Starting Over

Gathering For the Exam

Naruto stood outside of the academy waiting for his teammates.  The talk with Shika had gone about as well as he had expected. Of course, Shikaku and Yoshino had invited him to stay for dinner which had run late and he had been pushed into Shika's room to sleep. 

Naruto thought about sneaking out after everyone went to sleep. Shika told him not to bother that his mother would worry if Naruto had disappeared during the night and his dad would have all his suspicions confirmed if Naruto couldn't sleep. Naruto finally relented saying he would wake up early to run home and finish prepping for the exam. 

All in all, it hadn't been a bad night. Shika and he had gone over what needed to happen next to prevent as many deaths as possible. Naruto had already sent a Jiraiya and Tsunade to the Hokage. Jiraya started to help ready the forces without everyone knowing who he was and Tsunade had taken command of the medical staff and made sure they were ready for anything. 

Naruto was knocked out of his thoughts when Sakura and Sasuke walked over to him. Naruto put on his biggest smile. "Hey, guys!" Naruto yelled. 

"Where were you?" Sakura asked marching over. "We waited for almost a whole for you. Before figuring that you weren't going to show for the exam."

"I just thought you were scared and wasn't going to show," Sasuke said arrogantly. 

Naruto smiled through the hurt that unexpectedly surged through his body. "Oh come on guys we agreed to meet here and not at the bridge and you know it." Before either could respond Naruto led the way inside the academy. 

When they arrived on the 2nd floor he noticed that both Sakura and Sasuke were falling behind. The crowd around room 201 had caught their attention. Naruto sighed. The first thing he and Shikamaru had agreed to was that they needed to do their best to thin the ranks. 

Before either Sakura or Sasuke could say anything Naruto quickly turned around and grabbed their arms. "Come on guys," Naruto whispered as he pulled them away and up the stairs. 

Naruto smiled at Kakashi who was leaning against the wall next to room 301. "Congratulations. I'm glad to see all of you came. I would have hated to turn Sasuke and Naruto away because Sakura decided she wasn't ready."

Both Sasuke and Sakura seemed surprised. Naruto decided to save Kakashi from having to explain. "It's a team effort. My guess is that the first stage of the exam is a test that we take together as a team." Naruto said imitating Kakashi's signature eye smile.

Kakashi smiled at his team and said, "That is correct Naruto. This exam will push you all beyond your individual limits and force you to work together. Just remember that you are a team."

They all nodded and headed inside. Inside the room, they were met with a large group of prospective genin. Naruto scanned the room smirking this is the beginning. 

"I've missed your brooding good looks Sasuke," Ino said wrapping her arms around Sasuke's neck.

Sakura glared at Ino and grabbed her arm and pulled her of Sasuke. "Get off him you overgrown pig!" Sakura screeched making her teammates sigh and shake their heads. 

"Oh hello, Forehead." Ino sneered. "Hard to believe they let you in." 

"Looks like we're all here," Shika said lazily walking towards them with Choji and team 8 following behind. "The Rookie 9."

Naruto laughed "Yeah Shika what are you doing here?" Naruto asked jokingly. 

Shika scowled at Naruto and grumbled, "Asuma Sensei told my dad and my dad told my mom. She pushed me out the door this morning. Remember?"

Naruto let at a loud laugh. It was in that instant that Naruto felt a very mild killer intent. Naruto fought the instinct to look up and glare at the offending ninja. 

"Hey, you guys." A silver-haired teen approached them. "You all need to keep a lower profile. You're fresh out of the academy you don't want to make enemies this early into the exams." 

Both and Naruto and Shikamaru had to make an effort to keep their faces composed and not act on the impulse to smash the teens face in. Luckily for them, Kiba decided to speak for the group. 

"Who do you think you are?" 

"My name is Kabuto Yakushi." The teen said giving the rookie Genin what Naruto knew was supposed to a reassuring smile. "I've taken this exam seven times and it doesn't get any easier."

"Are the exams really that hard?" Sakura asked nervously. 

"Yeah," Kabuto said. "These exams are some of the hardest tests you'll ever take. I've found a way to make it easier and it's gotten me past the 2nd stage."

"How's that?" Sasuke found himself asking. 

Kabuto smirked and pulled out what looked like a plain deck of cards. "Thanks to my ninja info cards I know everything about every single one of my competition."

"Everyone?" Sasuke asked.

Kabuto nodded, "look around. Ask me about anyone?"

Sasuke looked around before smirking and pointing at Naruto. Naruto tilted his head and pointed to himself. "Me?" Naruto asked. "You know Sasuke if you want to know about me. All you have to do is ask."

Kabuto gave them his most sincere fake smile and brought out the card with Naruto's name on it. "Naruto Uzumaki, age 12. His teammates are Saskue Uchiha of the Uchiha Clan and Sakura Haruno both of which were top of their class at the academy. Naruto of the other hand was bottom of his class. Naruto has completed 58 D-rank missions, 1 B-rank mission, and 1 A-rank mission. His ninjutsu and taijutsu are sub par and his genjutsu is non exsitant. What he does have going for him is his immence stamina." 

Naruto looked around the room and saw all of his competition believing what Kabuto was spewing. Naruto wanted to smile because he had managed to completely downplay his skills even to his own teammates. Naruto truthfully hadn't shown too much of his skill. 

"Everyone shut up and gather round!" a voice shouted from the front of the room. Naruto smirked as he saw Ibiki turn on the intimadation.