Opalescence

The Revealing Test

Last Time:

A hopeful Naruto left the area and went home. He never noticed a shadow creep closer to the weeping willow or a piece of a branch disappear.

XXXXXXXXXX

The next day Naruto left his apartment. He was much happier today. His landlord said as long as he helped out with the chores and cooked a meal for her once in a while she'll forget the rent. Apparently, most of her family were ninjas so she knows it's a difficult career. After helping with the cleaning he went to meet his team. When he passed a tree he heard a whisper ...

"They aren't there sapling."

Naruto looked up at the tree near his apartment, "Where are they?"

"Training ground 30 for special training."

Naruto sighed, "And, of course, no one tells me. Thank you for the heads up."

"Anytime, little sapling."

Naruto heads to training ground 30 and sees team 8, Guy's team, team 10 waiting there.

Naruto walked up to his teammates and Ino who was clinging to Sasuke just like Sakura, "Hey, guys."

Sakura and Sasuke looked a little shocked that he was there, but before they could say anything a man in a jonin uniform appeared, "Alright, this is a special training test. Your senseis and the hokage want to see how much you all improved since graduation. The test consists of three parts. For Part 1, you will have to work with your team to find three of the many hidden scrolls in this forest, but you must find three different scrolls. That's right, the scrolls can't match. When you complete the task you open the scrolls and you will be told where to go for Part 2. Part 2 is a challenge to test your individual skills so you will each be given a different destination. Part 3 is a team challenge to test how you adapt to having different teammates who will be chosen based on the order of those who passed Part 2. Any questions?"

Choji raised his hand, "What do we do for food?"

"You should've had plenty of warning about this test, but if you didn't come prepared think of this as a chance to display your survival skills." The jonin explained.

Naruto smiled, he was glad he always comes prepared, but he was a little worried about his teammates. Sakura eats very little, but when she does she goes and buys it, Plus, Sasuke is used to Kakashi buying him meals or Naruto finding and cooking the food for him. Naruto didn't know if his teammates had any survival skills.

"Any more questions? No? ... alright, let's start!" The jonin took out a timer and set it. "Once this timer rings the test has begun." The jonin left in a puff of smoke.

Everyone went to stand with their teammates, but Sasuke walked away from Naruto and Sakura while saying, "Screw this. I'm doing this by myself. You two idiots will just slow me down."

Naruto frowned, "But Sasuke, we're supposed to work as a team for this part of the test."

"Shut up! Sasuke is right. You are deadweight and would only slow us down!" Sakura screeched before running after Sasuke while screaming, "Wait for me, my love!"

Naruto sweatdropped, (And yet again she completely misses Sasuke calling her an idiot too ... she's deep in denial.)

*ring*ring*ring*

The alarm went off and everyone raced off to get the scrolls, except ... Naruto?

Naruto stood still and quietly listened to the world around him. He could actually feel where everything was. Every person and scroll. Two seconds later he was off and found two scrolls right away. One red with a number 6 and one gold with the number 9 and after avoiding two traps he found the third, which was a green scroll with a smiley face.