Uzumaki Naruto was very confused. Hinata was still 'guiding' him away from the confrontation with Karin. The young man knew his partner, best friend, teammate, and girlfriend enough that he wasn't worried about her being mad at him. Hinata's reaction was just pretty unexpected.

``I've never seen her that mad…' Naruto thought nervously. The last thing he wanted to do was to have her become angry with him! 'I'll figure something out later.'

"Who did she think she was?" Hinata finally spoke. She nearly growled the question, and Naruto tensed.

"A cousin or something?" Naruto took a risk and asked a question. "She seemed really excited I was an Uzumaki…"

Hinata huffed. "So, that's what she is into…"

Naruto wasn't going to acknowledge what Hinata was hinting at, but he could practically taste Hinata's opinion of Karin getting worse. He had to admit that it was kinda queasy.

"I definitely don't get it. I just thought it was cool to meet another Uzumaki. Don't get why someone would hit on a cousin, though…"

The simple reply was evidently the perfect response to Hinata's statement. Naruto received a quick kiss on the cheek. The grip on his hand became warmer and less commanding. Naruto was glad. Things were getting closer to normal after the earlier weirdness. If they had been back in Konoha on an average day, it would have entirely natural for Naruto to suggest Ichiraku or a walk to the park.

They weren't back in Konoha.

This wasn't an average day.

Naruto and Hinata were pursuing their dreams. The Kusagakure Chunin Exams were the next step towards becoming Co-kages.

"My friends! Over here!" The familiar and comforting voice of Lee reached Naruto and Hinata. "I'm glad I found you!"

"Hey, Lee!" Naruto responded. "How'd registration go?"

Lee gave his teammates a quick thumbs-up. "Quite well! There were no issues that delayed me! Was there an issue with your registration?"

"Not with registration…" Naruto confessed.

Hinata was still practically welded to Naruto's arm. She huffed. "With some natives, though."

"I see," Lee responded in the safest possible manner. Hinata rarely got so heated. An angry Hinata was a force of nature that Lee wasn't sure he wanted to be an obstacle for… "Still, we have successfully registered! I can take you to our fellow Konoha shinobi!"

"That sounds awesome! Thanks, Lee!" Naruto praises his friend.

"Yes," Hinata agreed quickly. "Thank you for being so reliable!"

Lee beamed as he motioned for his friends to follow him. Team Nine weaved through the crowd and joined their countrymen.

"I see you found your team, Lee-san," a bespectacled shinobi commented. "I hope they weren't causing too much of a scene."

The taijutsu prodigy bristled at the tone of the comment. "My teammates were no doubt behaving in an exemplary manner, Kabuto-san!"

"If you say so," Kabuto relented. "We have some time before they take us to the first briefing area."

"It sounds like you've been to more than one Chuunin Exam, Kabuto-san," Hinata hazarded a guess.

Kabuto nodded. "This will be my sixth Chuunin Exams."

"SIX?!" Naruto shouted. "This really is going to be a challenge! I was already pumped, but this is going to be great!"

The older Genin blinked. A few cast a glance at Lee and Hinata. They expected the two remaining members to look aghast. Naruto's declaration would likely paint a huge target on the team's back.

Obviously, Team Nine wasn't what anyone expected.

Lee was beaming. "Yosh! Steel sharpens steel! The more we stoke the Flames of our Youth, the more we can surpass our limits!"

"I am eager to prove myself," Hinata admitted. She matched the determination of her teammates, but not their volume or theatrics.

Every shinobi surrounding Team Nine could not believe these rookies were radiating this much confidence. They weren't showing a single hint of fear...at least outwardly.

"That attitude can lead to rivals and enemies," Kabuto cautioned.

Naruto grinned. "Rivals can be fun. Enemies, not so much, but rivals can help us grow!"

Kabuto shook his head. "You really are an idealist."

"Idea? Nah, Hinata's the idea person on the team!" Naruto revealed with a shrug.

The silence and blank stares that followed would someday pass into legend. Kabuto cleared his throat. "Well, I guess having team roles clearly defined would be beneficial to your cell."

"We try our best at everything we do!" Lee proudly declared.

A drum split the sky like a peal of thunder. One of the older Genin standing nearby shook his head. "Looks like we'll get a chance to see how you Rookies do."

"Attention, Chunin Exams participants! Proceed to the amphitheater."

Team Nine smiled at the announcement that spilled from the speakers. Naruto turned his fellow Konoha shinobi. "Now, the fun begins!"

Konoha was a buzz of activity, even by the standards of a Shinobi village. The village was preparing for the expansion of its ranks. The new genin teams were going to be assigned very soon. Team assignments were not technically state secrets but were often guarded.

Tenten had completely bucked that trend.

The budding kunoichi had learned from the failures of her first graduation attempt. She had vetted every other graduate. Tenten had learned as much about their mindset and what made them tick as their skills as shinobi. There was no way she was failing again. Her pride wouldn't allow it. The last exam, Tenten, had impressed a fearsome Jonin. One with connections. The weapon's expert had seen the path forward. She had always idolized Tsunade as a mighty kunoichi that had forged her own legend through her skill. Yes, the Slug Sannin was the Last Senju. That didn't take away from the fundamental truth that Tsunade had created an entirely new field of ninjutsu. Konoha revered her. The other shinobi nations begrudgingly acknowledged her prowess even as they feared her combat potential.

That is what Tenten wanted.

She wanted to carve out a legend for herself, just as Tsunade-sama did.

So, she had skirted the edges of Konoha's laws on gathering intelligence.

'I will not fail again.'

Tenten's declaration to never fail again had driven her every action. She had taken part in the gossip circles. She had fostered relationships with teachers and older shinobi. Before she had realized it, she had started an information network. There were other benefits, as well. Tenten had found hanging out with some of the girls her age, particularly Ino and Sakura, had actually been kind of fun. The relationships she had fostered with teachers and full shinobi had turned into a side business where she received payment in both money and favors.

Her actions had not gone unnoticed by certain members of Konoha's command structure. Thus, she found herself waiting to meet with the Hokage. The young woman honestly didn't know whether to be honored, horrified, or some combination of both.

"The Hokage will see you now," a Chuunin Tenten didn't recognize announced. The young man pushed his nondescript black bangs out from his eyes as he held the door open.

"Thank you," Tenten responded as she entered the Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was one of the most well-respected shinobi in the world. He was nearly universally loved within Konoha. He was The Professor. Sarutobi-sama was an unmatched shinobi even in his advanced age.

"Ah, Miss Tenten, it is a pleasure to meet you in person," the Hokage said warmly.

"I-It is an honor to have an audience with you, Hokage-sama." Tenten bowed quickly.

The Hokage lit his pipe and took a relaxed drag on it. "I always take the time to meet with promising shinobi. You have earned the attention of a great many shinobi."

"Well," Tenten gulped. "Is it good or bad attention?"

"A bit of both, I'm afraid," Hiruzen admitted. "That being said, the individuals that have an actual say in your career have been very impressed."

Relief washed over Tenten. "That's great to hear, Hokage-sama."

"Now." Sarutobi let the word hang in the air like the smoke from his pipe. "You will likely be approached by some of your classmates about team assignments."

Tenten chuckled. "I, um, already have, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage matched the girl's laughter. "And what have you told them?"

"That I can't tell them anything because I quote, can't reveal my sources, unquote," Tenten revealed.

"Excellent." The Hokage leaned forward. "Continue to say that."

"Hokage-sama, if I, uh, may ask…" Tenten cautiously broached the subject.

"Your team has already been decided. You have a strong will and aren't intimidated by anyone in your current class," Sarutobi hinted.

Tenten hung her head. "Am I really stuck with those two?"

The Hokage's earlier laughter had put Tenten at ease. His current laughter? That had the exact opposite impact.

Hinata was used to people staring or watching her. She was very aware of the usual 'whys.' Her association with Naruto was the source of gossip in Konoha. Her refusal to cover her juinjutsu stunned most people. That was what Hinata had grown almost numb to since her new life had started.

This was different.

Hinata was expecting to be watched in a foreign village. She had activated her Byakugan discretely and scouted the area. As she suspected, Kusagakure was closely watching every foreign participant. They were being very thorough. Hinata's dojutsu had detected numerous observational jutsu and even more concealed shinobi. Some of the shinobi were half-heartedly hidden. That was probably to simply let the 'visitors' know they were being watched.

"So, how many have you noticed?" Naruto whispered.

"Enough," Hinata answered.

Lee nodded. "It's almost like they want to be found…"

"Well, yeah?" Naruto countered. "If you're looking at them, you aren't paying attention to any of the other ones."

"It's not just Kusagakure. There's an Ishigakure shinobi that has been paying us a lot of attention. He has been staring quite intensely."

Lee coughed nervously, and Naruto grabbed Hinata's hand. The Wild Green Beast of Konoha looked sheepishly at Hinata. "I don't think he's looking over here for shinobi purposes, Hinata-san."

"Why else would he be looking over here?" Hinata asked.

"For a reason that would get him punched in the mouth," Naruto grumbled.

Lee rubbed the back of his head, a trait he had picked up from Naruto, and answered. "I believe he finds you attractive, Hinata-san."

"Oh," Hinata replied. Desperate for a change in topic, Hinata saw the procession arriving at a sizable amphitheater. Once all the prospective Chuunin had arrived, various dignitaries of Kusagakure and the Land of Rivers started to file into a large and luxurious box above the stage. The head ninja of Kusagakure bowed to the Daimyo of his nation. Kusa's head ninja, a man who desperately wanted to elevate his status to one of a true Kage, strode forth. He was resplendent in the robes of his office. The older shinobi was renowned for his bojutsu. His signature weapon was clearly visible on his back. Team Youth couldn't read any of his other features due to the robes and some seals woven into the fabric.

"Kusagakure welcomes you, proud shinobi!" The man's voice rang out. "I salute you all! The future of the shinobi villages!"

Naruto followed along with the speech. He was mentally taking notes on how to work a crowd. The future Hokage thought the speech was pretty good. Obviously, the Old Man was a lot better. This guy wasn't too bad, but he had a flaw. His voice was a bit nasally.

'Still, this guy isn't bad when working a crowd,' Naruto gave the man credit. Kusa's head ninja was really good at using his hands to emphasize points. That was pretty cool.

"I wish you all the best of luck! May we always strive to maintain peace between our glorious villages and nations!"

Applause rang out from the crowd. Odds were that most of the enthusiasm was from the Kusagakure prospects. Naruto's enthusiasm only swelled when a ninja wearing Kusagakure's flak jacket stepped forward. It was time!

"Chuunin candidates, your objective is to discover Room 416. Assets have been placed to assist you...and hinder you. Dismissed...and good luck."

Naruto and Lee turned to Hinata. She was already ahead of her two teammates. "The Head Ninja and the Jonin didn't have anything on them. There are two hidden Chuunin that had a map. Follow me."

Her voice was soft and chosen carefully so that the noise would not travel far. Team Nine moved out quickly. They had dreams to catch and a room to find.

Might Guy was not used to this situation. He had expected to be hands-off during the Chuunin Exams, but he could feel his worry gnawing at the back of his mind. The Jonin had grown rather attached to his young charges.

"Your first exam as a sensei?" A Sunagakure Jonin asked. The man smiled at Might Guy as the Konoha jonin shook his head.

"Yes, it is my first exam. My students have put a great deal of hard work and have surpassed all my expectations."

Another jonin, a middle-aged woman from Ishigakure, chuckled. "I assume you have the young geniuses? I don't think any village as candidates as young as that group."

"Thank you for the kind words about my students," Guy said politely. "However, they aren't geniuses. They are anything but. Instead, they have overcome a great many trials at such a young age. It wasn't an age of war like some of us have experienced, but they have not had anything handed to them. If they are geniuses...they are geniuses of hard work!"

"Well, I think we can expect great things from them. If they are as dedicated as you imply," the Ishigakure shinobi stated.

"They are. If there is one piece of advice I can give...never underestimate those three!" Guy declared.

Team Youth had found a quiet rooftop to discuss their test. Kusagakure hadn't given any details about the test, the assets that would help, or the obstacles. Everyone was supposedly going into this test completely blind.

"I bet the local teams have a bit of a leg up," Naruto grumbled.

Hinata nodded as she scanned the surrounding area with her Byakugan. "That is a reasonable assumption, Naruto-kun. Kusagakure wants to have a strong showing and raise their stature."

"Makes sense, but it's still crap," Naruto continued to complain. "I mean, how can you give a briefing so crap?"

"Missions won't always have the best briefings, or conditions will change," Hinata tried to explain.

Lee nodded. "It is frustrating, my friend. This will just prepare us for when missions do not go according to plan!"

"I'm still going to complain about it!" Naruto declared.

Hinata disabled her Byakugan and turned her attention back to the team. "This isn't ideal. This is a situation to complain about."

Lee nodded. "I've noticed a few things."

"Same," Naruto agreed. "Let's put everything on the table and see if we can get to the room."

"A good idea. We must work together if we are to succeed!" Lee announced proudly.

"Alright, Hinata-chan. Get us started," Naruto prompted.

The exiled Hyūga's gaze hardened as she became focused on her 'mission.' "There are numerous shinobi patrols. It appears to be a mix of Chunin and Jonin. There are several mixed in with the civilians and other patrolling in standard patterns."

"They will likely try to 'detain' participants," Lee guessed.

"Freaking brilliant really," Naruto admitted. "They get to push the Chunin candidates and test the village's security."

"Then perhaps we should relocate…" Rock Lee suggested.

"Good call," Naruto agreed.

Hinata stood up and looked out over the village. "I'll lead the way."

"We need to try to avoid civilians too! They probably are being paid to sell us out!" Naruto declared.

The theory and plan of action gave Team Nine renewed confidence. The world wasn't so shadowed anymore!

Iruka was of two minds. On the one hand, it was nice to be acting as a frontline shinobi again. He had sharpened his skills and served the village in several higher ranking missions. Iruka had dealt with several threats to the village. Threats that would have put his students in danger if allowed to continue.

On the other hand, he missed teaching. He wanted to be back in the Academy, preparing the future of Konoha. The missions were valuable for his future as the head of the Academy. He had seen the real world. There would need to be adjustments to the curriculum. The 'Academy Three' still had their place. Substitution and henge were absolutely vital skills. However, there was a need for some more advanced chakra control abilities. Naruto had proven that the leaf exercise was insufficient. Rock Lee had also proven that despite being unable to actively mold chakra for jutsu, he could still be an incredible shinobi.

'And both are on Might Guy's team,' Iruka thought as he strolled out of the Hokage's Tower. His debriefing had been over quickly. Sarutobi-sama had been guarded in his praise, but genuine. Iruka had accepted that he wasn't an exceptional field shinobi. The A-rank had gone off nearly flawlessly, but Iruka's contributions hadn't been as efficient as some of the other Jonin on the mission.

'I'm a teacher, and that's where I belong,' Iruka reminded himself.

Right now, there was somewhere else he belonged. His pace quickened as he made his way towards Ichiraku Ramen. Iruka had missed Ayame more than anything else in Konoha.

Even a bed that wasn't a thin bedroll in a small cave.

Ichiraku was a hub of activity as the lunch rush started to die down. Iruka quirked an eyebrow as the pace Teuchi was working was a bit more frantic than usual.

Teuchi saw Iruka approaching and motioned with his free hand. "We'll talk in the back. Head on in."

A flare of worry was lit in Iruka's gut, but he suppressed it. The last customer finished paying and went on xer way. Iruka pulled up a chair next to Teuchi in the kitchen. The ramen chef took a moment to light up a cigarette.

"I thought you had quit," Iruka pointed out.

"When Ayame's around," Teuchi revealed. "That lunch hour was great for the bank, but a brutal one on my knees."

"Ayame isn't here?" Iruka wasn't even attempting to hide his disappointment.

The chef took a drag of his cigarette. "She's got a meeting with Marasai. First round of dishes."

"They are a week early!" Iruka shouted.

"Mmm," Teuchi hummed in confirmation. "That's how they do it. Highest standards. Anyone can cook a hell of a meal with practice and prep time. It's not shinobi work, but cooks have to perform under pressure as well."

"She'll do fine," Iruka said more to himself than anyone else. "Ayame has cooked for Hokage-sama before…"

"That she has," Teuchi agreed. He stubbed out his cigarette. "And you have stopped using honorifics with my daughter. Jonin or not, if I'm a grandfather before you propose, I will break every bone in your body."

Iruka chuckled. He hadn't meant to let that slip. The teacher suddenly understood why Naruto feared The Ladle so much…

"Remember to report any suspicious activity!" a civilian guild boss shouted. A dozen eyes, a few of which were actually local civilians, watched his dog and pony show carefully.

Team Nine was among the shinobi observing the civilian patrols. They quickly avoided the clumsy and loud patrols. While moving, the young Konoha ninja had discussed strategy. Kusagakure's test was coming into the picture. First, it was to see how teams could react to incomplete information. Second, it was a way to test the village's security. Hinata had observed several teams try to enter areas outside of the civilian ward. They were promptly swarmed by Jonin and Kusagakure's equivalent of ANBU and arrested.

Naruto, Hinata, and Lee found another hiding spot after another civilian patrol passed.

The ninjas were starting to feel confident.

"There are definitely couriers. I bet that is a way to find out where Room 416 is," Naruto mentioned. He offered a fist bump to Lee for noticing that detail earlier.

Lee returned the fist bump. "We also can guess that the room is in the civilian ward. Multiple teams have tried to leave and been captured."

"There are a few rooms that have been set up to resist my Byakugan. We can use that to maybe narrow it down," Hinata added.

"If we grab a 'courier,' we'll be in business," Naruto declared.

The others nodded in agreement with Naruto. They started their 'mission.' Team Nine began observing the patterns of the area. Naruto, Hinata, and Lee carefully tracked and memorized the patrols of the Kusagakure shinobi. The genin quickly found a workable plan.

Naruto, for one, really enjoyed the basics of the plan. "This is going to be fun…'"

Kyo wanted to go home. He had been 'conscripted' to play a role in the Chuunin Exams. Exams that due to being on medical leave couldn't participate in. He was furious that the only way he could help the village was to be a glorified 'courier.' He was a taijutsu expert! One of the best in his clan and the entire village!

'At least my team is getting credit for a B-rank with this,' Kyo growled.

He didn't want to feel as though his team was falling behind. The last thing he wanted to do was dash her hopes. So, he would push through this mission. He would focus on his recovery and get stronger. Kyo would get faster. 'Maybe next time I won't get cut by those Kumo bastards.'

Kyo sighed. He was still pretty bored. The time he had been jumped by those Nadeshiko Village kunoichi had started the fun. The foreigners had fought well. He had actually been having fun...until that one girl...Ka… 'What was her name? Kaguya, Kagura? Whatever, she was crazy!' She had gotten a bit..handsy and was shouting about marriage. Luckily for Kyo, his rat bastard teammate and another Chuunin had shown up to drag her and the others away.

'I just want to fight someone normal…'

The thoughts seemed to trigger the universe's sense of humor. All around Kyo, the air was filled with streamers, clouds of flour, smoke bombs, loud fireworks, and other items. Kyo even had to dodge a broken vacuum cleaner! The noise was near one of the observation rooms!

'How did they figure out where the spooks were watching?' Kyo nearly panicked. 'No, stay calm. Whoever is doing this can't possibly know that…'

He was debating moving to help the observation post when the hairs on the neck stood up. Kyo barely executed a substitution justu before a flurry of kunai perforated the trash can he swapped with.

"Damn!" Kyo cussed. That would have done some severe damage.

"Lee-kun! Now!" A girl's voice called out.

Kyo barely had time to process the shout before a green blur nearly took his head off.

"Yosh! That was an exceptional evasion!" The bizarrely dressed shinobi complimented Kyo. "I can see that you are a very skilled taijutsu combatant!"

So, maybe this guy wasn't too bad. At least, that was the thought at first. Kyo then got a look at the utter ridiculousness of his opponent. The green one-piece outfit was searing in its color.

'And is that spandex?' Kyo thought for a fraction of a second before he had to deflect a series of punches.

"You are quite skilled!" The green Konoha, it was clear by the hitai-ate around his waist, shinobi was beaming as he attacked. "However, we do need to end this quickly."

"Sorry!" The girl from early shouted as she landed a gentle strike to the shoulder. A moment later, searing, unbelievable pain wracked his entire left side. The Kusagakure shinobi took another swing at his enemies. He felt some satisfaction as the green-wearing guy grunted in shock. Kyo may be wounded, ambushed, and outnumbered, but he sure as hell wasn't going to give up.

"Round two just went off!" A third voice shouted out. "Clear!"

"Clear?" The Kusagakure shinobi asked as his attackers jumped away. His answer came in the form of a very large net that materialized from somewhere. The net was moving with unreal speed. Enough speed to pin Kyo to a nearby wall. Whoever made this thing had attached several kunai to the edge of the net.

"Wow, you gave my teammates an awesome fight. You must be really good," the third voice praised the shinobi he had captured. Kyo got a good look at this newcomer. He was a semi-obnoxious looking dude with bright blond hair and orange twice as bright as Kyo's own hair.

Which was saying something.

Kyo, for his part, didn't say anything. The Konoha shinobi, who was probably the leader of the cell, just smiled. "Gotta admire you not saying anything. That being said, we need to get to Room 416."

"Two," the girl interrupted.

"Looks like we have to do this quickly," the blond guy sighed. Kyo growled as the green guy took the courier pouch. "How many booby traps?"

"Enough," Kyo snapped an answer.

"Legit answers? Or do we have to take you with us?" The younger boy asked.

"Why don't you wait and find out?" Kyo countered. He had to stall. Someone was on their way. The girl's reaction revealed that.

"He has friends on the way," the leader said with a shrug. "Two questions. First, how bad is the last obstacle to the room?"

Kyo glowered at the foreigners. "Bad. Almost as bad as the ass-kicking I'd give you if I were fully healed!"

The green Konoha ninja's face lit up at the thought of such a fight.

"Not now, buddy," the leader said with a laugh. "Most important question, any good ramen joints in this town?"

"Ramen?" Three voices asked in shock.

"I don't think this is the best time to ask…" The girl chided gently. Her face suddenly became deadly serious. "Three Kusagakure shinobi are on their way!"

"We got what we need," the leader agreed.

Green nodded. "Yes, I believe this has been a successful operation! A shame I will not get a chance to fight such a splendid taijutsu fighter at his best! That would have been most youthful!"

"Let's move!"

Kyo growled as the Konoha shinobi followed their leader's order.

"Kyo-kun!" A familiar and treasured voice cried out. The voice brought with it very conflicting feelings. On the one hand, he treasured this person above all others. On the other, he had been defeated.

"I'm sorry, Tohru," Kyo apologized.

Tohru tore the net out of the wall with extreme prejudice. Kyo blinked. His cr..teammate...had never been that forceful.

"You did great! That girl was a Hyuga!" Tohru praised her teammate. As the net fell to the ground, Kyo felt Tohru's arms draped around his neck. His teammate and clansmen, Yuki, arrived a moment later. Kyo saw the look on his face and returned it with a victorious smirk.

'Okay, that wasn't too bad.'

Team Nine eventually settled on a roof several blocks away from their encounter with the Kusagakure shinobi. Naruto pulled some rations and water bottles out of a scroll and passed them around. The young genin were grateful for a chance to catch their breath. It had been a tense and tiring exercise avoiding the constant patrols. The unfamiliar layout of the village and its 'artificial' borders had also added a layer of stress and tension.

"Alright," Naruto said. "Let's get this done. Hinata-chan, if you would do the honors?"

"Of course, Naruto-kun," Hinata agreed. Her Byakugan flared to life, and she took in her surroundings in a manner few in existence ever had. Chakra was laid bare to her eyes. Everything within four kilometers was visible. There were several buildings shielded against the power of her dojutsu, but even that was information she could use to help her teammates.

She may no longer be Hyūga, but she was still incredibly proud of her genetic legacy. The Byakugan was the greatest of the dōjutsu.

"There are no chakra signatures within the bag. I see a simple trigger trap connected to a vial of liquid, probably acid," Hinata reported.

"Trigger mechanism?" Naruto asked as he flopped to the ground next to the bag.

"There is a switch to disarm it at the bottom. Turn counter-clockwise."

Naruto flipped the switch, and there was an audible 'click' that followed. The trap was disabled. Naruto tossed the bag to Lee with a grin. "Care to do the honors, buddy? You did point out the couriers after we moved that first time."

Lee smiled and accepted the honor. He grinned at Naruto's choice of words. The Green Beast's teammate and close friend was doing his best to make sure each member of the team felt valued and important.

"I am grateful!" Lee declared. His face beamed at the offer. Rock Lee reached into the bag and pulled out an envelope. "I have the location of Room 416."

"Lead on, Lee-kun," Hinata said.

Naruto followed his teammates through the streets of Kusagakure. Excitement bubbled up from his gut. Naruto possessed a rock-solid faith that he would be Hokage. Every bound and leap he took was another moment where he got closer and closer to his goal. Pride and anticipation continued to build.

"I can see our destination!" Lee announced.

Hinata quickly shouted in alarm. The two boys of the team were grateful for Hinata's warning. Her Byakugan had saved them again. Then again, the very intense wordless war-cry would have tipped Naruto and Lee off as well.

The warcry had escaped from the throat of a legitimately pretty girl. She was wearing a yellow dress-like top over black leggings and combat boots. The Kusagakure kunoichi didn't say a (coherent) word to Naruto, Lee, or Hinata. Instead, she launched into a skillful taijutsu assault against Lee. The attacking kunoichi was very skilled and utterly focused on defeating the green-clad Konoha shinobi.

"Lee!" Naruto cried out, but his attempt to isolate the Kusagakure kunoichi was thwarted. A new arrival intercepted Naruto. The 'enemy' was an older teen wearing a blue, long-sleeved vee neck shirt and the same colored pants.

"Not so fast!" The shinobi shouted at Naruto.

Naruto didn't have time to wait around. He didn't know this guy's abilities. He didn't know anything about the abilities of his opponent. So, Naruto did the first thing that came to mind.

He activated a 'launcher scroll.' The black-and-white haired shinobi caught a veritable tidal wave of random junk to the face. Naruto tried not to laugh as his opponent caught a kitchen sink and a bench to the face. The 'launcher' had caught the guy completely by surprise. Naruto's kitchen sink had completely knocked the guy out.

"I'm sorry!" Hinata's opponent shouted. The feminine-looking opponent launched into a Hóu-Quán assault.

The Hyūga exile was impressed by the skill of her opponent. The Kusagakure shinobi and he was a shinobi, only really had a single flaw: self-doubt. Hinata wondered if the self-doubt was tied to his crossdressing. That was something outside of Hinata's purview. She needed to focus on winning this fight. Her teammates were counting on her!

With a wordless battle-cry, Hinata deflected her opponent's strike. She didn't want to truly harm her foe, but Jūken was not a gentle art despite the popular name for the taijutsu school. Hinata pushed a small amount of chakra through her strikes. The damage wouldn't be crippling, but hopefully, it would cause her opponent to retreat. Hinata did not get her wish. The opponent hissed in pain. Hinata realized that her opponent was starting to learn how to deal with Gentle Fist.

So, Hinata did the most un-Jūken move possible.

A dropkick.

To the face.

Hinata tumbled as she fell so that she could rise to her feet almost instantly. Her aggressive fighting stance was unnecessary. The crossdressing opponent was out cold. She turned to face the melee Lee was engaged in. Hinata made it a single step towards the aggressive kunoichi when Naruto's voice rang out.

"We've knocked out both your teammates. We're giving you a chance to help your friends and withdraw. If not, well, that'll be your fault!"

The kunoichi looked at Naruto, then Lee and Hinata, before turning back to Naruto. She huffed like a boar about to charge before deflating a bit.

"Fine!" She relented and relaxed her stance. Naruto motioned for Lee and Hinata to back away.

Lee, however, bowed happily. "You are quite skilled! I know I have encountered two very worthy taijutsu opponents here in Kusagakure! It was an honor fighting against you."

The complement completely caught the young woman off-guard. She nearly fell over picking up the black-and-white haired fighter Naruto had beaten. "Um? Thank you?"

"Let's go," Naruto suggested to his team. Team Nine quickly departed and to their immense relief, did not encounter any other opponents.

"How close are we?" Naruto asked as the three Konoha shinobi came to a stop in a sheltered alley.

"The building across the street," Hinata pointed out. "That is where room 416 is located."

"This is unusual," Lee thought out loud. "There are only patrols on the ground floor. I cannot see anything through the windows that hint at other patrols."

Naruto crossed his arms. "Maybe they were counting on the building being had to find?"

"I believe that is why. This test seems to be our ability to scout hostile territory," Hinata suggested. "A heavily defended building would stand out too much."

"What can you see, Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked.

Hinata spread her awareness over the entire block. "I see two ways inside. There is a ventilation shaft on the roof that goes to the fourth floor. The second way is...through the sewers."

"Air shaft it is!" Naruto and Lee quickly declared.

Naruto really appreciated how quiet his storage seals had become. The grate for the air vent disappeared with nary a 'pop.' Team Nine slipped out from the cramped air vent and walked down the hall. Room 416 was such a simple door. There were no visible defenses, but the three young ninjas weren't taking any chances. Hinata kept her Byakugan active as Naruto reached for the door handle.

The door opened to reveal an older Jonin sitting at a desk with a stack of papers. "Welcome, Konoha Shinobi, to Room 416. Congratulations on being the first foreigners to pass the first stage of the Chunin Exams."

Team Nine smiled in relief. Their happy declarations were cut off by a simple and unexpected question.

"Would you care for some tea?"

Author's Note: Guess what's back? I'm currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program. I currently have next to no time to even breathe. Rice and potatoes are the cornerstones of my diet. But, I put sleep aside to help get this chapter out for y'all. Reviews as always are appreciated.