Naruto's POV (Old Training Ground - Hidden Leaf Village)
"So are we," Iruka said as he stomped forward, Kushina in tow. Ikam followed their march, intending to meet them head-on. "We, as Leaf Shinobi, have no choice but to apprehend and potentially kill you now. Surrender-"
Iruka was interrupted as Ikam suddenly appeared in front of him. His katana pointed at his heart and stance low, and he charged forward in an incredibly quick thrust. Kushina saved the Chunin, kicking out his legs to avoid the strike and attempting a thrust of her own at Ikam's head. Ikam spun around the thrust, trying to behead the woman as he spun. However, Kushina smiled as chains shot from her back and wrapped around the blade, pulling the man toward her as it knocked him off balance. Ikam, however, merely smiled again. "Seal." The man spoke, and suddenly, the chains disappeared, freeing the man to slash upwards at Kushina from the ground.
The woman scarcely leaned back enough to dodge the slash, earning a small cut on her nose for the effort. Iruka, however, appeared just in time, smashing Ikam with a diving elbow to the face and knocking the man back a few feet with the powerful blow.
"Not bad, not bad at all, Kushina, you're clearly strong… and not even using your tenant…" Ikam said, his voice taking a dark edge. "To think our clan would fall as low to support what you are; no matter what, we will take care of you soon enough! In fact, allow me to try in earnest now!" The man leaped from the ground, cracking the dirt beneath. The powerful jump propelled him high into the sky. "Uzumaki Style!"
Naruto blinked. The man was so high into the sky, but he sheathed his katana and positioned himself as if to draw it. Yet Kushina threw Iruka over to the rest of them as she stood in front of them. "Iruka barrier now!" she called. Did Ikam somehow intend to use his sword to attack them?
Iruka stumbled and threw several kunai around them as Kushina channeled chakra of her own. The kunai began to glow, forming a dome around them in an instant. "Barrier Formation: Hard Boiled Dome!" the man called.
Kushina activated a jutsu of her own as the three youngsters watched in awe. "Scarlet Chains: Deflective Cage!" More massive chains burst from her back and formed a square frame of a cage around them and within the barrier.
"Coastal Splitter!" Ikam finished slashing downward, unleashing a massive, thick chakra line that zipped toward the group. They all flinched as it collided with their assembled fort. It ground against the barrier, Iruka forming a hand sign as he poured more chakra into it, screaming in pain. However, the Chunin lacked the power and collapsed the barrier doing the same.
The chains now faced the wrath of Ikam, but they seemed to grow larger from the attack. "For an Uzumaki, I'd expect you to see this coming!" Kushina taunted as the chains reacted to her intent. They writhed like living limbs before they launched out, intent on crushing Ikam. Each rivaling a small home in size, they seemed sure to do it. "Scarlet Chains: Crushing embrace!"
Ikam, however, cackled in the air as he fell toward the chains. "I did." He answered honestly. "Seal." The chains faded suddenly, and the man faced them with cold eyes. "I have no more time to waste; your death will come soon." The man suddenly exploded into smoke.
Kushina growled as the smoke dissipated, and Ikam was gone. Naruto checked over Iruka, helping him to his feet as Lee did for Choji.
"Please tell me no one else is gonna attack us!" Choji complained.
"To think the Remedial Exams would be so lively…" Lee agreed with a shake of his head. "Even a man in the prime of my youth like myself struggled today."
"That man…" Kushina said worriedly. "To think the Uzumaki still have enemies…" She shook her head sadly, stepping toward Naruto. "Naruto, Lee, can you get these two to the hospital? In fact, get yourselves looked over as well."
"Shouldn't we tell someone about this?" Naruto questioned with a raised brow.
"I will; they'll want a full debrief for this trouble." Kushina agreed. "Can you all make it without my aid?"
"Yeah!" Naruto and Lee agreed with ease. But I have an important question!" Naruto asked. Does this mean we passed?!" Lee nodded excitedly, and Choji sighed and rubbed his head.
"It's not my call, "his mother obviously deflected. I'll be seeing what the Hokage thinks about that as well. However, the three of you did amazing today. You served your home bravely, adapted to a complex situation, and looked after each other. As a Jounin, I'm proud of you all, especially your son!"
The three of them nodded, somewhat subdued, unaware of their current prospects, but they followed orders all the same.
It was strange to Naruto. Just a few hours ago, these two weren't much to him. Choji was a friend, but one Naruto had always assumed had only tolerated him due to Shikamaru. Rock Lee had been a total stranger, one Naruto had nothing of. But now Choji had proven to be genuinely kind and accepting of him, the kind of man to risk himself even when over his head. Rock Lee had not only been friendlier than Naruto could remember someone being but had even discovered his secret and had proven accepting of such and supporting. In a single afternoon, the two of them had become trusted friends. People he was sure he could count on to watch his back.
It had been a long afternoon, one in which his future and his life had been threatened. His teacher had attempted to slay him, and a mysterious stranger had attacked, but more than any of that, for the first time in years, Naruto felt confident. Confident that he wasn't alone and could truly stand among his peers, now, if only he was certain he'd passed…
Kushina's POV (Hokage Manor - Hidden Leaf Village)
It had been a relief when Naruto said he'd failed. Shame had filled Kushina shortly after such a selfish and cruel thought. But she couldn't help it; for years, she had known this was coming. She had even tried to prevent it, but nothing could stop it. Like Minato before him, Naruto was determined to become a shinobi.
The two were so alike in such subtle ways. Their selfless nature, their determination, and rejection of their own limits. For those of such rare and solid character, the shinobi path often seemed the only one. It was why Kushina had spent the years of Naruto's attendance at the Academy attempting to show him another way. All sorts of hobbies and distractions. To try to spare Naruto the future Minato had faced…
The burden of his death weighs heavily on her even now. For Kushina, Minato had been the one to make the Leaf truly feel at home, the only person she accepted to ever be her savior, the man she loved more than anyone. His kindness and caring heart had only outshined his genius and skill. So when she had lost even him… it had soured the life of a shinobi for her forever. How could she happily watch her son face the same risk? So Kushina had been somewhat unsupportive, taking Naruto's training relaxed, subtly hoping the blonde would move on.
But today was the day. Naruto had finally taken the finals of the Academy. And despite her lack of support and his own struggles, he had managed to somewhat pass the Remedial Exams Hiruzen had created, coming in hand to give Naruto one last chance.
Kushina, of course, had not opposed her son. Even if it hurt her heart to see him in harm's way, she had promised to never limit Naruto; he would be free to live a life of his choosing. But she had never imagined the danger he would face. A Chunin attempting to kill him, ordered by a strange man targeting her son and herself. Now was the time for her to step in.
Shikaku, Danzo, Hiruzen, and, of course, Kushina herself were gathered within the office of the Hokage. Meeting some of the most influential and trusted of the Leaf was necessary.
"So we had a spy within our midst that nearly cost us one of the jinchuriki. Worse yet, an organization openly targeting the two of them." Danzo summarized. "The response seems clear to me. We target this Ikam with bounties and place both Jinchuriki under house arrest."
Danzo's bandaged and withered body hid his cunning and cruel mind. The man had always been a threat to Kushina and Naruto. As an elder, he was a man with considerable power and seemed determined to gain influence over the two of them. However, Kushina was freed from responding as Hiruzen did for her.
"I appreciate your advice, old friend," Hiruzen said kindly. "However, I have deemed that an unnecessary measure. This Ikam would surely not risk returning any time soon, and now that we are aware, he'll find visiting again to be a much more daunting task. We will discuss this further. However, the first topic of this meeting is regarding the results and our reaction to the results of the Remedial Exam."
"Barely a topic worth covering." Shikaku chimed in with a sigh. The man tossed the report of the night's events on the desk of Hiruzen. "The three of them battled a Chunin who was using lethal force, took him down, and survived the assault of this Ikam. If that's not proof they're ready for fieldwork, I'm unsure what it is."
"Indeed." Danzo agreed with a nod. "Besides, this is regarding several prospects of the Leaf that are interested in. Rock Lee is a prodigy of Might Gai, a strange but likely worthy soldier. Choji Akimichi is the clan's heir; we need him out with the forerunners. And finally, Naruto Uzumaki is our jinchuriki of the Leaf. All three will likely be needed for our rosters."
Kushina sighed internally as she made her choice. She needed to think about what was best for Naruto, even if he would hate her for it. "It's not about if they're needed, it's about if they're ready. They did amazing tonight, but we can't be certain it wasn't luck."
"You intend to baby your son?" Shikaku pointed out with a raised brow.
"I just want to make sure he's safe." Kushina defended with a growl. "They were marked for this exam for a reason; surely we recognize they need further testing, perhaps a delay-"
"Prosperous." Danzo spat. "We used to send out shinobi half his age."
"And where did that leave us?"
"It would be a drag to lose a whole Genin Squad."
"Impossible, he means!"
"Silence," Hiruzen spoke; each shinobi present reacted as he asked. Kushina bit her inner cheek. Hiruzen had the final say and wasn't sure what answer she wanted. "It's clear those three have been through a lot tonight, more than even Genin is expected to go through. While they were concerned about their ability, considering their Academy Finals scores, these are clearly not the stunted young men we believed them to be. I devised the Academy's current setup to ensure the safety and growth of the next generation. Not only to ensure the Leaf was raising the brilliant talent we've come to be known for but to keep them safe and healthy. The way we raised them before was too lenient, careless, and focused on creating powerful geniuses. Such led to constant loss of manpower and even rose some of the greatest enemies of the Leaf today. That is to say, the new system was made to ensure Genin are fully mentally and physically prepared for the life ahead of them. Today, it has proven somewhat successful. That is to say… Despite the odd circumstances of their Remedial Exam, Rock Lee, Choji Akimichi, and Naruto Uzumaki have passed the said test and are to be instated as Genin with their peers tomorrow morning."
Kushina swallowed heavily. Her efforts had once again been for naught. It seemed her son was simply destined to be in the line of fire, to risk the same life that had cost Minato everything. She barely listened as the three men discussed Ikam, his identity, and their response. She could only worry that Naruto would soon be in danger yet again…