Naruto: Chakra System

"Now that the Chūnin Exam is coming up soon, I've been seeing more and more ninjas from other villages around here," Sakura said as she walked with Naruto and Sasuke on the streets of Konoha.

"Yeah, and Kakashi-sensei has already told us that we're in!" Naruto replied, practically bouncing with excitement for Chūnin Exam.

"So it's finally time for the Chūnin Exam, huh?" Sasuke muttered, his gaze fixed on the crowded streets. "Kakashi told me I'll grow stronger during the Chūnin Exam. I hope that's the case."

Suddenly, a loud commotion caught their attention, forcing them to pause. A man with vibrant purple face paint was holding a familiar-looking boy up in the air like a misbehaving cat.

Standing next to him was a blonde girl with her arms crossed, watching the scene with a sharp, indifferent gaze while keeping two other kids away.

"Isn't that Konohamaru and his friends?" Sakura said, turning her head to Naruto.

Naruto's eyes narrowed instantly as he recognized the three kids. The moment he saw Konohamaru being pushed around, he moved in a blinding flash of speed.

Bang!

Kankuro didn't even see Naruto coming. He was sent flying back several meters from a hard punch.

"KANKURO!" Temari shouted, grabbing the fan behind her back. She was about to move but paused as Sasuke immediately stepped in front of her.

"Stand still!" Sasuke said in a deep voice, his hand resting on the handle of his sword.

"Are you alright, Konohamaru?" Naruto asked, gently placing the boy on the ground.

Konohamaru, who had just seen Naruto send Kankuro flying with a single punch, had his eyes shining brightly.

He nodded aggressively. "Yes, Boss! I'm alright!"

Meanwhile, Udon and Moegi smiled at the sight of Team Seven and hid behind Sakura. Sakura noticed the hourglass symbol on Temari's headband around her neck.

"They look like Sand Village ninjas... they're probably here for the Chūnin Exam!"

"Sand Village, huh?" Sasuke said with an aloof look, eyeing Temari sharply. "It doesn't matter where you're from. Don't go around looking for trouble here. You're a guest here, so act like one."

Kankuro got up, his face red with anger after being sent flying by a 'knucklehead blonde.' "YOU BRAT OF LEAF VILLAGE!!" he shouted.

"Knock it off, Kankuro!" Temari yelled at him, glancing at Team Seven. She felt a wave of unease, especially with Sasuke so close.

Kankuro turned his head toward her, gritting his teeth. He rubbed his right cheek, where a red mark from Naruto's punch had appeared. He looked warily at Naruto, not much confident that he could take this "knucklehead" lightly, but still, don't want to back down.

"Hey, you Sand ninjas," Sasuke said, giving Temari and Kankuro a sharp gaze. "Get lost!"

Temari flinched under his icy gaze. 'D-damn... he's kind of pretty!' she thought, quickly shaking her head. But before she could respond, she saw Kankuro removing the bandaged puppet from his back.

"Think you're pretty strong, huh?" Kankuro said, eyeing Naruto sharply.

Temari snapped back at him. "Kankuro, don't tell me you're planning to use 'The Crow' here!"

"Boss... Boss..." Konohamaru nudged Naruto, his eyes sparkling with admiration. "That punch was so cool! Can I also become as strong as you?"

Naruto didn't even glance at Kankuro, just scratched his head, bashful at the praise of Konohamaru.

'Naruto... there's one of my sibling around here,' a deep voice suddenly rumbled in his mind. It was Kurama, now at his full strength.

'Huh? Where?' Naruto asked curiously, turning back to Kurama in his mindscape.

Kurama grinned widely. 'Just above your right. My favorite sibling, Shukaku!'

Naruto instantly turned his head to his right. Similarly, Sasuke had also sensed Gaara lurking in the treetops. Only Sakura was a little slow, not noticing Gaara's presence immediately.

"Kankuro! Don't!" Gaara's voice was eerily calm, yet it sliced through the air the moment Kankuro removed his bandaged puppet. "You're a disgrace to our entire village."

Everyone's attention turned to Gaara, who was hanging upside down from a tree branch, a massive gourd strapped to his back.

"It annoys me that you'd lose control in a quarrel with children! Have you forgotten why we came here?"

A shiver ran down Temari and Kankuro's spines. "B-but Gaara... They started it first. That blonde one punched me!" Kankuro protested.

"Shut up... Or I'll kill you," Gaara said. His voice was not raised, but the weight behind his words made Kankuro freeze mid-sentence. Kankuro exchanged uneasy glances with Temari, a cold sweat forming on their brows.

Gaara then slowly turned his gaze to the kids, then to Sakura. His cold eyes then shifted on Sasuke for a brief moment before finally locking onto Naruto. Naruto was the only person in the group who was looking at him with a wide smile, which made Gaara's expression darken with cold malice.

Naruto was curiously smiling at Gaara, wanting to see what this "favorite sibling" of Kurama looked like. While Naruto sensed the Tailed-Beast's chakra within Gaara, Gaara also seemed to sense it. His darkened eyes widened, and a creepy smirk tugged at his face as a murderous intent flared around the area.

Seeing this, Temari and Kankuro's faces turned pale, and they broke out into a cold sweat. Sakura and Sasuke also raised their guards as they sensed the killing intent. Gaara instantly jumped closer to Naruto, who was still smiling at him.

"...You, who are you?" Gaara asked, his creepy smirk now fully plastered on his face.

Naruto smirked back, his thumb pointing at himself. "Uzumaki Naruto."

•

———