A week's time

Mizuki

When her name was called, she entered the classroom where the testing was going to be held. She met the gaze of Iruka who gave her a encouraging smile. Turning her head, she was a instructor who's chakra she was unfamiliar with but she certainly didn't like his chakra signals at all.

It was dark and utterly revolting.

"Naru, make 3 working clones and you can collect your headband." Iruka said gently while Kurama snorted.

'After the war ninja standards have dropped tremendously. Just three bunshins to pass? Kit back in the days academy kids needed to be able to execute three C rank jutsus, now that war is over they really are cutting the kids too much slack! One D rank! One!' Kurama snorted in disbelief. How much have the quality of ninja deteriorated because of the good treatment? He was sure the kids now who didn't have a taste of the hardships of life are too pampered, they might run away the battlefield instead of on it.

"Kage bunshin." She mouthed the words as 3 clones appeared in the room, she had already mastered her control on her wild chakra which led to the perfect control she had now. Iruka smiled warmly at her holding a black ninja headband to her.

Naru stepped forward to take it but felt a shiver when the instructor beside Iruka's chakra turn darker bringing with it a feeling of displeasure that made Naru frown. She bowed towards Iruka as she left the room.

"Student Naruto." The instructor called out, stopping Naru in her steps just as she was about to reach for the door. Both Iruka and her sent him questioning looks.

"Iruka, I would like to have a short chat with him, would you help me cover for awhile?" Naru could hear his voice which was laced in gentleness she could even say he had a kind smile on his face. But she could tell from his chakra that he wasn't all sweet, his chakra gave her the chills. It wasn't really the chakra but more of the emotions that was in his chakra.

"Alright.." Iruka frowned but agreed.

The instructor named Mizuki lead her out before speaking, "I have something important to tell you, it's a mission issued by the hokage. But I can't tell you now so you have to wait for me to finish the testing of the other kids before I can issue this mission to you and you only."

Naru simply nodded and said, "I'll be at the swings." He smiled and walked back to the testing room. Naru immediately sped off to find Shikamaru to share her findings, creating a kage bunshin and sending it to the hokage.

"Shika." She tugged on his arm as soon as she saw and sensed him, "Follow me..."

She pulled him towards the empty courtyard behind the academy where there was no one in sight as he stared at her confused.

"A instructor, Mizuki told me to stay back on a mission that hokage sama issued. It was weird since I was the only one who got this mission. I already send a kage bunshin to Jii chan to confirm with him and send back up if I need..." she whispered, her brows furrowing but her head suddenly jolted up into the distance.

"Who's there!" She held on to her shuriken, ready to throw it where she felt a chakra signal. She had to admit if she wasn't proficient in chakra sensing, she could have missed out the person eavesdropping.

Shikamaru also prepared his battle stance, knowing that the information she shared was serious, no one could issue missions without the Hokage permit and the suspicious fact that this 'mission' was only given to Naru. Not to mention to Shikamaru this 'mission' simply sounded fishy, like a fraud, it was important as it was against shinobi laws.

Someone came out from behind the wall, both his hands held up as he walked closer, revealing his face under the light.

"Sasuke?" Shikamaru asked confused while Naru haven't relaxed her battle stance nor the hold on her shuriken.