this it wasn't even three in the afternoon yet. That much surprised Naruto. It really did for he was sure it should have been getting close to night time but the sun dial, that was conveniently located near the training dummies, had yet to reach three so...

Damn, he was somewhat surprised by himself. Then again considering they started at four in damn morning...

"Naruto..." Goku spoke as they finished with their training for the day, sitting on top of a wooden training dummy, the very same that Naruto had been tied to in his genin test with Kakashi. "I've got something to tell you. It is about our training."

Hearing this, Naruto almost wanted to groan. He was almost too tired to do anything more but was willing to do so if he got a break. "Good... But can we go get something to eat first? Or could you tell me while we eat? I'm drawing on fumes right now."

"I would but I might get distracted and forget again so no." Goku sheepishly admitted he had forgotten to do so in the morning for he had invaded the first restaurant that had opened and that caused his lapse in memory till just now, after a phone call from King Kai.

Chuckling at Naruto's groan, both from his exhaustion and at his memory, Goku became rather serious for this talk required him to be such. "Naruto... I would like to teach you in my arts for you have far surpassed any expectations I had... But there is a catch."

While exhausted, Naruto almost summoned the energy to jump up and pump his fist into the air with a "YATTA!". However due to his exhaustion he was able to listen to Goku's entire statement and he almost wanted to groan. He should have expected something like this.

However before anything else could be said, his eyes widened as yellow energy pulsed in Goku's palm before he pointed his hand to a nearby tree. With a small grunt, the ball of energy fired from palm and into the tree.

The ensuing explosion ripped through all the trees within a five meter radius, the wood and leaves being incinerated on contact from the expanding explosion of raw energy.

What was left after the smoke settled was a meter deep crater where the tree and those around it were incinerated from the blast.

"That is what is known as a regular chi blast." Goku explained as he turned back to Naruto to go over the principle of chi. "Chi is the life force of every living being. Everyone has it and can even use it but most don't even know about it. Even you possess chi, it is just restricted in its current state.

Naruto's jaw nearly came unhinged at what he saw. This man, his newest sensei, had just obliterated all those trees with what seemed to be little effort. Turning to Goku, his eyes widened for a moment before they began to gleam with anticipation. "COOL! CAN YOU TEACH ME THAT?"

Goku couldn't help but to laugh a little at Naruto's enthusiasm and innocence. Just how much Naruto reminded himself and his son, Gohan, was rather funny.

Putting that aside and containing his laughter, Goku took a deep breath and shook his head. "I can... But that's where the catch comes in. In order to learn how to use chi, you must go through an unsealing to release it first. You must break the spiritual bond that holds it back... But there are risks in doing this."

Seeing he had Naruto's full attention, Goku made sure he remembered everything King Kai told him before speaking. "There is a high chance that this process will fail and horribly cripple you chakra coils, igniting them as your spiritual energy attempts to leave your body and causing severe damage to your body. It is a painful process and from what I know it could get to the point that the pain is so unbearable that you can't take it anymore... And die."

Naruto's eyes widened at the thought that there was a chance that he could die just to learn such a technique. And to make matters worse it wasn't Goku was finished yet. "And there is another thing... By releasing chi from your spiritual energy you will no longer be able to use any of your techniques any longer for you would no longer have any chakra."

Naruto froze. To hear that not only was there a chance that he could die, a low one but a chance nonetheless, that he would lose a chance to learn techniques that he could possibly learn in the future. Obviously right now that wasn't a problem since he only knew Shadow Clones and...

Okay, maybe there was something to this chi thing. Either that or he was going to bust Kakashi in the lip! How dare he let him possess only one known technique and throw head first into these exams!

He completely ignored the fact that he was the one that went head first into them.

"However..." Goku caught Naruto's attention once more as he went to point out the benefits. "If it succeeds you will be far stronger then you are right now by at least three times. You will also be able to learn everything I can teach you about chi plus since it is so malleable you can even create your own techniques without much trouble."

This caught Naruto's attention in a heartbeat. He would become at least three times stronger than he was now... But what would that mean, all his hard work and effort up to this point was for nothing? "So what you are saying is... That I would become much stronger... And I wouldn't have had to work for it?

Hearing this, Goku frowned and noted the tone of voice. It sounded as if Naruto was upset at hearing this but quickly deciphered the reason why. "By all means you have already earned it. The only reason you will be getting stronger is because you already possess it, it will just be released. Your chakra while allowing you to use techniques costs you the power you could have."

"To further explain how you would become stronger. Chakra is made of two energies, spiritual and chi. This driving force is chi while the spirit simply guides it, forcing it to stay within boundaries. Now if you were to take away that spirit energy and let it run freely, you would become more powerful. You would lose the finesse that chakra gives but end up with the raw speed and power of chi grants." Goku added onto his statement to try and help Naruto understand.

Naruto was rather stunned. Chakra made him weaker? But from everything he knew... Chakra was what made them stronger. From the way Goku explained it however... He could become stronger without it. And with what little he knew of chakra to begin with...

It was a debate of a life time for Naruto. To become far more powerful then he could ever be but loose his techniques and/or something even worse or to stay the way he was now, hoping to gain strength on his own with his chakra and physical strength.

"Just to let you know, no matter what I will train you. If you don't want to go through the unsealing, that's fine. I can still teach you enough about martial arts and make you stronger; you will just not be able to learn any techniques from me. And you don't have to decide now but when you make your decision come and tell me." Goku pitched in, completely spacing that part of the deal.

The young blonde couldn't help but sigh in relief. That made him feel a little better to know that he could still learn from him. And while he didn't like the idea of not learning techniques... So far he could see Goku's training had its merits and would make him much stronger. He already felt stronger.

"Now I do believe it is well past lunch time and I'm starving!" Goku announced just before his stomach roared in anticipation. "And afterwards I'll take you to a store I was directed towards to get some weights and better training clothes."

"Huh? I like my clothes." Naruto commented at the last remark, noticing he didn't have his jacket for the first time today and then seeing their condition. "But... Yeah, I see your point. And for some reason they feel a little more snug than normal."

Goku nodded in agreement, noting the wear and tear they had. He also noted that Naruto's chakra seemed more and more unstable and he was beginning to wonder about this. He remembered something about being effected by a seal from this Orochi... Orochi-something guy and he had lost the control he had over his chakra.

'Wait... Could it be that it accidentally unstabilized it and his chi is leaking out of from the pressure the spiritual energy places on it?' Goku wondered as that would explain why Naruto seemed a little more defined then what he had been days before.

Frowning, unsure of what was going on and planning on getting someone to help him, Goku put it off for now.

After all for right now it wasn't hurting anything.

Sighing for she was now on her own, looking after the shop, Tenten sighed. Why did her father have to hunt her down every time she got distracted from her chores and then get stuck with watching over the shop?

Shaking her head, she ran the broom over the welcoming carpet in front of the store to dust it off a little. Everything was going rather slow today, mostly because it was the month before the chunin exams. The only people coming in were jounin to get a specialty weapon, something her mother did well, or academy students and young genin wanting shuriken and kunai to practice with to become like those competing in the exams.

And at that very moment she had three very annoying academy students bothering her. "Hey miss!"

"For the last time, no. We do not sell swords, sais or anything else of that sort to academy students except for kunai and shuriken." Tenten rolled her eyes for it was the twelfth time Konohamaru had asked that question.

"Ah... Why not? I want to get a sword so I can work on my own path just like the boss." Konohamaru responded for while he wanted to be like Naruto knew better then to emulate his older friend, knowing that doing so would just make them too alike and that would give him the advantage in the long run since he was older and had been training for a longer time.

'Also the boss has that freaky stamina and just doesn't give up no matter what!' Konohamaru noted from what he heard of Naruto's stories, he did not give up and seemed to keep going when no one else could.

Tenten sighed for what felt the hundredth time before she turned to Konohamaru and lightly smacked him across the head with the broom handle. "Because we have a policy to not sell advance weaponry to those that cannot handle it. We hardly sell swords to genin much less an academy student! It is a chunin grade weapon and is often not sold to those that don't know how to wield one."

"Ow..." Konohamaru rubbed the top of his head and glared at Tenten for a moment before groaning. "Oh man... And here I was hoping I could get something so I could distinguish myself from the boss."

"Ah, don't worry Kono-kun." Moegi commented as along with Udon joined up with the grandson of the Third Hokage, smiling softly to try and cheer him up. "I'm sure you will find something that you can wow Naruto."

Hearing the subject of her fascination, for now at least, be mentioned, Tenten suddenly took an interest in the small boy. "Wait, are you saying Uzumaki Naruto is your boss? The dead last of the last graduating class?"

"Yeah!" Konohamaru proudly admitted before frowning at the clear belittlement his idol. "And don't you underestimate him like everyone else does! The boss is far tougher then you can imagine."

Figuring this kid might know something, Tenten was going to play along with this little charade to see what she could learn. It might not be much but it could help figure out what caused this sudden change in the blonde. "Oh, is that so? I heard he barely got by Inuzuka Kiba because he farted in his face. My teammate mentioned it was on sheer luck that he won that bout."

"Well... Yeah, that fart was an accident. He was trying something else." Konohamaru sheepishly admitted for he heard Naruto brag about it after running into him after the elder boy ditched Ebisu. "But in all fairness the boss was still suffering from the forest and what the snake guy did to him."

Tenten's entire body froze at the mention of 'snake guy'. Oh she knew all too well there was only one 'snake guy' and that was Orochimaru of the Sannin. And from what she heard there had been an intrusion by a powerful enemy but she didn't think it was that powerful of an intruder since the exams were not stopped.

That could also explain some of the sudden changes she had noticed from the blonde in the short time span. It was well known Orochimaru was thrown out for his inhumane experiments and it could have very well been that he did something to Naruto... But then why wasn't he under watch?

Snapping out of her thought process hearing bell that signified someone just entered the shop, Tenten turned her attention to great their customer. "Welcome to Hitomi's Weapon shop? May I help..."

"Boss!" Konohamaru yelled out seeing Naruto enter the shop trailing after a rather formidable looking man. "Here to get a weapon to kick butt right! Man I wish I could get one of those swords... They're awesome!"

Grinning like an idiot, like he normally did when Konohamaru was around... And when he wasn't really, Naruto nodded in agreement. "Yeah, some of the blades are kick-ass... But that isn't why I'm here. I came here for some weights for training."

"Training weights? Let's see..." Tenten spoke before snapping her fingers as if it was the most obvious thing. "While we're running kind of low on them right now, mother can have some ready for you by tomorrow. If you want weighted clothing that will take a few extra days since dad is already working on a rather heavy order but they will be top notch in quality and they also double as armor."

"Weighted clothing just like the ones I ordered last night but at half the weight and for someone his size. I would also light a pair of five kilo weights for each limb until they are ready, however." Goku immediately stated catching Tenten off guard before her eyes widened.

This was the guy that ordered to have a hundred kilos of weighted clothing and he was ordering the same thing for Naruto! Either it was going to make Naruto extraordinarily faster or he would be crushed from the weight. Lee only wore thirty to forty kilo weights on his leg while Gai had the same on each limb!

Breaking out of her shock, she took a look at Naruto for a moment before heading to the counter and pulling out a tape measure. "Alright then, let me take your measurements."

To be honest, Tenten kind of wanted to take his measurements now seeing him up close. She swore he wasn't this built during the prelims but once again there was that horrendous orange jacket he wore and that very well could have hid such muscle development. "Hold out your arms please."

"Um... Okay." Naruto said while holding his arms out, unsure what this had to do with getting clothes since he normally just tried what fit and got that.

That could also explain why he picked out his jump suit for even he admitted it wasn't the best looking thing out there. He really wanted that black and orange one but it was just a little too big for him...

Holding out the measuring tape to his arms, marking down the numbers down before nodding. "Alright, with this dad should be able to get your weighted clothes once he finishes with your sensei's order. It will take a little time due to the amount of weight since he has to equally distribute it throughout the clothing."

"Until then can I offer you some of our pre-made weights to prepare you for the clothing... And it seems that you need some new clothes at that to." Tenten pitched to them like how she was taught before she sweat dropped, just realizing the shape of Naruto's clothing.

"Um... Sure. Have anything that's orange?" Naruto nodded to both parts, figuring he would need the weights and the clothing for training.

Tenten would have commented on his strange color choice, at least for a ninja, but decided to shrug it off. She had seen plenty of colors that ninjas shouldn't wear but still did so she figured it was just confidence in their abilities. So picking up a few of the ten pound weights for the arms and legs, she went through the clothing before deciding on a few gi.

Naruto looked at her in a questioning manner as she handed them to him before she shook her head. "If you're getting the same order of weighted clothes as he is, it's best to have a gi so you'll be able to take off the shirt easier when you need lighten the load."

"Oh... Yeah, good thinking." Naruto looked genuinely thankful for he didn't think about something like that before, not realizing that he would be getting a weighted shirt.

That would have made it tough to wear a jacket over it and then get the thing off. Unlike fuzzy-brows and fuzzy-brow senior he wouldn't be able to just reach down to his legs and unstrapped their leg weights. Of course Lee still needed time but still...

He was fast enough to get some distance to get them off. Naruto wasn't so sure he was that fast yet.

Seeing that Tenten showed him the dressing room, Naruto disappeared into it. And as soon as he did there were three certain kids buzzing but the excitement. "Oh man! The boss is going to look so cool when he comes out!"

"He seems a little taller than before." Udon added with a curious look on his face, not sure how someone could grow an inch or two in such a short time span. "Also he seems a little more muscular and something else but I'm not sure what."

"Oh son of... These are heavy!" Naruto groaned from the other side, apparently trying on the weights that Tenten had given him.

Tenten couldn't help but snicker. If he wasn't even use to those how was he going to deal with fifty kilos of weight on his entire body for each weight will be twice as heavy? She couldn't help but grin. It was easy to see that Neji would beat him in the first...

And then Naruto came out of the dressing booth, seemingly not struggling with the weights as he messed with his hair.

Having an orange gi much like the one Goku was wearing now, he had taken off his black t-shirt allowing them a decent look at his chest. Just like his arms, his chest had puffed out a tad with the increase muscle mass.

"Cool!" Konohamaru stated, impressed at how much stronger Naruto looked in this new outfit. "You should think about going with that look boss! It makes you look more intimidating showing off your muscles like that!"

Udon nodded in agreement for Naruto seemed more muscular then a lot of others he had seen but not overly built like those freaks on body building magazines. It was a much better build overall, at least for a ninja anyways. He doubted some ninjas could beat those guys arm wrestling or even at wrestling at that.

"Oh my god..." Tenten couldn't even believe how Naruto look now that he came out.

And also seeing him stretch a little and rather freely with those weights on surprised her after hearing his comment. Despite complaining about their weight he was easily moving with them on. If that was any indication of his physical prowess he could give Neji a problem in his first match.

But her main concern was the same thing she had earlier in the morning when she noted him pass by her and Temari. It was as the wind maiden had said. He looked...

"Hot." Moegi said with stars replacing her normal eyes while gazing at Naruto.

Tenten release the breath she was holding in relief while both Konohamaru and Udon looked at their female counterpart with a deadpan expression. The younger girl stated the obvious so she wouldn't be the one to do so. It would have looked bad for her since...

Well they were almost the same age and she didn't want t give anyone the wrong impression. Besides, she liked Neji... Even if he was a douche to practically everyone he met and only tolerated her and Gai-sensei.

"That looks good on you." Tenten admitted to Naruto, slightly surprised for she wasn't expecting him to look the way he did and agreed whole heartedly with Moegi's statement.

He was hot.

"Well now... Is my Ten-chan daydreaming again?" A feminine voice caught everyone's attention and had Tenten jumping up and clutching her chest in shock.

"MOM!" Tenten screeched at her mother who just smiled at her innocently making those that didn't catch the reference, which was everyone but Tenten.

Shaking her head at her daughter, the elder Hitomi woman gazed over at Goku with a slight frown for a moment before nodding. "I guess I will be forwarding this to the Hokage, I should assume?"

"Yeah... If I was back home I would have money to pay for this but..." Goku sheepishly admitted while scratching the back of his neck.

"It's fine." The elder Hitomi shook her head, knowing Goku's circumstances since she and her husband were of the ninjas that quickly arrived to his crash site. "Tenten! Do you have his measurements?"

"Um... Yes!" Her daughter responded for a moment, giving her mother a questioning glare before realizing what she meant and handed a clip board over to her. "He wants the weight to be half of the one that dad's currently doing."

Hitomi's eyes shot up at this and after a quick and daggered glance towards the alien visitor she couldn't help but frown. "I see... Take this to your father, I'll watch over the shop for now."

Not going to question her mother, for she was often sent to give orders like these to her dad, Tenten took the clip board back and went into the back. Meanwhile the elder Hitomi glanced over at Naruto, who was being pestered by the three kids, before turning back to Goku. "I don't know what you're planning... But it better work."

"Huh?" Goku blinked, unsure what she had meant by that.

Sighing and shaking her head, Hitomi glanced over at Naruto who seemed to be telling a story of his day, making it sound much more epic then it probably was in the process. "Just tell me one thing... You've sensed it right?"

The first thing that popped into Goku's head at hearing this was about the fox demon however he put that off. From the way she spoke it did not seem like that was what she was talking about. This left him wondering for a moment before he mentally snapped his fingers. "Yes."

Simply nodding, Hitomi turned her gaze from Naruto's story telling and gaze straight into Goku's eyes. "Good... I don't know what you're training plan is or what, but be certain that he will be able to take whatever you can dish out to him."

"Just make sure he's able to keep his word... That Hyuuga needs to be taken down a few pegs." Hitomi shook her head, remembering what she had been told of what happened in the prelims. "Now if you'd excuse me, I still have work that needs to be done."

"Sure thing!" Goku waved at her before calling out to Naruto. "Come on! We still got some daylight left to train so let's get out of here!"

"Oh man..." Konohamaru groaned, wanting to hang out with his idol before a brilliant idea came to him. "Can we watch boss?"

However that was shot down by Naruto who shook his head at the youngest Sarutobi. "Sorry, but no. I want to keep my training under wraps so that it will come to a complete surprise for Neji when we fight in the finals."

Twitching as he remembered the reason he was training in the first place, Naruto's eyes narrowed and his fists clinched. He remembered what Neji had done to Hinata and he swore to himself that he would make him pay for that.

He never failed to deliver a promise.

"Sensei, let's go." Naruto stated, moving to the door before waving a quick good bye to Konohamaru and the gang.

And as soon as he left, Konohamaru almost looked giddy. "Oh man... This is going to be awesome! The boss is going to wipe the floor with that guy!"

"I hope so." Hitomi laughed lightly at the young boy and his companions jumping around excitedly before shaking her head.

Little did she know Tenten had caught what her mother had said as she had just entered the room at that moment. Frowning, wondering what her mother had against Neji, Tenten shook her head and sighed. Well whatever it was it didn't matter...

Neji was the best. He would win whether her mother wanted him to or not.

That was for sure.

A/N: Well there is another chapter. It was longer then I wanted and I still had to cut this chapter short for there was too much information to squeeze in here so next chapter will get a lot more into it. And I'm just going to stop trying to guess when I will get to the finals. I'll get there when I get there.

The scene was Kyuubi was a little improv on my part for something I didn't think about but could work in the future. Doesn't mean I'll go through it, it is just good to have a scene with them interacting this early.

Anyways, while I'm keeping the voting up until the finals there is still time to vote if you haven't on my profile. For those that don't have accounts here, read through the list of the girls and come back here and tell me which one you want to see paired with Naruto.

Finally I've decided that every five chapters I'm going to put up a power level chart for everyone to see and gauge how everyone compares. Just remember with Goku this is on his way back from Namek. So with ado...

Goku - 200,000,000(Super Saiyan)

Kyuubi - 3,500

Hiruzen - 619(In his Old Age, 805 in his prime)

Naruto - 158

Sakura - 101

Sasuke - 171

Neji - 174

Lee - 190(With Weights, 235(W/O Weights), 400(After opening five gates)

Gaara - 250(Calm), 325(Insane), ?(Shukaku)

I will others later but for now this works since I'm just trying to analyze their powers with one another. This is just how I interpret it but nonetheless I'm normally pretty unbias. Also, just for measure I will say Ichigo when fighting Aizen is at least 9000 if not more. Not close enough to Vegeta's 18000 when he was able to destroy planets but closer to Goku without Kaio-ken.

Anyways, tell me how I'm doing so far and if you notice anything. Peace Out.