"Of the twenty-seven graduates who came out of the academy only nine will actually be accepted as Genin. The other eighteen will be weeded out and sent back for another year. In other words, this next test I'm going to give you is a make-it or break-it, pass-fail assessment, and the chances that you will fail it is at least sixty-six percent," Kakashi informed, upon which he saw the faces on all of them change drastically. The flinches were a big enough indicator that he'd really dropped the big one on them, which brought a smile to his face, "See… I told you that you'd freak out."
Naruto blinked, looking across to see that Sasuke's scowl had darkened somewhat and that Sakura was now looking especially pale. Admittedly, the jinchuriki had also suffered his own electric shock at the news, but being the kind of person used to expecting the unexpected, his outward reaction didn't exceed beyond that of a blink and a blank stare. After seeing the responses from everybody else, the jinchuriki then grinned and eagerly gazed back at the Jonin, "Sweet…"
"Wait! Then what was the point of the graduation exams?" Sakura asked hurriedly, finding the new piece of information hard to digest.
"Oh that? That was just a preliminary test to select candidates who might become Genin. Or not. Sorry."
"Ugh…" Sakura groaned, now starting to feel queasy. Iruka was really onto something when he said to the class that the trials they were expected to face from now on were only going to get even tougher. Guess she should have seen this one coming.
"That's how it is. I'm the one who decides whether you pass or fail. Be at the designated training spot at five A.M… and bring your ninja gear. Don't be late," Kakashi stated, hopping off of the railing and walking over to the group. Pulling out several sheets of paper from his vest pockets, he then handed each of them one to read before turning away and allowing the information he had just given to sink in. "That's it, you're dismissed. Oh… and one more thing." The man glanced over his shoulder and smirked at the kids when they turned to face him, "You may want to skip breakfast tomorrow otherwise… you'll puke."
Sasuke scrunched up the paper after reading it, letting out a low 'huff' of indifference before getting up and heading off. Sakura remained where she was seated for several minutes longer, holding her sheet tightly between her fingers and narrowing her eyes on it. All her thoughts and feelings became focused on the final obstacle standing in her way.
"If I fail this, I'll be separated from Sasuke-kun! This is a trial of love!" Scrunching her paper in her grip, she then look across at Naruto to see how he was taking it. Surprisingly, she saw the boy was rocking back and forth on his stair with a wide grin on his face. She gave him a deadpanned look when she heard him giggle enthusiastically and shook her head, "Why is he so cheerful? Shouldn't he be freaking out right now?"
"Well! Time to get some training in!" Naruto exclaimed, jumping to his feet and waving down at the kunoichi still sitting next to him. "See yah tomorrow, Sakura-chan." He then sprinted forward and without prior thought or care, dived straight over the railing of the balcony and into the streets below like an Olympic swimmer leaping from the block, a sight witnessed by his baffled teammate and a thoroughly amused Kakashi.
Sakura deflated miserably, "I so wish I had your confidence, Naruto…"
OOO
That night…
Tayuya chuckled as she watched Naruto load up on ammunition and weapons, all in preparation for the test he was going to be taking part in tomorrow morning. From the way he was grinning so broadly you could swear he was scheduled to be doing something else the next day, like heading off to a ramen eating contest or something. Unfortunately, that was not the case.
He was pretty much wearing the same stuff he had worn all day, so there was absolutely no change or alteration made to his attire. All he did was grab several more knives from his room and wash his face of the problem he'd earlier had with his gauntlet. After a quick scrub, he was soon ready to move out, performing some stretches to warm himself up for the long haul over to the training field…
…where he was supposed to be meeting his team in about seven hours…
"Rough day, huh, shithead?"
"Not really," Naruto replied, adjusting the brace on his wrist and tugging on the goggles around his neck, "It was actually pretty cool. I got to spend time with my team and I found out that I'd already met our Jonin sensei a while back."
"Right on. Guess that makes you one of the lucky few. Maybe he'll take it easy on you guys?"
"I doubt it. He seems like the really tough kind. Plus he wears a mask, so you know he's going to be pretty hardcore. Either way, I'm totally psyched about the test sensei has prepared for us. I can't wait!"
"My. Aren't we overflowing with confidence," Tayuya chuckled, taking spoonfuls of stew and downing them one after the other. She then looked up in time to see the blonde open the kitchen window and begin clambering out of it, "Try not to overdo it, shithead. You know what happens when you do."
Naruto, halfway out, looked back at his flat mate curiously, "Do you have to do another test with your team tomorrow?"
The musician nodded mournfully and set her spoon down, "Yeah. Genma-sensei said that we were going to do our first mission as a group in the morning… but then he kept talking and said that it was going to be an exam. Damn it." She let out a sigh as she picked at her food, "I hate when they do that to you. Anko-sensei was exactly the same every training day. The moment you think that you're home clear after going through hell, she sends a fucking gargantuan snake to block your way." The girl then noticed Naruto's puzzled look and waved it off, "Never mind. Just get going you troublesome bastard."
"Right," Naruto grinned, pulling his goggles over his eyes and nodding, "Have fun, Tayuya-chan."
"You too, Naruto-kun," the girl exclaimed back, before watching him disappear into the night air.
XXX
Early the next morning…
Naruto didn't sleep a wink that night. Not a wink.
Having spent the entire time up and about, the jinchuriki had taken to wandering the entire training field foraging for all manner of interesting plant and wildlife he could find. In months past he'd made it a point to traverse as much of every area inside of the village as possible, putting his senses to the test to familiarize himself with the region in question while also making sure to memorize every path, hiding spot, branch and tree. Hell, he didn't even really need to know that much since he just did this out of habit. He could just as easily survive in any area he was dropped into.
Call it two years of wild animal instinct pounded into his brain.
Anyway, with his adrenaline pumping and mind completely set on the day to come, the boy explored the woods the entire night and met up with some of the nocturnal creatures he had previously befriended on his many adventures. When the sun finally started to rise over the distant mountains several hours later, Naruto felt that he was more than ready for the challenges awaiting him. All he needed was a good breakfast first.
To hell with what his instructor said to them. He wasn't dumb enough to skip out on a meal. He'd be running on nothing if that were the case. If he threw up during the test, he'd throw up. What was so bad about that?
Coughing up blood though, now that was even worse.
What he had was just a simple morning meal; a small amount of fungus, herbs, bugs and lizards he managed to snatch up in the woods and cook over a small fire. Believe it or not, toasted newt was really delicious. It actually tasted like… well… toasted newt.
You couldn't say a beetle the size of a shot glass tasted like chicken, because it didn't. It tasted like a God damn, mother-fucking beetle.
Sated and ready for action, Naruto then headed for the clearing where the team would be meeting up. He arrived at the exact same time as Sasuke and Sakura decided to show up, but while they were walking in from their respective homes in the village, he came out of the woods. With a couple of sticks of roasted lizard held firmly in hand, the boy munched on the extra treats in delight while he met with his companions in the center of the clearing.
"Good morning," Naruto chirped, hand in his pocket. "How'd you guys sleep?"
"Well," Sasuke grunted.
"Terribly," was Sakura's tired response and was followed immediately by a yawn. She then noticed the thing in the jinchuriki's hand and looked at it apprehensively, "What the hell are you eating?"
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