Naruto: Uzumaki Yuji [EN]

The boy walked while eating what he had bought earlier, some dangos in hand and a fish-shaped bread with sweet filling, this food tasted like glory!

" Does this mean the first world? I accept it, Konoha has only pleased me because it has delicious food, I hope I can find my sister so we can eat together in these establishments, I want her to try what I am eating " the boy cleaned a bit what he had in his mouth, his eyes closed, further accentuating the terrible burn marks that he himself had inflicted to make his lie real.

He could heal, but where was the point of continuing to use the bandage?

After walking for a while, he finally managed to look at Suiren and Ajisai, both of them seeming to talk and grumble, Ajisai, as always, looking rude yet very intimidating to the people there, Suiren... there is not much to say about her.

Yūji, holding dangos in one hand and the sweet fish-shaped bread in the other, his smile quite radiant as the redhead himself looked like a picturesque villager from Konoha, the difference being the gloomy and sad garments he wore, " Ajisai, Suiren! I finally found you, look, I bought you a little sweet ball! " With that cheerful smile and expression, Yūji had taken out two buns to give one to each.

Suiren, despite her stoic face, felt her heart warm from having something given by her companion, but Yūji is more than a simple companion, although she wanted to divert her feelings since she saw that Yūji no longer wore that thick bandage, realizing that the boy did not lie, that his eyelids, basically everything around his eyes, was terrible, burns that looked like spots.

" Why did you take off the bandage, brat? Those wounds will get infected, I do not want you to be useless in the exams " Ajisai spoke brusquely, hiding her concern for the boy in order to only think about the exam.

" It's okay, sister Ajisai, I just wanted to see what Konoha was like for a moment to remember, I doubt that after the exams we will come back to this place again, haha " he laughed with embarrassment, touching his neck with his only free hand, Suiren saw how the boy, where he should have his ninja gear, was about to burst.

" Surely you bought supplies even for the final stage... " a drop of sweat fell from his forehead as he watched the boy show them more sweet breads in the shape of a fish.

" Look, sister Suiren! I really liked this fish, at least it is no longer fried, boiled, or in pieces, it is sweet! I also bought many buns of meat, vegetables, I liked these as well " he showed everything he had bought along the way, as the three began walking, with Suiren, of course, guiding both.

The green-haired girl listened in silence, glancing at the whole package, it seemed that the boy had bought the whole store.

" It seems you really like it here... "

Immediately, the boy, as if what the masked one had said were in a tone of resentment, answered, " Don't misunderstand! I don't really like it, the food is delicious, but I will always be faithful to my beloved Amegakure, loud in its rains! " with strange poses and those gestures that for others would be innocent, they knew that this was the way the boy expressed himself.

While they walked, Yūji, with his mouth full of his sweet fish, said, " Sister Suiren, are you sure you know the way to the exam? " he spoke with his mouth full, but the silent girl really did not mind, living with the boy one gets used to it.

" Of course, yes, it's possible that in the first stage we will have to fight, at least that's what Rokushō-sensei told me before we set off... be prepared, and Yūji, it would be better if you eat that food before the exam " she said quite gently to the redhead, and Yūji nodded, being careful with his dangos in his hand.

The walking was calm, the gloomy appearance of the girls made the villagers move as if they were dangerous.

The only one who had an innocent air and did not match with them was that boy with black marks under his eyes; Yūji was still curious, now looking at four faces in the mountain, his eyebrow moved in surprise, although more as a grimace.

" Konoha people are as eccentric as to carve their faces, as if they thought they were presidents of the United States? " he suddenly remembered that America was such an eccentric country that had done exactly the same, carved the faces of their presidents; it was an unnecessary fact but it only came to his mind because of the history classes he had before entering jujutsu sorcery.

" One moment! "

" Mh? " on his way, Yūji had heard a somewhat squeaky voice; he stopped when he saw, from afar, that passage they were crossing; he saw perfectly a girl with pink hair, a blonde, and others whose faces he could not clearly discern.

" From what I see, you come from the village hidden among the sand, right? Konohagakure and Sunagakure are allies, but you need a permit " even though they were somewhat far away, why did that girl have to shout so much? Although it was impossible for him not to notice, he was struck by the way each ninja from their own villages behaved.

He hated loud people very much; they overwhelmed him and always reminded him of Sukuna since he shouts for everything.

He stopped in his walk because Ajisai and Suiren stopped, half-eating their dessert, but the fight among those ninjas made him excited; he noticed from afar the tension between those two groups, would he also enjoy feeling important?

" It seems you need help, how about we go? " asked the redhead with a somewhat thin voice, looking at both of them.

" Let's go over there, idiot, come on, it's none of our business with these weaklings " grumbled Ajisai, although seeing how the boy, after finally finishing those desserts that he had in his mouth, took out more food from his compartment, causing his eyes to turn white and his teeth to clench with anger.

" Could you please stop eating for just a moment!? It seems as if you have never tasted food in months! " the masked girl, fed up, shouted at Yūji, seeing the boy put on a look of horror and stop.

What he did not expect were his dramatic tears: " You are so cruel, sister Ajisai, how can you deny me food? Food is sacred and it is of vital importance " the trembling voice, even with that gesture of sadness.

Angrily, she continued her walk, now leading her group; Yūji continued walking, watching as those ninjas of the sand faced each other; it seemed that the flame's excitement had gone out and they moved to the opposite side; almost until now he could distinguish their features, from his place he could notice the arrogance in appreciating them, with their heads held high, at least that was what he noticed from the one with purple spots on his face, and that blonde girl.

"Huh, ninjas from the village hidden among the rain" he spoke with disdain, something he had felt.

When he no longer had food, Yūji's ever-docile face became even tighter; his eyebrows furrowed and his lips as well.

' I feel a very powerful malignant essence, cursed energy, is this chakra? HAHAHA! FINALLY A WORTHY OPPONENT TO PLAY WITH! LET'S GO, YŪJI, LET'S PLAY WITH HIM '

He heard Sukuna's voice in his mind; Yūji stopped abruptly when he felt his cursed energy getting out of control, his serene face changed to one of brusqueness and surprise. Around Yūji, several gusts of air lashed at his being, and beneath the ground, cracks appeared due to the pressure.

That alerted Suiren and Ajisai, who turned to look at him brusquely, their eyes popping out of their sockets from the strange pressure expelled by their companion; the two did not expect the child's reaction to be so brusque.

The cursed energy was so thick and wild, because there was too much, that Yūji wanted to control it, but at that moment he did not have control over it; something prevented him, if anyone were to look at his CE, not even Yūji would be able to see himself, hidden among so much evil.

An exalted Yūji looked at those ninjas from the sand, appearing excited and moving away immediately from around him; the ninja who had something bandaged behind him seemed about to pull it out, and the kunoichi took out her giant fan that was hanging behind her.

" What the hell is this oppression!? " the ninja from Suna appeared reluctant, with sweat dripping from his forehead; it was as if Gaara were threatening him to death with the One-Tailed Demon, his eyebrows furrowed and he showed a frightened expression.

The kunoichi had the same terrified expression in front of Yūji, her heart beating rapidly from the adrenaline and the instinctive fear that burst out of her from the pressure exerted by that little boy.

And finally, the other redhead from Suna, the one who never changed his gaze, finally showed a gesture of surprise with a small drop of sweat falling from his forehead, but what did not surprise him was not the oppression.

Rather, the bijuu inside him responded to that oppression. It is as if that boy were also like him.

A demon.

Upon noticing the disaster he had caused, Yūji suppressed his cursed energy as he felt that he could control it as he always had, with his agitated breathing, he lowered his gaze while clutching his chest, his small and slender hand trembling from what had happened; everything happened in a span of ten seconds, but only ten seconds were enough for them to realize that the boy was an exponential danger, at least that is what the desert ninjas, responsible for what he had shown, felt.

Yūji was not worried about the physical disaster that his cursed energy had left behind, after all, he was going to attract attention in the exams, that was his initial intention.

What worried the boy and made him put on a terrified expression was the fact that Sukuna had managed to achieve a method to control his cursed energy; his eyes had a terrified look that not even his two friends had seen, fortunately his gaze was fixed on the ground, an expression that he would keep to himself along with his agitation.

When he calmed down, he raised his gaze to the ninjas of Suna, " I-I'm very sorry, I think I lost control a little, I really apologize " he gave several short bows as he gave them a near-death scare, happy inside that those ninjas did not see the CE, otherwise they would already be ready to attack him thinking that he would attempt a move against them.

He saw the terrified faces, though trying to remain strong, of the ninjas; the only one who did not look away was the one who had a pumpkin behind him.

" What is your name, ninja of Amegakure? " he spoke coldly, a hoarse voice lodged in his throat, but the redhead from Suna appeared eager to know who would be his opponent in the exams.

" M-my name is Yūji! And I apologize again, I tend to unconsciously let out a rather sinister oppression " murmured the boy; he was really quite bad at lying, as he saw how Ajisai and Suiren looked at him intently.

" G-goodbye! " he no longer wanted to be in that uncomfortable silence, with judging looks, those looks were as if those ninjas from Suna wanted to stab him in the throat with a kunai out of fright, Yūji grabbed Suiren and Ajisai and ran away at a very admirable speed.

Because of the oppression he released, the Konoha team, who were leaving the area, quite annoyed by the responses of their neighbors, stopped with a paralyzed expression in front of that sinister sensation they had never felt, so intense that it made them tremble, and when they looked back, they had seen that boy who was as small as Konohamaru, the boy they had rescued in the first place from the oppression of the ninjas from the sand.

That boy, even though he wanted to hide it with a nervous smile and small apologetic head tilts, was powerful; they did not know why, but their bodies told them that that boy was very dangerous.

Behind that smile was hidden that sensation that still pierced their bones.

The only thing that both the Suna ninjas and those from Konoha looked at was how the Amegakure team ran away from the scene.

" What... power, I felt it! It felt horrible " the little blonde trembled at the sinister sensation, that something deep inside him had resonated with that massive hatred.

That blonde boy was none other than Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja from Konoha; his team, Sasuke and Sakura still had their hearts agitated, the little children who had been rescued from the clutches of those ninjas from Suna had fled simply because they felt their own being threatened.

Sasuke, trying to hide his emotions, went to the area where that little boy who had fled was, and those ninjas from Sunagakure had already left; upon seeing, he still managed to feel an inexplicable coldness, the cold and sinister disgustingness in his bones.

He left several fissures like a spiderweb from the malicious oppression that burst from the redhead of Amegakure, Sakura approached with her hands on her chest, fearful.

" Those, those were ninjas from Amegakure, they are... they are more dangerous than that ninja from Suna, Gaara " what she said felt like the most real thing to her.

Naruto also approached, surprised by the power that burst from that boy, " he was so small, but it felt as if he were someone who would kill us, that sensation was horrible " the voice that emerged from his mustache was trembling, his eyes still wide open from the sensation, his hands rubbing his arms due to the cold in the area.

Sasuke stood there analyzing the scene that happened; everything was so fast that he did not even have time to react.

Speed is also something he would take into account; he only saw how that brat passed so quickly by his side, pulling his companions.

He clutched his hands to turn around, ignoring the noisy redhead and the annoying pelichicle.

" Sa-Sasuke! Where are you going? " Sakura showed concern that he would leave them there, but Sasuke, maintaining that hard expression on his face, continued walking.

Naruto grumbled rather sourly, " as always trying to show off, you'll see that I will also shine and beat that Gaara and that boy " Naruto blinked, regaining his composure as he looked at Sakura, blushing, " Sakura-chan, do you want to go eat at Ichiraku Ramen before the exam? "

" Of course not " he said nothing more, rejecting him coldly with a gesture of disdain as he turned away.

...

On the part of the Suna team, the three siblings continued on their way, still feeling the chill of the pressure.

" This sensation was so terrible, how could such a small brat expel that aura? This sensation still does not go away " said the one with purple marks, his name is Kankuro; his intrigued expression did not leave his gaze, he glanced sideways at his younger brother who was by his right side.

But since he asked the boy's name, he has not said anything else.

" Did he say his name was Yūji? It's so strange to see a ninja apologizing " was what the calmest kunoichi, Temari, said, as the girl walked on Gaara's left side.

Gaara continued not changing his gaze, but he had noticed the marks that his power had left on the ground.

' Yūji... I hope you entertain me before I kill you ' was all he thought; almost an involuntary smile emerged from his lips, but in the end he refrained from showing it.

The Suna siblings continued on their way, after all, they were going to prepare for what they had originally come for the Chūnin exams although later they would walk back to where they had passed to go to the exam starting room.

...

Having moved away and ending up in an area that was not very busy, Yūji's gaze fell on his companions and friends; when they were finally alone this time, he first wanted to speak to Suiren, something he never did or committed.

" What happened to you a moment ago? You felt so... different " he didn't know how else to express what had happened with the boy.

Yūji pressed his lips and walked in small circles, in the solitude of that street where there wasn't a soul besides the three of them; Yūji's shallow breathing sometimes increased in rhythm and other times was inaudible.

" Why did you provoke them? " Ajisai spoke seriously, something that she didn't usually do.

But the girls really found the boy's behavior strange, noticing his odd conduct.

"N-nothing, really nothing happened, it's just... I think I got excited remembering something " he replied with another lie, but one that he no longer knew how to invent, of course he would never reveal the use of cursed energy, " I just, I felt threatened by... ah, that redheaded boy, I don't know what his name is " Yūji whispered softly, refusing to raise his gaze, since he did not want to cause trouble for Ajisai and Suiren. " I'm sorry, sisters, and I think I ruined everything... I really didn't want to leave that first impression, I think that... I gave a bad face to Amegakure, I'm very sorry "

Suiren glanced sideways at the masked girl; the girl, upon feeling that look, saw the green-haired girl and then the little boy who still did not lift his gaze, she simply rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue in an attempt to calm that uncomfortable atmosphere, then placed her hand on her hair, roughly ruffling it, " It's okay, soon I'll show you what a team can achieve, don't be so discouraged, we want to be respected and we won't be weak " she tried to encourage in her own way.

Yūji gradually lifted his gaze nervously, meeting his companions, who gave him a very calm look; they had only reacted with surprise, they... will never attack him.

The boy gave a trembling smile to nod firmly, seeing how Suiren's eyes softened and even Ajisai's rabid dog gave him a confident smile.

" Very well, it's time to kick their ass, let's return to the exam, it's not that far, as I understand from what the mute was guiding us " and he returned to his usual self, the one who always shouted along the way, with Suiren by his side, returning to that common silence.

Yūji walked behind both of them, but now that they could no longer see his face, which he only saw on the ground, the warm smile slowly disappeared, his eyebrows furrowed.

His hand returned to his chest, that discomfort did not go away.

" How have you managed to move my cursed energy in my body, Sukuna? " he asked in his mind, his steps felt heavier and heavier, as if his legs were dragging slowly.

Yūji's mind was working quickly, his heart, which always remained relaxed, now reacted to his emotions; that control he boasted about, which was quite good, now seemed irregular, his legs weak.

He is not going to deny it.

He is scared.

He is scared that it will happen again.

' I'm starting to get tired of being locked up, Yūji... you are still someone so young who does not know the depth and complexity of the soul, very soon, when you least expect it, when you open your eyes, the only thing you will see will be the destruction and death of everyone you love... without even realizing that your consciousness has simply vanished, I hope there will be interesting participants, because I will be happy to observe your pain, if there is someone who interests me, I will fight to take from your body and come out to play for a moment, hehe, HAHAHA '

He had always ignored Sukuna, he really didn't care, he had even mocked him so many times for his annoyance.

But now that fear had become sharper, his eyes disoriented and lost, believing that his body would always be his.

Sukuna was barely beginning to show that he would always be with him to bother him.

And when he least expects it, his life will already be in the palm of his hands, dividing his soul into four parts, eating it slowly as if it were a simple appetizer of the day.

The small hand that he had on his chest clutched in his lap, agitated inside him, where his spasms of fear almost broke free, but he had to endure it.

He had to endure; he only hoped that the exams would end soon so he could start to thoroughly investigate combining his cursed energy and his abundant chakra into a single energy, to investigate methods about the soul or something to keep Sukuna always locked up, he finally wanted to keep him chained in his soul and never make a move, however he doubted that.

He would also try not to lose control of his emotions, because that is what happened a few moments ago; maybe he did not show it, but he reacted to the malice of the redhead from Suna, perhaps it was at that moment when Sukuna took advantage of his vulnerability and acted.

It was clear that he did not know how he had managed it, but that only makes it clear that Sukuna has not been wasting time.

Now, with a fairly determined look, Yūji began to remove that tender face that he always carried.

He would demonstrate his strength in the first stage of the exam, knock everyone down.

" So, tell me, do you know what time the first stage of the Chūnin exams will be? " Yūji asked at that moment, looking at his companions.

Suiren stopped, Ajisai just looked at him inquisitively.

" It will begin at three in the afternoon... " she raised her gaze to read the time with her hand, extending her fingers as if to measure the sun's time, " it's approximately one in the afternoon. "

" And what the hell will we do in two hours without doing anything? " he grumbled in exasperation.

" I can invite you to ea- "

" I'm not going to eat with you " Ajisai saw her annoyed that Yūji knew nothing more than just eating, the boy fell silent.

" How about if we meet at this same point? For now we can investigate and see what things Konoha has " proposed Suiren with bored eyes to her team, she noticed that the boy had become a little sad, puffing his cheeks, it seems he did not like being always separated from them.

Defeated, Yūji only nodded " it's all right, well, I'll see what else I can do in this village, don't forget it at this point! " the boy spoke quickly, beginning to run and jump over the buildings wanting to see Konoha more in depth.

Ajisai snorted " tch, did you do this because you want to investigate the jinchūriki that Konan-sama told us we would investigate, right? " now, calmly, she looked at Suiren, who had nodded silently.

" Come on, we don't have time to waste, we have to investigate " she began to walk calmly, it being a good method to keep Yūji away from them.

On Yūji's part, the boy, now with his hands on the side of his pants, was walking rather bored, his face elongated, even though he still remembered what had happened out of the blue with Sukuna, but he wanted to relax for a moment.

" Could it be possible to spar amicably with the ninjas here? I think they will know how to move and attack just as powerfully to kill as we do in Amegakure, right? " calmly he crossed a bridge where seeing those red temple doors made him shudder, Sukuna being his greatest trauma.

" Uh? That boy... is the same boy I saw a few moments ago " he noticed the blond boy, who was so striking that it hurt his eyes, how is it that he did not see him earlier with the Suna ninjas and their companions? He smiled softly upon seeing that he was taking care of the smaller children, who were rather curious.

But he really did not want to get close to those children; his path diverted as he turned around, taking in the structures, everything was so ancient but what always attracted him was the food; he no longer knew how much he had eaten, yet he never wanted to stop, it could be his first and last time being in Konoha.

Thinking about that brought him painful tears " ah, I wish they would just give me the recipes " and after wandering around so much he finally looked at his sister; seeing her there with her team made him happy " Big sister! Sister! " everyone regarded that boy strangely, who shouted in a brittle tone and ran dramatically.

Karin had been speaking calmly with Fuyō and Touwa, but seeing her brother made her very happy " Yūji! " she caught the boy who rushed into her arms, stroking his hair that, no matter how much she tried to tidy it, she never managed to do so.

" Sister! The food here tastes delicious, hello Fuyō, Touwa " finally the boy also spoke to his acquaintances, who were his companions at the academy, and the lazy Fuyō just smiled at him calmly.

It seemed that Touwa had also acquired a better personality; he was no longer the timid and awkward boy she used to see at the academy.

" Yūji-chan, you haven't changed at all " said the other girl from Karin's group, amused and relaxed, as she merely raised her hand in greeting.

Touwa nodded confidently " your joy is remarkable, Yūji-chan " the redhead smiled, rubbing his nose upon seeing that his companions still remembered him perfectly " did you just arrive? " asked Yūji, looking at the three; he saw their clothes were a bit dirty but overall they were in good condition.

" Well... " Touwa assessed himself and then his two companions, who were, generally speaking, only dirty " it happened that we had to fight with people from Kusagakure " he did not want to say much, since Karin tensed up at the mere mention of those ninjas " they wanted Karin to return to her village, and also you, Yūji, they had said they would forgive what you caused that time " although Touwa did not know what those words meant, he mentioned them anyway since it was not about Karin, but about Yūji.

The boy did not respond, but just by being with Karin his sweet and cheerful demeanor changed, looking more serious " I also encountered ninjas from Kusagakure, but I am very strong, nothing will make me return to that place, not me nor my sister, they will trample over my corpse! " he stated firmly; Karin reacted immediately upon hearing that her brother had encountered those ninjas, checking him to her relief and finding him uninjured.

Karin was very proud of her little brother's strength, especially compared to the faint memory that came over her when Yūji accidentally killed the grass ninjas.

Her brother had matured.

" Well, at least I'm glad to have you with us, Yūji-chan " she hugged the boy familiarly, and Yūji raised his thumb with a bright, beaming smile.

" Of course! I adore rainy summer, rainy cold, and... the rainy seasons, I love the beautiful rainy day " that sounded so funny to everyone; Karin let out small laughs and Fuyō agreed with the redhead.

" I invite you all to eat! I found several special places where we can rest before the exams, at three in the afternoon, it's still very early " the boy spoke happily.

Fuyō looked at the sky and then at the shifting shadows to gauge the time " you're right, and besides, I'm a bit hungry, you said, Yūji-chan, you invite " the lazy Fuyō began to follow the boy, who bounced lightly with each step.

Touwa stayed next to Karin, looking at the girl with a gentle smile " what envy to have such a joyful, happy little brother, Karin; surely your days with him are very fun " both began to follow Yūji, who led the way.

Karin blushed upon hearing what Touwa said, but she was also grateful to have a brother like Yūji, he is her little walking sun " yes, it was simply fate to have someone like Yūji... I am happy to be his sister " she spoke with a softness that Touwa never thought she would display. The furious, angry Karin who scolded them for being reckless could have a gentle side, who would have thought.

Yūji watched as the once empty streets filled with ninjas from many places; it felt as if he were in a place resembling a museum.

" Wow, are there really so many people coming to take the Chūnin exams? " the boy was indeed surprised as he walked through the bustling streets of Konoha.

" I think that, being one of the superpowers of the ninja world, no one wants to be seen as weak " Fuyō shrugged her shoulders wearily, bored yet hungry.

Yūji nodded silently, but amid his busy walk he managed to spot those hairstyles he knew perfectly and those outfits; his smile now grew even more radiant " Nobumin Uguma! " the boy ran toward them, and upon hearing his names they stopped, turning around to see Yūji.

It is customary to say that both Nobumi and Yūji cried dramatically, spinning around in that tight embrace, while Uguma remained stoic, he looked like a strip of white paper.

Yūji is possibly a destined meeting point for those he loved.

" You too will take the exam! It's a happy surprise " the boy jumped with excitement upon seeing Nobumi dramatically bowing in place.

" Of course, you will see the power of the marvelous Nobumi and her equally foolish companion Uguma " said the girl with that powerful gesture, while Uguma merely looked at the boy with his somewhat chilly blue eyes.

" How long have you been here? "

" Ah... I arrived very early, my team is very fast " he added proudly about his team; Uguma appeared calm upon seeing that the boy was not lying " I also met my sister's team and I am taking them to a ramen place that's really good, I'm inviting you, come with me! " the boy did not even wait for their acceptance, he just took their hands and led them.

Behind them, only Touwa appeared, smiling amusedly, for without a doubt Yūji exuded an energy that even the coldest or most arrogant would yield to.

It was quite a curious sight, ninjas known for their coldness and seriousness now had a hazy cloud of softness around them, all because of that little redhead who led those five rather tough ninjas.

It was a scene both funny and ironic to behold.

Yūji invited everyone to the ramen stall; he did not want anyone to be left without something delicious to eat at that moment " Sir, Miss! I brought more friends for you to try your ramen! " What he liked most about that stall was that it was very cheap, after all, the ninjas from Amegakure do not earn a fortune, and although he had saved all his money from missions, it was far too little compared to what ninjas from other villages spent.

" Ah, little one! Welcome, come on in " said the man happily new customers were always welcome.

Karin smiled happily watching her brother as he looked at her with bright eyes while ordering and asking for food; everyone had their plates ready to eat, but the little one looked at them with a gaze they had never seen on his face.

" Ah, i-itadakimasu " Karin said softly as she brought the ramen to her mouth and tasted it.

It was the best food she had ever tasted in her life; her cheeks flushed as she began to eat more quickly " This is delicious! " she happily ate the ramen, and Yūji knew that his sister would like it.

" Th-this is... so smooth! "

" Really, it's not rice? The flavor is very delicious "

Everyone was surprised by the dish who would have thought that a meal like this was the cheapest in the village, Ichiraku Ramen accessible to all.

Teuchi felt flattered by those young ninjas; watching them savor his food was undoubtedly a joy.

What surprised him most was that those in charge of the establishment, the little boy who had eaten an hour ago went on to order several more dishes.

It was a very cheerful moment for those Amegakure ninjas; despite their intimidating appearance, they were very warm and playful when it came to Yūji, the little sun of the village.

...

He spent two productive, wholesome hours talking and recounting his missions with Nobumi and Karin's group; soon he had to say goodbye to them " don't disappoint me on the exam, I want to fight with you! You'll see my new moves " the boy spoke happily, showing his big smile and eyes full of determination.

" Yes, of course, we have improved too, Yūji, I told you that you wouldn't get so far, we caught up with you, Uguma and I " Nobumi said with a big smile, pointing at herself.

" We have improved too; you will surely surprise us " Touwa spoke on behalf of his team, accepting Yūji's challenge.

The boy only gave them a gentle look, but smiled happily " All right, see you, Suiren and Ajisai are waiting for me! " he said goodbye to them and quickly headed to the same spot where his two companions had been waiting.

It had been a productive, healthy few hours listening to their stories and seeing how his sister had improved was a warmth to his soul; his companions were strong, at least that's what he believed.

The path was silent until he arrived where the two girls were waiting; seeing them there brought a smile to his face, the journey had been quite calm, at least until reaching the classrooms for the first stage of the Chūnin exams.

Yūji's face looked strange... classrooms?

" Suiren... were you really sure that we would be fighting against others? "

Yūji's expression was rather amusing, carrying the whole attitude of regaining that reputation lost through a misunderstanding; his eyes were fixed on Suiren, who he had seen nervous, though she was very good at hiding it.

" I, I think that... Rokushō-sensei is mistaken, uh-huh " he cleared his throat, trying to hide his error; he had seen how motivated his team was and now even the happiest member of the group was giving him a disappointed and even skeptical look.

Ajisai growled furiously, it was natural to see her so angry, but now, with even more reason, her hatred shone through " you, damn mute " as they had never had any reputation and basically were from a village that had never produced truly incredible ninjas, they were abysmally ignored.

Yūji just sighed, accepting defeat, and walked toward a secluded area with his companions, listening to Suiren's silent apologies and how Ajisai reprimanded her for having lied to her face.

" Let's just hope that this is something related to demonstrating our abilities; you can relax, I will take our team to the top and prove that Amegakure has ninjas as talented as we are " his smile illuminated his companions immensely, their eyes wide with the boy's rather exaggerated demonstrations.

And so the three walked down that long corridor until they reached a place where several ninjas were gathered; he was sure that that was the place to ascend.

" Uhm... there's something strange " he had noticed something different on the sign; covering his eyes with his hands, he activated the Six Eyes for a moment, far from any intrusive gazes.

' So that is it, a genjutsu? ' he thought to himself, the Six Eyes allowed him to see perfectly a manipulation of chakra on the sign; he saw how it was being manipulated and who had cast that genjutsu, his gaze turning toward the two young people standing in front of the door.

Removing his hands from his eyes and looking again, he no longer saw the 301 on the sign, it was now 201; with the Six Eyes he would never fall for a genjutsu, and he would even know the moment it was cast.

" You see it, right, girls? " he turned to look at his companions.

" What, little one? Of course we made it to the top floor " Ajisai replied, nearly making Yūji laugh in her face, he had forgotten that the girl was very bad at genjutsu.

Suiren seemed to have already noticed, as she said nothing.

" N-nothing then " murmured Yūji with a smile; upon reaching the area he paused, for a scene was forming before him, he saw something curious: once again, that group he had seen with the sand ninjas was there, but he also noticed another singular group.

He became transfixed by a pair of pearl eyes; he was surprised to see such unique eyes.

' That is... ' he thought, knowing that in the ninja world one would be surprised, it was the first time he had seen someone with different eyes in all his life; he was curious about how their vision worked, what was different about their gaze? Could there be a hidden power?

What happened next was that the black-haired boy who looked a bit like Megumi was about to be struck by the man who had cast the genjutsu.

His surprise fell upon the one with a green outfit and bowl-cut hair; truly amazed by his speed, an excited smile burst from his lips, he wanted to have a friendly encounter with that boy! Perhaps he could have a real fight after so long, since he had dueled with his sister Konan and brother Pain, but never with a boy close to his own age.

From that move, that boy could be very powerful.

" Well, it's settled, let's go in " Suiren said quite calmly as everyone dispersed and entered, yet the girl did not move because Yūji seemed very entertained " Yūji? "

" Shhh, sister Suiren, they're going to fight, I think, I want to see! " the boy said comically, causing Suiren to twitch her eyebrow, but she only yielded to fulfill Yūji's whim, as sometimes she did.

At first he witnessed a soap-opera-like confession, which did not interest Yūji; then came the interesting part a fight! If these are to be his opponents in the exam, he must closely observe their attacks and analyze them.

But he did not understand why that black-haired boy was always stopped and asked his name, although he had not heard it before with the sand genin and the others; he did notice the tension in that emo black-haired boy and the redhead from Suna.

" Uhm... there was no fight... what a pity " Yūji sighed sadly as he headed upstairs; he was not interested in that little performance by those kids being the smallest among them, something ironic that amused Suiren quite a bit.

The team proceeded calmly to the next level, with Yūji now wearing a more bored expression; he hoped that once out of those classrooms, everyone would simply brawl against each other, or something like that.

Upon entering classroom 301 at last, he saw many people around a fairly quiet classroom.

He felt gazes upon him; when he turned, he managed to see those Suna ninjas watching from above, perhaps because of his short stature, they looked at him stealthily as if he intended to make a move against them. The only one who did not regard him that way and wore an expectant look was the other redhead boy although his red hair was not as pretty as Yūji's, the other's was very dark.

He only offered them a nervous, apologetic smile, making a hand gesture in greeting; from that moment he no longer felt their stares, at least not from the two tallest. Then he moved to another area where he sensed a rather firm gaze; he saw it was from a boy with gray hair, had he suffered so much stress that his hair had turned gray? He was wearing glasses.

He only gave a very calm smile, Is his hair really that striking? he wondered, he saw his sister and his acquaintances there too. Then he headed to a seat, leaning against that wooden railing that separated the space.

Although he knew most of the people in the classroom, he thought everyone only looked at him because he was the smallest there, they even almost made fun of him for his height, but he paid them no mind; they would soon see his power in action.

There were also many ninjas from Amegakure, but he had never met them, so he felt quite shy about speaking to them; yet it seemed they knew him, in those rough looks and mortal wounds, a smile of recognition was on their faces, something he noticed perfectly.

Lost in thought, he waited in his place "Could it be something like an introduction and that's why they're in a classroom?" He hoped so.

" Yūji, won't you put the bandage on now? Those wounds look really terrible " Returned to remind the boy about his wounds in his eyes, Suiren was worried about her companions.

" Don't worry, sister Suiren, depending on what we do I'll put it on, you know, I don't know if we'll have to write something or do something different " respondió the boy quite calmly, something different from his usual effusiveness.

Ajisai only snorted but remained neutral in her place, basically they are surrounded by so many enemies from multiple villages, she is always on guard.

The classroom was so quiet that when that flashy team entered, everyone seemed like carnivores watching their prey. The boy just made a blank gesture was that flashy entrance meant to make them think they were in an anime protagonist or what?

Although after that he thought they would be interesting, from the first moment he hasn't seen them really show their colors or anything interesting like their jutsus or similar.

He thinks it is more exciting to fight with Ajisai than to pay attention to those ninjas from Konoha

...

For the ninjas of Konoha, upon seeing that an unknown boy with gray hair approached the novices of the Leaf Village, he introduced himself as Yakushi Kabuto, a genin from the Leaf who had failed the exam for such a long time.

But that is not the interesting part, Kabuto told them that, being novices and it being their first exam, he would give them some information about those who will participate in the classroom.

Something that caught the attention of the novices, who quickly approached Kabuto, interested in those recognition letters. He also explained to them how the exam worked, letting them know that those exams are only meant to level the power of the villages.

He explained its functioning, looking quite calm, that peaceful gesture to the novices; he saw how the Uchiha approached asking if he had any information about the participants.

Of course Kabuto smiled " Is there someone that interests you? " in a soft voice.

Sasuke's gaze sharpened, although his neutral face didn't show any expression " of course "

" Well, I have information on all the new examinees, just like those of you nine, so then, who are you interested in? " he arranged his cards, addressing the Uchiha; Sasuke had two names in mind.

But that boy also came to his mind, for when he entered he managed to notice him, that striking, annoying red hair was the first thing he noticed upon arrival; he saw disdainful glances and full scorn, no one had ever treated him that way, everyone asked his name or was interested.

That boy, of course, shouldn't be the exception, but he seemed very... bored just by looking at him.

" Gaara from the Hidden Sand Village, Rock Lee from Konoha... and that brat over there, I don't know his name, I hope you have his information " he said boldly, pointing in a direction that the other eight novices turned to follow his finger, including Kabuto.

The red-haired boy was dozing off, leaning against one of his companions, barely visible since all the rough genin covered his body because he was so small; he didn't seem at all worried, as the important part hadn't started yet, he wanted to rest his mind and calm his pulses.

" That boy? Wait, is a boy qualified for the exams? " Kiba was taken aback upon seeing a small boy who didn't seem to be more than five years old sitting next to two intimidating Rain ninjas, although the boy seemed just like one of them.

" I think he's very cute " whispered Hinata very softly, analyzing the small boy with her timid gaze; he was so thin, but from afar his cheeks looked soft.

" It is possible for a boy to participate in the Chūnin exams, since in his village the boy was recognized for having the ability to become a Chūnin, that means he is someone with talent " he answered the doubts with a calm smile, even he was surprised by it since, of course, Kabuto looked at the boy's record " Uhm, I think I have his information, you need not worry, although his letter might take a little while; as for the other two, it's easier since I have their names " Kabuto looked at the boy; of course he had his information.

Fresh Uzumaki blood, as well as Uzumaki Karin, it is possible that they are relatives since they are the only ones with high lineage in that exam, along with these children from Konoha; it was something he had to investigate because his master was interested in their lineage.

With a swift hand movement, he channeled his chakra into those cards; the nine expectant novices saw Kabuto hold up three cards " Well, here they are, the information that you requested "

Everyone saw as he placed the cards on the floor " Well, then let's look at Rock Lee first " the information about the boy appeared " he is one year older than you, he has done twenty D-rank missions and eleven C-rank missions, his boss is Guy, he is very good in taijutsu but very poor in his other skills "

Sasuke analyzed that face, that bowl head had humiliated him in his previous fight, remaining neutral in front of all the information Kabuto was releasing about him, absorbing it like a sponge.

" Now let's look at Gaara of the Desert " he channeled chakra into the other card again, placing it on top of Rock Lee's; with a serious gaze he began to speak; " he has done eight C-rank missions and, surprise, he has done a B-rank mission as a Genin; since he is a foreign ninja, it is difficult for me to obtain more information about him, but it seems that he returned from his missions without a single wound " he looked again toward the novices, adjusting his glasses; he had to get into his role as if he were also a genin of Konoha.

Shikamaru expressed surprise in his ever-lazy manner " no wounds at all as a genin, in a B-rank mission?... "

Naruto was equally surprised, although he only murmured a " Who is…? " in a quiet manner.

Sasuke pressed his lips at not being able to obtain more information about him, it was normal that he only had detailed information about those from Konoha, being Kabuto one of them " and about the boy? " There he saw Kabuto who placed the last cards on top.

He channeled his chakra, and appeared, with a smile " here he is, his name is Yūji from the village hidden among the rain " in the image, unlike the others, he smiled in a friendly and happy way, something very different from Kabuto who expressed that those from Amegakure are of bad temperament " eighteen D-rank, four B-rank missions, and three A-rank missions, that is... more incredible than I imagined, and the boy is only... eight years old. " Kabuto was still surprised when he read it, adjusting his glasses, he knew that Amegakure was a village that is basically survival of the fittest, but that a child at such a young age had already completed multiple missions was very flattering.

Choji even opened his eyes and stopped eating his potatoes " how incredible, so young, yet he has done so many missions, even A-rank missions "

Shikamaru looked dubiously at Kabuto " did he also come out without injuries from his missions? "

The one with glasses denied " he has had injuries, but they are minimal, the surprise comes from the fact that he is very talented and young, it is the first time he is also attending the exam, I have no more information "

Sasuke clenched his hands " Yūji... "

Naruto looked at the boy who was now annoying his companion; he had a vibe very similar to him, even doing silly things, talking about his missions " I thought he was five years old, I was about to complain about how a boy so small as him would enter this place of the great ones " all the novices looked at Naruto; it's not like he's that big either.

But there was the mystery, Shino, behind his glasses, was looking at Yūji analytically; Shikamaru was the same.

But those who knew the power that emanated from that boy were only Team 7.

" A lot of people have come from all the villages; they are the elite of each village, so you must be careful " Kabuto spoke with a very slight smile.

Naruto furrowed his brow and clenched his hands tightly; to the novices it seemed as if Naruto were afraid, but it was quite the opposite.

Sakura slowly approached Naruto " Na-Naruto, you must not be worri- "

" AHH! I AM UZUMAKI NARUTO, AND I WILL NEVER LOSE TO ANY OF YOU! " the shout was so loud that Yūji turned to look at that blonde.

It had disoriented him from his attack on Suiren as she tried to remove her mask; her face appeared twisted, but she was just as excited as those ninjas from Konoha " Oh, you have a good sense of humor! I like it! " Yūji also jumped in his place, pointing at her with enthusiasm, and the boy became cheerful again; the ninjas from Konoha saw a rather unique sparkle from the one whose information they had seen.

They only saw how they grabbed him by his clothes and threw him forcefully onto the seat, as if they were trying to control him.

Yūji looked at his companion Ajisai with a pout " Why don't you let me move from here? It's very boring, it's supposed to be at three but nothing has happened... I want to go home " he said sincerely now; if they were going to be there so long, he had grown bored.

" Can you stay? I only want about five minutes? I have stopped you so many times and you are starting to make me angry again " Ajisai was on the verge of bursting a vein on her forehead, seeing how Yūji ignored her, she only clenched her molars even more.

He saw how everyone had gotten angry with his provocation, shouldn't they feel more fired up with determination to show off their strength? How strange they all are.

Out of the corner of his eye he looked at Karin, who had also given him a glance from her seat, but he didn't act.

At least he didn't get involved until he saw some genin launch an attack; Yūji gave a serious look, the exam hadn't begun yet and some were already fighting.

Is that against the rules?

He was about to get up but Suiren held him back without even looking at him; Yūji directed his gaze to his elder sister " Sister Suiren... " he almost pleaded, his voice trembling, he didn't want an unjust death before his eyes.

Not again, now he did have the power to make a move.

Suiren only looked at him in silence.

Yūji simply pressed his lips together as he sat down slowly, watching with concern that kind, gray-haired boy; the Sound ninjas, whom he assumed were there because of his protector, attacked Kabuto, appearing superior.

" tch, those ninjas are not at all superior " Yūji murmured to himself, disgusted by their bragging.

But despite having waited for so long, and even though Suiren had stopped his movement, finally the examiners had arrived, something that had made Yūji excited.

" I apologize for keeping you waiting, I am the examiner of the first stage of the Chūnin exams, Morino Ibiki " spoke the man firmly, though with a mocking smile.

From there he stopped paying attention as he scolded the three Sound ninjas.

" I think it is a good time to explain this: it is not permitted to fight among yourselves during the exam without permission from the examiner; even if you are given permission, it is not permitted to kill anyone "

Yūji listened to those parts carefully, but then his smile faded away fighting isn't permitted? What does that mean? So what is the first exam about?

He glanced at Suiren from the corner of his eye, judging, since she had promised him that it would be combat; yes, he saw how she avoided his gaze.

" Then let us begin the first stage, you must hand in your forms and you will be given a number " explained the examiner, who had scars on his face.

Yūji rolled his eyes. I hope it's not an exam like he's imagining

" Then we will distribute the sheets and papers for the written exam "

His hands went to his head, his eyes rolling back from stress and worry, it's a curse.

The exams, just as he had always imagined, have returned even in this life.

" No... a written exam " Yūji spoke in a funny voice, already feeling that tears were falling.

Sobbing silently from his pain.

' I'm terrible at written exams, and even more so because I don't know anything about these places! I should have listened to Rokusho-sensei in his history classes and my other senseis, I shouldn't have ignored them back then! Why me?! ' Yūji felt lost.

He was going to fail.

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[Very long but I hope it is entertaining, I like to write details and for it to go quite slowly; I've always read stories where the exams are so fleeting and skipped altogether, I wanted to implement several points of view here, I hope it is understood!

Today's illustrations ♡

Images]

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