“Yeah, seems a shame though,” Jiraiya sighed, “By the time he returns it’s likely that he'll be the only Genin left out of his class.”
“I can’t be helped, the danger of the Akatsuki take priority,” Tsunade replied, “The Otogakure/Sunagakure Invasion showed us that the Chunin Exams are too easy to infiltrate in order to target or even assassinate others, even more so when he is in another village. This might be hard for him to accept given that he went all the way to the finals, and even ended up defeating a fully released Jinchuriki without relying on the Kyuubei.”
“Then I might actually have an idea,” Jiraiya smirked, “I’ve heard of another exam that unlike the Chunin Exam is conducted annually instead of twice a year, and the access to which is far more limited.”
“It will still be an easy target,” Tsunade warned.
“Not really,” Jiraiya responded, “The exam isn’t even in the Hidden Lands it’s on Dolle Island in the west. If I can convince Naruto to go in disguise on the way there and use one of his shadow clones, then we should be able to trick the Akatsuki's spies into thinking that he's still in the Hidden Lands before they found out where and when he left.”
“Hold on Jiraiya, I won’t turn away tradition and law just for a convenient alternative and one genin’s ego.” Tsunade barked back, “I will have to discuss this with the council and meet their approval.”
“Send a letter to me through my editor when you get the reply, and please make sure to do it at least two months before New Years, he'll need that long at least to get to the Exam site.” The Toad Sage said as he walked out of the room, “Please remind the elders that when they consider this that Naruto had gotten all the way to the finals during the Exam, and then won against both Neji Hyuga and Gara of the Sand. Also from what I've heard the Hunter's Exam is quite grueling, only about one out of every ten-thousand to take the exam ever pass and for rookies the chance to pass at all are one about every three years. To be perfectly honest the odds are better at the Chunin Exam, at least that only has three stages, and you have the guarantee of a team backing you up during the most dangerous one.”
Over a year later, a package arrived for Jiraiya via his editor's office, along with cries for his next book. It contained a scroll sealed with the hanko of the Hokage's office; carefully the Sannin sent his chakra into the seal making the scroll open, the contents showed that his earlier concerns were coming true. During the Chunin Exam in Iwagakure soon after Naruto had left the village Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee and Ino Yamanaka joined Shikamaru Nara as a Chunin, six months later in Amegakure had seen victory for Sakura Haruno and Tenten.
Of the Konoha 11 only three genin remained Choji Akamichi, Hinata Hyuga, and of course Naruto Uzumaki who because of this training trip couldn't even attend the Chunin Exam in a few short months in Kumogakure. Still despite Danzo’s objections, Tsunade had finally gotten the Sarutobi’s old teammates to approve his suggestion.
Jiraiya smiled as he went to his luggage for the Inscription Card for the Hunter's Exam, he had obtained it from Chairman Netero himself in exchange for personally Autographed copies of Icha Icha Paradise and Icha Icha Violence. Still this was well worth the price for his godson, especially since obtaining a license meant more than just Naruto becoming an official Chunin, or even being a member of the Hunter's Association. That license would mean that a member of the association would teach the kid Nen, a valuable tool when the day would finally come to both face Orochimaru and fight the Akatsuki.
Pressing his thumb to the scanner on the Inscription Card for the permission of a legal guardian, which technically he was, he knew now was the time to tell the loud-mouth at least as soon as he regained consciousness, the boy should really learn to watch what he said around Gamariki. The number one hyperactive knuckle-headed ninja would soon learn that he was about to attend the 287th Hunter Exam.
See other episodes by The Insane Hiker
(Posted Sat, 01 Dec 2012 17:35)
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