Okay so most of you guys already know, but I put out an announcement a while ago where I admitted this shameful Author's defection to another fandom... hihi :)

Soooo I kinda ended up with the Harry Potter fandoms for a while, enjoying that side of the internet and even started writing an HP fanfic too.... yes, shameless, I know. I have no morals. No dignity. No loyalty.

BUT, fear not, my lovelies! I swear its probably just a phase! But anyways, to make sort-of-up for my betrayal here are two chapters! Aaah there were two users that told me they wanted me to update this story and no one had asked me for so long I almost started to cry and immediately went to writing thaaank youuu @Red_Carnation and @Y0I04memes this is all your achievement all creds of my motivation to you guys~

But still, once again, check out https://narutoeverything.com/ for Naruto Merch I mean, recently I haven't been browsing them for new stuff cuz you know... Harry Potter cough cough... but yes I still have that code "Aisherai" you can use for a 10% discount. Though I still can't believe the kunai's weren't actual steel, I mean I realize that at least in my country buying even those kinds of "toy weapons" would be illegal but... eeeeeh regrets WHY GOVERNMENT?!?!!

Anyways bye bye my bun buns~ Ｏ(≧∇≦)Ｏ

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Naruto absentmindedly rubbed his bloody knuckles, face relaxed slightly, taking a break amid all the cheering. Just a while ago, he had battled Neji Hyuga, which turned out to be one of the most intense battles of his life, as well as one of the most enlightening.

After the preliminary battles a month ago, determining the who will move on to the third part of the exam, all the genin were given a month to train and prepare for the hardest challenge they'd have ever faced. Sasuke, Naruto, Shino and Shikamaru passed the preliminaries, and so did that entire team from the sand village, and the sound ninja guy- Dosu, or something? Oh, and Neji. Who pummeled Hinata so very mercilessly.

But I got him back for that.

Naruto's bright, innocent face got the slightest shade of anger on it just thinking about it, that battle had been disgusting to watch. Neji had mercilessly hit at poor Hinata, his gentle fist anything but gentle as he blocked all his cousins chakra points while throwing insults at her, not stopping even when she was bleeding from all her orifices. Naruto's blood had been boiling in anger watching that farce. But at the time, he hadn't been able to do anything but worriedly run with as Hinata was carried to the medical ward, unconscious and barely breathing. But now Naruto had fought Neji. He had showed that destiny obsessed guy, that he was wrong.

He got him back for Hinata.

But that bloody battle between cousins was a month ago. When the preliminaries ended, they all went away to train.

And Naruto hadn't seen Sasuke or Kakashi since they left the preliminaries.

At first, the blond had been worried, after all, his teammate had been escorted out, dripping blood. But as some time passed, he had started feeling small buddings of betrayal, but not from Sasuke: Kakashi. Sakura might not have passed and therefore wasn't in need of it, but Naruto had the third exam ahead and his sensei was nowhere to be found.

He was alone, and before he knew it, he was missing Cei more than ever. And, for some inexplicable reason, he was missing the teme equally as much.

Cei. It hasn't really been that long, but it had already started to feel as if it was all a dream. As if she had been an illusion. He missed her laugh, missed her sarcasm, missed her beautiful, strange laziness. He needed the comfort, the safety and security her presence always brought him. He was missing his teammate, his friend, his... family. Sometimes he'd even wonder if the others remembered that their team had, barely over a month ago, had a fourth member? No one said anything, no one mentioned her. It was like she didn't matter, like she had never even existed. That thought, made him angry.

Naruto looked up briefly at the deafening cheering of the crowd and saw Shikamaru's shadow rushing towards Temari from behind. The sand shinobi was a beat too late, and was caught in the shadow possession. Naruto couldn't help smiling and cheered his friend on, this battle was exhilarating, Shikamaru and Temari were really an interesting matchup worthy of the third exam. Theirs was the only real battle since Naruto's. Meanwhile, that teme! The third exam, the Finals, we're already well on their way and Sasuke still wasn't here. Naruto's cheers dampened again at the thought.

A few days into the month-long training time they got to prepare, Naruto had met a new weirdo. The almighty, alwierdy, Pervy-Sage! The two had bonded over the last few weeks, first peeping together, then finally moving on to Jiraiya actually teaching him. And he had actually learned two skills he had never even thought were possible.

His first ace: a summoning, the giant toad Gamabunta.

His second ace: calling upon the chakra of the demon fox.

Yes, Jiraiya may have been vague, but he did tell him. Naruto was finally told why he was so hated, so utterly despised since childhood. And the Pervy-Sage taught him how to take advantage of the demon fox's chakra.

Needless to say, Naruto had been excited at the prospect of such awesomeness, at the prospect of finally being better, stronger, and not dead-last. He had enthusiastically listened, enthusiastically learned, even giving the Pervy Sage his promise not to succumb to the demon's promises, to his bloodlust, to his lies. But as Naruto drew upon that violent chakra willingly for the first time, he had been shocked to find that it was familiar. Somehow the terrible burning feeling of violent chakra rushing through his veins brought upon more things than bloodthirst and madness:

Nostalgia, flashes of childhood memories, and for some reason, a feeling that was muddy, dim, and oppressive, yet despite it all was comforting in its familiarity. For some reason, it reminded him of Cei.

Naruto couldn't explain it, but he didn't tell Jiraiya. Didn't tell anyone. It was strange, but the blond was determined to figure the strange thing out for himself.

Suddenly the crowd once again exploded into deafening roars. Naruto looked back at the arena, his eyes slowly fixating on Shikamaru as the guy lifted his hand in a gesture of defeat and with an uncaring expression, walked off the battle area. Naruto's eyes twinkled and the blond couldn't stop himself from rushing towards the end of his seat and denouncing Shikamaru with laughter in his voice with Kiba and Ino who were sitting on either side of him him.

That marked the end of the fourth match-up. Naruto had won his battle against Neji, Sasuke wasn't at the arena so his match with Gaara was postponed due to pressure from above, Kankuro had immediately given up when his and Shino's match was up, and Shikamaru had conceded his battle against Temari just now- and, Dosu that weird rain dude, had disappeared before the finals even began, no one's heard from him in days. As shinobi, they were regretful, but not unused to or naive concerning situations like this: sudden disappearance or death was a rather normal occurrence in the life of shinobi.

The proctor, Genma, stepped forward and announced Temari as the victor, even though all present we're well aware that Shikamaru had had her incapacitated and he was simply being smart about choosing his battles. Then, Genma turned to look around before finally casting a questioning look at the Kage's booth, where both the Hokage and Kazekage were sitting, obscured by their heavy robes. It was silent for a good few minutes, and then Genma turned back, announcing to the entire arena:

"Sasuke Uchiha has five minutes to show, or else, the battle is a lost by default."

Immediately the enormous crowds burst into protests and curses. Most of them had come to see this exact match-up: the famed frightening sand shinobi vs the last Uchiha. Lots of disappointing gazes immediately fixed at the battle ground, followed by loud shouts of "We want Uchiha!", and even from the Kage box, an annoyed yellow gaze flashed from beneath the white and blue hat of the Kazekage. Through the booing and shouting of the enraged crowd, the third exam's proctor felt a bit helpless. In his heart, he was cursing Kakashi and his bloody student for having a chronic lateness that was causing him such a headache.

As the time ticked closer, Genma's eyes softly curved, a satisfied smirk tugging at his lips when the second hand clearly ticked past 60 for the fifth time, signaling the time was up.

Serves them right for making trouble for me!

Satisfied, Genma languidly proclaimed, "Now, Sasuke Uchiha is still not present, so the last battle will be a-"

But speak of the Devil and he shall appear.

Immediately, a hurricane of leaves erupted in the center of the battle ground, the violent winds somehow not ripping the torrent of leaves apart. The entire Stadium fell silent, watching avidly. Genma scowled.

When the wind settled, two shinobi were revealed, standing back to back. One long, white hair. One short, black hair. The shorter one leaned a bit to the side, revealing to the stumped audience the eye-catching Uchiha crest contrasting to the black fabric on his back.

Despite his anger, Naruto couldn't contain the sarcastic grin when Kakashi gave his signature closed-eye smile and nodded apologetically to the audience.

"Maa, I'm sorry we're late. I know it's rude to arrive all flashy like this, but was Sasuke perhaps...disqualified?"

Flashing his smile around won him nothing in Genma's eyes, as the proctor's eyebrow twitched and he glared a bit at the other jonin.

"Well, no, its fine. His match was postponed anyways, you can thank the Hokage and the angry mob for that later. Is just quite sorrowful, your tardiness has rubbed off on him... shame..."

Genma sighed and then glanced to the side, his gaze locking on the younger ninja, before asking a necessary but completely useless question.

"And your name is?"

The black haired teen turned his clod, brooding face to the proctor, causing countless girls to cheer, and answered in a cold yet arrogant manner that surprised no one.

"Sasuke Uchiha."