The Legend of Konoha's Shooting Star

Hokage's Message...!!

"!" they all gasped when they saw what was inside.

'What is this... the kanji for man...?' April thought, furrowing her brow in confusion.

'This is...!! A summoning type jutsu!' Sasuke thought. "Naruto!! Sakura!! let go of the scrolls!!" he said when they started to smoke.

"!!" they gasped, immediately throwing the suspicious objects away from them.

The two scrolls landed on the ground bellow the poem, and large plumes of smoke billowed out of them.

"!!?" They were all surprised when they saw what appeared to be a human figure forming in the smoke.

Naruto furrowed his brow and gritted his teeth, ready for another fight.

April also adopted a wary stance. One thing she had learned was that you could never be too careful in this exam.

"Huh?" they both said, eyes widening in surprise when the smoke cleared.

"...!?" Naruto gasped, shocked.

"!" Sasuke also gasped. "You are..."

"Iruka-sensei...!?" April exclaimed, while Sakura stared, taken aback to see their old  teacher standing there in the flesh after everything that had happened.

"Yo!" Iruka greeted them with the hint of a smirk. "Long time, no see."

"?" Naruto said, glancing between Iruka-sensei and his teammates for an explanation. "?"

"..." April, Sasuke, and Sakura stared at the older shinobi, feeling just as puzzled as he was.

"W-What's going on?" Sakura asked anxiously. What was this supposed to mean?

"Looks like you guys had some trouble..." Iruka remarked with a smile. He was  concerned about their roughed up appearance, but the looks on their  young faces were priceless.

"Huh? Huh?!! Why was Iruka-sensei summoned?" Naruto asked, bewildered.

"At the end of this second test, it's set up so we chūnins meet up with the exam takers... and I was allowed to be the one to greet you."

"Greet us?" Sakura asked.

"My... what a coincidence..." April deadpanned with a knowing look in her eye. She bet Iruka-sensei requested them specifically for Naruto's sake.

"Ahem..." Iruka cleared his throat a little bashfully, wishing she wasn't always so sharp, while he pulled out a pocket watch and flipped it open to check the time. "Phew, just in time," he said, snapping it shut with a smile. "The second test... all three of you pass, congratulations," he announced.

They all stared at him, eyes widening slightly in surprise and realization as the confirmation of their accomplishment sank in.

"To celebrate your successful completion of the second test..." he continued.  "I'd like to buy you a round of ramen, but... Huh?" he said, when he felt  something warm hit him. "Whoa..." he exclaimed, nearly falling over from the force behind the jump Naruto launched himself at him with.

"WE DID IT!!!" Naruto exclaimed gleefully, hugging Iruka as hard as he could.

"H... Hey, Naruto... listen until the end..." Iruka said, taken aback.

"We did it, we did it, we did it!!!" Naruto cheered, letting go of him to pump his fists in the air triumphantly. "We did it!!!! I'm so happy!!!"

Iruka couldn't help but smile while he watched him.

"Haa..." Sakura and April sighed, sinking to the floor. They were so relieved, that the minute they relaxed, their legs almost gave out on them.

"He sure has energy..." Sasuke remarked, also dropping to the floor in a sitting position to rest.