Chapter 3 of Forest Dweller. If you haven't noticed yet, I am trying to increase the amount of content and the quality of my writing. Any tips as to how I can improve would be greatly appreciated. Also, I am looking for someone to beta my story for me. I'm looking for help in grammar, punctuation, and flow of the story. Ideas may also be thrown around. Again, thank you for any help you can offer. On to the story!
A.N- sorry for the delay. I am a senior in high school and have been swamped with essays, working, and video games. So I apologize: P
It had been two long years since Jiraiya and Sarutobi's incident. The fight hurt the man's pride but he knew it had been in the best interest of Naruto and that allowed some peace to enter his heart. Although the times were rough for Sarutobi, the village couldn't be better. Shops that had been destroyed had been repaired and improved upon, residential areas affected were repaired and families moved back into their homes, and clans that had lost many of their kin had mourned and resumed much of their work.
Sarutobi smirked slightly. He thought back at how the village looked before now and could only smile at the prospect of the village not only rebuilding, but improving as well. Only one thing put a damper on Sarutobi's higher than normal spirit. His son Asuma had left the village and had become one of the twelve guardians of fire, a group of shinobi who protected the Daimyo with their lives. An elite group. One that Sarutobi would be proud knowing that Asuma joined, if not for the argument that they had had the days before he left.
Flashback no jutsu!
Sarutobi was pacing in his office with a look of disdain on face. Asuma stood in front of him with a look of defiance in his eyes. After Biwako had died, Asuma had turned into the rebellious teen that stood in front of him now. "No. I forbid you from joining. They are constantly under attack from assassins. I will not have you joining a group that will so easily sacrifice you!"
Asuma's eyebrows furrowed and Sarutobi knew this was going to end badly. "Do you think me a fool? Do you not think I would know the risks going into this? I have done research of my own and being a part of the guardians is probably the highest honor a ninja of Hi no kuni could achieve! I am not you father! I am not going to sit idly by doing simple missions that have no effect on the world! I want to make a difference, and this is the perfect way to do it!"
Asuma turned to go and Sarutobi snapped. "You impudent boy! Do you think nothing of my council? Do you think I would tell you not to do something if it wasn't the best option for you? If you go and join the Guardians you will make a difference. But the things that you do there will put you on the map and put a bounty on your head that someone will eventually cash in on! Is that what you want? To be famous throughout the world as some amazing ninja? Will that set you above the rest of the ninja in the village? Huh? Answer me!" At this point Sarutobi's face was so red with anger that he had to sit down, lest he do something he would regret.
Asuma's mouth gaped like a fish's. With no words to say he turned and reached for the handle of the door.
Sarutobi felt like crying at that moment. First he lost Biwako, now Asuma. He sighed and lowered his head as he spoke." If you leave I will label you as a missing nin, with a twenty-five million ryo reward for your capture and return. Think long before you leave son. "
Asuma seemed to think before leaving with a frown.
Sarutobi frowned. He never did make him a missing nin. He even fought tooth and nail against the council to forbid it from happening. They relented after two months but still used it against him whenever he tried to bring in a new policy.
As Sarutobi sat down to start on the detestable paperwork he sensed something coming from the corner of his office. Smirking, he let fly two kunai that took a shirt by the shoulders and stuck it to the wall.
"Not fair jiji! You cheated! I was totally invisible."
Sarutobi smiled. "Not invisible Naruto, just blending in with your surroundings, like a chameleon. I noticed a shimmer in the illusion. Also, your chakra is like a maelstrom. I sensed you as soon as I stopped focusing on myself. "Sarutobi sat and started on the paperwork that he hated so.
Naruto seemed to be thinking of something to say. "Jiji, why am I leaving when I'm five?"
Sarutobi detested the conversation he was about to have but the boy had to know the exact reasons as to why. "Naruto, do you remember the books I had you read a month or two ago?"
"About the Biju? Or about the Kyuubi attack?"
"Both. Naruto, this will be difficult to learn but, you are the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi. When it was sealed into you the council feared you and they determined that the best way to get rid of you was to send you into the forest of death when you turn five. I'm sorry." Sarutobi bowed his head to Naruto while he expected the boy to retaliate against him.
Naruto looked shocked but recovered quickly. "Its okay Jiji. I don't care. I'll be fine and prove to them that I'm not the Kyuubi! I am Uzumaki Naruto! Dattebayo! "
Sarutobi smiled and nodded."You will do more than that. Now, have you started on the jutsu I have given you? Mastered them? Altered them to fit you?"
Naruto smiled and nodded, bouncing slightly as he did so. "I learned Earth style: Earth molding technique, Fire style: Fire starter technique, and Water style: Water purification technique. I also started on Lightning style: Electric field technique and Wind style: Air pressure technique.
"Good. Good. Have you been reading all the books that you can? You need to have as much theory as you can. Once you're in the forest I won't be able to easily get to you. So you are going to have to master these things as you grow. Do you understand me?"
Naruto nodded and started to make hand seals. He sat on the couch he was on before and got lost trying to improve his speed with them. Sarutobi smirked. 'And to think, not three years ago he was but a new born. Simply amazing.'
Somewhere in Kaminari no Kuni
"The mountains are forever shrouded in the clouds."
"Enter."
A tall lanky man walked into a secret entrance into the side of a hill. This was a Kumogakure outpost near Hi no Kuni. The man walking in was a jounin of Kumo. He wore simple clothes. Brown pants, black muscle t-shirt, and the Kumo headband on his head. He also wore a wakizashi at his waist.
"Genkou, you're later than the Raikage told us you would be. We should have left days ago. The leaf is expecting us you know."
Genkou bowed low and muttered an apology. "Fear not. I am here now aren't I? We can leave as soon as you wish."
The man laughed. "Do you know what time it is? The diplomats are asleep. We aren't leaving until morning. But Genkou, are you ready for what must be done?"
Genkou stood up straight and looked him in the eyes."I will complete my mission or die trying."
The man seemed appeased."Good….Good… Get some rest. Tomorrow at dawn we head out for Konoha. And we will finally get the Byakugan." He smiled as he said this and turned to go to his room."
Genkou called out to him," Eita, I have been debriefed but, I still don't know who I am taking. Can you fill me in so I can prepare?"
"The heir. Hyuuga Hinata. You are to go in, get her, and get out as soon as you can Understood?"
"Yes. Thank you."
Eita nodded and went to his bunk. Genkou turned and went towards the spare bunks in the south end of the base. He was ready. He would fulfill his mission or die trying.
Something bad was going to happen soon. Sarutobi could feel it in his aging bones. Something about the Kumo diplomats rubbed Sarutobi the wrong way. He could not bar them passage as they wished to talk about peace, something Sarutobi had wanted his entire life. So he turned his head the other way slightly when he noticed the ninja attending staring at all of the hyuugas as they walked by.
Sarutobi walked forward and bowed to each diplomat as they did the same for him. The leader he presumed was a short fat excuse of a man. He wore fine robes and a hat to match it. He had oily skin and long black hair. He had beady eyes that were conniving.
"Greetings Lord Hokage. My name is Hirishi. I am part of the diplomatic envoy sent to negotiate with you. I hope that things shall go smoothly for both parties." The man bowed low again and smiled.
Sarutobi was wary of this man. "As do is Hirishi. Let us head to the tower and we shall start." Sarutobi turned and headed for the tower signaling to his Anbu to follow the ninja that were splitting from the diplomats. Sarutobi knew something was wrong and he was going to find out what.
All was quiet in the village. The meeting had gone well and the treaty was to be drawn up tomorrow morning, sending off the diplomats sometime in the afternoon. But not everyone was asleep as they should be. A shadow was moving around the village, attempting to not get caught. Moving towards the Hyuuga clan district, the shadow only stopped two times to avoid Anbu patrol.
"Too easy."
Sliding over the wall with surprising fluidity, the man landed without making a sound and moved towards the main building. The Hyuuga were a secretive clan, even amongst themselves. Their walls were layered with seals to stop the Byakugan from being used on one another. A perfect cover for a thief
Avoiding the manned patrols was not easy but nothing Genkou couldn't handle. He was a pro. A master. He was the best infiltrator the cloud had and there was no way that he was going to get caught. Moving the halls with practiced steps, he avoided every creak in the floor boards, all patrols and made it to the target's room. Sliding the door quickly and quietly, he moved in and slapped a suppression seal on the poor girl.
Scooping her into a sack, Genkou moved out into the hallway and made a hasty, but quiet escape into the main courtyard. Peering over his shoulder and jumping over the wall the man could do nothing as he tripped over a small blonde boy practicing hand seals.
"OW! Jeez mister watch where you're going! "
"You little bastard…" Genkou got up and was ready to strangle the boy when all of a sudden to pairs of arms grabbed his. He looked over and saw a pissed look Hiashi and Hizashi Hyuuga.
"Where is she!"
Genkou let the sack fall to the ground and he heard a small squeak of surprise. He frowned and knew that he had royally fucked up.
"Well, looks like its time for Torture and Interrogation to get a new play toy don't you think brother?"
Hiashi simply nodded as he picked up Hinata and walked into the Compound. Hizashi looked over at Naruto and nodded. "Good job kid. You helped us catch a thief. Here." Hizashi tossed a small bag over to Naruto who deftly caught it.
"Thanks mister." Naruto smiled to him and continued walking towards the Sarutobi compound. Inside the sack was a book on summoning. Naruto shrugged. He wasn't going to debate why a grown man was going to give away a book of such value. So using his new Chameleon jutsu, Naruto continued on with what he was doing and hoped that the new book would prove useful to him.
A.N-Hey! Like always leave a review and let me know what you like, what you don't like, how I can improve, and what you would like to see.
