Naruto Gojo

Chunin Exams Arc

Chapter 8: The Eye of the Hurricane

The four days of mandated rest felt like a lifetime. Naruto used them efficiently. A flash of yellow light took him to the shores of the Hidden Mist, where he spent a day with its beautiful Mizukage, Mei Terumi—a relationship forged in the fires of the Bloodline War when he had appeared like a storm and helped her forces shatter the tyrannical reign of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura. While their he checked on Haku. Another flash took him to the Land of Waves for a brief but warm reunion with Tsunami  The rest of his time was spent in the comfortable chaos of his home, with Kurama, Anko, and Tsume.

When he returned, the monotonous cycle of D-rank missions resumed, a stark contrast to the high-stakes world he now secretly inhabited. Finally, after a week, Kakashi gathered them on their usual bridge, showing up on time for once.

"Guys, I'm proud of all of you," he said, eye-smiling from his perch on the railing. "You've grown immensely. So, I've recommended you for the Chunin Exams." He tossed three application forms to them. "If you want to participate, go to room 301 at the academy tomorrow. Your choice. See ya." He vanished in a swirl of leaves.

Sasuke smirked and walked off, Sakura predictably chasing after him. Naruto, feeling a nostalgic craving, decided to head for Ichiraku Ramen. On his way, a familiar child's voice cried out in distress. "Let me go!"

He rounded the corner to see Konohamaru being held aloft by his scarf, dangling helplessly. The culprits were a boy in a black, cat-eared suit carrying a large puppet, and a blonde girl in a purple dress with a giant fan strapped to her back. Sand village shinobi.

"Kankuro, put him down! You're going to get us in trouble," the girl, Temari, warned.

"Relax, Temari. We've got time before he gets here. Let's have some fun."

"I suggest you listen to the pretty girl," a new voice cut in. "It's clear she has the brains in this partnership."

Naruto stood there, casually taking off his blindfold, revealing his celestial blue eyes. Temari blushed at the unexpected compliment from the handsome stranger, while Kankuro snarled.

"You've offended me, kid. Now this little brat is going to pay your price," Kankuro growled, pulling back his fist. Before it could connect, Naruto was gone from his spot and had reappeared, a kunai pressed gently but firmly against Kankuro's throat.

"I won't repeat myself," Naruto said, his voice laced with disdain for the weakling before him.

"Kankuro... you're an embarrassment to our village."

The voice was cold, bored, and filled with a sand-scraped weariness. The owner appeared in a swirl of sand, a gourd on his back, his green eyes ringed with black. His presence was a suffocating wave of bloodlust.

"So, this is the vessel of the One-Tailed Shukaku," Kurama noted in Naruto's mind.

Gaara of the Desert.

"I apologize for my brother," Gaara said, bowing slightly.

"Apology accepted," Naruto replied, his gaze unwavering. "But I have a question. Why has the Tanuki come to play in the Fox's territory?"

Temari and Kankuro went pale. Gaara's eyes widened in shock before he clutched his head, a pained scream tearing from his lips as whispers of sand crawled up his skin.

"The seal is unstable," Kurama observed. "Shukaku is tormenting him. Tell the vessel that his tenant needs to learn some manners, or the Fox will come out to teach him."

"Gaara," Naruto said, his voice cutting through the pained screams. "Tell your tenant to calm down. If he doesn't stop tormenting you, the Fox will come out to play."