The Turning Point

Chunin Exams Part 8

Naruto was barely inches away from the snake as it threw its huge body onto the forest floor, almost crushing him in the process. The grass ninja turned creepy snake lady grinned in satisfaction as she watched Naruto pant heavily.

In and out and in and out and in and out, his blood pumps the oxygen around his body. I can smell it! He will make a delicious meal.

The snake quickly flicked its tail into the air, hitting the branch Naruto had moved to and sending the blond ninja into the air. He broke through three other branches before hitting a fourth. Sakura and Sasuke watched as he hit the forth branch with a sickening crunch and fell lifelessly towards the ground.

Neither of the other two ninja could do much at all. Sakura debated jumping across to catch her fallen teammate but there was no way they would make it past the snakes jaw in time. But suddenly Naruto came to and reversed the fall to kick the snake on the mouth.

Bouncing back into the air, Sakura could clearly see the whisker markings forming on the sides of his face and his pupils turn a light red. The grass ninja too, seemed momentarily stunned. Naruto floated through the air slowly before re-positioning himself and charged for the snake.

From the fox's chakra seeping through the seal, Naruto threw multiple punches at the snake with inhuman speed. It had little effect and the snake tossed the boy back with a flick of its tongue. But Naruto was unperturbed and shot forward again. It was only when the grass ninja blew a stream of fire towards him that Naruto fell, breaking through another three tree branches and landed face up.

"Well that was interesting! Now let's see how you fair!" The snake lady shouted and directed the snake towards Sasuke who was staring at Naruto's fallen body.

Damn! He's not going to be quick enough! Sakura thought as she lept from her branch. Pushing Sasuke out of the way she began to collect the chakra in her fist.

The grass ninja smirked as she watched. "That chakra control, it's very similar to Tsunade. Has she been trained by her? It is very amusing"

Her fist made contact with the snake and to her credit; Sakura did manage to send it back. But it wasn't enough. The snake was too quick and her chakra punches took some time to gather. The grass ninja laughed sadistically as the snake made to strike again.

However as chance would have it, Naruto had awoken and saw the scene before him. At the thought of his teammates incurring the slightest injury, the Nine Tailed fox's chakra propelled him forward. Before Sakura knew what she would do about her predicament, Naruto had stopped the snake's next attack.

He had his arms outstretched, preventing it from going any further. Two kunai knives plunged into the beast, just below its eyes. Breathing heavily, the blond boy turned his attention to Sasuke who was standing again.

"You're not hurt are you? Scaredy cat?" Naruto asked, shoving the words Sasuke had said to him back in his face. Sasuke looked at his teammate in disbelief.

"Well? How can you stand there like a frozen rabbit!? Leaving Sakura and I to take on this guy ourselves!? That's not the Sasuke I know!" Naruto spat angrily.

"Naruto look out!" Sakura shouted as the grass ninja's impossibly long tongue wrapped around her teammate, hoisting him into the air.

The blond boy struggled but it was in vain as the grass ninja gazed upon him.

"So the Nine Tails lives, sealed inside this boy. Whenever his anger boils over, its chakra seeps out through the seal! Interesting childhood he must have had" The grass ninja thought.

Lifting up Naruto's shirt with its tongue, the snake like ninja exposed the seal which kept the Nine Tails inside. Spreading one hand, five purple flames appeared covering each fingertip. The grass ninja then raised the hand and held it near the markings on Naruto's stomach.