A/N: Here is the link to the promo if you'd like to view before reading the chapter. I wasn't able to successfully place it on my profile bio to my understanding. You'll have to edit out the spaces once you copy and paste.

Deviantart: synystersketch .deviantart .com

Ch.4

Identity

Today was the day. It was dark until Akua's eyelids began to open, and the view of her ceiling became clearer. Her bedroom was located in the side hallway of the house near the kitchen. The smell of freshly cooked breakfast seeped its way into her room. However, she was still a little too lazy to get out of bed. Her head turned to her left, where her alarm clock was located. It was on the floor, as was the sleeping mat she used for a bed that night. There were no futon or mattresses in the house, and Karin didn't manage to purchase anything furniture as of yet. The clock read 6:04 am. She had 56 minutes before she'd be late for her first day at the academy. Akua looked back to the ceiling and her outstretched left palm sharpened into view. Everything behind it became less focused. Her fingers curled together and her fist clenched. The friction against her skin could be heard if close enough. "I can't waste my time here… I'm probably already behind." She rose up from the sleeping mat and the sheets rolled off her body. Messy black strands of hair hung in her face and she looked up from her fist to the bedroom door. "I'll show them what I can do." Her fine shaped, dark eyebrows sunk into seriousness. Sheets fluttered from her body when she flung herself from the mat, landing on the tips of her toes with grace. The clothes Boruto had given her last night were still adorned. She couldn't go out with these. Akua's bag was on the other side of the room. Within it was a pair of black tights. It had a violet trim along the waist that extended as a thin line down the outside of the legs and wrapped around her ankles. There was also a fitted, sleeveless combat shirt to match, except it had no trim. It was tight around the collar and arms but loose as the fabric went down her torso yet still clung to the comfortable gray sports bra underneath. The girl sifted through her bag, retrieving a pair of glistening gloves cut low at the fingers that matched her eyes. She had everything she needed.

After changing her clothing, Akua tossed Boruto's to the side, swearing she would wash and return them another time. She approached the her door and held the knob before looking back at her small, empty room. The only thing of any sort of significance was the window above her mat in the stone wall. Dawn's light gleamed through the its glass onto the creaking wooden floors. The girl turned her head and exited, shutting the door behind her. I'll get us out of this, she told herself as she entered the kitchen. There was no running water yet, as she skipped a bath this morning, but there was working gas. She realized this when seeing the empty pan scraps of some sort of cooking left in it on the stove. There was a table in the middle of the kitchen. On it was a plate of scrambled eggs and bread. A glass of orange juice along with a small written note was sitting next to it. Akua fetched and examined it. It was from her mother.

'Good morning, Akua. I apologize for not being there with you right now. I have a couple things I need to do. I went out and bought some food for you earlier. The refrigerator is full of it. I made those eggs for you, so please enjoy them. You'll need the energy for your first day. Go out there and show them what you can do! Anyways, I probably won't be home for a few days, but I know you can handle yourself while I'm gone. Take care! - Mom'

Akua giggled. This new relationship with her mother was beyond anything she could conjure in her mind. Karin had told her about her epiphany the night before. It all seemed too perfect, but she couldn't ask for anything more. However, there were still years of pain that wouldn't heal over night. Both of them were aware of this. They were taking baby steps now. However long it may take, they were on track for healthy development. She sat down at the table and began to eat. She dug a fork into her eggs and tried to enjoy it as much as she could. Karin wasn't a great cook, but eggs were eggs. The orange juice compensated for them however. The liquid itself was a bright color, almost lighting the room like its own sun and made Akua's taste buds tickle from it's strong, tangy and vibrant taste. When she finished she thought about her mother's note. Questions arose as to what she was actually doing. Perhaps it had something to do with her confiscated item. Either way, it didn't bother her much anymore. Karin was correct about Akua being able to handle herself, so there was no worry. Hm, I'll probably just hang out at Boruto's house, she concluded. It was 6:30 am now. She had to get going. The Academy district was about three miles to the northeast of her home. Akua opened the refrigerator and grabbed two green apples for lunch. She wrapped them in cloth and stuffed them in her bag. After packing her things for the day, she placed her dishes in the sink. Her black sandals were waiting for her at the door. She put them on in haste and ran out the door, shutting it in her wake.

The eager girl's lungs filled with the fresh morning air of Konoha. Everything was quiet and peaceful. There was little nature in her neighborhood. All of the houses hugged each other. Compared to her home, they looked like mansions. A thin path cut through them as the road, ending with Akua's home. Bicycles, old motorized vehicles, and trash cans lined up along the sides of the street. She began to sprint along the curved path, wanting to arrive as soon as possible. It felt like the faster she ran, the faster she became a ninja and the closer she would be to finding her lost brother. Her body zoomed past pedestrians who stood on the sidewalks. Hats and newspapers went loose, flying in the current behind her. Her bag jolted around on her back and her hair danced in the wind. She had to be quick if she wanted to catch the 6:35 train. There was some leftover ryō behind the note Karin wrote for her daughter. She intended to use some of it to pay for her ticket.

The local stop came into view with two minutes to spare. Akua could hear the blaring horn of the train as it approached. She bought a ticket at one of the convenience machines and waited at the track. About two dozen individuals were present, a mix between men, women, children, teenagers and shinobi. Some were just passing through the area. Others either sat down in benches near the tracks or stood waiting along the edge. The train pulled into the station at last, slowing to a complete stop. The doors slid open for passengers to either exit or enter. There weren't that many people to exit or on the train at all, however. It was still quite early before the rush. Akua climbed into an empty car by Konoha's standards, but she did not mind. It was to her liking that she'd be able to take her own seat. The steel doors were sealed shut, and the vehicle jolted itself into motion. The train was on an express to the Academy district. During the trip, Akua passed through the central district of downtown Konoha, Rasen. It was named this because of Naruto's efforts in the war. It was a perfect example of the mix of modern and traditional structures within Konoha. Tall buildings stood next to the shorter, more intricate ones. Open stalls and shops decorated the streets, just starting to open up for the day. Cyclists zoomed through roads yet to become busy and people minded themselves while some interacted with others. Not to mention, the space was abundant. There was enough room for plant life such as oak trees and shrubbery to coexist with the civilization. Everything blended with each other in colorful harmony. It was a sharp contrast to Kusa, which she despised. It was dull and unlively. No one payed attention to anyone on the streets and crime was rampant. The train cruised smoothly along a straight path for the most part. The ride lasted ten minutes before arriving at one of the many stops in the Academy district. It was 6:46 am. The building Akua was supposed to report to was a block away.

When Akua walked through the glass door of the multi-story Academy building, she was directed to the main office. There, she was given a room number and instructed to report immediately. Class would begin in ten minutes. Her room was located on the third floor, with the third year students. That was how the building was organized with six floors in total. The average academy student started at seven years of age and graduated when they were twelve. There were always outliers, though. Akua scaled the stairs to the third floor like she was told and travelled down the hall until she found the correct room. She soon stood before it, gulping down the anxiety she possessed, and slid the door open. "Well, well, well… Look who decided to show up," called her favorite annoying voice.

"Ugh…whose idea was it to put me in a class with you…" she fired back with sarcastic despondence. The entire classroom was silent, even the instructor, observing the two students' conversation.

"What's that suppose ta mean, ya dummy!"

"Maybe exactly what it does, hm?"

"Go to hell," Boruto joked.

"After you," Akua smiled.

"Alright, that's enough. Please miss, you must be Akua, correct?" interrupted the instructor, Shino Aburame. She nodded at his assumption, noticing the scrutinizing stares of all the other academy students, but didn't pay attention to them. "You may take a seat anywhere," said Aburame.

The room was on a slope towards the ceiling on the left as one would walk it. Three columns and three separate rows of seating were present. Akua observed the room carefully for any open spots. There were a few, but she did not want to sit next to any one. Therefore, she took her seat across the room to the last column in the first row. Other students that walked in a few minutes after her noticed how she sat near the aisle so that no one else could possible sit with her. They already were not off to a good start. She was the 'new kid' after all, and they weren't supposed to be bold. Akua peeked into the malicious eyes of her new classmates once more. She could clearly hear their whispering gossip of how she was a foreigner. News surely did spread fast.

The seven o'clock bell rang and Shino closed the door to the classroom. "Very well then. Class has begun. As you can see, we have a new student. She is Akua of Kusagakure"—he gestured towards her—"please treat her with kindness and respect." But that was easier said than done.

The students received a thirty minute lunch break after the day's main lesson. When it was over, they would have shinobi kumite class. In the meanwhile, they were free to either have their lunch in the classroom, go to the cafeteria, or leave the building to one of the nearby restaurants so long as they returned on time. It was recommended that they refrain from eating too much, otherwise it would hinder their performance. That and they could also lose their lunch. However, this rule was not stressed. It was up to the students to determine their own fate. Boruto had a lunch that his mother packed for him, thus he elected to remain in the class. The hyperactive boy leaped across his desk in the center column and into the aisle to his left. He made his way down the stairs to Akua's desk. He was able to see the right side of her body from here he was. Her head seemed to be tilted down a bit and she wasn't moving. She'd been like that for half the lesson, something that bothered Boruto. When he arrived however, his suspicions were not exactly what he expected. In fact, his expression spelled out 'what the hell'. Akua was sound asleep in her seat. Her left cheek slouched in the adjacent palm that was propped up on the desk by her elbow. What was even more confounding was how Aburame Sensei wasn't able to notice her. How audacious of the girl to fall asleep in class on the first day. Boruto was upset that she was able to disrespect the Sensei easily and he wasn't. He shoved her arm support away and her forehead dented into the desk. The impact caused her body to reel back in pain, grasping the spot with both her hands.

"Agh! What's your deal, you loser, that hurt!" she complained.

"What're you doin'?" he questioned.

"Well, I was trying to sleep."

"In the middle of class?"

"I was bored."

Boruto's expression fell flat. She was bored. A simple, yet unbelievable answer. He sighed then began to chuckle. The chuckle transformed into hysterical laughter. Akua didn't understand what was so funny about her answer. "Hm…"—her eyes darted around the sparsely populated classroom—"what do you want, where is everyone?"

"Lunch time," he replied, shoving himself into the seat and pushing her further in.

"Who said you could sit next to me?" she scowled.

"No one, I just did it. Problem?"

"Yes," she lied.

"Too bad," he said, unravelling his homemade bento lunch box. Hinata had prepared some of her special Onigiri. Akua sighed and opened her bag, withdrawing the apples she brought with her. Her eyes shifted, focusing through the window as her teeth crunched into the fruit. Her bites had already torn through the first apple to the core after only a few seconds and she was midway through the second one. Boruto had not even bitten into his first of nine rice balls yet. Although it didn't dawn on her, Akua's appetite was absolutely ravenous. It reminded him of his mother. She could put food away if she wanted to as well. Boruto looked back to his lunch after he'd taken his first couple bites. Why would his mother give him so many. She knew he wasn't one to eat them all. Food didn't appeal to him like that, or perhaps. He immediately noticed the growling of Akua's stomach. She tried to pretend it didn't happen, but he could see the figurative bead of sweat running down the side of her head while she looked away. Hinata must have had a feeling that Akua might get hungry during lunch and packed extra Onigiri. "Hey, Ku-chan," Boruto called, sliding over his bento, "want some?"

"Huh… are you sure?" she asked, turning to face him.

"Yea, why—" he was immediately cut off by Akua's swiping of three rice balls. Her hair twirled around as her head snapped back towards the window, hiding the embarrassment. Boruto was proud he was able to force her to feel that way. He saw it as a triumph against the unbreakable.

About half way across the classroom sat a girl with a distinguishable pair of red glasses. Her crow black hair was cut at the neck with bangs that were swept to the left. She had a pair of chopsticks in her grasp as she lunched on the Maki sushi her mother prepared for her. The girl focused her pearly black eyes on something else however. It was Boruto Uzumaki, and the new student that he was sitting with. The unnatural sight of her friend offering someone he shouldn't know his undivided attention baffled her. Not only was he sitting with her, but he shared his lunch with the girl. She'd never seen him do that before either, not even with his own friends. Suspicious inquiries surfaced about this odd, raven haired student that made her feel uneasy. "Sarada!" announced a voice near her. When Sarada refocused, she realized that the girl named Chō-Chō stood before her in the aisle. "You seem all weird. What's the matter?"

"It's nothing," she responded, not finding any interest in talking to her friend.

"I couldn't help but notice you ogling Boruto and his new friend over there, though. If it's troubling you so much, maybe you should introduce yourself," she finished and wandered off with her bag of chips. She didn't give her a chance to reply. She was one who Sarada would usually go to when something bothered her. But this new female was now the center of her attention. The moment the girl's amethyst eyes met Sarada's own dark pupils when she walked in solidified this.

Sarada placed the box that her lunch was in back into her satchel. She left it there when she got up from her seat. The Uchiha made her way down the aisle on the opposite side of the room of Boruto and began to approach them. As she got closer, she was able to see more of the student named Akua. She was gazing outside while eating one of Boruto's rice balls. Each bite was made with a smile on her face; it appeared as though the two were having a conversation as they ate together. Sarada frozen in her tracks when she witnessed Akua's hair fluttering around with her head. Did she notice her approaching? No, she was just responding to Boruto. Their voices were melded into the noise of the room, emitted by the other students that still remained. Sarada caught another glimpse of those intimidating eyes. She couldn't decide whether or not it was beauty or malevolence that exuded from them. There was a perfect contrast between them and her ivory skin. Everything about her facial features just seemed the fall into place. When she was within a few feet of them she was able to tune in on their conversation.

"…and you wouldn't guess—" Boruto's voice halted when he noticed Akua's attention shift to the approaching female. Boruto turned to face her. "Oh, hey Sarada."

"Hey Boruto… who's your new friend?" Sarada asked. She had a stern tone that sounded like she was demanding him to tell her rather than it being a question.

"This is Ku-ch—"

"My name is Akua,"—her hand reach over the desk— "nice to meet you, Sarada." Akua wore a warm smile on her face. She couldn't see the disgust of her hand in Sarada's eyes because hers were closed. The Uchiha ignored the new student, and continued to speak to Boruto.

"Isn't it a little too soon to be so friendly with a stranger?"

"She's not a stranger to me," he retorted. Akua's arm hadn't moved since it was left stranded over the desk. She still wore the welcoming expression, waiting for herself to be acknowledge. Boruto noticed Akua's position next to him. "Sarada she's trying to say hello, just because you're an Uchiha doesn't mean you have to act all tough n'cool."

Akua's ear twitched at the sound of the word Uchiha. It was the second time she'd heard the name since she came to Konoha. "Hm, Uchiha… do you by any chance know Sasuke Uchiha?" she started again. And again she was ignored. Her eye twitched. Sarada reached for Boruto's arm.

"C'mon, I have to—"

Akua, who was trapped on the inside of the seat, appeared between Boruto and Sarada, cutting the Uchiha off. It was as if the they moved in slow motion compared to her. Before Sarada could realize it, Akua's right fist was full of her sleeveless qipao shirt all the way up to her chin. She gulped her heart down into her stomach, paralyzed with fear. Her onyx eyes trembled underneath the beam of Akua's ghastly glare piercing into her soul. Boruto almost fell out of the seat by her quick movement. What was that speed… what is she doing…Sarada thought, frightened beyond comprehension. Sweat reamed down her face. Akua tightened her grip and pulled her close. All the other students in the room ceased their activity and focused in on the confrontation of the two girls.

"Hm, so you think you can act like I don't exist?"Akua growled. Sarada was petrified. Her mouth hung open but words failed to form. "Let me tell you something, Missy Uchiha. I'm tired of being ignored and disrespected. Now, you're going to answer my questions, okay? Okay," she commanded. "Do you know Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Yes," Sarada hesitated, "h-he's my father…"

"Why is his right eye red."

"Are you talking about the Sharingan?" she asked.

"Yea, sure, that."

"It's a visual dojutsu unique to the Uchiha Clan."—Sarada's tone fixed and she ripped Akua's hand from her clothing—"What's it to you, anyway?!" Anyone could see Sarada was still quite shaken despite the short display of confidence she just had. She was known as the most difficult, ambiguous individuals to approach successfully in the entire academy. Yet her classmates just witnessed her get taken down a notch. Akua didn't answer the girl, serving her the same treatment she had previously dished out. She watched Akua turn and step down onto the main floor of the room. The girl fixed her eyes behind her to face Sarada again.

"If you have such a problem with me talking to Boruto, maybe you should clean up that attitude so you can flirt a little better, you stuck up bitch. You don't have any competition anyways, I'm not interested," she growled, grabbing her bag from the desk. Akua stomped past several students in the classroom as she approached the exit. The sliding door slammed behind her, the sound exploding up and down the hall.

Every student succeeded in returning back to the classroom within the time constraint, except for one that left a few minutes before it ended. Instructor Aburame was taking attendance when he noticed Akua was missing. However, the young girl barged into the room right before he was able to call her name. She calmly walked across in silence as everyone watched her every move, similar to when she first entered. Shino wasn't present in the room for the spectacle that occurred only several minutes ago, but he too felt intimidated by the girl and didn't want to bother her. She was checked of as on time. When Akua approached her original desk, she found that Boruto had been sitting there still, waiting for her return. When she took her seat next to him, Shino announced where the the Shinobi Kumite class would take place and instructed everyone to report there immediately. A mass of bodies rose from their seats and filed out of the classroom. Akua remained seated until the crowd left the room before she would follow. Boruto sat behind with her. She hadn't said a word to him since she returned even though only a minute or two passed. It was his first time experiencing his friend with such a tangible rage. The moment he finally decided to say something to her, she pulled away from the desk and started towards the kumite room.

Akua followed her class to a courtyard outside, located within the school campus. Their sensei was already there waiting for them, along with another individual. Shino introduced this person as Iruka. He would help to oversee the combat. Iruka Sensei had a clipboard with the names of all 28 students in the class. Beside their name was a list of their credentials. It recorded their proficiency in each shinobi aspect such as ninjutsu, taijutsu, and genjutsu, the main three. Boruto Uzumaki was at the top of the list with the highest rankings. The person who came in close second was Shikadai Nara. In third place was Sarada Uchiha, so on and so forth. However there was one individual at the end of the list that possessed no records at all, Akua. Iruka concluded that he might use this opportunity to gain some intel on the girl. The first spar would be between her and someone towards the middle of the list. "Welcome students," he began, "today is your bi-weekly, scheduled kumite session. The art of taijutsu is one of the most essential weapons in a shinobi's arsenal. One must learn to hone their skills in order to progress in development with chakra control and ninjutsu. Thus, we shall begin. Our first bout will be between our new student, Akua, and—"

"I want Sarada," Akua demanded, pushing through the crowd in order to face Iruka. "In fact"—she turned to face her class before leaping back into the grounds, distancing herself—"Sarada, and anyone who wants to help her out. Step forward now." Akua had the entire class in her sights and she didn't seem to flinch at all from her bold request.

"There are no uneven battles here!" reprimanded Iruka, but Akua didn't want to listen. She was hellbent and determined to the bone, so much so that Iruka had a change of heart the moment he caught her steel gaze. Sarada stepped to the front of the class to establish her dominance. She adjusted her arm warmers, pulling them closer to the middle of her bicep.

"If you want to get pummelled that badly, then be my guest," coaxed Sarada. Her friend Chō-Chō stepped up to the plate as well, followed by a boy who appeared to be a descendant of the inuzuka clan. He set his puppy down to sit this one out. Two other males stepped into the ring after him. Unfortunately for them, these three were not in the building when Akua pressed Sarada. They didn't know what they were getting themselves into. Sarada and Chō-Chō on the other hand were quite confident in their abilities, especially with a five versus one. They would surely put this brave new student in her place. The rest of the class stood watch on the side lines. Boruto simply observed, he didn't want to get himself involved. Inojin wouldn't enter without Shikadai, and he was too lazy to accept Akua's challenge. He also could tell he probably wouldn't have been of any use.

"Those idiots," Shikadai laughed, knowing full well what was about to happen.

Akua eyed each and every one of her five opponents. Twenty-two other students sat with anticipation. Aburame Sensei's arm hesitated before he chopped it down. "Hajime!" he said, commencing the bout.

The boy from the Inuzuka charged immediately as the others were just getting braced. He seemed to be one of the faster students of the class. However, his speed was not frightening to the girl that he approached. Akua stood still as he took an abrupt step and his feet skidded across the dirt. Akua was able to raise both of her hands into her fighting stance, palms open and her feet spread, slightly bent. The Inuzuka's right arm dragged across the air before the girl, pulling his body and torque around for his left hand. His claw swiped air as Akua leaned to her right, and made a swift counter clockwise twirl. After just one revolution, she reached with her right hand and tugged the wrist of the boy's first strike as he was left in her wake. With tremendous force, his arm was pulled back against his momentum into her direction. Akua's legs spread out to establish a base in the middle of her second revolution and threw the boy over her shoulder. The inuzuka's back connected with her own as his body rolled over, being forced face first into the dirt. There was a flash of kicked up dust and panicked gasping. To spectators, Akua had the boy sprawling around on the gravel within a matter of about 2 seconds after his charge. He quickly got to his feet a couple yards in front of Sarada and the others, starting to charge in haste. But he was quickly met by Akua's left heel that spun all the way around into his left temple. The boy felt his brain rattle in his skull before collapsing from her strike. His body curled up in the ground to the right. Akua fixed her gaze from him to her other four opponents, but at that moment the other two males, both having sarutobi emblems on their shirts, sprinted to encircle her.

Akua's eyes darted between the two boys approaching from both of her sides. They appeared to have some experience with working together. When they were near, they tried to confuse the girl by converging and switching places. She noticed the one who drew to the front was running up high while the other scaled lower than he. Their attack pattern was immediately deciphered before they even threw their first punch. As she predicted, the boy that ran up, who also was a bit taller and had black hair attacked first, launching a barrage of punches Akua's way. The girl leaned and dodged around each of his would be blows, her body moving like the liquid in a shaken cup. She stepped back as he pushed forward, the occasional forearm block and palm redirection from Akua keeping him from being the least bit effective. The shorter boy, who had brown hair, zoomed around as the black haired Sarutobi followed up on her with a roundhouse with his right leg. She crouched underneath while the kick sailed over her head, but at the same time the second boy entered the with a forward sliding sweep. Akua's eyes shifted to the sweep for a split second before her left leg spun counter clockwise. When the first sarutobi brought his leg down around his body, her left foot found his neck. At this point the girl was airborne, using the boy's body as he stumbled and her leg to propel herself above the sweep. The brown haired boy planted his hands into the dirt to stop himself. All he could see was his brother keeling over and Akua nowhere in sight, not even above him because she'd already landed behind himself. The sound of sandals against soil met his hears and he whipped around with a right hook. But he was stopped by Akua's violent glinting right fist uppercutting into his stomach with her hips thrown into the strike, followed immediately by a left hook of her own that burrowed into the boy's cheek. His brother hit the ground. Then he crashed on his back. His head hung to the left while grabbing at the pain in his face. The speed at which Akua moved was inscrutable. The two chunin level ninja who spectated couldn't see anything. To them, they heard the blunt sounds of combat and saw two bodies hitting the floor at the same time.

The fist of the girl pulled back to her side and she slid into a regular stance. Her head turned to face the two remaining opponents. Sarada felt shot by Akua's vicious glare. Three classmates lay defeated on the ground around the violet eyed girl. The fact that she was able to defeat them so effortlessly enraged her. Akua could see the frustration in her eyes. Sarada's teeth were grinding against each other. Fingers clenched into her palms as she formed fists at her sides. On the other spectrum was Chō-Chō. Akua saw fear in her eyes, so much that she trembled, sweat, and even took a step back. "Chō-Chō. Stay with me here, we can do this," Sarada reassured, sensing her friend's terror. But she had reason. Any rational person could see that this new girl was not normal. What produced the most trepidation was the apathy in her facial expression as she ruthlessly beat down the three students. She hadn't flinched once. Boruto, who stood bewildered on the sidelines noticed this feature as well. It was as if she'd snapped into a different person upon the words 'Hajime'.

A devilish smirk spread to Akua's right ear while everyone accessed her. At that moment Chō-Chō collapsed. She stared into the ground on her hands and knees, her breathing erratic and raspy. Her body was washed in fear induce sweat. Panic set in. Sarada dropped to her knees to try and comfort her, but there was no use. Akua's presence was enough to destroy her will to fight. Sarada's fury intensified. Akua had to be defeated. As the third ranked student in the class, she was more than confident that she could put her in her place. The students Akua had taken down were actually on the lower end of the list. Thus, as each present individual's assessment of Akua was complete, a few other students on the sideline changed their minds.

The next twelve students underneath Sarada in rank—other than Inojin who was rank four and Chō-Chō at rank seven—leapt into the fray, hungry for battle, and each ready to get a piece of Akua for themselves. Most of them were fed up with how composed she was. Others were there mostly due to peer pressure among the class. Iruka was ready to end the match when they entered, but Akua gestured him not to. The girl exhaled when she saw her twelve new opponents, then looked up to face them. "Are you going to come at me one by one like these three," she asked, "or are you going to attack me all at once." The students were silent until one spunky girl spoke up.

"Let's just beat her up already," she declared as she made her way to the front of the group, sprinting towards Akua. Little did the brave girl know that Akua was no longer going on the defensive. Her raven black hair fluttered as she dashed towards the girl, evading her fist punch and driving her left knee into her solar plexus. The girl's body bent over Akua's strike, her feet lifting from the ground. When the knee retracted, her left hand chopped into the back of the girl's neck. She collapsed into the floor behind the relentless violet eyed beast. Akua charged forward to the crowd. They attempted a similar method of attack as the Sarutobi brothers previously. Unfortunately, it was even less successful.

Despite having opponents on all sides, she saw each of their attacks as if they moved in time lapse. Her body shifted, evaded, and jumped by punches and kicks from at least six individuals who were at the vanguard of the assault. Within a split second, her elbow caved a boy's stomach, her knee smashed a girl's nose, and her right hook knocked out another girl's tooth.

"Three down," she said under her breath.

Akua's eyes darted from student to student. She was in the center of chaos. She blocked punches and threw her own, caught legs and tossed them elsewhere. Her intensive taijutsu style allowed her to switch her attack to the next person even before she finished landing a blow on the previous student. Moreover, Akua showed off her acrobatic abilities. She transitioned from her feet to her palms, twisting and sliding them across the ground in an elaborate manner. Her hips swivelled as she used all parts of her legs to strike. Gyrating spin kicks, heels to the chin, knees to the chest, and soles of her sandals to the face. The battle was like a dance to her. Four more bodies fell around her and it became terribly easy to her displeasure. Akua went from her hands, and leaped to straddle the shoulders of a girl. Her thighs smothered the girl's face, causing her to flail blindly. Three of her classmates rushed to help yet, Akua was constantly, not one, but at least two steps ahead of her combatants. She planted her palms into the girl's cranium, and hoisted herself up into a handstand. All three fist converged into the girl's temples and face. As she collapsed, Akua pushed off. In an aerodynamic display, she landed a roundhouse, spinning back hook kick, and another round house in that order by just springing from victim to victim. Four more bodies hit the ground when she landed. The last student approached through the air from behind with a fist loaded for her blind side. Nevertheless, Akua knew he was present, knew exactly where he was. Her right leg wheeled around and the side of her foot sniped him out of mid air. "Twelve."

The first ounce of damage Akua sustained was the bare fist of Sarada firing into her abdomen when she turned to face her. The attack was the only one to catch her by surprise. It was enough to slow Akua down, causing her to step back. But Sarada was persistent. She had it set in her mind that her power far exceeded those beneath and those above her, for she had inherited the intricate chakra control and monstrous strength of her mother, Sakura. Sarada landed several more rattling blows to Akua's body, followed by a sidekick to her diaphragm and a back kick to the chin that whiplashed her head. Inojin and Boruto stood surprised at Sarada's ability. Shikadai was asleep on the floor next to them. Each of Sarada's attacks had Akua falling back for once. The girl was staggering, eyes hidden behind black bangs.

Violet finally broke the darkness behind Akua's hair. Sarada didn't hesitate on her assault, however. Akua met each of Sarada's strikes with the softness of her palms. The sharp sounds of skin coming in vicious contact with skin characterized their rapid combat. Chakra blasted off of Sarada's fists each time they were blocked, resembling a sparring match between Hyuga's. The purple eyed girl sifted around the Uchiha on occasion, forcing her to desperately chase after with punches. It became difficult for Sarada to keep up with the movement.

Every once in awhile, there was an opening in Sarada's defense which was exploited. Each time it was found she was stunned by Akua's heavy punches to her torso. Each time Sarada would swing and miss afterwards. She felt herself wearing out. At one point, Akua spun out of her sight after an attempt to hit her. Black eyes darted around in search of her until Sarada realized that the girl was against her back, turning in the opposite direction as she. Her arm whipped behind but Akua was already above her. The swift girl's leg dropped into Sarada's crossed forearms, the beginning of a brutal offensive.

Akua's feet planted against the dirt after her airborne axe kick had broken Sarada's defense. Her body seemed to flash before the Uchiha. Fists blurred into Sarada's face and body, torturing unpleasant cries from the once confident girl. Akua noticed her dragging air into her lungs, but she herself hadn't broken much of a sweat. And she didn't let up. Sarada would heave in oxygen only to have it knocked out of her seconds later. It was like Akua took pleasure in watching her suffer. It was clear to someone such as Boruto, who watched from afar, that the heat of battle changed her. Perhaps it was the reason he was searching for, as to why he felt intimidated.

Sarada's sluggish movements came to a stop for a moment. She'd finally pulled herself together and was able to lean to the left of Akua's right hook. She bent her right leg then transferred all of her weight to the other. Her left arm curled down with her body as her hips generated the maximum amount of power she could produce in the other fist. When her arm thrusted forward, Akua's left cheek rippled under the brutal force of Sarada's knuckles, transferring through the rest of her face. A small shockwave thundered off upon contact, significant enough to disturb the air. But Akua only stepped back, her head tilted in the direction of the punch. Sarada's fist was still firmly printed into the side of her face. Sarada was confused. That should have sent her flying into next week, she thought to herself. Akua's hair fell back to frame her face after all the energy quelled. With Sarada's fist still pressed against her, she forced her head back to the left steadily.

"Hm. Is… that all you've got?" Akua questioned. She gripped Sarada's wrist and removed it from her face, revealing the damage it did to her skin. Blood trickled down her cheek from a gash. The young Uchiha girl's wrist ground to dust in Akua's hand. Her wail was loud enough to be heard in a half mile radius. "I guess that's to be expected when I decide to take you seriously," she continued, rolling her fingers against the girl's bones. Sarada wanted to crumble, but Akua wouldn't let her. Desperately trying to peel Akua's grasp away, Sarada was met with a low, serious toned voice; unbudging and solid like the vice grip. "I don't think you know what it means to be a shinobi. That's why you won't be able to defeat me."

Akua delivered a similar yet less dramatic punch in the form of her right hook. A tapping fragment of her strength was enough to topple the girl frozen by disbelief. The lenses broke away from her glasses when it hit the floor, followed by her body. Sarada fell on her hands and scraped her knees. Although her vision was less precise, for the first time she noticed the mangled bodies of her classmates around her. It was enough to coerce her lunch to come up and out onto the ground. Strands of her hair fell in her face as she squinted at Akua's eyes. But she was booted to the ground, resulting in her complete falter. "I dislike the way you look at me," Akua scolded. Sarada hadn't been beaten as bad as the other students, but like Chō-Chō, she had lost the will to fight and was ready to pass out. Akua wiped the scratch on her cheek of blood and stepped over the bodies of seventeen unconscious academy students to stand next to Boruto on the side. She turned towards her instructors and waved with a frighteningly pleasant smile.

Naruto Uzumaki stood behind his desk in the Hokage's Mansion, taking in the view of Konoha when he heard a knock on his door. This was probably the shinobi he requested to report to him. "Come in," he said, allowing the person to enter. The sound of the opening door caught Naruto's ears, causing him to turn to see who was coming through it. He was glad to see the head of a middle-aged, silver haired, masked man pop in from the frame of the door before the rest of his body came in.

"Yo, Naruto," greeted his former sensei and predecessor, Kakashi Hatake.

The former Sixth Hokage entered the room. He was accompanied by a young kunoichi. She was chūnin of rank, sporting the new style of Konoha's grass green flak jackets. Underneath was the typical shinobi garb of black clothing and sandals. She wore a standard black forehead protector, and her shaggy black hair framed her face. Naruto immediately recognized her because of the bright, scarlet ripple she had in her eyes. This was Kurenai's daughter, who resembled her mother much so. "What you called me here for isn't too confidential, right? Is Mirai allowed to be here?"

"I suppose," Naruto debated, "You trust her don't you?"

"Of course. She is my aid after all."

"Then she can stay."

"Thank you, Lord Hokage," Mirai said, bowing before closing the door and stepping to the side of the room so that the two adults could talk.

Naruto took a seat behind his desk and rested his back into the chair. He cleared the top of all other work materials and papers. The laptop upon the desk beeped with a new email. The tips of the bandaged fingers on his right hand tapped into the keys and he slid his middle finger along the mouse pad. The mechanisms of the printer at his feet click and clacked to life as a thin sheet emerged from the small tray on the side. Naruto reached down to retrieve it while he gestured his left hand to Kakashi, signalling him to hold a moment before they began. He slid the document along the desk towards Kakashi. It was Akua's completed genin registration form with credentials and photograph included. Kakashi picked the paper up from the worktable, confused as to why his former student was showing him this. "Who is this girl?" Kakashi asked.

"The one I told you about yesterday," replied Naruto. His sensei's eyes widened.

"What? That's impossible, today was supposed to be her first day in the academy," Kakashi exclaimed. Mirai didn't understand what the two men were talking about, so she stayed quiet and listened.

"It's true. She just took out over half of Boruto's class, the top third year class and probably one of the top classes in the academy, all at once about 20 minutes ago. And she did it without virtually a scratch on her. She's incredible."

"We haven't seen anyone like this since… Itachi," the predecessor speculated, "And you think—"

"I'm certain…"

FLASHBACK

When Naruto stamped her document his cellphone rang. It was who he was expecting. Naruto answered the phone.

"Hey, loser," greeted the person over the line.

"It's good to hear from you, Sasuke," Naruto grinned. He hadn't heard his friend's voice for several years.

"Yea, yea, what's the deal. Don't you know I'm busy."

"Yes of course I know. You're investigating the remnants of Kaguya and what she'd been doing before she was sealed. How's that going, anyway?" he questioned. Sasuke's voice over the phone sounded much clearer than what he last remembered. Perhaps he was close by in the land of fire.

"Don't worry about it, it's under control. My leads have gone a little cold but I've figured out how to finally enter Kaguya's dimensions."

"I see. When do you think you'll be back?" Naruto continued.

"I don't know, another year or so maybe. Why, do you miss me, you weirdo?"

"No!" Naruto barked, "Of course not, you mope!"

"I'm hanging up," Sasuke declared.

"Wait!" Naruto stalled.

"Ugh, what is it."

"There's something important that involves you. It just came up earlier today." Naruto leaned back into the couch and held a certain document in his hand.

"What could possibly be more significant than this mission, Naruto."

The Hokage sighed, "Is Sarada your only child, Sasuke?"

"What are you talking about Naruto, of course she is. What's the meaning of this?"

"It's Karin. She came into Konoha earlier today from Kusagakure. She brought a little ten year old girl with her. I'm almost certain that she's—"

"You've gone fucking insane. What's that job done to you?" Naruto could hear Sasuke's frustration over the phone.

"Listen, Sasuke. I'm not accusing you of cheating on Sakura. Sarada is only nine years old. Have you forgotten?" Sasuke was silent. Not only had he forgotten how old his daughter was, he couldn't recall how she looked either.

"No, I haven't," he lied, "what are you trying to say then. That I somehow had sexual relations with Karin before I did anything with Sakura?"

"It's a possibility. Do you remember anything?" Sasuke was silent again, searching his mind, but nothing was coming to him.

"Why are you so certain. What if it's just a misunderstanding because of your idiocy. Did you even ask them? I haven't heard anything from Karin for years either, it makes no sense, Naruto."

"Sasuke, relax. Karin's just about as defensive as you are right now, probably even more, believe me. She won't say a word to me, and the girl probably doesn't know a thing about you either. I'm not saying there's no chance of me being wrong, but I have a feeling and want you to be prepared for this when you return," Naruto said, trying to quell his friend's angst.

"Tch… Have you told anyone of this?"

"No, not yet. I plan on keeping this a secret for awhile. Because if I am right, I wouldn't want Sakura to overreact. You know how she gets." Naruto said as Sasuke sighed over the line. He could hear the movement of his Uchiha friend over some cushioned material. Sasuke was probably laying in bed somewhere, and fell silent for a couple seconds.

"Naruto… if what you're saying is true, what am I supposed to do? How do you expect me to just believe something so… abstract?" Sasuke pressed.

"I don't really have a way for you to believe me, or any proof as of yet. But that girl's chakra doesn't lie. All you have to do is be a father to her, and I can tell it's something she needs."

"You're hallucinating," blurted Sasuke.

"I'm serious," defended Naruto immediately.

"I'm gonna kill you if this is bullshit. And it's definitely bullshit."

"Don—Sasuke!" Naruto fussed. He heard his friend chuckle then hang up the phone. Sasuke always seems to have a way of getting on Naruto's nerves. Little did the Hokage know that his speculation left Sasuke wide awake that night.

END FLASHBACK

Kakashi took a moment to absorb Naruto's tale and his outrageous ideas. Such a far fetched speculation was not beyond his former student. Yet, he did everything except doubt the man. Instead Kakashi conjured methods within his mind as to how he would validate the Hokage's claim. Several ideas surfaced. First, he figured that the simplest way would be to interrogate Karin. This was discarded upon the memory of her previous imprisonment in Konoha during the war. The woman was stubborn and would not tell anyone anything that she did not want them to know. His second idea was through the fiend, Orochimaru. Konoha after the war kept a close eye on this individual after the Fourth Great Shinobi War. Overall, he was an enigma. Kakashi on the other hand was aware of his current experiments with genetics. Perhaps he could detect Akua's relationship to Sasuke, if any. Then again, it would take time to fetch him and he nor his methods were trusted. The thought as to why he was still at large after all of his crimes occurred to him for a split second before he dismissed it. The third and final idea was to try and siphon information out of Akua herself. She was the most accessible person out of the three and probably going to be the most cooperative. Nevertheless, these three ideas did not guarantee an answer and Kakashi was troubled by it.

Naruto observed his former sensei sifting through his mind after he had relayed his conversation with Sasuke to him. He witnessed the shift of Kakashi's facial expression as one of deep thought to one of discontent. It was concluded that Kakashi was trying to discover a quick solution to the problem but failed. Naruto himself started to think. He didn't know why he was so fixated on this topic. Akua by definition was only an immigrant. She was a ten year old from Kusagakure who knew how to hold her own in a fight. But he simply could not shake this gut feeling. He had to know. The only difficulty was the paranoia of not being able to determine anything at all.

"Naruto," Kakashi finally spoke, "I think I can understand where you're coming from but…"

Naruto broke from his deep pondering and gave his predecessor his undivided attention. "What is it?" the Hokage followed up.

"I can't comprehend how she'd be this skilled at such a young age, no matter if what you're saying is true, it just doesn't add up," answered Kakashi.

"That's simple. A few days ago I received a report from Hishiro, one of my ANBU. His team was sent last month to investigate the recent activity of Kusagakure,"—Naruto opened one of his drawers and withdrew the scroll that had been given to him—"and to see what was going on there."

"And this is what they found," Kakashi said, taking the scroll to open and read for himself. His eyes darted up and down, right to left. It was exactly what he would expect from a village's scouting report: Population size, status of the economy, status of shinobi, status of civilians, etc. "What's so special about them, other than the fact that they seem to be in rapid urbanizatio—" Kakashi stopped as he got to the very end of the report. The item that stood out the most was 'The Genesis Program'. Kakashi raised an eyebrow. This wasn't on any of the latest reports he received when he was still in office. "What's the G—"

"The Genesis Program? Well, that's the question of the day is it not? Uh..ehehe, well one of them," Naruto chuckled, scratching his head. "Apparently, it's a top secret development that they have goin' on down there. What bothers me the most is that it's been there for at least thirteen years, and we're just now finding out about it," he frowned.

"Top secret? Do we know what they're doing at all yet?" Kakashi asked.

"Hishiro concluded that it was a training program."

Kakashi's eyes widened in fascination. "What's so secret about that?"

"Well, it seems that they draft children at a very young age, probably as soon as they're able to walk. They're put through gruesome training less than appropriate for their age that steadily increases as they get older. The objective is to season them into brutal killing machines that will replace the old generations of their ninja."

"That's ridiculous!" Kakashi asserted, "How could they do this to children… it's inhumane and absolutely illegal."

"I know it is, but not for them, Sensei. They're trying to fabricate the conditions that shinobi like the First and Second grew up in. The end result is…dangerous. My guess is that Akua was apart of this program at some point before she came here. It's the only reasonable theory."

"That would explain explain her innate skills…" Kakashi considered.

"There's more. Like I said before, this program has been around for more than thirteen years already—"

"So that means the oldest and deadliest of the children are at least thirteen years old. Theoretically, there are more powerful Genesis kids than Akua," Kakashi interjected, finishing the Seventh's sentence.

Naruto nodded.

"This isn't good," Kakashi added. His attendant stood near the door, silent the entire time before she finally voiced herself.

"Lord Sixth, if I may interrupt, why are these children such a danger?" questioned Mirai. The young chunin possessed little knowledge about the warring states period which the two men compared the children too.

"Long story short, Mirai," started Kakashi, "the very best of these kids would probably be able to hold their own against a jonin for awhile."

Mirai gulped down a block in her throat, frightened at his analyzation.

Naruto exhaled a long sigh. "They're going to be a threat to us, and I don't know how to deal with it without starting a god damned war. We can't barg—"

"Naruto, relax. We can deal with that later," Kakashi cut him off, trying to rest the Seventh's active mind, "right now we have to figure out this current situation. Tell the academy to hold on to the girl for me. I want to have a chat with her. She can probably help us."

Naruto was stunned as to how quickly his Sensei was able to come to terms with the situation and take charge. He had always been a rational thinker. Before he knew it, Kakashi was already on his way out the door with Mirai following close behind him.

"Tell your kid's and Hinata I said hi for me too. I haven't seen them for awhile. Oh, and when this is over, I'm going back on vacation," he hunched over with sudden bags under his eyes and furrowed eye brows.

His Sensei's joking exhaustion made him smile.

Kakashi and Mirai made their way to the Academy building as soon as they departed from the mansion. Once there, they entered the main office where they were directed to the room where Akua was being kept. The Sixth didn't hesitate to pick up the pace. The sooner this mystery girl issue was resolved, the sooner Naruto could rest his conscience. Mirai was directly to his side, about one step behind him. She couldn't ascertain what was going through the predecessors mind. Kakashi stared into the direction he walked with his hands filling the space in his pockets. Within a few moments they had arrived to their destination. The two individuals were standing outside a steel door in the basement of the Academy. This floor was where they administered quarterly tests and graduation exams. Despite the dark connotation that the concept of a basement entailed, the Academy's on the contrary was brilliant with fluorescents all along the ceiling. The light refracted off the walls and flooring to reveal pearl tilings.

"Is this where we're supposed to be, sir?" Mirai asked.

"Yes. Stay out here for me will you?"

Mirai nodded, standing guard beside the door as Kakashi entered and closed it behind him.

Compared to the outside, the room had the atmosphere of a morgue. When Kakashi closed the door and turned his head he finally saw her. The girl was sitting on the far side of a long steel table. The clanks of the shutting mechanisms were the only sounds that pierced the silence. Then there was the screeching of Kakashi's chair across the ground. He took a seat, and there was the second screech of the chair sliding forward to comfort himself. Kakashi examined the girl. It was their first encounter in the flesh. She had yet to acknowledge his presence. Her head was held down and her eyes were shadowed by her bangs. Thin arms were laid out straight along the table. The legs were low enough that most of her upper body was visible from the other side. In between her pale hands was a brand new Konoha forehead protector embedded into black elastic cloth. It seemed that between defeating the academy students and Kakashi's arrival she'd been tested and succeeded. It left the Sixth in awe at her rapid development. When Kakashi mustered the urge to speak, he was interrupted.

"Why am I here," Akua announced, demanding an answer. The tone of her voice didn't suggest she was asking a question. "And who are you."

"I'm Kakashi Hatake, the Sixth Hokage," he replied. He was already receiving awkward vibes.

"Oh, it's an honor to meet you, predecessor," Akua said, lifting her head to acknowledge the superior. Amethyst beamed through Kakashi's pupils. A faint, cold sweat rolled down the side of his face, absorbing into his mask. Her expression was abnormally blank and calm. She was in no way shape or form threatened by his status or presence. "My name is—"

"Akua, yes I know," Kakashi interrupted, attempting to regain control of the premature conversation. "I'm just here to talk to you, ask a few questions, if you're willing to answer that is."

"What kind of questions?" Akua asked, raising an eyebrow. Kakashi rested his elbows on the desk and leaned in. His fingers were interlocked in front of his mask.

"Ones that will clear up the suspicion around you. So, let's get to business. You and I at this point are both aware of your exceptional combat ability," Kakashi started. He noticed the muscles in her arm tensing up. "What can you tell me about The Genesis Program?"

Akua's fists clenched at the utterance of the words. "Why do you want to know?"

"Well, I think since you both originate from the same country and you seem to be an intelligent girl, you would know something," Kakashi responded. He examined the mute girl as she sat motionless underneath the dim light.

"You're a very insightful person, sir. What will happen if I cooperate?"

"You gain my trust, and I acknowledge you as a shinobi of Konoha." There was a pause.

"What I'm about to tell you,"—Akua's fingers relaxed as she exhaled—"is a mouth full of confidential information regarding the state of Kusagakure. Specific info that you would not be able to obtain even if you infiltrated the village with your shinobi. May I request something more from you in return, predecessor?"

Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "What would that be?"

"Do you know who Sasuke Uchiha is?"

The Sixth Hokage's reality paused. His heart skipped a beat. His breathing halted for a split second. His eyelids were frozen open. His muscles tensed. She's aware of his existence, maybe I should press this first, he thought. The rest of his bodily functions began to operate. "Yes, I know who he is."

"Then you'll be able to answer my questions about him?"

Kakashi nodded.

"Hm… at last…" she sighed. Her expression completely changed from stern to solemn. Kakashi didn't understand the meaning of her sudden mood shift. That was when the violet light vanished beneath her eyelids.

Akua's eyes were closed. She fell silent again and her body seemed lifeless. Kakashi knew she was still awake, but still was trying to figure out what was going on. "What do you want to know about him?" he asked.

Kakashi saw her eyebrows flinch at the sound of his voice. There was a cold chill that ran down his spine. The air in the room became sharp, almost unbreathable as he sat there. An odd, old, familiar sensation was beginning to manifest. It was chakra. Kakashi's sleeves matted to his arms along with the rest on the garments along his body under the sudden intense pressure. It's ominous current was slapping him in the face. It was like he was in a wind tunnel, a feeling that he had been foreign to for over a decade. "This… chakra… it…" he paused. He couldn't finish his words. Anxiety was lodged into his throat. The girl remained seated, unharmed by the atmosphere shift in the room. There was no doubt in his mind that it was all emanating from her body. How could a ten year old have him speechless and glued to his seat? His inquiry was then resolved. Akua tilted her head up an inch. Her body was animating. Kakashi watched her carefully. But he didn't need to do so, what he saw was crystal clear. Instead of violet, crimson broke through the girl's eyelids, forcing them open. Potent light pierced through the darkness, enough that it seemed it would burn through the walls of the room. Kakashi felt his heart being pulled at in all directions. "It's impossible…" he finally said. But there it was right in front of his face. Clearly, he was not dreaming. The spooling dial of vision that characterized this mutation was unmistakable. Kakashi witnessed not one, not two, but three black magatama spiral into view around the girl's pupils. They floated in the bloody waterbed of her irises. The long lost gleam made him feel completely insignificant. He watched the girl stare aimlessly into a point on the table.

"What is my relationship with him, predecessor?" she asked politely, never daring to look him in the eye.

A/N: The big reveal! I'm sure most of you had already guessed at her identity. Further information on exactly how Akua and her brother came about will be in the next chapter. How will Uchiha family react to this?

The next chapter will be the beginning of Akua's road to the Chunin Exams, bringing her one step closer to her goal. Make sure to follow, favorite, and review if you're enjoying this story! I love to see your reactions and appreciate the feedback.

Also, if you haven't already seen the promo I made for this chapter, there'll be a link at the end of this note as well. I've had trouble with posting the link on my profile itself. Thanks for viewing and see you in two weeks time!

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