The time for the Chunin exams arrived quicker than realized, and all Jonin-senseis gathered in the Hokage's office to discuss if their team was ready to take the exams.
Although Kakashi was all but ordered to submit his team, he stepped forward when called upon, with Kurenai and Asuma following, all newly minted genin teams recommended for the Chunin exams.
After shutting down Iruka, Kakashi spoke up to relieve his worries.
"Iruka, Naruto right now could beat most Jonin in this room. Sasuke is stronger than most Chunin, and Sakura is nearly Chunin level. I understand your worries, but they're not needed."
A majority of the Jonin in the room barely suppressed a scoff, not believing for a second that Naruto was stronger than any of them.
"Don't you think you're exaggerating a bit, Kakashi?"
Kurenai replied, not believing that a kid could be at the level she had struggled for years to achieve.
Kakashi shrugged, not caring if any of them believed or not; the truth would come out, and they'd realize he wasn't joking, and he'd actually downplayed Naruto's abilities not to destroy their pride.
"Maa, believe me or not, I don't really care."
Kakashi said, with a bored tone, this meeting having been nothing but a formality for him, as he, the Hokage, had already accepted his team into the exams a while back.
The Hokage raised a hand, and everyone fell silent.
"What Kakashi says is true. Naruto is among the strongest in the village; only experience holds him back. He always had the talent and genius; all it took was the proper teacher to bring it out."
"I knew he was talented, but do you believe him to be a genius?"
Asuma asked, not having any trouble believing it, just wanting the opinion of his Father and Kakashi.
"Without a doubt. Naruto has the genius of my late sensei and the reserves that already surpass Lord Hokage's."
Kakashi answered as everyone began whispering, and the Hokage nodded in confirmation of Kakashi's words.
"Then what's the point of him taking the exams?"
A middle-aged, brown-haired Jonin asked, without any animosity toward the boy, but wondering why someone that advanced wouldn't just become a Chunin after an evaluation.
"To make a statement."
The ever-lazy Jonin commander, Shikaku Nara, spoke up.
"With all the attention that the final round of the exams gets, Naruto would bring in more work for us. It's all politics."
He simplified before closing his eyes while standing, a muttered 'troublesome' leaving his lips as he tried once more to master the art of resting while standing.
Understanding lit in some of the slower ones' eyes, namely Guy, as the meeting continued with some Jonin nominating their genin, and some deciding that their teams were not ready.
"You're all dismissed. Remember to pick up the forms for your team outside the door to your left."
Hiruzen finished, leaving first and dragging the lazy Nara with him a few steps before said Nara opened his eyes and began walking on his own.
Collecting three forms, Kakashi disappeared in a body flicker, having already informed his team to meet up at a bridge to get their forms.
- Bridge -
"Here are your forms."
Kakashi handed them a form and told them to be at the academy tomorrow at the time he specified before he vanished into smoke, leaving his students to rest and prepare for the exams.
- Academy, Next day -
Walking into the academy, Team Seven walked past the genjutsu and the many genin trying to get into the wrong room, Naruto managing to stop Sasuke from speaking up about the genjutsu before dragging him down the hall and up the stairs to the correct floor.
"Hey, you! With the blonde hair!"
Looking over his shoulder, Naruto saw a genin in a green skin-tight uniform, bushy eyebrows, and a bowl cut.
"What is it?"
The green-clad genin smiled, teeth glistening.
"I'm Rock Lee, you're Naruto Uzumaki, right? Rookie of the year's newest batch of genin. I challenge you, I'll prove that even hard work can surpass talent.
Sasuke got annoyed. Always being overshadowed by Naruto got on his nerves. Charging forward, Sasuke threw a kick at Lee's head, only for Lee to block it with ease with his left forearm.
"I'm only interested in fighting Naruto Uzumaki, please move."
Sasuke was so enraged by the blatant dismissal that he nearly activated his Sharingan.
"You will have to fight me first."
Grasping Sasuke's ankle, Lee spun and swept Sasuke's legs out from under him in a blur that Sasuke could barely follow.
Bracing his hands on the ground, Sasuke spun to break free from the hand still gripping his ankle before flipping onto his feet to engage in a taijutsu exchange with Lee.
'Heavy'
Sasuke thought as he brought up his forearm over his head to block a whip-like kick aimed at his head, feeling his arm throb, almost numb.
Flipping onto his hands, Lee began to kick at Sasuke while in a handstand. His kicks were fast and fierce, shattering Sasuke's quickly crumbling guard.
Seeing that the fight was getting out of hand, Naruto stepped in, next to them, before they realized it, and threw them to either side of the room.
"That's enough, save it for the exam."
Lee looked unwilling to stop before a large turtle showed up and scolded Lee. Lee bowed repeatedly before the turtle shouted for Gai sensei to come out.
Team Seven watched the strange scene of the sensei, and his tiny look-alike hugged and cried after Gai 'disciplined' him.
"Gai-Sensei!"
"Lee!"
"Gai-Sensei!"
"Lee!"
Team Seven watched on in horror, caught in a genjutsu too powerful for them to escape—a beach background alongside an orange sunset and waves lapping at nearby rocks.
Grabbing his teammates, Naruto ran to the exam door before the two snapped out of whatever they were doing, seeing their sensei there leaning against the wall.
"Good to see that you made it, but it looks like Sasuke was beaten up."
Kakashi chuckled as Sasuke glared at him.
"Well, go on in. Good luck, stick together, and have each other's backs. I'll look forward to your promotions."
Kakashi waved as his team walked through the door before vanishing in a body flicker, going toward the Hokage's office.
As Kakashi entered the office, he was a bit surprised to see Jiraiya. He hadn't expected Jiraiya to arrive until after the preliminary round before the final round, assuming it would even be necessary this time.
"Kakashi, been a while."
Jiraiya smiled upon seeing his grand student and remembered what the great toad sage had told him when he was urgently reverse-summoned to Mount Myōboku two years ago.
- Flashback -
"I'm here. What is going on?"
"Jiraiya-boy, the great toad sage ordered me to summon you; he's strangely lucid right now."
"Is it to do with the child of prophecy?"
Jiraiya asked, already speed walking to the great sage's room, Fukasaku jumping up to land upon his right shoulder.
"He didn't say much, only low mutterings that I couldn't understand."
Jiraiya nodded, rushing into the room, the big eyes of the old sage locked onto him with more clarity than Jiraiya thought was possible for someone of his age.
"Ahh, Jiraiya-boy, so, you've come."
The old sage smiled.
"Hehe~ about time you old man."
Jiraiya ignored the irony of a toad over a thousand years old calling him an 'old man.'
"Great Sage, what was it that you've summoned me for, sir?"
The old sage huffed.
"No fun, I miss Hagoromo."
He muttered to himself before answering.
"The prophecy has changed a bit. Blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker-like marks on his face. A white-haired man with a red eye and a face mask over his nose will guide him. This man with one red eye reminds me of my old friend. Support him, Jiraiya. Support the blonde kid and the white-haired man. They'll change the world and bring about the change of the ninja world in a better direction than I previously foresaw."
Jiraiya was stunned, names coming to mind that matched the descriptions given by the old sage.
"Naruto and.... Kakashi?"
The old sage hummed, remembering the white-haired young man when he peered into the future. Imagine his surprise when the young man released a wave of power he'd recognize as yin/yang release before turning around and locking eyes with him as if he could see him somehow.
The young man smiled and eased the pressure he had been exerting, looking apologetic for having applied it in the first place. Before Gamamaru could react further, he was pushed out of the vision by a more focused, purposeful pressure of will. However, the young man left him with a message: "It's not good to focus so much on the future that you miss what's happening in the present."
"Great Sage?!"
Jirayia shouted, thinking he was in another daze.
"Support them, Jiraiya-boy. That blonde boy reminds me of Asura, only more talented. But the white-haired man reminds me of Hagoromo."
Jiraiya was confused by the names, hurriedly speaking up before the old sage became impossible to communicate with.
"Who is Asura and Hagoromo?"
Gamamaru smiled.
"You'd know Hagoromo as The Sage of Six Paths, and Asura was the Sage's youngest son, blessed with a robust body. The descendants of Asura would later be known as the Senju, and the descendants of the older brother, Indra, would later be known as the Uchiha."
He revealed, thinking nothing of the information, before he continued.
"Bring that Kakashi lad with you to visit sometime. I'm interested in personally teaching him the Sage Arts."
He finished before falling asleep.
- Flashback End -
- Chapter End -