Naruto: ninja sorcerer

Chapter 47

Konohamaru Sarutobi woke up earlier than usual;  he could hardly sleep due to the excitement that was swelling in him for the chunin exams. When he woke up, he did some light training and prepared for the exams.

His teammates, Moegi and Udon, were just as excited for the exams and they woke up not too long after. When morning came, they ate their breakfast and went to the place where the exams would be held.

''You guys ready?'' Konohamaru asked his teammates. Udon gave a nervous reply while Moegi enthusiastically nodded her head. ''Alright then! Let's go and become chunin!'' He said and his team moved to the Sand village's ninja academy.

On the way there, Hanabi Hyuga noticed the young Sarutobi approaching. ''Konohamaru.'' She said the boy's name as he was walking closer.

''Morning, Hanabi.'' Konohamaru greeted the Hyuga girl as the teams met. ''Are you ready to take part in the exams, Hanabi?''

Hanabi nodded and replied, ''Ready.'' The young girl thought back to her older sister and how she was steadily improving with each day. Her older sister had set quite the good record in the chunin exams she participated in, putting quite the pressure and a lot of expectation on Hanabi's part.

As Hinata's skills were improving, the attitude of Hiashi was also changing and the Hyuga clan head was putting more pressure on Hanabi. 'I won't be in your shadows, big sister.' Hanabi mentally encouraged herself.

She didn't want to be in her sister's shadow but at the same time, also wishing for a good relationship with Hinata. Something that seemed difficult under their father's rule.

Putting aside those thoughts for now, Hanabi and her team walked inside the Sand ninja academy building and met numerous other genins from different parts of the continent. There were those from minor villages like Grass and Rain and from major ones like Mist. The hateful glares from the genins of Stone did not go unnoticed by them either.

''Stone ninja.'' Udon whispered to his two teammates. ''I think we're being targeted by them.''

''It's to be expected afterall.'' Moegi said. Given Leaf and Stone's past, she was right.

The genins from the Hidden Cloud gazing at her didn't go unnoticed by Hanabi Hyuga. She, like any Hyuga or Leaf citizen, knew the Hyuga Affair incident very well-- that time the Cloud attempted to kidnap a 3 year old Hinata. It seems that the bloodline craving, greedy eyes of the Cloud were fixed on her now.

''Cloud scum.'' Whispered one of Hanabi's teammates.

''Remember when a Cloud outpost was mysteriously attacked and over two dozen of their ninja died?'' The other asked.

''Yeah. Those Cloud scum deserved it.''

A Cloud genin called for his teammates. ''That girl over there.'' He said, pointing to Hanabi. ''She's the youngest daughter of the Hyuga clan head, a main branch Hyuga, without the caged bird seal.''

''Remember what lord Raikage told us.'' The genin leader reminded his teammates of that. ''We are to retrieve the girl no matter the cost. For the Cloud village.''

''For the Cloud village.''

''Don't worry, Hanabi.'' Konohamaru told Hanabi. ''I won't let those Cloud genin near you.''

''I'm strong enough to defend myself, Konohamaru.'' Hanabi replied.

''I know but you may never know if they plan anything dirty.''

The voices of the Leaf genin were heard loud and clear by one girl wearing an iron mask. She saw them clearly and they were marked in her list as targets. She would not forget, neither would she forgive, the Leaf village for their part in her clan's downfall decades ago.