"Kurenai-sensei, this is Hinata."
After a long search, Naruto finally found the beautiful Kurenai and, looking awkward, handed the unconscious Hinata over to her.
"Mmm... Naruto, this girl passed out after being with you, didn't she?"
Kurenai bent down, extending her fair, delicate arms to take Hinata, while casting a reproachful glance at Naruto.
"Uh… see no evil, see no evil..."
The moment she bent over, Naruto accidentally caught a heart-stopping view and immediately began chanting the "Pure Mind Sutra" under his breath. What a sin…
"Naruto, what are you muttering about over there?"
Still bent forward, Kurenai reached out and playfully tapped Naruto's forehead with a slender finger. "If you ever do anything inappropriate to Hinata again, I won't forgive you, got it? You little rascal!"
"Got it, got it!"
Naruto was starting to sweat under the pressure. Being this close to a mature beauty was seriously more than he could handle.
"Alright, just this once, I'll let you off the hook."
Kurenai gave his forehead another light tap before standing up and hugging Hinata close.
"Then, Kurenai-sensei, I'll head off now. Otherwise, I'll be late."
Naruto quickly found an excuse to leave, any longer and he wouldn't be able to take it.
"Hehe, what an amusing little guy," Kurenai said with a soft smile as she watched him go.
…
"Huff… huff..."
Naruto finally reached the gathering point, bent over and panting hard, his hands resting on his knees.
"Naruto! Seriously, why are you so late?!" Sakura scolded him with a pout.
"Tch, lazy as always," Sasuke muttered with displeasure.
"Actually, Naruto's timing is spot on. Not bad at all."
Kakashi walked up and flashed his wristwatch at Naruto.
"Uh... Kakashi-sensei, why'd you even buy a watch?"
Naruto looked at him, confused.
"To make sure we don't lose our way on the path of life," Kakashi said in a deep, serious tone.
"Uh..."
Naruto was speechless. Since when did he start caring about punctuality?
"Alright then, time to make an announcement."
Kakashi reached into his pocket and pulled out three sheets of paper.
"These are the registration forms for the Chūnin Exams."
He handed the forms to Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke as he spoke.
"Chūnin Exams?!" Sakura gasped as she took the form, while Sasuke looked thrilled. As for Naruto...
"Naruto! No picking your nose at a time like this, pay attention!" Kakashi shouted, veins popping on his forehead.
"Oh, I'm listening. Go on." Naruto casually pulled his finger out of his nose... and then started cleaning his ear.
Kakashi stared in silence.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon Bullet!"
He suddenly shouted, casting a jutsu.
"Whoa! Kakashi-sensei, are you trying to kill me?!"
Startled, Naruto quickly formed a hand seal, "Earth Style: Mud Wall!"
Boom!
The earth dragon collided with the mud wall, both techniques shattered in a burst of energy.
"Now, Naruto, listen up, properly!" Kakashi glared, a dangerous aura about him.
"Understood!" Naruto nodded quickly, clearly rattled.
Didn't know Kakashi-sensei had such a violent side… he thought, speechless.
"Anyway, hold onto those forms. Whether you participate in the Chūnin Exams or not is up to you. That's all from me. I'll be waiting for you at the destination."
With that, Kakashi disappeared in a flash, any longer and even he couldn't take it.
"Tch, always with the dramatic exit… 'It's your choice' my ass..." Naruto grumbled internally.
"Sakura, Sasuke, let's go!" Naruto waved to them.
"Naruto! You're so overbearing, don't we get to decide for ourselves?" Sakura looked at him, annoyed.
"Well, are you going or not?" Naruto shot back.
"I! Ugh, Naruto you jerk!" Unable to argue, Sakura stomped up to him and aimed a kick at his side.
Whack!
Naruto easily caught her sweeping leg and clicked his tongue. "Tsk tsk, girls shouldn't just kick people like that. See what happens now…"
"You jerk! Let go!" Sakura's eyes flared with anger.
"Hehe, not letting go!" Naruto grinned, playing dumb.
"Oh, you're not letting go, huh?" Gritting her teeth, Sakura suddenly raised her other leg and kicked straight at him.
"Are you crazy, Sakura?!" Naruto panicked, if they fell, a concussion wouldn't be far off.
Thud!
Naruto dodged and caught her midair, but they both went crashing to the ground.
"Yo, Big Bro Naruto! Not bad! Already bagged yourself a chick, huh?"
Just then, Konohamaru and his two sidekicks walked by and caught sight of the scene. Konohamaru immediately yelled out.
The Konohamaru Trio had been following Naruto ever since he was nine, proof of Naruto's charm and power, considering he managed to recruit kids that young.
"Heh, trying to follow your big bro's example, huh?" Naruto laughed proudly.
"Of course!" Konohamaru gave Naruto a sly wink, eyeing Sakura in his arms with an impish grin.
"Naruto! Konohamaru! You two..." Sakura's voice grew dangerously low.
"She's mad!" Naruto leapt to his feet, setting Sakura down quickly.
"This is bad, Konohamaru, run with me!" He grabbed Konohamaru and bolted.
"You two stop right there!" Sakura's furious voice echoed behind them, getting closer, and closer...
"Hey! You guys!" Sasuke shouted with exasperation.
"Naruto-kunchan, Konohamaru..." The other two members of the Konohamaru Trio stared worriedly at the dust cloud in the distance.
BAM!
"Agh, that hurt!"
Konohamaru, running up front, had crashed into someone.
"You brat, do you know how much that hurt?"
A sinister voice snarled as a rough-looking boy with red paint across his face grabbed Konohamaru by the collar. On his back, he carried a mummy-like object, it was KanHaku and his group.
"I'm sorry! It was my fault!" Sakura quickly stepped forward, concerned on her face, and bowed in apology.
"Sakura, you don't need to apologize to them."
Naruto clapped his hands together. "Wood Style: Binding Roots!"
Crack crack crack,
In an instant, thick wooden tendrils burst from the ground and coiled tightly around KanHaku.
Whoosh!
Naruto appeared beside Konohamaru in a flash, catching him mid-air, then leapt back to safety.
"When you're in a foreign village, you'd better not act so cocky,"
Naruto said coldly, staring KanHaku down.
"Especially when you've got no strength to back it up."
"You little punk!"
KanHaku growled, knives slicing out from the mummy on his back, shredding the wooden vines.
Furious, he ripped the "mummy" off his back and slammed it onto the ground.
"KanHaku, are you really planning to use the Crow Puppet?"
Temari asked, clearly surprised at how far he was taking things.
"Tch, parlor tricks. Come on, bring it."
Naruto smirked and motioned him forward with a beckoning finger.
"KanHaku, stand down. Or I'll kill you."
A cold, sinister voice cut through the air from nearby.
⚔────────
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Extra Content Already Available:
The Mountain of Ice and Fire (GOT) – 56 advanced chapters!
Naruto: I Am Nara Shikamaru – 30 advanced chapters!
One Piece: Summoner of the 3D Zone – 38 advanced chapters!
Naruto: Wandering with Beauties – 38 advanced chapters!
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