Nightfall by freowin

Chapter 11: Preliminary Rounds

Haku was still shocked at what she had seen Naruto do. She had been told of Naruto's ability to remove a persons soul. But it was one thing to here about something, and another entirely to see it happen before her eyes.

Naruto had been quiet since they left the clearing and Haku was slightly worried. The joker and all round friendly person, she had the pleasure of getting to know over the last few weeks seemed to be replaced by a distant dark character that had ripped the souls out of two people.

"Is he alright?" Haku asked Akimi in a whisper.

"I think so. He often gets a little upset after using that jutsu" Akimi said.

"So he can read someones mind but he has to remove their soul at the same time?" Haku asked wondering how the jutsu works.

"Not exactly" Naruto said stopping suddenly. Haku was shocked she didn't think the blond could hear them from where he was out in front. "The jutsu allows me to touch someones soul and gain what ever information I need. Jiraiya sensei thinks I could use it to learn jutsu from enemies but I have never tried. Anyway as I was saying it allows me to touch someones soul and it shows me what type of person they are. Those two back there in the clearing were horrible, they enjoyed inflicting misery upon others, they had no desire to change their ways. So I couldn't let them live, I killed them to save the people that they may have harmed later in life. But even so to take a life like that is not pleasurable to do" Naruto said.

"So you could say... read Jiraiya-sama's mind and leave him alive?" Akimi asked.

"Yes I could... But I really do not trust anything that Jiraiya sensei has in his mind, it could turn me into a pervert" Naruto said feeling much better after getting some of what he was feeling off of his chest.

Akimi and Haku both smiled at the return of the more relaxed, fun loving Naruto.

They were very close to tower when Naruto stopped again. "We are being followed" he said slowly turning around.

"Who is it?" Haku asked.

"I don't know. Three ninja so I am guessing they are nothing more than genin trying to challenge us" Naruto said calmly.

From the trees three Kumo ninja appeared. They stopped in their tracks when they came face to face with the three Yoinokuchi ninja. "I suggest you three leave. We have no desire to fight you" Naruto said. Even though he knew it wouldn't work, he had to give the Kumo ninja a chance to escape.

"We don't care about these exams anymore. If we can capture her we will get promoted anyway!" a ninja at the front of the group. He was highly tanned and had curly white hair.

"Very well then. But I didn't want to have to do this" Naruto sighed. "What do you say... one each?" he asked.

"Your on... how about first one to incapacitate their opponent gets lunch brought for them by the other two when we get out of this forest?" Akimi said.

"I'm in what about you Haku?" Naruto asked.

"Very well I agree" Haku said as she pulled out several senbon needles.

"Go!" Akimi yelled as she blurred out of existence and flew forward.

Naruto and Haku were caught off guard along with the three Kumo ninja. "Bansho Ten'in!" Naruto said when he regained his composure.

The Kumo ninja he targeted was yanked forward and flew toward Naruto at the same time as Haku launched a hail of perfectly aimed senbon at her target. They were both too slow however as

a split second before both Naruto and Haku both finished off their targets Akimi reappeared with a chop to the back of the Kumo ninjas neck.

"Done!" she yelled happily just as Naruto slammed his fist into the leader of the groups face sending him flying and Haku's senbon left her opponent paralyzed. "Looks like I win! Free lunches for me!" Akimi said while dusting her hands of imaginary dirt.