Chapter 69 – Chunin Exams
"Let the form of the supreme evolved beast be burned into the depths of your eyes! Fusion Summon! Appear now—True Ultimate Tailed Beast!"
Kurama held the card high, eyes blazing with fighting spirit, and roared, "Naruto! You're finished!"
The nine illusory Tailed Beasts hovering in the grid turned into nine beams of light and fused under the card's call.
An astonishing aura brewed; the wind buffeted Naruto so hard he had to squint.
Thanks to Kurama secretly feeding Chakra, this Ten-Tails stood majestic, every move stirring the wind.
Stop adding pointless special effects!
Naruto stared at the cringe-worthy Big Fox, inwardly screaming.
Everything had been normal at first.
He didn't know when, but the fox had fallen in love with yu-gi-oh! summon chants.
"Could you not say it out loud?"
Naruto really couldn't take it anymore.
Especially when the words came from a giant fox that was dead serious.
"Foolish human, what do you understand?"
Kurama said with disgust, "You have to roar for momentum!"
"…"
Naruto felt so tired.
So in you Tailed Beasts' worldview, whoever shouts loudest is right?
Though come to think of it, when Tailed Beasts fought, they were indeed loud.
"Fine, I surrender this round."
Seeing he couldn't win, Naruto simply stopped trying.
"Hey hey, at least put up a fight!"
Kurama didn't want this script.
It wanted Naruto to struggle bitterly, unwilling to lose, then be crushed.
Only then would it feel the supreme satisfaction, like an ice-cold cola on the hottest summer day.
Even if Kurama had never tasted cola.
Now Naruto just lay down and let himself be played with—where was the fun in that?
"Next game."
Naruto gave it a sidelong glance. "Let's switch it up—gwent."
"No, still yu-gi-oh!"
Kurama felt gwent had no lines, not hot-blooded enough.
"I need to sleep."
Naruto rolled his eyes. "I'm only twelve; I shouldn't stay up late."
"…"
Kurama's eyes bulged in anger.
What do you mean?
Going to bed now—isn't that just picking a fight?
The old fox was just getting excited.
Kurama swallowed what it wanted to say.
Saving face, it couldn't bring itself to beg.
Seeing this, Naruto reminded, "The Chunin Examsare in a few days."
Kurama was bewildered.
It's just a Chunin Exam—do you really need my Chakra?
But not caring for details, it generously said, "Use it however you like."
Naruto nodded, satisfied.
He was just being cautious.
Better to clear things up now than in an emergency have Kurama say, "How about a round of gwent?"
Adding his Shadow Clone antics, he worried events might differ from the original.
Moments later, the Sealing Space rang again with Kurama's cringe-worthy roar.
"Power gathered in the iron fist, hardened will that shatters steel, become the shining path of light! Accel Synchro! Come forth, Azure Beast!"
Naruto's head hurt.
A week of days like this passed.
July arrived.
Konoha had been bustling since a month earlier.
Ninja from Sunagakure, Amegakure, Grass Hidden Village, Takigakure, Otogakure, and nobles from the Land of Fire all appeared.
The commotion made Naruto feel that if he tossed a Rasengan from the Hokage monument it would hit at least three outsiders.
He stayed home; nothing much for him.
Out and about, Sakura, Hinata, Kiba and the others faced a village-set trial.
Something like Iruka grabbing Konohamaru.
Hinata, not realizing it was a test, reportedly punched her examiner into the hospital.
Day one of the Chunin Exams.
After breakfast with Hinata, Naruto saw Sasukeand Sakura arrive.
Hinata packed the bento, greeted them, and left the Treehouse to find her teammates.
Sakura couldn't help an envious look.
So nice.
Like an old married couple.
Wonder when it'll be her turn.
Naruto sized the two up.
Sasuke hadn't changed; he never said whether his S-rank Lightning Release succeeded.
Sakura, though, looked far more capable.
Kakashi's special training seemed effective.
He wondered how much stronger she'd grown.
"Let's hand in our applications."
Naruto said nothing and headed for the exam hall.
The first round was a written test.
The venue: the Ninja Academy.
They arrived fairly late.
"So many people!"
Sakura exclaimed, seeing the corridors packed with Ninja.
It was her first time seeing so many foreign Ninja, each brimming with intimidating aura.
Sasuke swept a glance and snorted—none worth challenging.
Naruto recalled some minor incident from the original, but they'd missed the timing and didn't see Konoha's gate guardians.
They kept climbing to the third floor.
"Hey."
A sudden voice.
Naruto blinked at the suddenly appeared Rock Lee.
Oh, the guy who challenges Sasuke.
Rock vaulted in front of the trio.
"I'm Rock Lee."
He thrust out his right hand. "I want to challenge you, Uzumaki Naruto."
"?"
Wasn't the plot supposed to go differently?
Naruto pointed at Sasuke. "He's Uchiha Sasuke, the rookie genius—why challenge me?"
"No, Neji says you're the strongest rookie."
Rock inhaled. "I want to see how far my taijutsu can take me against you."
Sasuke curled his lip.
He knew Naruto let him win, yet on paper he still ranked first in class.
Hmph, that Neji!
Showing him no face.
Sasuke and Neji had fought many times.
Without Sage Mode, Sasuke won more.
Three-Tomoe Sharingan against ordinary Ninjawas nearly unstoppable.
But if Neji entered Sage Mode, Sasuke lost more often.
In short, about fifty-fifty.
He remembered Lee was Neji's teammate.
Hadn't Neji told Lee about Naruto's real strength?
Naruto looked at Lee's stance.
If you open the Eight Gates right away, maybe we could spar.
But my hacks are way above yours.
Thinking that, Naruto skipped the chatter, flashed behind Lee, raised an elbow.
Lee flew and embedded into the wall.
Sakura involuntarily shut her eyes.
Too brutal, simply unbearable to watch.
Yet in the next moment she stood before Lee, hands glowing green.
The dazed Lee suddenly blushed, gave a thumbs-up. "Go out with me!"
"…"
Sakura blinked, shook her head. "Sorry, your eyebrows are too thick."
Fatal blow!
Lee drooped, defeated.
Naruto couldn't help laughing.
Definitely Might Guy's student.
"Lee, next time."
Naruto waved, leaving him with a view of his back.
Sasuke and Sakura followed.
Moments later Neji and Tenten appeared.
"How'd it go?"
Neji pulled Lee up.
His personality had softened from the original; meeting Naruto and Sasuke made him less domineering, more gentle.
"Just like you said."
Lee clenched his fist. "Only a rival this strong can live up to my youth!"