Training Ground 44, a deserted corner.
"I just realized something." Naruto looked toward the Grass ninja squad. "If things follow canon, there's a decent chance Orochimaru hits me with the Five Elements Seal."
Sakura frowned. "That's basically a hard ban. Totally unacceptable."
Getting sealed at a moment like this wouldn't just mean being knocked out for a while.
"But that also means Sasuke loses an early-game cheat," Naruto said calmly. "If I were a transmigrator hostile to Konoha, I could just take Sasuke's eyes and arm myself with them."
"So what do you want to do?"
"Let's follow canon for now. I can avoid fighting Snake-guy directly. You keep an eye out for the transmigrator."
Sakura's brow stayed tight as she chewed on his plan.
Naruto added, "Orochimaru is definitely after Sasuke. If we dodge him this time, he'll chase us later anyway. Better to face it now—at least we have the information advantage."
Only then did Sakura nod slowly.
They ran through a few emergency scenarios, set some code signals, and walked back to Sasuke together.
Just like in canon, Team 7 drew the Scroll of Heaven and needed to pair it with a Scroll of Earth to pass. Naruto told Sasuke to hold onto it—otherwise there'd be no way to tangle properly with Orochimaru.
"Then, the second stage of the Chunin Selection Exam—begin!"
The heavy chains were unlocked. They clanged to the ground. A faintly salty breeze rolled out of the forest and brushed Naruto's cheeks, pushing his adrenaline higher and higher.
From here on out, the examinees could kill freely…
The three of them launched into the forest.
…
Konoha Village, Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the crystal ball in silence, exhaling a slow ring of smoke as Ibiki approached and bowed.
"Hokage-sama, this is the intel we interrogated from the Mist shinobi. Please take a look." Ibiki offered a scroll.
Hiruzen unrolled it, skimmed for a moment.
"Mm." He set his pipe aside. "Did they make any requests?"
"That boy named Haku asked that we not hand Zabuza over to the Hidden Mist. He says he's willing to trade his kekkei genkai to serve Konoha directly."
Hiruzen neither agreed nor refused. "I'll need to think on that."
A kekkei genkai was valuable, but not necessarily more important than Konoha's diplomatic ties to Kirigakure.
"By the way," Hiruzen asked casually, "did you notice any promising rookies this time?"
Ibiki's heart tightened. The Hokage seemed to be probing something.
After a beat, he chose honesty. "The Sand and Sound rookies are strong. On our side, Kakashi's team's Uzumaki Naruto stood out… yes, the Nine-Tails host."
To Ibiki's surprise, Hiruzen nodded slowly. "You noticed Naruto too… Kakashi already reported on him. His growth has been startling."
"But the Nine-Tails has always influenced him. I worry he may come to resent the village. For Konoha, that's a tremendous hidden risk."
Hiruzen's gaze remained calm, as though he were speaking of something trivial.
"Hokage-sama, you mean…"
"After the second stage ends, have Naruto come see me." A sharp light flickered in Hiruzen's eyes. "I'll guide him personally—teach him how to live with the Nine-Tails."
Ibiki's eyes widened. He knew exactly what that meant.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was a legendary master of ninjutsu, battle-hardened, teacher of the Sannin. A few words from him could change a shinobi's entire future.
And "personally guide him" was a clear signal: the Hokage intended to cultivate Naruto in earnest.
Ibiki hesitated. "But… having you guide that child in person, isn't that a bit…"
"I know what you're thinking." Hiruzen's tone was gentle. "Increasing surveillance might be the 'correct' answer. But people have hearts. Naruto just did Konoha a service. If we keep treating him as an enemy, he could lose balance. Better to guide him openly from the start."
He rose, hands clasped behind his back, eyes on the window as he spoke meaningfully.
"Ibiki… don't be swayed by the village's hostility toward jinchūriki."
Ibiki froze as if struck. He understood the weight behind those words.
The question of how to treat the Nine-Tails host had always divided Konoha's high command. Danzō's hawks hated the jinchūriki; Hiruzen and Tsunade's camp opposed that stance.
Ibiki had overheard their shouting outside the office before—things like, "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!" and "Danzō, I'm the Hokage!" and more.
If Hiruzen could secure Naruto's loyalty, he'd slap the hawks in the face and strengthen his own authority—a two-birds-one-stone victory.
Ibiki no longer doubted. "Understood, Hokage-sama."
"Good. Go."
…
"Since you're here, you might as well stay." Naruto sneered. Nine-Tails chakra unfurled into countless tendrils as he dug through his tool pouch, drawing kunai after kunai and flinging them all at the enemy.
Not long after entering the forest, they ran into the Rain ninja from canon—the one who had tried to impersonate Naruto, wearing a respirator.
Only this time Naruto didn't get wrapped up like a caterpillar. He counter-punched the guy flat and whipped out a thick, long strand of Nine-Tails chakra, ready to finish him off.
"Unlucky…" The Rain ninja bounded between massive trunks, tossing explosive-tag kunai toward Sasuke and Sakura.
"Water Release: Water Clone!" Sakura formed a water clone. It grabbed the kunai and darted away from Team 7.
Boom!!
Boom!!
Smoke rolled in. Their shadows crossed and chased through the haze until a shout tore it open:
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
A spray of fireballs slammed at the Rain ninja. He dodged—and realized the blue-clad black-haired boy was already in front of him.
Thk!
Sasuke drove a kunai into his chest.
The Rain ninja recoiled, but behind him Naruto shaped his chakra into giant hands, crossed them into a hammer-fist, and smashed downward—
Bang!!
The Rain ninja was slammed into the earth like a ball, pinned helplessly, only a sliver of consciousness left.
Team 7 stood over him. Naruto cracked his shoulders, told the others to back up, and had a shadow clone search the body.
"Rea… really unlucky… ah—"
Naruto's clone coldly punched him once. The Rain ninja's eyes rolled back and he passed out.
"Next should be Snake-guy," Naruto muttered.
He began scanning the surroundings.
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