Naruto's POV (Trial of Nio - Land of Iron)
Things had been tense for the blonde since Gaara's little romp. He refused to say what had happened during the incident. But the third point added to their wrist had made it clear he had seen combat and somehow had come out of it unharmed. While they were pleased they could now finish the exam, they all felt the weight of knowing Gaara had likely killed whoever he ran into. Samui seemed to take it personally because Gaara technically disobeyed her orders. Similar to himself, Fuu seemed to take it poorly as well. Multiple times, he had sniped at the redhead for his apparent murderous impulses. Personally, Naruto wanted to kick his ass. Admittedly, though, Gaara unnerved him somewhat. He was brutal, impulsive, and powerful. For now, Naruto decided to let it be.
They now raced through the path at the maximum speed the horse could manage. It was a slow jog compared to them, but rules are rules. As they did so, Naruto spawned various clones to patrol the area and form a tight perimeter. Samui sat behind Gaara on the horse, with Naruto running in front. Fuu kept an aerial view of the group, acting as the group's eye from the sky.
Samui had been right to keep her there because shortly after, she signaled that a team was nearby. She flowed down as a group of forty clones responded to the notification. Intending to see who was coming and how strong they may be. He was shocked when the clones reported they saw Ino and Shino but grimly willed the clones to interfere. "I'm on it!" As feedback from his slain clones came to him, Naruto told the team. With this, the group pushed the horse even more. Hoping to escape them while they struggled against the army of blonde Uzumaki.
They continued on this path before they were shocked as Fuu suddenly started dodging head-sized fireballs.
"Fire Style: Phoenix Flame!" Sasuke called with his group, who ran onto their path slightly behind Team Two. Sasuke seemed focused on keeping Fuu from helping them with her long-range jutsu.
Samui frowned at this development. "Two teams? This is becoming uncool." She complained as she tapped Gaara on the back. "Mind helping out murderous and unfriendly?" She asked Gaara with a sassy stare. Gaara glared back but unleashed several tendrils of sand with a pop of his gourd. The tendrils flew forward as they attempted to grab and crush their pursuers.
Suigetsu chuckled wildly. "Now, this is more my style! Speaking of which, Water Style: Double Water Gun!" He called excitedly, raising both hands with extended fingers and firing off his technique. The small blast of water flew through the tendrils. The sand not even slowing the water bullets.
Samui's eyes widened as Gaara's narrowed. The busty blonde stood precariously on the steed as she drew her tanto. "Cool Twin Bisection." She said simply as her tanto glowed with the power of her chakra. She slashed twice, each sending a chakra blast towards the water blast. Each smashed into the other with a boom. The powerful techniques cancel each other out. Team Two smiled at this while Team Five frowned.
Sasuke growled, annoyed that Fuu seemed to dodge his attacks with ease. "Can't you bind them, Nara?" He asked, his voice dripping with annoyance.
"We'd need to be much closer." He responded.
"I cannot truly aid here! Forgive me for my lack of youth!" Lee answered, weeping tears of shame as he rode the horse with Shikamaru.
Sasuke sighed, annoyed, as he ran before Suigetsu excitedly leaped in front of the group.
"So we just need to get close. Couldn't we just run up to them? We're faster than the horse." Suigetsu asked.
"It's not worth the risk. Besides, the horse needs to get in front of them. That's it!" Shikamaru called with a smirk. "This will be a big drag, but can you use the Water Dragon Jutsu?"
"Hmm, I see a decent idea; risky, though," Sasuke commented.
"Any idea is better than failure!" Lee added helpfully.
"Well, yeah, it's almost a right of passage in the Mist," Suigetsu answered.
"Fire it off! Everyone! Hop onto it! Shadow Stitching Jutsu!" Shikamaru called as suddenly he and Lee were wrapped in shadows. Binding them to the horse.
"Whatever, you bossy dick!" Suigetsu called as he weaved hand signs. "Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!" A large dragon made of water formed and roared. Before it could take off, Suigetsu turned to water and merged into the attack. Shikamaru and Lee were lifted by its head as it launched itself forward. Sasuke attached himself skillfully to the dragon using chakra control.
Team Two all flinched as they watched the dragonfly by. They were aiming for the finish! Naruto and Samui each used their swords to attack them with separate cries.
"Cool Flashing Beheading!" Samui called as a bolt of lightning flew from her blade.
"Uzumaki Style: Raging Wave!" Naruto added. Both slashing attacks hit the dragon, but they got dragged along while the raging water pummeled Naruto.
"Please don't complain too much." Gaara interrupted their panic calmly. Suddenly, sand burst from beneath the snowy ground. It formed a large disc beneath them and slowly rose into the air. It raised them out of the air, and suddenly, it went flying. Samui got knocked out of the horse by the force. Naruto barely managed to catch her on their flight, as he caught the tendril Gaara generously offered him while on his flight. Fuu flew with them free from their trap as they saw a quickly approaching finish line marked with a large flag saying goal.
Even from so far up, they could discern that the mountain was flat on top, housing several buildings and a large stadium.
This did little to help them as they fell once they realized the sand was not floating but had instead jumped!
Gaara formed a shield around him and the horse. Fuu managed to grab Samui and Naruto and somehow hold up both young adults. Gaara crashed into the ground as Sasuke's group did. Gaara's defenses held up, cracking the ground he landed on and slowly falling apart to allow him and the terrified horse out. Meanwhile, Naruto and Samui were lowered to the ground by a happy Fuu. Samui seemingly clutched onto Naruto before realizing it and letting go, allowing her to stand on her own two feet.
"Good to see you make it, Blondie!" A familiar voice rang out. Team Two turned to see another group already there—team Two. Ino stood in front of the group, waving cockily and somewhat angrily to Naruto. Behind her stood a smiling Temari and Omoi. Naruto was sure Shino was smiling, but it was always impossible to tell with the aloof young man.
"You're blonde too! And how the hell did you get past my clones!" Naruto asked Ino as he approached her, rubbing the back of his head.
"That would be me," Temari said with a smile. It took a lot of my reserves, but I flew us here. Luckily, you and that other team kept each other distracted. We flew right past you all undetected."
"Yes, the second place seems fitting for you, Uzumaki," Shino added. He enjoyed teasing the blonde, after all.
"Screw you guys, we kicked ass!" Naruto countered. "Didn't we?" He asked Samui.
"We were incredibly cool," Samui stated with absolute certainty.
"Ya, we were all unstoppable!" Fuu added as well.
"Naruto," Ino said, her voice dropping to her false sweet tone. "You made more female friends?" She asked.
"Of course! You've already met Samui. She's so awesome! And then there's Fuu." The friendly girl excitedly hugged her newest friend. Ino's eye twitched.
"Lovely. Wait, why is your teammate leaving?" Ino asked, confused as they all watched Gaara walk a short distance away before turning to face the group.
"That would be because you forgot who else is coming," Gaara said.
As he said this, the rest of Team Two and Team One looked up. They saw the falling water dragon and the screaming faces of Team Five. Sasuke merely jumped off before the crash landing with ease close to Gaara. The rest of them crashed into the other finished Genin. The group rolled into a large and painful ball. Samui, Ino, and Naruto were in a bundle of pain—Naruto on the bottom and the prone forms of Ino and Samui on top of him. Shino, Lee, and Fuu also got mixed up in the pile. Fuu, seemingly not hurt, asked if it was a game. Omoi was covered in what he did not know was Suigetsu. The group of hurting and disoriented Genin slowly untangled and climbed to their feet (Ino and Samui refuse to look at Naruto). Gaara and Sasuke stared down.
"I'm not sure how or why. But I'm certain you're the strongest here. I will defeat you myself and show you the power of the 'Uchiha.'" Sasuke said as he stared down the redhead.
"It is because you're trash. You can sense my superiority because I'm not a pathetic human like yourself." Gaara countered. "On the topic, I thought the Uchiha were nothing more than traitorous scum."
Sasuke's eyes gleamed at the insult as he prepared himself for combat. Gaara looked on as if not bothered at all.
"Enough, young ones!" Mifune interrupted as he strolled up the group. "Allow me to show you where you may rest. Congratulations on passing the Trial of Nio. According to my sources, arrivals are "Team One, Team Two, and Team Five." He immediately walked off at this, silently showing them where to go. "Also, your finishing positions hold some importance, as previously mentioned. Members of Team One will always go last in the final test. An advantage I cannot overtake. Team Two after and Team Five after them."
The Genin wordlessly followed the Samurai. They were much too tired for much else. Pity be to those still in the exams.