Author's Note:
This story is in response to Hektols's "Stolen Hero Challenge". And to state here in the beginning, but never in any subsequent chapters. I own nothing.
"Welcome class," the instruction states, entering the classroom. A female student in the front of the class stands and turns to face the class.
"Welcome Naka-sensei," the class responds, following the girls lead. She sits back down and looks to the front of the class.
"Thank you, Emiko-san," Naka replies, sitting down. "As you are aware, today is the graduation exam. As your instructor, I am merely facilitating the order of the exam. As I call your name, please come forth."
"Stupid exam," muttered one of the boys in the back, quietly. He wore a dark blue hooded sweatshirt, hood up covering most of his face.
"Oh quiet, Ryu," his neighbor stated. "You want to be a ninja, right?"
"Yeah, I do Yoshi," Ryu said. "But Rōshi-sensei already told me I qualify as a ninja, why do I have to take this stupid test. The instructors here hate me and won't let me graduate, ever."
"Oh you can't count on that," Yoshi stated. "Tsuchikage-sama likes you. He'll make sure you graduate if you deserve it. Rōshi-sama probably already has you qualified with Tsuchikage-sama, this is just a formality to place you with a team."
"Nakasone Yoshida, your next," Naka stated over the class.
"Well, that's me, good luck, Ryu," Yoshi stated heading down and out the class. Ryu just put his head back down on his desk waiting for his name to be called.
"Saji Ryu," Naka spat, distastefully. "Your next. Try not to kill yourself on the way to the examination room, I'd have to clean it up." Ryu marched down the stairs, grumbling while heading out the door.
"Ryu-baka," the class representative stated as he passed.
"Piss off, Mayo-teme," he growled as he left the room and was escorted by another instructor to the examination room. Entering the room Ryu saw it was just another empty classroom with two teachers and the principle in the front of the room."
"Alright, Ryu, please perform the Bunshin no Jutsu to pass your exam," one of the instructors stated. Ryu cursed his luck while forming a hand seal and focusing.
"Bunshin no Jutsu," Ryu stated. There was an explosion of smoke and two lame, half transparent copies of himself appeared next to him.
"Well, well," the principal stated. "Looks like you can't even form a proper bunshin. What kinda of sorry excuse for a genin can't even form a bunshin. I'm happy to announce that you…"
"Wait," an aged voice stated outside the room. The three judges instantly turned and bowed.
"Tsuchikage-sama," they stated as a small man entered the room, flanked by two guards.
"I will be taking over Ryu's genin examination, if you please," Tsuchikage stated.
"But, Tsuchikage-sama, we were just about to fail him, he couldn't even form a proper bunshin," the principal stated.
"Allow me to be the judge of that," Tsuchikage stated, getting lifted up onto the desk by one of his guards. He strolled to the center and turned to look at Ryu. "Ok, Ryu, now, lets start with the Henge."
"Henge no Jutsu," Ryu stated, turning into a perfect copy of Tsuchikage's diminutive stature.
"Alright, Kawarimi now," Tsuchikage stated, lazily throwing a kuni at Ryu. Everyone watched as it hit Ryu who suddenly turned into a desk as Ryu stood up from the back of the room and walked back down.
"Alright, now do a bunshin jutsu, any one will work," he stated. Ryu chuckled, forming some quick hand seals.
"Tsuchi Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ryu stated, spitting out a half dozen globs of mud, which formed into perfect replicas.
"Tsuchikage-sama, surely you cannot accept this as passing?" the principle pleaded.
"Well, it's a high C rank ninjutsu, especially where his chakra nature is opposite the jutsu he preformed, I had him tested months ago," Tsuchikage stated. "As it is a form of bunshin, a higher ranking version I will accept it. It was acceptable when I started my career as a ninja and it will be acceptable now."
"But, we use the bunshin to test their genjutsu abilities…"
"But not all ninja use genjutsu, as long as they can recognize and dispel it," Tsuchikage stated. "We will make a note on his record for his jounin instructor to make sure to work on his counter genjutsu abilities."
"But Tsuchikage-sama…"
"Enough!" Tsuchikage yelled, turning to the principal, releasing powerful killing intent on him. "Ryu has passed the genin exam. I'll make sure to stop by tomorrow and discuss your transfer. Clear?"
"But…but…yes, Tsuchikage-sama," the principal said, lowering his head. Tsuchikage bent down and picked up a forehead protector and turned back to Ryu.
"Here you go, Ryu, you are now officially a genin of Iwagakure. Congratulations." Ryu grinned, flipping back his hood revealing golden blond, spiky hair, ocean blue eyes, and six whisker birthmarks, three on each side. He tied the forehead protector and grinned, looking up at Tsuchikage.
"Thanks, ojii-ji."
"Go, Akatsuchi, I think Ryu deserves a special dinner to celebrate," Tsuchikage said. "I'll finish up here and meet you back at my residence later."
"Come on, Ryu," Akatsuchi said. "Ramen, right?"
"Awesome, thanks Akat-neesan!" Ryu exclaimed, before pulling his hood back over his hair, hiding his face. He followed Akatsuchi outside, lowering his head so his face was covered in shadow. They walked through town, the villagers and ninja they past looked and glared at Ryu.
"Yellow brat," one old woman said as they past, causing Ryu to lower his head even more.
"We're here, Ryu-san," Akatsuchi stated, as Ryu looked up. The old ramen lady smiled down at him.
"Hello, Ryu-chan," she said, while starting some noodles. "What brings you over here today?"
"I passed my genin exam, obaa-chan!" Ryu said, smiling. "And I'll just take two miso please."
"Only two today?"
"Yeah, Rōshi-sensei made me promise one I became a genin, I'd cut back and start eating healthier."
"What about you, Akat-chan?"
"Three bowls of lamb, please," he said, grinning. She quickly served them their bowls and Ryu quickly finished his and stood up.
"There wasn't any need to rush, Ryu-chan."
"I know but I also know my presence here is effecting your profits, so I'm gonna head out. Later obaa-chan, Akat-neesan." Ryu waved heading off towards his apartment at the edge of the village.
"There he goes, come on, it's a perfect chance," Akatsuchi overheard while leaving the ramen shop. "But first…to take care of his guardian." The speaker turned and formed a hand seal. Suddenly, a swarm of bees swarmed Akatsuchi who collapsed under the swarm. "Let's go!"
"Well, I think I finally have a handle on that jutsu," Ryu said, collapsing. He had taken off his jacket and was sitting on it, revealing an orange t-shirt. "I hope Rōshi-sensei is pleased."
"Oh he will be but not with you," a voice said as he emerges from behind a rock. "With your death, we will finally emerge once again as am honored and respected clan."
"Why, what did I do?" Ryu asked. "Why do you want to kill me?"
"Because of who you are?" The speaker said, as more figured emerge from the surrounding territory. "You are…"
"Stop!" Akatsuchi yelled, stumbling out into the clearing. "You know the Tsuchikage's law!"
"So, your fighting my bee's venom, no matter we will make it look like you and the Yellow Brat killed you and we put him down!"
"Why, why would you want to do that!" Ryu yelled, looking around for a way out.
"Because of your father!" The voice yelled, laughing. "You know who our most hated enemy is? The scourge from Konoha!"
"What does the Yellow Flash have to do…"
"Because he was your father!" The voice yelled, stunning Ryu. "Iwa took you from Konoha's village the day of his death. Why Ōnoki-baka chose to keep you alive, I don't know but I will kill you today!" He raised his hands and a swarm of bees flew down towards Ryu, only to see Akatsuchi leap up and take the hit instead.
"Akat-neesan…why?" Ryu asked, crying.
"Because…Yellow Flash…was just a ninja…orders…we'd do the same…we…invaded them…not…his…fault…" Akatsuchi fell down, succumbing to the venom from the bees.
"Well, no matter, we'll just…" The voice stopped, stunned by the red aura surrounding Ryu.
"You…you monsters!" He yelled, looking up at them with red, slitter eyes, fangs growing down past his lower lip, and birth marks widening. They watched in horror as the red aura condensed into a globular aura, fox like with a single tail behind him. They felt the powerful killing intent settle across the village, focused from the new genin before them.
"A…a jinchūriki…impossible…" he stated, as his companions fled the scene.
"You won't get away with this! Tsuchi Bunshin no Jutsu!" Ryu yelled, spitting out dozens of clones, which ran after his attackers, overwhelming them as their death cries rang out across the village. Ryu thrust his fist through the chest of the speaker grinning. "Die…" He pulled his fist out of the chest as his blooded clones surrounded him as he turned to face Iwagakure. "Time for some vengeance…" He stepped forward just as all his clones were destroyed, half being melted by lava and the other half exploding, leaving only wisps of steam from where they stood. Ryu looked up at two figures which appeared before him, between him and Iwagakure.
"Ryu, stop," the elder of the two said, stepping forward. "You've had your revenge, let it go."
"Why Rōshi-sensei?" he asked. "You know what they've done to me; you know how they've treated me!"
"Rōshi," the other stated, stepping forward, steam coming from his armor. "You know there is no way to reason with him the first time. He's more bijū now than human."
"I know, Han," Rōshi replied, sighing. "Remember, we need to subdue him, not kill him."
"I will try, Rōshi."
"Are you sure?" Tsuchikage asked, in the hospital looking at Ryu's healing body, strapped down to the bed.
"Yeah, Ōnoki-sama," Rōshi said, stepping out of the shadows, chakra burns slowly reseeding from his battered body. "We were able to subdue him without pulling too much of our bijū's power."
"He is strong though," Han stated, entering the room exhausted. His armor was removed and his body was covered with bandages. "In his one tailed form he nearly overwhelmed both of us."
"Yes," Tsuchikage replied. "And the other ninja who felt the disturbance watched your fight. Ryu's power has already spread throughout the village. What was once hate has been replaced with fear. Good or bad."
"So, who was behind the attack?" Rōshi asked.
"It was determined that the Kamizuru clan was behind the attack," Tsuchikage stated. "Along with ninety percent of the rest of the council. I have given the announcement that, tomorrow morning, anyone responsible for the attack on Ryu will be put to death in a public execution. They went against my law to leave him alone and they will pay."
"Won't some of them escape in the meantime?" Han replied.
"Most defiantly. However, with all the people implicated, there isn't much we can do. The Kamizuru clan has a death warrant out for them though. They failed during the last war and with this attempt at revenge is unforgivable. I only hope that Ryu won't hold it against the village as a whole."
"We can only hope," Rōshistated, looking at his sleeping student.
"Ahh!" a young, blond girl screamed, sitting up in her bed. She panted as she got used to the light. She looked up to suddenly be enveloped with a hug from her mother as the other three figures in the room looked on in relief. She hugged her mother and cried as the stress of the dream leaves her.
"Fujino, are you alright?" The elder in the room asked, approaching and sitting on the bed opposite of the girl's mother.
"Yes, Ojii-sama," Fujino replied wiping away her tears. "It was just a horrible dream."
"Fujino-chan, you were summoning 'her' chakra," Fujino's mother said, worriedly."
"Kushina, please," the old man said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Please, Fujino, tell us about your dream."
"Well, Hokage-sama, it was about a boy. He had bond, spiky hair and…my whisker marks…"