Team Two's POV (Trial of Nio - Land of Iron)
Naruto hadn't truly felt too nervous for the exam. He had always been a more simplistic guy. The villagers had never been cruel to him or his mother. They weren't well known and, as such, lived in relative peace. Naruto had often felt lonely with just him and his mother. But such was life. As such, he had been himself and his mother. It had been enough for him, but Kushina seemed to want more for him than that. So Naruto decided to find something to become strong and beloved. So his mother would be happy, and he could find others to be satisfied with. It hadn't taken long to decide on his goal. It was a meeting with Hiruzen that was the deciding factor. He may have been old, but he had a powerful presence, seemed to know everything, and even acknowledged him! It had been clear to him that he needed to become Hokage. He remembered his mother had initially been against it. But even as a child, he had been stubborn and eventually won her over. With that goal in mind, he had trained hard. It hadn't been easy; often, he had struggled pitifully. He supposed he simply wasn't a genius. In time, he had grown and now had a chance to be closer to his dream.
As if that hadn't been motivation enough, his mother informed him that the exams held a level of importance that very few things in his life had. She would finally tell him about his da if he became a Chunind. As much as he longed to know, he loved his mother too much to push her on it. Instead, he waited, trusting she would let him know one day. Now, if he did things right, he would finally know. The first part had been something he simply couldn't offer too much help with. While he wasn't stupid, he simply wasn't as smart as all these damn "geniuses." But is a survival exercise about protecting? Yeah, that was much more his style.
The selection of the lord of their group had been a relatively easy choice. Gaara had shown remarkable defensive skills in his brief conflict with Naruto, and no one in the group felt exceptionally safe with him watching their backs. Gaara declared that he wouldn't have to worry about Fuu or Naruto dying. And simply didn't care if Samui did. Selecting a leader was also a simple process. Fuu and Gaara had no interest in leading. While Naruto would one day be Hokage, he wasn't the best leader yet. Leaving only the aloof Samui as the choice. It worked out well. The woman was personable enough, intelligent, and calm to a fault. Quickly deciding to have the group summarize their abilities. So she could devise the best approach. She decided heading up the mountain as soon as the horse could manage would be best. The paths throughout it often intersected, meaning the group would likely not have to be concerned about finding a team. They were more likely to be attacked after all. With that in mind, the group summarized themselves and their abilities.
Naruto had proudly decided to go first. Despite his recent growth, he just couldn't help but brag when an opportunity was presented. He described his ability to make a small army of clones. His unique Kenjutsu-Ninjutsu style. It wasn't entirely honest about his full capabilities, but Naruto felt he should keep that to himself since Gaara had often remarked an intent to fight him at some point.
Fuu had gone next. Naruto had met various people, and despite his best efforts, he often annoyed them. Perhaps it was his obnoxious nature, blunt honesty, or endless energy, but he frequently rubbed others incorrectly. He had been overjoyed to get along with Team Seven. Even further to have made quick friends with Samui. Honestly, it had made his day! Now, it got even better. Fuu was the most positive person he had ever met. She matched his energy, was full of smiles, and was generally excellent! It was like he had met a female version of himself! She even held the same pain in her eyes. The eyes of someone who had been lonely. She described how she could fly, had incredible strength, and was as hard as steel. Naruto questioned this, and Fuu cheerfully told him to hit her. Being the man he was, Naruto quickly slugged her before realizing what he had done. But to the group's shock, she ate the punch without budging an inch or flinching. Naruto felt like he had found the sister he never knew he wanted.
Samui and Naruto had hit it slightly during their tenure into the first test. He knew she was calm, aloof, intelligent, and using the same kind of blade as him. She fought similarly to him. She used her kenjutsu and intelligence to outmaneuver her opponents. Naruto felt she was likely holding something back. He supposed he wasn't the only one hiding his full abilities.
Gaara went last. And his summarization left much to be desired. He stated that his sand was an absolute defense to protect him from threats. Then, he boldly declared he, unlike others, was openly the jinchuriki of the One Tails. It felt like a jab to Naruto, but he witnessed Fuu flinch momentarily. Gaara merely smiled and looked at Fuu, causing the group to realize the oddness of this team. They held three jinchuriki. The group had gone silent, and to Naruto, they would likely not work well together in this test. He had no clue what to say but knew he had to say something to the group.