Despite it All

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Naruto's POV (Trial of Janus Building)

A samurai came for each group and led them out of the building. As they exited the group all flinched at the cold winds blowing before them. The stone ground blanketed in snow. The group was led to a large building surrounded by various copies of itself. Each was cubed shaped and massive. Each simply gray and non descript. Nine of these massive structures lay beyond the gate house they had eaten inside. The samurai wordlessly led them to one of the buildings. Allowing them to enter and observe the room. It was mostly empty with white walls and two doors, one on the right wall and one on the front one. The sparse room had a painting between the doors of a battlefield of some kind. A strange pattern on the roof. And a small table in the center with a note.

Naruto could readily admit he was unsure how things would go. He had been prepared to crush the exams with his team in tow. Now they have been separated into groups. Luckily Ino had landed with him. And the blonde doubted Neji would have any real trouble. Absolute lucky bastard. He knew logically he should be friendly and attempt to improve their relationship with the newly formed team. Especially now that they were required to work together. But something about Gaara made his skin crawl. He didn't mind him being a jinchuriki but he seemed to be oddly focused on him. Plus in that scrap, he had taken a good punch with seemingly no damage, then somehow had tanked one of his favorite Kenjutsu techniques. It hadn't been a full power of course but it still should have been enough to cut him badly. But he had merely tanked it with mere sand somehow. To make matters even worse Gaara was staring him down. Which turned out to bring out Ino's more protective nature. Her standing slightly in front of the blonde and staring Gaara down.

In the three months they had spent training they had grown greatly. Ino now had at least one win each against both boys. A testament to how far she came and what kind of fighter she was. Naruto had never been much for subtlety, smashing or slicing opponents up close until they were defeated. Neji did so with more finesse, but it was effectively the same strategy. Ino fought differently. She had gained some techniques that made her dangerous. Her mind jutsu was disruptive and quick. Especially what had become her trademark jutsu. During this, the young woman seemed to have become somehow even more outgoing and confident. To the point where she was intending to warn off psychos… Naruto loved his team.

Kurotsuchi and Samui both looked on at the awkward standoff in their team. Samui merely sighed, annoyed with the team chemistry being thrown off already.

While Kurotsuchi takes a more aggressive approach "What is this the most hostile three-some ever?" She said with a shit-eating smirk.

Both Naruto and Ino jumped at this. Both stared back owlishly. Gaara merely sighed heavily before looking up at the roof seemingly done talking for now.

"Oh come on don't tell me your prudes?" Kurotsuchi continued her smile growing.

"I would never be with that creepy bastard!"

"I would never be with that creepy bastard!" Both called out at the same time. Kurotsuchi chuckled gleefully realizing her joke may hold an element of truth. Samui attempted to pretend to be unaffected but a small laugh escaped her mouth. The group all looked over at her except Gaara.

"So uncool." Samui complained.

"I will cooperate as long as we're on this team, Uzumaki. But make no mistake, at some point in this exam I will either kill you or capture you." Gaara said calmly, continuing to look at the roof.

The group met the odd declaration with the awkward silence it was warranted. "Umm… is there a story with short, red, and murderous, here wanting you? By the way, what the hell does that even mean? Don't tell me this is some kinda bo-" Kurotsuchi started with a shit-eating grin.

"No way in hell! If he says something odd like that again I'll kick his ass!" Naruto yelled angrily.

"I'm not interested in your body Uzumaki, merely what is inside it." Gaara informed.

"Well, you better back off! I will fry your brain!" Ino yelled angrily.

"Can you not threaten him? I'm pretty sure a requirement for Chunin is maturity." Samui cut through the odd argument seriously. The three speaking looked at her confused. But Kurotsuchi merely sighs.

"Fine was merely trying to have some fun. You're right though, we do need to pass this." Kurotsuchi said with an agonized expression. Not wanting to give up on the funny situation. The group went silent for a couple of minutes to let the tension pass. Naruto and Ino stood on one side with Kurotsuchi and Samui on the other. Gaara stood near the entrance still staring at the roof with utmost focus. Naruto and Ino both glared at Kurotsuchi neither particularly enjoying her so far. There was no love lost to the Stone shinobi as well. Samui sighed but if they were to operate as a team a certain level of cooperation was needed. She calmly walked over to the two defensive blondes. Kurotsuchi watched semi intently interested in seeing how Samui went about befriending them. Naruto and Ino both seemed to tense as she approached.

"Are you both natural blondes?" Samui asked plainly.

"Yeah?" Ino asked while Naruto merely nodded.

"Cool." Samui said simply with a small smile.

"Hell yeah, it is!" Naruto yelled excitedly, immediately throwing an arm around Cloud shinobi. Seemingly forgetting their poor introduction. Samui merely smiled not necessarily at the blonde but more at him being so personable and forgetful.

"You're a friendly one aren't you blondie." Samui said with a smirk.

"Of course! It's kinda cool meeting shinobi from another village." Naruto started with a big smile. Samui's smile grew a bit.

"Naruto…" Ino complained. Leave it to the one and only Naruto Uzumaki to befriend anyone as long as they seemed game. "Fine, we are a team. Naruto and I will play nice." Ino finished with a forced smile. She wouldn't bring it up but Naruto having been in close contact with the woman bugged her for some reason. Plus why didn't he mind when she called him blondie? She felt her teeth grind for a second before she reigned in her temper. Her thoughts were interrupted by an arm thrown over her shoulders.

"Is blondie over there your boyfriend?" Kurotsuchi asked with a grin.

Ino sighed dramatically before responding. "No, it's just annoying how trusting he is." It wasn't the full truth but it wasn't a lie either.

"I wouldn't suggest taking your time for too long. Friendly dependable guys like him tend to be snatched up before too long. I mean not my type personally. Needs some edge for that. But surely it will be popular soon." Kurotsuchi said with a frown as she watched the two shinobi talk.

"It's not like that. Not fully anyway and this isn't the time to discuss it." Ino replied feeling defensive.

"Listen I know I was stirring the shit earlier. But I only bring this up because your infatuation is all over your face. And if he was my prey I would be worried about a woman like her around him." Kurotsuchi finished.

Ino resisted the urge to yell at the woman instead looking to see if what she said held any truth. Naruto and Samui were both holding out their tanto and seemingly discussing Kenjutsu. Ino was no slouch with the standard kunai or shuriken but she had never shown an aptitude for melee weapon combat. It seemed they had some things in common with the two laughing at some joke Naruto said. "One is still not interested in him. Two, what does she have that I don't?" She asked, fire in her tone.

"I can name two things she has over both of us." Kurotsuchi replied with a smirk as she held her arms underneath her chest. Ino gasped indignantly at this. Before looking over at the two again. Naruto was leaning against the wall as he held up his sword for her to observe. The busty woman leans forward to observe it. Surely giving the blonde Uzumaki quite the show. Ino felt her teeth grind again. She was perfectly comfortable with her size but those things weren't fair! Kurotsuchi seemed not to mind being outmatched with her chuckling at Ino's reaction.

"Well fine, but Naruto and I are practically best friends." Ino replied smugly.

"The best friend angle?"

"It's not an angle, Naruto is great but I'm some damsel who chases after men. If he wants a shot he'll have to try himself." Ino replied, annoyed.

"I thought you didn't like him.~" Kurotsuchi sang smugly.

Ino growled annoyed. Kurotsuchi interrupted her growl with an apologetic smile. "Besides they both use the same weapon. She seems to find him entertaining. He's not hard on the eyes, neither is she with her healthy growths. Surely you see the threat."

"Maybe she is. But I have no claim." Ino answered sourly. "Not even sure what I want…"

"Probably won't know for a while…" Kurotsuchi replied, trailing off. "But I've always felt a woman has to go out and get what she wants. Ain't that right Mister Ginger Emo?"

"Do not test me. But yes, I do concur in this world we must take what we want." Gaara answered darkly. Looking them both in the eye. "Now refrain from speaking to me humans." Before raising his head once again to the roof.

Ino walked close to Kurotsuchi. "Isn't the opinion of a psycho a little dubious?" She whispered.

"Perhaps," The Stone shinobi answered honestly. "But in the world of shinobi, it's par for the course. My old man has always said that all the good shinobi are a bit crazy."

Ino sighed at the truth. Kurotsuchi seemed like a more confident and crueler version of herself. But Ino had decided long ago after the loss of friendship between her and Sakura that she would go out for what she wanted regardless of circumstances. And how to coexist when she didn't agree with others. She wasn't sure if she wanted Naruto romantically. She was sure she wouldn't just let him wander off with the first woman he met though. Besides, she felt Samui wasn't perfect for the blonde.

Before the group could discuss things any further a samurai entered the room. He posed in front of the group of Genin and seemed to wait for them to gather and go silent. Once these conditions were met he withdrew a

scroll. Reading from a prepared script.

"The first test of the Chunin Exams is dubbed Trail of Janus!" "As you can observe there are two doors in this room. Your goal is to reach the final room otherwise known as the Goal Room. What path you take is up to you. But be cautious. As you traverse the course there is a chance you tread into a Shame Room. Any member of your team that enters such a room will automatically fail this exam. Any questions?"

Naruto's hand flew up absurdly quickly. "What's stopping me from punching a hole in the wall to determine the correct door?"

"You may attempt to do so if you please. But I would warn y-"

His words fell on deaf ears as Naruto flew forward at some point having summoned a clone. Both held their Riptides that glowed blue with chakra. One went for a wild vertical strike while the other did so horizontally. The blade wafted through the air leaving a blue hue as they did so. Both blades smashed into the wall with a loud boom. "Smashing Waves!" They called as smoke filled the room.

"A commendable effort." The samurai's voice rang out, cutting through the silence the sudden moves of Naruto had caused. As the smoke cleared an orange glowing barrier shone throughout the room. "We are aware of how destructive even Genin can be and prepared this room for thinking like your own."

"Fuinjutsu…" Naruto trailed off seemingly interested in something that could shrug off one of his moves casually.

"Cool…" Samui was impressed by the technique the Uzumaki had thrown out casually as well as the barrier that tanked it.

"Damnit Naruto…" Ino complained lamenting over the situation he created.

Gaara didn't even seem to notice the commotion happening in the room. Now seemingly doubly focused on the pattern in the roof.

"Any more questions?" The samurai asked. He waited for a few moments before exiting the room from the entrance. Said entrance immediately being covered by the barrier locking them in.

The trial of Janus had begun.