Naruto: Holder of 9 Kekkei Genkai (Slow Updates Cause of School)

Chapter 33: Finals Gaara vs Samui

Hokage's Office

Finally, the Hokage was seeing the light, the wonderful light of retirement ahead of him. The chunnin exams were about to begin, and once it was done, he was going to retire. And he'd managed to get a lot done in just this one month.

The paperwork was finally under control with the civilian council's demise, ROOT ninja were placed in ready to deal with the sand and sound ninja in ambush, and he had managed to even get a tally done of the locations that refused Naruto in the past.

The councils had protected them for years, but no more, and the results were staggering. 70% of the food vendors, 80% of the clothings store, the furniture stores, several low expense restaurants, a starbucks, a local comic store, the Shinobi Pizza place, and the cabbage guy were all guilty of mistreatment, and after a little, justice via the work of new I and T chunnin Hektol Incarnae, all of them were out of business and fined.

Of course, not every store in Konoha had mitreated him. The ice cream places, the shinobi owned stores, of course Ichiraku's, and many others never mistreated him. Then there were of course the stores he never visited...such as the red light district...not that Naruto would ever go there.

They also had russled up the teachers who had sabotauged Naruto and trialed them as well, with the jerks now out of work, and removed from service as shinobi

Overall, with the school several months away from exams, they could afford to wait while new teachers were drawn up, and civilians from nearby parts of the land of fire were filling the void from the lost jobs.

Now, it was time for the exams to begin...though he hoped Naruto was ready. Jiraiya had been in the hospital far too often, though he always seemed happy.

"The kids' a natural...though he had to teach those girls of his the Rasengan as well..." he had said

Konoha stadium

The loud bustling stadium of the chunnin festivities was energized for one of the largest Chunnin exam turnouts ever seen. The 12 proud genin below; Tenten, Hyuga Neji, Rock Lee, Takiboshi Fu, Momoichi Haku, Uzumaki Naruto, Aburame Shino, Hyuga Hinata, Nii Samui, Nara Shikimaru, Kurotsuchi and Subaku no Temari were the centers of attention.

There were some differences in this group from the last time, however. Tenten now had a large scroll on her back and Lee's leg warmers seemed to be thicker then before, as if there was more under there (eg leg weights)

However, two were off further. First, Uchiha Sasuke appeared to be ill. His skin was pale, his hair unkempt, and he kept glaring at the other contestants with the fury of Tsunade as a Icha Icha convention.

And Subaku no Gaara was still missing...as a swirling storm of sand descended on the field. The sand storm pummeled into the outer grounds of the line of Gennin, as a form rose up from the slowly dissipating sandstorm.

It was Gaara, though he seemed different from before. His skin seemed healthier, and his eyes had more life to them. His ear piercings were removed, and his sand gourd appeared to have several seals on it. His hair was longer, covering his love kanji on his forehead.

More astonishing was the fact that his rings had began to fade away.

"Gaara..." Temari said shocked, she couldn't find him, and now he looked, somewhat less psycotic.

"Hello" he said plainly, in a less gravely voice then before (think Shippuden tone) "Am I late" Hayate shook his head.

"Cough, nope your still on time" the proctor appeared to be in better health then he should have been...was that to say not dead?