A/N: This track is called "Sasuke's Theme" and it is the extended version. Enjoy!

"It feels good to be back, —ttebayo!" Naruto exclaimed, waving at Izumo and Kotetsu. They waved back.

"Aa," Sasuke agreed, glancing at Sakura, who still wasn't talking. He hadn't heard her voice in nearly three or four days.

"Let's go report and then you'll be free for the rest of the day," Kakashi suggested rather cheerfully, then lead the way to the Hokage Tower.

:::

"Thank you, you're dismissed." The Hokage watched as all of Team Seven left his office and sighed tiredly. The Chūnin Exams were coming up, which meant foreigners would start pouring into the village.

"Hokage-sama?" The old man turned to see an anxious Iruka.

"Yes, Iruka? Is something wrong?"

"Well, yes, Hokage-sama. I just bumped into Kakashi-san, and he told me he was planning to have Naruto take the Chūnin Exams." The brunette sighed.

"And you're worried about him," the Hokage stated. "He's changed a lot since the Academy. I'm sure you would be surprised. Why don't you go test Naruto?"

"W-well, it's not only Naruto I'm worried about. It's Sasuke and Sakura. Sure, they're quick learners, but will it be enough? It hasn't been too long since I became chūnin, and—"

"Iruka," Hiruzen said strictly, "their sensei is Kakashi Hatake. If you're worried, then test them. You may go."

The brunette sighed dejectedly again before bowing and leaving the room. "Hai."

The old man stood up from his chair and turned to the window, watching the busy crowds that usually formed around noon. The Chūnin Exams, Kakashi? You must be very confident to enter them, especially with the Kyūbi holder, the sole Uchiha heir, and the only person alive with Shōkuton. He turned back around and sat into his chair, leaning back and sighing. I'm getting too old for the job. Fourth... Hiruzen looked up to the picture showing a man with blonde, spiky hair. How did you do it?

:::

"Ramen, ramen~" Naruto sang as he paraded down the streets, ignoring dirty glares and the fact that he hadn't dropped any of his mission stuff off at his apartment. "Hm, I didn't think rocks could be this square, —ttebayo..." He mused at a terribly disguised box and kicked it so it tipped over, revealing three kids.

"Heheh, sharp as ever!" A boy with brown spiky hair that stood straight up tripped on his blue too-long scarf when he attempted to stand. He wiped under his nose mischievously.

Naruto blinked, then scratched the back of his head. "Eh? What's this, dattebayo? Who're the other two?"

"Ow, Udon, you're stepping on my feet!" A girl with brownish-orangey hair in two pigtails scolded a boy with glasses, presumably Udon.

He sniffed and pushed up his glasses, then patted his blue shirt, ridding it of dust. "Sorry, Moegi."

"Humph," she turned and fixed her hair. "This is the cool genin you were talking about?"

"Yeah! We play ninja sometimes!"

"Yeah, yeah," Naruto snorted haughtily. "I'm a real shinobi now! I don't have time to play, —ttebayo!"

"But—"

"A fake shinobi pretending to be a real one," came a new monotonous voice. Naruto's pink-haired teammate stepped out of nowhere. She had been walking home after a few sticks of dango when she heard her teammate's loud voice booming. She had also heard some of the first competitors of the Exams had entered the village, and she wanted to see them.

"S-Sakura-chan! What're you doing here, —ttebayo?!"

Wow, Moegi's eyes shone in wonder and awe. This kunoichi looks like the real deal! No flashy colours other than her hair, which is so pretty and straight unlike mine... She frowned, then smiled as the girl's look passed over her and her friends. Then, she noticed how empty her green eyes looked as they passed right through her. What happened to her?

"Allow us to introduce ourselves!" The loud brunette declared, throwing a smoke bomb for theatrics. "I'm Konohamaru, best Academy student and I'm going to be Hokage!"

Moegi giggled, momentarily forgetting the look and twirled, striking a pose. "And I'm Moegi, the cutest, most talented and sassy kunoichi in the Academy!" She winked to the few watchers.

"I'm Udon. I'm smart," the boy with glasses informed them, sniffing again. He wiped his nose with his sleeve.

"And together, we're Team Konohamaru!" The last traces of coloured smoke were gone, leaving the three in their dramatic pose.

Sakura blinked, then turned and began walking away.

"Hey, Sakura-chan! Wait, —tteabyo!" She ignored the blonde and kept walking. Naruto stopped running after her and sulked.

"There, there, Boss! That girl wasn't even that pretty!" Konohamaru patted his back.

"What?! No! She's super cool, by the looks of it, a really cool kunoichi!" Moegi protested while her friend bad-mouthed the pinkette. Not to mention she's kind of scary.

Unfortunately for them, she glanced over at the four with her ever-so cold gaze that sent shivers down their spines. "Uwaaaa! Scary! She's so pale she looks like a ghost that'll haunt me," the Hokage's grandson screeched, and began running, pulling his two best friends with him. Naruto wasn't far behind. Since Konohamaru was in front, that meant he ran into the teenager dressed in black first.

"It's been twenty minutes in this village and I already hate the brats here," a boy with purple face paint on his face declared loudly to the girl next to him. She had sandy hair in four ponytails that stuck out, along with a giant fan on her back. "One just ran into me!"

The girl looked around nervously. "Kankuro! We shouldn't cause trouble in a foreign land. Besides, Gaara told us to lie low!"

"Temari, relax," Kankuro scoffed. "Gaara isn't here. And this kid needs to be taught a lesson." He grabbed the front of Konohamaru's shirt and held him up in the air. "Besides, this won't take long."

Temari looked around again. "...Alright," she sighed. "Make it quick."

"Don't worry, I will." The teen's voice was menacing as he raised the boy even higher.

"Hey, let him go, —ttebayo!" Naruto yelled as Moegi and Udon huddled behind him, shaking.

"Y-yeah! Let me go!" Konohamaru flailed, trying to get loose.

"I would advise you to release the boy for two reasons," an unemotional voice said in a light tone. "Let us say, for example, you do harm the little boy that happens to be the Hokage's grandson. I do not believe it would be in your best interests to do so." Kankuro dropped him, surprised. "I also believe, based on the diplomatic and political tension between Konohagakure and Sunagakure, this is exactly the situation that would usually start a war. It would not take much, as of right now. I am sure, because these exams are about uniting villages, you are not here to declare war," Sakura finished in a formal tone.

"Oh, really? You're just another genin with all bark, no bite! I can and will—" He began pulling off a large thing off his back.

"Kankuro, no!" Nearly invisible chakra strings came to life, and a clicking sound was heard. Fortunately for Naruto and the Academy students, Sakura had already analyzed the puppeteer's appearance. These two come from Sunagakure, the Wind Village Hidden in the Sand. The girl uses a fan—wind jutsu. The boy...

Sakura wove three hand signs and her eyes concentrated towards a few leaves falling from a tree above her. Instantly, six leaves paired together and formed three shuriken, which cut through the string and then unfolded, floating to the ground. A large clatter was heard when the thing on the Sungakure genin's back fell to the ground.

Shokuton: Rifūshuriken. A C-ranked jutsu. The user is able to make leaves form more accurate and deadly shuriken. Studying at night had benefitted the slow progression of mastery in Shōkuton.

"Wha...?" Grunting, Kankuro reattached his chakra strings. He wiggled his fingers, and the puppet came to life, clicking as it flew towards them. A small rock came from nowhere and hit the puppet master on the forehead, causing his focus to be disrupted.

"Why are Suna's shinobi here?" A bored voice drawled from above them, and Temari immediately blushed. He's cute!

Kankuro growled, and was about to try and attack for the third time until yet another person stopped him.

"Kankuro, Temari," the cold voice asked, "Don't mess with Konohagakure's shinobi. Especially that girl and the boy beside me. If you do...I'll kill you."

"Gaara!"

Moegi, who was frozen the entire time, watching the scene, nearly ran away when the mysterious redheaded boy made eye contact with her for only a split second, yet—His eyes are the same as Sakura's. A chill went down her spine as she began stepping backwards, choosing to ignore the cool presence of the dark-haired boy.

Decided to give someone else's perspective. I wanted to add more depth to the supporting characters and their observations of the main characters.

The Chūnin Exams have been mentioned! What will happen in them? Will Team Seven actually take them?

Hiruzen has said something that foreshadows an event. What did he say?

What does Moegi see that scares her?

Sakura has mastered a technique that managed to stall Kankuro! What else will she learn?