7 Bell Test-part two (1/2)
[you can skip to chap 12 to avoid re-reading the parts of summoner of the league, it deviates starting from there.]
Perhaps, Naruto had to admit that using a new summoning formula, whose intricate design and functions were alien to him, was probably a rather, unreasonable use of resources in an exam against a jonin. Yet, Naruto had held the understanding that this jutsu was the same as any other jutsu. The smoke had clouded the area just like it would have for a quote-unquote regular summoning jutsu. However, Naruto was at least expecting something to come to his aid. When the smoke dissipated, he summoned nothing! All he had gotten for his troubles was a cloud of smoke.
Naruto's eyebrow twitched while Sasuke and Sakura, even Kakashi, waited for something to happen. Kakashi was the one with the most amused look on his face while Sakura and Sasuke blinked. Sasuke's was more out of a sudden interest than anything else. ”Since when was the dobe capable of the summoning technique? Though judging by the effects. He screwed it up somehow,” Sasuke thought to himself.
Naruto turned a small eye to the sealing formula on his right hand. Everything looked fine as far as he could tell. There weren't any smudge marks that could probably tamper with the summoning array. Did this have something to do with Annie and Ashe? Naruto wasn't exactly sure. Given how the two had been summoned by him, it seemed that they had the option to refuse to be summoned. Perhaps the two were having important matters to attend to that didn't allow them to be summoned right now. And maybe he could only summon those two
It was definitely one plausible theory Naruto had. However Naruto couldn't rule out the possibility of something happening to the summoning formula. Although as far as Naruto understood it, there was no one in Konoha who specialized in seals or summoning techniques, besides Jiraya. This left Naruto with an internal curse. He had a plan where he would have liked Annie's assistance, but that seemed to be off the table.
”Am…I to be waiting for something?” Kakashi asked, breaking Naruto out of his thoughts. Naruto sent a glare to the smiling jonin. Quickly he realized their predicament before reaching into his pouch. Naruto quickly grabbed a smoke bomb and slammed it into the ground covering the area in more smoke. It didn't take long for the smoke to dispel until Kakashi realized he was the only one in the fields. He narrowed his visible eye. ”Well, it looks like despite that…interesting start, they all know how to hide. Let's see, Sasuke's over there. Sakura's over there. The only person I can't find is Naruto. Well, let's see what they can come up with,” Kakashi thought to himself. Well, he was sure that he could handle three academy students. So…he took out an orange book and placed one of his hands in his pockets. He just had to bide his time.
Meanwhile, in another section of the forest, Naruto slammed his hand on the ground. He had made the attempt to summon Ashe and Annie one more time, but all he got was smoke in return. Naruto had thereby concluded that he wouldn't be getting any help from either Ashe nor Annie. Add to the fact that Naruto wasn't sure if or how he could summon anyone else, but given that some parts of the seal were now blackened and red then there had to have been something that he was missing. Still, the bad part was Naruto didn't have the time to think about it.
”I have to get to Sakura and Sasuke.” Naruto said to himself as he stood. Just as he stood Naruto heard a piercing scream that sounded much like Sakura. Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Looked like Kakashi had his first victim. Okay, he had to get to Sasuke…and then maybe get to Sakura. Still, Naruto wasn't sure how he could help. His only technique was being blocked somehow. Naruto looked at his right hand before he clenched it. No matter. Uzumaki Naruto wouldn't let something so insignificant stop him. As Naruto dashed from where he was previously standing, he didn't notice the seal begin to brighten.
It hadn't taken Naruto very long to find Sasuke and if he were honest, if he weren't him, then he would have outright laughed in the Uchiha's face. He only settled for looking at the pride of the Uchiha clan buried up to his neck in dirt. Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other for a rather long time. Naruto gave a small sigh. ”Discovered that you couldn't match a jonin, didn't you?” Naruto asked. Sasuke resisted the urge to scowl.
”Just get me out of here dobe!” Sasuke said with a growl. However to Sasuke's rising irritation, he watched Naruto kneel in front of him. Naruto knew he could dig up the Uchiha, but right now Sasuke was as restrained as Naruto was going to get him so he might as well have used this opportunity.
”Listen to what I have to say first,” Naruto said. Now, generally Sasuke would have told Naruto to dig him out with more of a demand, but Sasuke wasn't really in the mood to try and dare he say he couldn't do anything without Naruto helping him anyway. It's not like he had much of a choice to listen to Naruto. So…Sasuke heard Naruto speak his possible theories. Each made Sasuke surprised at the sudden intellect he didn't know Naruto could have. Much as Sasuke loathed to admit it, he had come to see recently that Naruto actually had a knack for theory and strategy games. Sasuke couldn't deny that Naruto's theories held some type of weight. Even in his mind, Sasuke could…begrudgingly agree that even with his skills he couldn't fight a jonin…at least on his own. Once Naruto finished, Sasuke wasn't sure how to respond.
”Hn, and if you're wrong, what then? We'll all fail!” Sasuke said. Naruto eyed the Uchiha for a moment. He had to admit that what he was telling Sasuke to do was actually a huge jeopardy of interests, especially Sasuke's interests, but Naruto definitely knew that this was the best choice of action. He gave a short breath before staring into Uchiha Sasuke's eyes.
”Because I know that with how we're dong right now…none of us are going to get those bells and we'll all fail then. You trusted me when I told you about Kakashi's little test in us eating. I'm asking you to place that same trust in my judgment right now.” Naruto said plainly.
Sasuke glared into Naruto's eyes for quite a long time, but finally he heaved out a sigh. If, and Sasuke sure as hell meant if, Naruto was wrong he was going to make sure Naruto never spoke like this again. However, for now, Sasuke just nodded…willing to go along with this…theory of Naruto's.
So, Naruto gave a nod and effortlessly dug Sasuke out of the pit. The two young men stood at the outer rims of the forest. Naruto looked back in the direction that Sakura was most likely in. ”We'll need Sakura to cooperate as well. Despite her…tendencies she is still a pretty good shot. She got an 8 out of 10 in kunai and shuriken practice. She also has some logically sound strategies. I understand your opinion of her isn't the highest, but curb it for now.” Naruto said. Sasuke gave a snort, but that meant his acceptance of Naruto's request even though he didn't like it.
”And what about you? Your little technique backfired back there. Do you have anything else?” Sasuke asked. Truth be told, Naruto did have the shadow clone jutsu, but that's his trump card. And he had the recently mastered with help of his clones, Henge, Kawarimi, and Bunshin technique, but how long those would last against someone like a jonin was yet to be seen. Naruto looked at his arm. He clenched it.