Waking up in the hospital covered in cuts and bruises wasn't fun. Waking up on the floor of the hospital room because you were too frigging heavy for someone to lift you onto the bed sucked. Having your back become terribly sore from sleeping on the ground covered in ridiculous amounts of weights that were hard to take off sucked even more.

"Seriously, Yuna? You couldn't have gotten a stretcher or something? What kind of doctor just leaves her patient sleeping on the ground overnight? You barely even bothered to patch me up!"

"Kiddo, you weigh a fricking ton, and I'm pretty sure that isn't as metaphorical as it should be. Seriously we had 8 people trying to lift your fat ass together to no avail. Besides, if I recall correctly, a certain someone was pretty insistent on healing herself stating, and I quote, "Don't bother unless I'm dying or it's going to be permanent." You reap what you sow."

The woman had a point, but that didn't stop her from grumbling anyways.

She knew the method to counter Chen's move, but she didn't have the necessary strength yet. Not unless she was willing to end up in the hospital for the next month or two, and with the Chunin exam in three months she couldn't afford to waste that much time. Still, while the man wasn't quite willing to accept her as an official student yet, he didn't mind giving her tips if she just so happened to be training nearby.

She'll try again after the Exam but was content with sending a clone to study with him for now.

As soon as she was finished in the hospital she went to the Akimichi Clan's home. The eating contest was within a few weeks and she would like to get a reading on Choza. Scoring some brownie points with one of the Noble Clans of Konoha didn't hurt either.

The tried and proven method of being small and cute came through once more as always. Too bad Bao didn't appreciate her genius.

"Stop coming over, damnit! If you wanna bother someone then go to the Itachi and the Uchiha clan. I always get shit on whenever you're around."

"What? Why? I'm not even doing anything this time! All I've been doing is some D ranks and helping around the place."

"Exactly! You keep going around helping people that it's making me look bad. Worst of all now people are starting to have expectations for me and want me to follow your oh so great example."

"Wut? L.O.L, that's hilarious, maybe it wouldn't be such a problem if you weren't so lazy half the time? You sure you don't have some Nara blood in you?"

Fun fact, the best way to an Akimichi's heart was through their stomachs. Bring over some homemade dishes, treat them to a good meal, or start a conversation about the lesser-known food joints with great food in Konoha and you'll soon have a friend. She wasn't an actual chef by any means, but Teuchi sure didn't mind having her help out part-time and teaching her. She was tempted to try recreating some of Earth's food and see how well they do here. Maybe one day she could quit being a Shinobi and run a fast-food empire?

Bribing the head of the clan with some cake and exotic tea she brought from her last C rank mission in The Land of Wind was surprisingly effective. Add in great work ethics and the ability to make clones? She basically had first dibs and a monopoly on all D ranks in two of the Four Noble Clans.

Oh yeah, she was raking in the big bucks now. Even if each D Rank only offered ~10-30$ a pop, she had superhuman speed, endurance, and could make clones of herself. Pretty soon she might be able to rent her own stall or apartment. Or at least she hoped so, Ninja Gears were so damn expensive, especially her special custom ordered weights that constantly needed to be replaced. She needed to find a more permanent solution.

"Sorry, not all of us can have your crazy amount of energy or fizzy blood. I'm pretty sure at this point your blood contains more caffeine than iron."

"I know, isn't it great~? Anyways let's go meet up with Aizawa-sensei and Muta."

Jula felt kind of bad that she hasn't been bonding much with her friends. She was either with Gai doing some insane workout, locked away in the hospital practicing Iryojutsus, or frankly unconscious/sleeping. Thankfully they were also ninjas so they understood her lifestyle and predicament, but she should make more of an effort to just hang out with them without training involved. Hard to have a chat when you're busy trying to blow the shit out of each other after all.

With two Shushin the pair reappeared in the village's center.

"Sup. You ready kiddo?"

"I was born ready."

It was too bad Aizawa-sensei wouldn't be able to fully comprehend and appreciate the irony in that statement considering her circumstances. In fact, she wasn't even sure her body was even actually "born". She could've been transported here and de-aged or materialized out of thin air for all she knew.

Technicalities asides, Team 5 confidently walked into one of the most important buildings within Konohagakure. The Hokage Tower, a place she had been actively trying to avoid but had no other choice today. Her teacher knocked on the oaken doors of the office with a rare serious look on his face, flanked on both sides by Shiromaru and Haru. A quiet voice beckoned them to enter. Sitting behind a large desk piled high with paperwork was Hiruzen Sarutobi, teacher of the Sannin, God of Shinobi, and the Third Hokage.

"Ah, Aizawa-san. It's good to see you again, what brings you to my office today? Here for another C Rank?"

The unassuming old man had a smoke pipe sitting out of his lips as he continued to do paperwork. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed with the speed he went at it, and the fact that someone had actually managed to make a couple of piles of neatly stacked paper towers over half her height. Julia felt as if her wrist was cramping up just watching the old man go through them all.

"Ehh, probably not for a while longer, that escort trip to The Land of Winds was really harsh on my old bones, actually I'm here to discuss the upcoming Chunin Exams."

"Hoo..? but aren't your students already-" A sudden intake of smoke lead to the Hokage having coughing fit In surprise. "Wh-what? You can't mean...?"

"Indeed. I'm recommending Julia Rose for the Chunin Exam."

A sharp glare was directed towards the Jonin, and as if it was a mirage the tired old man behind the desk disappeared only to become replaced with one of the strongest Shinobi in the world, the leader of Konohagakure. They both knew what had happened in the last Chunin exam Aizawa's team had entered. Konoha may have gained two Chunin, but they had lost a young Genin, and more importantly, a young child with a future ahead of him. It was no longer the Third Shinobi war, there was no need to rush things along.

"Are you certain? The Exams this time shall be hosted by The Bloody Mist, the dangers and challenges this time shall be far higher than any other. She is still so young, there is no shame in waiting for next year's."

"I am. She might be young, but I have seen with my own eyes how she overcame every obstacle placed in front of her ever since she joined. I don't mean to brag and toot my own horn, but I believe she's a genius on par with Kakashi himself. She's ready for this, I know it."

Kakashi also became Chunin when he was 6, and if something happened once it can happen again.

"Those are quite high praises, very well I can see you've both set your mind too it, and you've completed far more than the minimum 8 needed. I wish you luck, make sure to prepare amply because the event shall start in 3 months."

With their businesses done, the team quickly left for Ichiraku Ramen to celebrate and discuss how to help Julia make the most of her time left. Ideas were tossed around, from learning some Ninjutsu to give her more versatility, a ranged attack, Chakra sensing, Genjutsu breaking, anything and everything was thrown around at least once, even getting a Ninken.

Julia liked that idea the most personally.

"Experience."

"Huh? Did ya say something, Muta?"

"I said Experience. That's what Julia needs the most right now. Maybe you haven't noticed because of how well she has been doing, but Julia is still a fresh Genin. Even in most of our spars, she had simply gotten used to your moves, but whenever one of us learns a new move or does something unexpected, she tends to get confused and sloppy. In the Genin Exam, talents from all over the Elemental Countries shall come to test their mettle, they won't all be as straight forward as the Akimichi clan, nor as well documented and famed as the Uchiha or Aburame."

"..."

"...? Yes? Was it something I said? If there is something you disagree with or I've mistaken, please say it and stop staring at me."

"No, sorry, it's just that, after all this time together, I think that's the most you've ever spoken at once."

"That's right kiddo, I'm surprised it isn't raining brimstone and fire outside. Hopefully, the four horsemen are preoccupied at Kumo and it'll take them a while to get here."

"I do not see how my pattern of speech is related to the end of the world. Regardless, shall I take your lack of denial as your agreement with my assessment?"

"Got it in one. Frankly, in terms of Taijutsu Julia has already surpassed most Chunin. Her ability to make plans or read her opponent is also nothing to scoff at either, however her ability to think on the fly while in stressful situations are subpar. A Shinobi is one who must expect the unexpected, but this does not mean arbitrarily assuming anything is possible and always preparing for the worst-case scenario. Even with all the fantastical things Ninjas can do with the power of Chakra, it is not without rhyme nor reason. Do not focus on just reacting, but pay attention to your opponent. Their body language, the rhythm of their breath, the movement of their Chakra, and the most identifying sign of them all, their hand signs."

And so, Julia had determined to get more hands-on experience in combat with different opponents and different situations. Training montage her she comes.