Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or any of its characters as they are the property of Masashi Kishimoto. The author of the cover image is rothanavatar from DeviantArt. You can check the link for the original image in my profile.

Chapter 16: Dangerous Rivals

A naughty giggle left out Kakashi as he flipped through his small book. He leaned back comfortably against a tree, focusing more on the increasingly heated narrative. Then, he was taken out of the story when a loud complaint from Naruto grabbed his attention. He lifted his gaze to see Naruto fall on the grassy field with Sasuke looking over him in exasperation.

''You are too eager to rush the opponent and your stance is not solid enough for that,'' Sasuke scolded him. ''That makes it easy for the enemy to exploit it and make you lose your balance with well-timed counters.''

''What do you know?!'' Naruto shot back as he rubbed his backside. ''My style is fine!''

''Whatever you say,'' Responded Sasuke with a roll of his eyes.

They both resumed their fighting stances and started their sparring session again. However, despite Naruto's earlier protests he actually seemed to be carefully considering his attacks and watched Sasuke's movements more closely, which was something that Kakashi took note of.

''Strange. Naruto does seem to be taking Sasuke's advice into consideration,'' Concluded Kakashi in wonder.

''You can do it. Put your spirit into it.''

Kakashi turned his attention to the girls, spotting Sakura standing on her hands, upside down while Kaguya kept her own balance standing on Sakura's soles.

''I can't...do more flexes!'' Sakura struggled to keep herself upright.

''No pain, no gain,'' Replied Kaguya as she glanced down at the shaking form of the pinkette. ''Unlike Naruto, your technique is fine but what you really lack is physical prowess,'' Kaguya reminded her. Sakura could hit really hard sometimes, as Naruto could testify, but only in momentary surges of rage. The rest of the time, her blows were lackluster; her speed mediocre, and her stamina downright awful. What Sakura needed to fix first and foremost was her body strength.

Sakura nodded in understanding and with all the pain she could take she resumed her flexes.

Kakashi pondered on his team's behavior as of late. They had been like this after training the other day with Kurenai's team. At first, he thought it had been his imagination but there was no denying now that they were actively helping each other. Even Naruto and Sasuke were cooperating. Sure, they still argued and butted heads but they were still begrudgingly listening to each other.

The copy ninja wondered just what had happened between them to bring forth this change. Not that he was complaining, they being closer was an improvement.

Kakashi snapped his book shut before regarding his students. ''Okay everyone, that's enough training for today. Please come over here, I have something to tell you.''

At their sensei's call, everyone dropped what they had been doing and made their way expectantly to the copy ninja.

''What is it, Kakashi-sensei?'' Asked Naruto eagerly. ''Are we going to start today's mission?''

Sakura groaned at the prospect. She was ready to drop dead from training alone and they hadn't even started today's missions.

''Actually, no missions today,'' Informed Kakashi which picked the curiosity of his students, and in Sakura's case, a sigh of relief.

''Why is that?'' Asked Naruto.

''Because of this,'' Said Kakashi before pulling out four sheets of paper and holding them out to them. ''I'm nominating you guys for the Chunin exam.''

Kakashi's declaration left the Genin in shock at the unexpected announcement. This was short-lived, however, before Naruto showed his usual enthusiasm.

''What! Really!?'' Exclaimed the blond before snatching one of the papers and after a quick look at the contents, he threw himself at his sensei. ''You are the best, Kakashi-sensei!''

kakashi held Naruto at arm's length, not being comfortable with his personal space being invaded by the overexcited boy. ''Calm down, Naruto.''

After a few seconds, Naruto finally backed off and the rest of his team also took one of the sheets and were reading them intently.

''But Kakashi-sensei, I thought it was very rare for rookies like us to take the exam right away,'' Inquired Sakura.

''It is unusual, it's true. However, there is no rule that dictates that you can't take it, it just so happens that most team leaders wait longer to consider their team ready for the exam,'' Explained Kakashi.

''And you think we are ready?'' Asked Sasuke.

''Of course we are ready!'' Boasted Naruto. ''We are amazing! Sakura-chan is super smart, me and Sasuke could kick anyone's ass, though I could kick more ass, and Kaguya can even fight Kakashi-sensei equally! We are more than ready I say!'' Heck, he himself beat that bastard Mizuki to a pulp and he had only gotten stronger since then. If beating a traitorous Chunin didn't qualify you to be a Chunin yourself he didn't know what would.

''Being strong is only a small part of being a Chunin, Naruto,'' Said Kakashi, stopping Naruto in his tracks. ''You could be as strong as the Hokage but if you don't fit the other qualities of a Chunin then you would stay as a Genin forever.''

''What other qualities are there, then?'' Asked the confused blond. What could be more important for a ninja than being the strongest?

''A Chunin has to be able to put the greater good of the village before himself. He has to respect his fellow Shinobi but also be aware of their strengths and weaknesses to be able to work with them in the most efficient way possible,'' Kakashi explained. ''He has to be able to make decisions in the heat of the moment, sometimes hard and painful ones. Above all, he has to be able to lead.''

Naruto crossed his arms as he thought about what his sensei said. It seemed that becoming a Chunin was tougher than what he had first anticipated. Even the rest of his team were silently thinking on all this.

Kaguya was especially concerned. She glanced down in doubt as she pondered on Kakashi's words. ''Are you sure we can do it?'' Asked the girl. As far as she could tell, a Chunin was the ultimate team player; someone who not only consider what was good for himself but for all his comrades. For the longest time, she had disregarded any form of camaraderie as weakness and she had considered others as just nuisances. She was the furthest away from Chunin material she could think of according to Kakashi.

Kakashi noticed Kaguya's sour mood and had a very good guess what her concerns were. He simply gave her a reassuring smile behind his mask and put a hand on her shoulder, surprising the Hyuga.

''Don't look so down. You have improved greatly, all of you,'' Said Kakashi. ''It's true that you have not been the perfect image of a dream team in the past but the point of making mistakes is to learn from them. Sakura seems to genuinely want to improve for her betterment instead of trying to impress Sasuke; Naruto and Sasuke have been trying to help each other hone their skills despite not always agreeing with the other; and you Kaguya, have learned to appreciate your comrades and value them as people. You all have improved so much in such short time. I'm proud of calling you my team.''

The Genin were taken aback by Kakashi's sudden praise and encouragement and returned their smile with as much warmth.

After a moment, Kakashi cleared his throat, getting back to the topic at hand. He wasn't used to emotional moments and hoped that his students didn't get used to it either at least from him. He wasn't the emotive type. ''Anyway, remember to turn those applications in at room three zero one at the academy by four in the afternoon tomorrow. Well, that is if you want to participate. Any of you can turn the exam down if you don't feel like taking it.''

The Genin stared some more at the sheet of paper in their hand with varying thoughts thought among them.

Naruto was ecstatic. This was his time to prove to himself how much he had grown and to show everyone how strong he had become, and if he ended up ranking up the better.

Sasuke saw this as the chance he had been waiting to test his limits and be one step closer to attaining the power he needed to challenge and kill his brother.

Kaguya wasn't exactly sure how to feel about the exam. On one hand, a higher position would be a good way of showing people her strength, but on the other, she didn't like the new set of responsibilities that came with the title. She was just starting to get used to working in a team and just getting to know her teammates more. As soon as she was made Chunin she was expected to branch off and form her own squads and lead them on missions. She didn't want to leave her team behind after just starting to like them.

Then, she froze in place, eyes wide in fear as a realization hit her. If they were fighting against the rest of the Genin strong enough to qualify to try the test, then there was a strong chance that the last person she wanted to face would be there. She clenched her first in worry, hoping that she was wrong or got lucky to not have to meet him.

Meanwhile, Sakura wondered if she was up to the task at all. Yes, she was smart, but if they were talking combat capabilities she was severely lacking still. If people like Kaguya or Sasuke-kun were the kind of Genin taking the exam she was in for a rough time. She might have been starting to work on her strength with the help of her team, but it was still too soon for her to see any real improvement.

''Well, that's all for now. Think well and hard on your choice. See ya,'' Said Kakashi before disappearing in a curtain of smoke, leaving his Genin to themselves.

Sasuke took another look at his application, smirking in satisfaction. There was nothing to decide for him. He was going to participate one way or another.

While not as reserved as Sasuke, Naruto shared his Uchiha teammate's eagerness. Sporting a wide grin in anticipation. ''How cool was that, uh?! We were nominated for the Chunin exams! Man, we are absolutely going to kick ass. Isn't that right?'' Exclaimed Naruto before turning to the rest of his team and his early celebration was put on hold as he noticed the thoughtful looks on the faces of his female companions.

Sasuke and Naruto eyed each other in wonder at the demeanor of the rest of their team. ''Is everything alright?'' Asked Naruto.

Sakura and Kaguya were snapped out of their thoughts as they turned to their blond teammate.

Sakura simply waved off her worries in the face of her team. ''Nothing, nothing at all! I was just thinking.''

''Same,'' Responded Kaguya. ''No need to concern yourselves with it. It's nothing really.''

Naruto and Sasuke shared an uncertain look one last time but decided against making a big deal out of it. If the girls didn't want to talk about their issues there was nothing to do about it.

''Anyway, to celebrate we should all go get some ramen!'' Declared Naruto, changing the subject. ''My treat! What do you guys say?!''

The rest of his team seemed to think it over at least.

''Sure, why not,'' Said Kaguya at last.

Sasuke silently considered the offer before responding. ''Fine.''

His positive response surprised the rest of his team. In the past he would have shot them down without a second thought. It seemed that their team relationship was improving.

''You sure, Sasuke-kun?'' Inquired Sakura.

''I have nothing better to do and the idiot is paying,'' Said the Uchiha shrugging uncaringly.

Seeing that even Sasuke was willing to go was enough for Sakura to make up her mind. ''Alright, I'll come too.''

''Really?'' Said Naruto, actually surprised to see that his team didn't tell him to piss off like in the past. ''I mean, awesome! Let's go!''

Following the cheery blond, the group of Genin started making their way to Ichiraku ramen.

All the while Naruto didn't shut up about how great the ramen in his favorite place was.

''I'm telling you guys, you haven't lived until you tasted this ramen!'' Rambled Naruto. ''It's like the noodles are made from silk and the broth brought from heaven itself!''

Sakura did her best to block the loud boy but it was starting to get on her nerves. Had she known that Naruto wasn't going to shut up the entire way she may have reconsidered coming along. At least Sasuke-kun and Kaguya seemed to ignore him just fine. Then, she noticed a box with eye-holes and painted to resemble a rock following them and doing a terrible job at being sneaky.

Even Sasuke and Kaguya spared a glance at the strange box following them.

''What is it with that thing tailing us?'' Asked Sakura out loud, causing Naruto to finally glance back and spot the box himself.

Naruto groaned in annoyance at the presence of the box, having a very good idea of who was behind this. ''What do you want this time, Konohamaru?!''

The box stopped dead in its tracks and stood still, trying to appear as inconspicuous as possible.

''We already know you are following us so quit it!'' Exclaimed the mad blond.

''As perceptive as ever,'' Declared the box before it exploded into a curtain of smoke that cleared to reveal a small little boy with spiky black hair wearing goggles and a scarf double the size of his body. ''That's why you are the boss. Still, just because you are the boss doesn't mean that I'll forgive you for not coming play ninja with us!''

''Naruto, you know this kid?'' Asked Kaguya.

''Kinda,'' Replied the blond.

''What do you mean with 'kinda'?'' Said Konohamaru defensively. ''So mean. And me, Udon, and Moegi were waiting for you to come play with us. Wait until I tell them that you didn't even remember!''

''I'm a real ninja now. I can't play ninja with you all the time, I'm busy!'' Naruto shot back.

''Excuses excuses. You have no time for me and my friends but you have time for...what is this, a double date or something?'' Asked the boy as he saw both Naruto and Sasuke along with Sakura and Kaguya.

Sasuke simply rolled his eyes at the little boy's assumptions, Sakura was starry-eyed at the thought of going on a date with Sasuke, while Kaguya blushed at the thought of doing something of such intimate nature with anyone.

''So who is your girlfriend?'' Inquired Konohamaru curiously. ''The pink-haired ugly girl or the freakish-looking one?''

Naruto watched in shock at what Konohamaru had just said and slowly turned to gauge the girl's reactions.

As expected, both girl's previous looks were replaced with deep-seething rage and directed a huge chunk of killing intent on Konohamaru.

Said boy stared in wide-eyed terror at the two girls who now could be confused with the devil itself.

''Konohamaru, run!'' Said Naruto to the boy frozen in place by fear.

Konohamaru finally reacted and turned around, letting out a panicked scream before he started running.

''I'll let you pummel him first,'' Kaguya said to Sakura.

''Shannaro!'' Yelled Sakura as she gave chase with Kaguya very close behind.

''Just wait a moment, guys!'' Said Naruto in an attempt to stop his friends from beating Konohamaru to a pulp but seeing that the girls didn't listen to him he also went after them.

Sasuke let out a sigh of exasperation at the ridiculous situation he found himself in but still followed after his team to ensure that things didn't get out of hand.

They followed the boy running for dear life until he ran around a corner and let out a yell of pain and surprise.

The Genin of Team Seven caught up to him to find the boy being lifted by the collar of his shirt by a boy around their age who was being accompanied by a girl who also didn't look much older. The appearance of the two strangers brought Team Seven to a halt, even the two girls who were previously ready to beat Konohamaru senseless.

''That hurt, you runt. Watch where you are going!'' Said the strange boy. He was wearing a black full body suit with a black hood that had cat-like ears and had a large bundle wrapped in bandages on his back that was almost as big as his body. ''Somebody should teach you a lesson you little rat!''

''Boss, help!'' Yelled Konohamaru as he struggled against the bigger boy's grasp.

''What do you think you are doing to him?!'' Shouted Naruto in anger at the bully. ''Let him go this instant or I'll make you pay!''

''What is this? They are not from around here,'' Thought Sasuke, spotting the foreign symbol on the metal plate on the strange guy's forehead and around the girl's neck. ''Those are Suna's. Are they here for the Chunin exam too?''

Kaguya had similar thoughts to Sasuke as she too noticed the protectors on the strangers.

''Look at that, more annoying pests arrived,'' Said the Suna Genin condescendingly as he turned to Team Seven. ''keep bothering me and I'll deal with you after I teach this brat a lesson.''

''That's it! You asked for it!'' Exclaimed Naruto with a battle cry, throwing himself at the Suna Shinobi and readying a punch aimed for his head.

The hooded guy simply smirked and used his free hand to pull at apparent thin air, causing Naruto to lose his balance and trip over himself.

''Boss!'' Exclaimed Konohamaru and Sakura at seeing the bully counter Naruto's attack so effortlessly.

''Just so we are clear I have nothing to do with this so leave me out of it,'' Said the blond Suna girl wearing her hair in four pigtails.

''What was that?'' Asked Naruto as he examined his foot. It had felt as if something had pulled his leg from under him but he didn't see anything.

Kaguya narrowed her eyes at the hooded guy. It had been faint but she had just barely managed to catch glimpse of what had happened. That guy had used some sort of strings made from Chakra through his fingers that were so thin that they were barely visible, not to mention that raw Chakra wasn't that visible in the first place unless there was a lot of it.

''Annoying, loudmouth, and weak too. What a combination,'' The male Suna mocked Naruto. Then, he let out a gasp of surprise when Sasuke appeared in front of him grabbing him firmly by the wrist. The Uchiha twisted his arm harshly. With a yelp of pain, the hooded guy dropped Konohamaru promptly before Sasuke kicked him away.

The Suna Genin Skidded to a stop alongside his teammate. He inspected his sore wrist before shooting Sasuke a death glare. ''The bastard is fast. I didn't see or sense him approaching until it had been too late. I got careless.'' But he was done playing around. He would show these pipsqueaks what happened when he got mad.

''I'm serious, Kankuro,'' The blond girl warned her partner again. ''Stop this before things get out of hand.''

But he didn't listen to her. Now that he was livid he cared only to beat these Konoha morons black and blue. ''Fine then! You won't like me when I'm serious,'' Declared Kankuro as he put down the bandaged bundle on the floor with a harsh slam.

''Wait a minute, You aren't planning on using that thing here, are you!?'' The Suna girl exclaimed in shock.

At seeing a real fight about to break out, Konohamaru rushed to hide behind Naruto while the blond, along with Sakura and Sasuke got into battle stances ready to defend themselves.

''I've had enough of you,'' Said Kaguya, speaking for the first time in the presence of the Suna Genin and that didn't go unnoticed as she earned everyone's attention. ''If you insist on continuing this I'll deal with you myself. Better for us. Maybe this will teach you to stay out of our way during the exam.''

Kankuro eyes the stern and serious face of the pale girl and couldn't help but let out a chuckle that only deepened her frown. ''Nice joke. You think a weak-looking girl like you can take me on?! Don't think you can scare me just because you look like a freak. I have plenty of experience dealing with dangerous freaks. If you really are participating in the Chunin exam you should have waited until then if you are this eager to get your ass killed,'' Like he was going to be intimidated by a girl half his build.

Kaguya grinned snidely. She couldn't wait to make that guy eat his words. ''I'll finish you quickly. Unless of course you want your friend over there to lend you a hand,'' Said the Hyuga while pointing to the side.

Her remark caught everyone off guard and they all turned to where she was pointing at and they were shocked to see someone else with them.

On a tree, just a few feet away was another boy standing upside down on a branch. He had red unruly hair, a Kanji for 'Love' tattooed on the side of his forehead, and had teal colored eyes with deep bags under them that accentuated his cold stare even more. He was wearing a gourd on his back half the size of his body along with a Suna headband hanging from the sash of the gourd.

The rest of Team Seven stared in shock at the presence of the newcomer. How could they not have sensed him? He was practically beside them?! It was obvious that whoever this person was was not to be taken lightly.

On the other hand, the Suna Genin were terrified by the sudden appearance of their missing teammate.

''Gaara?!'' Exclaimed the girl in surprise.

''I-I was just...'' Kankuro blabbered in the presence of Gaara; all his previous bravado was completely gone. ''These guys started it!'' He tried to excuse himself. He just hoped that he hadn't heard him say that bit about dangerous freaks.

''Shut up or I'll kill you,'' Said Gaara in a cruel monotone voice while his two teammates seemed to shrink at his tone.

However, Gaara was barely paying attention to his team and instead he was eyeing Team Seven intently, an action that made Sakura and Konohamaru nervous while Sasuke, Naruto, and Kaguya waited at the ready for anything the murderous boy would try.

''That guy got Kankuro with his guard down and the girl managed to feel my presence. They are good,'' Thought the redhead as he analyzed Team Seven.

After a few tense seconds of nothing happening, Gaara finally jumped down from the tree to join his team and kept his impassive face even as he turned to face the Konoha ninja until he was in front of Kaguya. ''I apologize for my idiot siblings actio-'' started Gaara before going completely silent. His face turned blank as soon as he faced Kaguya.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the boy's reaction while the rest of his team wondered what was wrong with him.

Then, Gaara groaned in pain as he held his face in his hand.

This just served to confuse Team Seven further but the rest of the Suna Genin looked horrified at the sight.

''What is this? What are you trying to tell me, mother?'' Mumbled Gaara with an expression that reflected both pain and madness.

''What's with this guy?'' Asked Naruto, starting to feel nervous. The killing intent coming from the Suna Genin was almost on par with Zabuza's.

''Oh no. Temari, this is bad,'' Said Kankuro, barely keeping himself from shaking in fear.

''Gaara, try to keep yourself together!'' Temari pleaded. She was as equally confused as she was scared. What had triggered Gaara this time? He had been relatively stable lately.

''Yes...Yes I understand mother. The girl shall die,'' Said Gaara with a crazed look in his eyes.

Kaguya narrowed her eyes. Who was this guy talking to? Anyway, if this sicko wanted a piece of her he had another thing coming. ''What nonsense are you spewing?'' Asked Kaguya as she got into a battle stance.

Gaara smiled wickedly at her, his eyes trying to bore holes through her. ''Your existence...your mere existence seems to bother mother a great deal. So, I will erase you,'' Said the psychopath with a lick of his lips, anticipating the coming bloodbath. His mother had never been so adamant to have someone killed as much as she wanted this girl's entrails covering the soil they were standing on right now. And he was happy to oblige.

''You'll never lay a hand on her!'' Exclaimed Naruto in resolution, ready to fight. ''Over my dead body!''

''Just try it, freak. See what happens,'' Replied Sasuke, also ready to engage at any moment despite the amount of killing intent he felt.

''Gaara, hold on! Don't start a scene here in the middle of a foreign village!'' Said Kankuro, not caring right now about the hypocrisy in his statement.

''We are here for the exams, remember?!'' Temari reminded her crazed brother.

''Like I care about that. My only concern is giving her blood to mother,'' Said Gaara unrelenting. ''Get in my way and I'll kill you both too.''

''He is insane,'' Commented Sakura, progressively getting more anxious. Didn't Gaara had mentioned that they were his siblings? And he was willing to murder them too for nothing?

''Wait a moment then, why don't you wait to deal with them in the Exams?!'' Suggested Kankuro, looking for any excuse that would halt his brother's rampage.

Temari widened her eyes in realization. For once Kankuro had a good idea. ''That's right! If you want to kill the girl so much do it during the Chunin exams! If you kill her right here you'll get Suna and yourself in trouble. If you wait just until tomorrow you'll be legally allowed to kill her during the examinations!''

Despite his crazed look of bloodlust, Gaara surprisingly seemed to think it over. ''Is that true? Are you going to participate in the exams?'' Asked the psychopath.

Kaguya glared at redhead before answering. ''Yeah. What about it?''

Gaara's grin widened at the news. ''Good, then. Alright, I'll let you live until then. But you better come. If you don't enter the exams I'll find you and kill you along with everyone important to you,'' warned the madman.

''I'll participate, don't worry. I'm not afraid of you,'' Said Kaguya defiantly. ''I think you'll soon find out I'm not so easy to kill,''

''You'll be fun to break, then,'' Said Gaara. ''Enjoy the few hours you have left of your sorry existence. I'll be looking forward to bathing in your blood,'' Finished the boy before walking away.

Seeing that Gaara had thankfully backed down, Temari breathed a sigh of relief before she followed her little brother with Kankuro close behind, who had no intention of staying in the same hotel as Gaara now.

With the Suna Genin gone, Sakura dropped to the floor in fatigue after enduring the crazy amount of killing intent of Gaara.

''That had been close,'' Commented the pinkette, glad that things hadn't escalated further. Still, Kaguya had a death threat from the guy so this wasn't over yet.

''I-I think I have somewhere else I have to be!'' Said Konohamaru, finally finding his voice again and hurried to get away from there. ''See you later, boss! Good luck against that weirdo!''

''Coward,'' Muttered Naruto under his breath before turning to Kaguya. ''Are you okay? That guy is a maniac.''

Kaguya nodded calmly. ''I'm fine, don't worry. I'm not particularly scared. As long as I don't underestimate him I think I'll be fine,'' After fighting Zabuza a mere Genin shouldn't be much problem no matter how unstable the guy was. But just in case she would be cautious, she herself was a Genin after all so rank wasn't an exact indicator of strength.

''One thing is for sure, though,'' Said Sasuke. ''This exam is not going to be easy.''

The rest of his team could only agree with him.

The next day, Team Seven arrived at the academy just one hour before the appointed time.

The four Genin stood before the gates of the same place they had once received their ninja education. It seemed fitting that it was going to be the start of their journey to become Chunin too.

''Well, let's get this show on the road,'' Said Naruto confidently.

Sasuke grinned. Despite the threat of Gaara yesterday he was still looking forward to testing himself.

''Let's go then,'' Added Kaguya.

The Genin started making their way to the academy not realizing that one of them wasn't following suit.

''Guys.''

Kaguya, Sasuke, and Naruto stopped in their tracks and turned to look at Sakura who had yet to move from her spot.

''Sakura-chan? What's wrong?'' Asked Naruto curiously while Sasuke and Kaguya also reflected confusion in their looks.

''I was meaning to tell you this but I couldn't find the moment,'' Said Sakura apologetically. ''I'm not entering,''

Her team couldn't hold their surprise at the unexpected news.

''What!? Why?!'' Asked Naruto.

''Are you sure?'' Inquired Sasuke.

''Is there a particular reason for not wanting to enter?'' Asked Kaguya.

Sakura shook her head. ''I just don't feel ready for the exams that's all.''

''What do you mean by that?'' Naruto insisted. ''We have gone through so much together. This exam should be a piece of cake.''

''That's the thing,'' Added Sakura. ''We overcame a lot of challenges so far but together as you said. These exams are not going to test us just as a team but as individual shinobi too. And if I'm being honest I just don't think I measure up yet.''

''But-'' Naruto's nonstop questioning was stopped by a hand on his shoulder from Kaguya, urging him to listen to what Sakura had to say before interrupting.

With her team giving her their entire attention, Sakura continued to explain herself. ''This exam is going to test the Genin that qualify to become Chunin, meaning that only the best are nominated for entering. If I compare myself you Kaguya, Sasuke-kun, or heck, even Naruto I know that I would not get far in a fight with any of you and if that's the standard of the people entering here then I'm just putting myself in unnecessary danger,'' Said Sakura, looking guilty to let her team down. ''I'm really sorry to back out at the last minute like this, guys.''

The rest of her team seemed to think of what she said. Finally, Sasuke regarded Sakura with a smile, surprising the pinkette with his reaction.

''I understand,'' Said Sasuke. ''Knowing your limits is part of being a good Kunoichi. I'm happy that you are able to know that now. You are improving,'' In the past, Sasuke knew that Sakura would have done anything just to impress him or saving face, even stupid things. He was glad to see that she was growing.

''Sasuke-kun...'' Muttered Sakura in relief. Sasuke-kun was praising her despite turning down the exam. He hardly even complimented her ever.

''Well, if that's what you want I guess there is no helping it,'' Said Naruto casually, supporting her choice. ''I'll just kick ass extra hard in your name.''

''There is always a next time,'' Said Kaguya. ''We'll simply help you train for a future chance to take the exam.''

''Thank you, guys,'' Said Sakura in appreciation and a warm smile. ''I'll be rooting for you.''

Her team returned the gesture and with nothing else to say they bid their farewells to their comrade staying behind.

Once inside, with the absence of their team member still fresh in their mind, they went up the stairs looking for room three zero one as Kakashi had said.

As they arrived at an upper floor, Team Seven noticed a congregation of other Genin crowding a certain room.

''What's going on there?'' Wondered Naruto.

''We should see,'' Suggested Sasuke along with a nod of agreement from Kaguya.

Team Seven made their way through the crowd until they had a clear view of what was happening at the center of it.

There, they spotted an older Genin punching back a boy wearing a full body suit of green spandex that had a bowl cut and thick eyebrows.

''Please, let us in already,'' Asked the green-clad boy supporting himself on a girl with twin buns on her hair wearing a pink sleeveless shirt.

''Why are you keeping us from entering?! We have to take the exam!'' Said the girl.

''We are just doing you a favor,'' Said the older Genin with a bandage over his face.

''The exams are dangerous. We are saving the lives of you weaklings by weeding you out,'' Said the other older Genin that had bangs over his eyes.

This response angered the crowd even further, causing them to start protesting loudly and some even threatening to employ violence if need be.

''Who do these guys think they are?!'' Growled Naruto. ''I'll teach them to get out of other people's way!''

''Wait, Naruto!'' Said Sasuke, stopping Naruto before he made a scene.

''What?!'' Replied the blond.

''Did you see the number of the room?'' Asked Sasuke, pointing at the three zero one carved on the sign above the door.

''Of course I already saw it! There is where we are supposed to go and these idiots are keeping everyone from entering it!'' Replied the angered blond.

''And don't you think that's weird?'' Said Sasuke.

''Uh?'' Mumbled the confused Naruto. ''What do you mean?''

''What is that room doing here?'' Sasuke deduced. ''This is the second floor, shouldn't the rooms be in the two hundred instead of three hundred?''

Kaguya widened her eyes, now understanding what Sasuke was getting at. ''I see. So you are saying this one is a fake.''

Sasuke nodded. ''Exactly. The exam has practically already begun. This is only a decoy; a sample of the test waiting for us.''

''Oh, I see now,'' Said Naruto in realization. ''Then, let's reveal these guys for the fakes they are!''

''Wait a moment. Don't do that,'' Said Kaguya. ''This is meant for weeding out the teams weak enough to not realize the trap. If you revealed the fake to everyone it would defeat the point of...''

Sasuke and Naruto raised their eyebrows at Kaguya, who had stopped mid-speech and had her eyes as wide as saucers and panic threatened to etch into her features.

Both males turned to look for the source of Kaguya's distraction and they spotted another boy staring back at her.

The boy was wearing a beige shirt with brown shorts, had long dark hair kept in place by his forehead protector but his most defining feature were his white eyes not unlike Kaguya or Hinata's. Said white eyes were staring right back at Kaguya, with a coldness and hatred behind his gaze strong enough to almost make them take a step back.

''Kaguya, who is that guy?'' Naruto asked the Hyuga but she was frozen on the spot. To be honest, it was unnerving for both Naruto and Sasuke to see Kaguya reduced to something akin to a scared child in the presence of the strange boy.

''Let's go,'' Said Naruto, taking Kaguya by the arm, finally getting her attention as she turned to Naruto with a fazed look, as if she had been snapped out of a trance.''Let's get out of here. This isn't the room we are looking for anyway,'' Urged Naruto. he didn't know what had gotten into Kaguya but he was worried for her. The sooner they got her away from that guy the better.

Kaguya nodded obediently, letting Naruto drag her away gently.

Sasuke followed them after giving that guy one last glance. He wondered who could that be. For Kaguya who was as strong as most Jounins to react that way to him left a lot of questions in Sasuke's mind and he had no doubt that Naruto had his doubts too.

Naruto eyed Kaguya, worry evident in his face. He tried to reach out to grab her attention and ask her what had happened, but he was stopped by the firm grasp of Sasuke on his shoulder. He turned to the Uchiha only to receive a gentle shook of Sasuke's head, urging him to not bother Kaguya at the moment. Naruto hated to admit it but the bastard was right. This was not the time. Whatever issue Kaguya had with that guy seemed to be deep and most likely very personal. If she wanted to let them know she would tell them when she was ready. Still, not knowing what was wrong was killing him.

Kaguya could practically feel the unspoken questions of her teammates. Especially with Naruto doing such a poor job of trying to hide his curiosity. She didn't like keeping things from them but what was she supposed to say? How could she tell them that Neji was her brother who hated her because she caused the death of their father by ripping to shreds another human being when she had been a little kid? She didn't want her team to think ill of her again, even if she deserved it just as she deserved Neji's hatred. This is what she had been dreading, she didn't want to meet her brother in the exams, she simply couldn't face him. She was a coward.

Leaving Kaguya to her thoughts, Team Seven made their way to the stairs at the other side of a large spacious room until they heard someone call out to them.

''Wait a moment, please!''

Directing their attention to the newcomer they spotted the same boy with the green spandex from before looking down at them from the upper floor.

''What do you want?'' Asked Sasuke while Naruto wondered how the thick-eyebrowed boy had gotten there so fast.

''You are Uchiha Sasuke, right?'' Asked the boy, jumping down and landing in front of them.

''Who is asking?'' Replied Sasuke brashly.

''My name is Rock Lee,'' Said the green-clad Genin. ''I heard you were the top rookie from this year. I want you to fight me right here and now,''

''Fight you?'' Sasuke snorted at the suggestion. ''You must be a fool to challenge me if you know who I am.''

''I want to test myself against a member of the prestigious Uchiha clan,'' Said Rock Lee. ''As I'm the strongest Konoha Genin I strive to keep improving.''

Kaguya took a close look at this person. That was a big claim to make and she wondered if his declaration held any weight. But in her opinion, he didn't look too impressive. She activated her Byakugan for a second and determined that his Chakra capacity was even below average. All in all, it didn't look like this guy was anything special.

''The best Genin in Konoha you say? hmph, I highly doubt that,'' Sasuke scoffed. ''You may want to test yourself against the famous Uchiha clan but to me you are a nobody. Why should I waste my time with you?''

''I see. You want me to prove myself first,'' Concluded Lee. ''Fair enough. In that case, I'll fight any of your teammates first. That way you'll see for yourself what I can do.''

Kaguya thought hard and serenely about this. She didn't really feel like fighting a pointless battle. Any other day she would have jumped at the chance to prove wrong anyone underestimating her skill. However, right now she was not in the mood for that, not when she had other more pressing matters on her head. But Naruto on the other hand...

''What are you trying to say by making me your second option, uh?!'' Exclaimed the offended blond. ''Are you underestimating me?!''

''I apologize. I didn't mean any disrespect. But is pretty well known that Uchiha Sasuke was at the top of his class when it came to battle performance,'' Rock Lee explained himself. ''Is just logical to assume that he would be the strongest out of you.''

''Oh yeah! I'll show you that I'm just as strong-no! Even stronger than Sasuke!'' Declared Naruto. ''I'm Uzumaki Naruto! The man that's going to be Hokage in the future so you better not forget it!''

''Very well. I accept your challenge, Naruto-kun,'' Said Lee, entering a battle stance by putting one of his hands behind him and the other extended in front of him. ''If you really think so highly of your abilities you are free to show them to me right now.''

''That's exactly what I'm going to do!'' Yelled Naruto, making a run for Lee, his fist ready to punch the spandex-wearing boy.

Lee stayed completely still until Naruto was right in front of him. The blond threw a punch with all his might that Lee simply used his open palm to push off-course and did a sweep with his leg that sent Naruto crashing into a wall.

''That was a good move,'' Noted Kaguya in surprise. That had been a very skilled and precise Taijutsu counter. Definitely advanced despite how simple it looked.

''So maybe that guy is not all talk after all,'' Sasuke realized.

Naruto lifted himself off the ground with a pained groan and a glare directed at the Taijutsu user.

''Please stand down,'' Said Rock Lee. ''It's useless to continue this fight. That single move of yours was enough for me to see that with that kind of fighting style you have no chance. Your form is very lacking and your technique is off. With that level, you won't get a single hit on me.''

''What did you say?!'' Said the angered Jinchuuriki.

''I'm just stating facts, I don't mean it in a derogatory manner,'' Said Rock Lee.

''We'll see about that you thick-eyebrowed freak!'' Warned Naruto before making his favorite hand seal. ''Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!(Shadow Clone Technique)''

In the blink of an eye, ten Naruto's appeared beside the original, which actually almost caused Lee to take a step back in surprise.

''So many clones! Those can't be solid, right?'' Lee pondered. If they were indeed real he couldn't imagine how much Chakra would take to make them and maintain them active.

''Get him!'' Naruto ordered his clones which didn't waste a second to rush Lee with a battle cry.

Lee ducked under the first one punch before countering with a backhanded strike, shockingly confirming that these copies were indeed real when his fist made contact to dissipate it in a cloud of smoke. After that, he stepped back to avoid a kick from another clone then countering with a kick of his own. He avoided and countered the third one in the same fashion. This went on similarly for the next seven and just as quickly as the assault had begun it ended, with Lee not receiving a single scratch.

''No way...'' Muttered Naruto under his breath. That had done nothing! The only people he had faced until now that outclassed him so badly in Taijutsu to do this were Kakashi-sensei and Kaguya!

''That was very impressive,'' Praised Lee. ''That caught me off guard. I didn't expect such a strong Jutsu. Still, as I said with the difference in out Taijutsu that won't make a difference no matter how many there are,''

Naruto grinded his teeth. he hated to admit it but this weirdo was good. He had to change tactics if he wanted to make him eat his words. With a new plan in mind he repeated his hand seal. ''Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!(Multiple Shadow Clone Technique)''

The area was clouded with smoke in an instant. After a few seconds of limited vision, the smoke cleared to reveal a large number of Narutos, at least three times as big as the last group, scattered in the room.

Lee went agape at seeing the sheer number of copies. He couldn't believe how Naruto still had Chakra to make these many.

''I'm absolutely speechless, Naruto-kun. I didn't expect this of you. Being able to make such an absurd amount to clones is nothing short of incredible,'' Said Rock Lee. ''However, the result will still be the same. The number of copies won't make a difference.''

''You don't know anything, do you? Copying myself is not the only advantage this Jutsu had,'' Said Naruto before he and his army of clones pulled a handful of Kunai and Shuriken.

Lee widened his eyes. So the Shadow Clone Technique also copied the tools of the user. Not bad at all.

''Now let's see you dodge all these!'' Said Naruto, tossing a large chunk of weapons along with some of his clones, soon turning into a shower of blades aimed at the Taijutsu user.

Lee rolled to the side to avoid the first barrage before dancing around the second, skillfully barely avoiding the blade's graces. Too bad for Naruto. Had he been anyone else this could have finished the fight in seconds. With his dexterity and experience training with Tenten and her perfect accuracy with weapons, avoiding the attack was more than doable for him.

However, Naruto gave him no respite and used the clones that were out of weapons to attack him. So, Lee found himself in a dangerous dance of avoiding a rain of weapons and punches from the clones. He barely managed to get out of the way of the weapons and counter the strikes at the same time, sometimes even forced to use the clones as meatshields against the barrage of steel.

It had been a hard couple of minutes for Lee but he breathed a sigh of relief to see that there was only one Naruto left. But upon sensing something amiss, he glanced back to see three more clones coming from the sides and one above. They had taken advantage of his blind spots to sneak up on him!

''You have nowhere to go now!'' Yelled the clones while the other one rushed Lee from the front.

''Konoha Daisenpu!(Tree Leaf Great Whirlwind)'' Ina flash, Lee threw two low kicks that ended the clones from the sides before throwing one last high kick that dissipated the one from above.

''Whatever you still can't dodge this now!'' Said the remaining one, taking advantage that now that Lee was in midair he couldn't possibly move out of the way.

With a mighty yell, Naruto sent a punch aimed directly at Lee, only for the green-clad boy to catch the punch with his palm and use the momentum of Naruto's strike to twist his body and throw a swift kick that caught Naruto in the face.

Lee landed gracefully with a satisfactory smirk, watching as Naruto crashed on the floor. That had been a good move but ultimately had not been enough. Only for Naruto to disappear into a cloud of smoke.

Lee widened his eyes in shock. That had been a clone too?! But if so where was the original?!

At that moment, some of the Kunai and Shuriken scattered on the floor burst in a puff of smoke, turning themselves into five more clones.

''You fell for it!'' Cheered the clones.

''What?!'' In his surprise, Lee could not get out of the way fast enough as the clones latched themselves to his limbs. Keeping each arm and leg in place while another one held him by the torso.

At that moment, another Kunai a few yards away also transformed to reveal the real Naruto. ''You won't go anywhere now!''

Lee tried to pry the clones off of him but they held him firmly. He was stuck!

Not wanting to waste this shot, Naruto took off his headband protector and wrapped it on his hand with the metal plating on his knuckles. He had worked hard for this shot so he was going to make it count. He ran to Lee, fist at the ready for payback. ''Take this!'' Yelled Naruto as Lee could do nothing but take the hit.

Steel plated fist collided with Lee's cheek, with the force of the blow sending him colliding straight to the wall.

''That was a good move. Nice going, Naruto,'' Kaguya praised while Sasuke smirked, glad to see his teammate do good for once.

Rock Lee rubbed his aching cheek as he found his footing again. That had been a good hit.

''What's wrong? Didn't you say I wasn't going to land a single blow on you?'' Gloated Naruto with his arms crossed.

''I apologize again, Naruto-kun. I admit I was underestimating you,'' Said Lee. ''That was rude of me. Now I see that you are stronger than I thought. So now I'll take you seriously.''

Naruto raised his eyebrows when he noticed Lee starting to unwrap the bandages on his arms just enough to loosen them.

''Prepare yourself now, Naruto-kun because here I come,'' Warned Lee, which caused Naruto to adopt a defensive stance.

''That's enough, Lee!''

Stopping immediately mid-attack caused Rock Lee to trip over himself, falling face first on the ground but how quickly managed to stand back up. Team Seven turned to look at the upper floor where a man that looked like an exact copy of Lee was watching them.

''Yes, Gai-sensei!'' Said the Taijutsu user obediently, standing straight and firm.

The man jumped down and landed beside Lee and now that Team Seen had a better look at the man they found his looks even more bizarre. Just as they had noticed before, he was wearing almost the exact apparel as his student, orange leg warmers and all. The only thing different was that he was missing Lee's bandages and he wore a standard flak jacket. But if his clothing wasn't enough, he was sporting the same ridiculous hairdo and had even thicker eyebrows.

Team Seven could only stare in amazement and a bit of repulsion.

''Lee, come here,'' Signalled the man.

The boy didn't miss a beat and quickly went over. ''Yes, Gai-sense-Ackkk!'' Was the only thing Lee managed to say before Gai sent him flying with a punch.

Team Seven could only stare in bewilderment at the sudden action.

''I am so very sorry for having to do that Lee,'' Said Gai apologetically. ''But you picked a fight with another team and you were about to use your forbidden Jutsu, weren't you?''

''I am so very sorry!'' Said Lee grasping the ground, tears running freely down his cheek for having let his sensei down.

Gai simply went over to his student and knelt down to his level and putting a hand on his shoulder. ''It's okay Lee. Being young also means making mistakes,'' Said the man, now tears were running down his face too in a dramatic fashion.

''Gai-sensei!'' Replied Lee in relief.

''Lee!'' Yelled Gai before embracing his student in a tight hug that Lee returned in earnest.

''These guys can't be real...'' Said Sasuke in astonishment, his deadpan look reflecting his state of mind.

''I wonder If a self-inflicted Jyuuken strike to the head will make me forget all this,'' Muttered Kaguya, considering her options.

''I don't know, I think they are somewhat cool,'' Commented Naruto which earned him two incredulous looks from his team.

''Hello there!''

Team Seven turned back to Gai who had finished his little scene and was addressing them now.

''You are Kakashi's team, right?'' Asked the man amicably.

''You know our sensei?'' Asked Naruto. Kakashi didn't seem like the type of guy to hang out with weirdos like these...but on the other hand, Kakashi sensei was weird in his own right so who knows.

''Know him?'' Mused Gai.

Kaguya widened her eyes and just barely managed to turn around in time to see the man appear behind them.

''We are eternal rivals,'' Finished Gai.

Sasuke and Naruto stared back in shock at the weird Jounin. They didn't even see him move!

''But I'm stronger than him,'' Declared Gai with a beaming smile and a thumbs up.

Kaguya didn't know if he was boasting but at least physically he was above Kakashi. She had never seen anyone move that fast. Not Kakashi, nor Hiashi, Or even Zabuza.

Even Sasuke and Naruto felt the same, they had never seen such display of speed.

''So this is the girl I've been hearing so much about. The one that supposed rivaled Jounins,'' Gai analyzed Kaguya silently. He had no way to be sure if the rumors were true but she had managed to see him and reacted in time to be ready for him. Anyway, that didn't matter right now. It was good to see young talent grow and see their flames of youth develop further!

''Well, I shall be going and you guys should too. The exams are going to start soon,'' Said Gai before turning to his student. ''And that goes for you too, Lee. Give them your best and I wish you luck to you all.''

And with that, Gai disappeared in a burst of speed, leaving the Genin by themselves again.

''By the way, guys,'' Said Lee, garnering the attention of Team Seven. ''I'm sorry for starting a fight with you. I was eager to test my abilities on strong opponents and it may have made me act rashly. But I also want to let you know that I lied to you before.''

''What do you mean?'' Asked Naruto.

''I claimed that I was the strongest Genin in Konoha. Well, that's not the case. If I'm being honest the strongest is probably my teammate Neji,'' Informed Lee.

''Neji?'' Inquired Sasuke. He didn't know who that was.

Upon hearing Neji's name again, it was enough to cause Kaguya's mood to sour. She had momentarily forgotten that she would most likely run into her brother in this exam.

''That's right,'' Said the Taijutsu user with a nod. ''Despite everything, I truly enjoyed my fight with Naruto-kun here. So I thought I'll do you a favor by letting you guys have a heads up.''

Sasuke smirked confidently. ''In that case, I'll return the cordiality. You are wrong. As much as I would like to say that I'm the strongest, that title goes to Kaguya here.'' Sasuke didn't know who this Nei guy was but he really doubted any of the participants in this exam could do the things Kaguya could. There was a reason even Jounins were left speechless when they saw what she could do.

''Yeah! There is no one that can beat Kaguya!'' Added Naruto. ''She could beat up this Neji no problem!''

''No,'' Said Kaguya simply and firmly, avoiding the surprised looks of her team at her sudden remark. ''I couldn't; I wouldn't dare.''

For a moment, Sasuke and Naruto wondered what had gotten into her and what did she mean that she couldn't fight this Neji. It was then that it dawned on them that the guy that Lee was talking about and the Hyuga that Kaguya had been afraid to face were the same person. It had to be, why else would she be like this? That Hyuga with the cold and harsh stare had been Neji.

Lee glanced back and forth between the unsure faces of Team Seven, feeling the tension in the air due to whatever issues they were having. He decided to be respectful and let them sort their problems out. ''Anyway, I'll see you guys in the exam. Good luck!'' Finished the green-clad Genin before jumping to the floor above in search of the exam room.

Naruto and Sasuke wondered what they could or should say to Kaguya. It was obvious that she was deeply troubled by the presence of her fellow Hyuga. But before they could say anything she responded.

''Let's get moving. We too have somewhere we have to be,'' Said Kaguya. resuming her search for room three zero one.

Deciding to drop the issue for now, both Sasuke and Naruto kept quiet once more and simply followed after their female teammate. They wished to know more about the relationship Kaguya had with Naji, Naruto especially felt the impatience of not knowing eating him from the inside, but they knew better than to bother her with something she didn't want to talk about.

After a few minutes, they finally spotted the room they were looking for. However, they were surprised to find a familiar face waiting for them just outside.

''Kakashi-sensei?'' Said Naruto upon finding their Jounin teacher. Even Kaguya seemed to snap out of her awful mood at the unexpected appearance of their team leader.

''Yo,'' Greeted Kakashi. ''I was waiting for you guys to wish you good luck. But I see that one of you is missing.''

''Yeah, about that,'' Said Naruto sheepishly. ''Sakura didn't feel like coming,'

''Really?'' Inquired Kakashi serenely.

''She didn't think she was ready yet,'' Sasuke cleared up.

''I see. That's unfortunate but is her choice and ultimately is no big deal. She can take it later when she feels more sure of herself,'' Said Kakashi. ''Despite that, at least now we won't have to choose who to leave out,''

At that, the Genin stared oddly at their teacher. ''What do you mean?'' Asked Kaguya.

''The exam can only be taken by teams of three people. If you four had shown up one of you would have had to drop out now,'' Explained Kakashi. ''On the other hand, if two or more of you would have decided not to come none of you would have been able to participate.''

''What?!'' Exclaimed Naruto in indignation. ''But you said we each could decide to take it or not without affecting the others!''

''I didn't want any of you forcing the others to take the exam,'' Said Kakashi. '' I wanted all of you to come by personal choice. And I'm happy to see that things worked out. As expected of my proud team. Now go, you have an exam to take. I'll be cheering for you all the way,'' Finished the copy ninja with a smile.

The Genin returned the gesture. Feeling their confidence renewed. They walked towards the door, ready to face the challenges that awaited them. After seeing examples of the strong people that would be competing, Like Lee, Neji, and even that crazy redhead, they just knew that the exam was going to be chaotic. But they would face all the hardships head-on as a team.

Author's notes:

Surprise surprise, I'm alive. Sorry for not responding back to your messages guys. A lot of you have asked me if I'm still alive but I didn't want to respond and give you all false hope that I would have this chapter up soon, because I didn't. At the very list is a long one, eh?

Still, I'll try to answer back more messages in the future. I feel bad for being so rude and not giving any sign of when I would be back. Life has been...unstable you could say so it took me a while to find a consistent and comfortable time for me to write. I hope to improve that in the future too.

Anyway, back to the chapter at hand. I didn't focus on Kaguya as much on this chapter and instead wanted to focus more on Team Seven as a, well, a team. I want to show their development due to Kaguya's inclusion, not just our goddess progress.

I look forward to writing the next chapters. Things are going to get interesting in the exams as you can imagine and a good chunk of things will happen differently.

Anyway, see you guys next time!