Unshackled: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 14: Flash

A Few Days Later 

Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Haku were standing outside of the academy, exchanging farewell with Haku who wasn't eligible to compete in the Chunin Exams due to the fact that she didn't have a team as of yet, and was just an unofficial member of Team 7. 

"Please be careful," Haku said as she met the eyes of her three friends that she had come to cherish. Naruto sent her a warm smile. 

"Don't worry Haku-chan, we'll be safe as can be!" He glanced at Sasuke. "Especially since the competition will be a piece of cake." He muttered under his breath with a small laugh. Sasuke smirked, crossing his arms over his chest. 

"I'll keep the dobe in line." Sakura laughed at the exchange before hugging Haku. 

"I'll make sure they don't kill each other!" She whispered, causing the ice user to giggle as Sakura joined in on the laughs. Naruto rose an eyebrow, wondering what they could be laughing at. 

"This is it," Sasuke declared, turning around and facing the academy entrance. This is where his destiny drew him. This was a test to see if he was worthy for the title. "The Chunin Exams." Naruto turned around and saw Sasuke's expression and felt a twinge of sadness tug at his heart. If only he could-

Ba-dump

'What in the hell',  Naruto thought, his vision clouding and turning fuzzy. He felt his lunch rumble in his stomach as he hurled it up, falling to his knees. He shook his head, but it only caused the world around him to spin out of control as he emptied his stomach. 'What is this? It isn't genjutsu!' 

Naruto felt the blood in his veins rush and adrenaline surge through his body as the Kyuubi's chakra reacted to whatever was happening to his body and began counteracting the effects. His vision became normal and his breath began getting erratic as he saw Haku rushing to his side.

Naruto clutched his forehead suddenly with his right arm, a scream rippling through the air. "It feels like a nail is pushing into my forehead," Naruto managed to breath out, but he heard no response. Then nothingness embraced him and he fell forward. 

"It feels like a nail is pushing into my forehead," Naruto gasped before he fell forward into Haku's welcoming arms and was unconscious before she could ask him for the tenth time what was wrong. 

"Are we being attacked?" Sakura shouted, both worried and frightened over what had just happened to her teammate. 

"No," Sasuke muttered, his Sharingan scanning furiously at the area around them. "There's no chakra in the air," He glanced down at Naruto, more specifically, his stomach, and saw that the Kyuubi's chakra was healing Naruto's body from the effects of something. He couldn't tell what, but it was severe. 

"We need to get him to the hospital!" Haku shouted. Sasuke's eyes widened and he looked back at the academy entrance. Could he complete the Chunin Exams without Naruto watching his back? 

"I'm not waiting for permission!" Haku said after she saw Sasuke's hesitation. She formed the sign for the body flicker and as she flickered away. Sasuke frowned before a yellow flash appeared by his side with Naruto's hand in Sasuke's kunai pouch. 

"Wha-" Sakura gasped out as she saw meeting Sasuke's eyes with a mirthful look played on his face, a razor sharp gaze in them. 

"I can't leave you behind like that," Naruto said as he pulled his hand out of the kunai pouch and revealed a Flying Thunder God kunai. "Always a step ahead."