NA: I just watched Guardians of the Galaxy… it is AWESOME! BEST MARVEL MOVIE YET! Everything about it was amazing, action, drama, comedy, GROOT. I am Groot.
-Story Start-
The written exam was pathetic, a Forerunner child could answer these all easily, honestly he could not blame these people, standards for Konoha shinobi had drastically dropped ever since the death of his father at the hands of the Kyuubi. All the genin along with Naruto stood there together looking at the man giving them the first part of the test. When he removed his toque revealing his scars, Naruto could not help but frown at the brutality and cruelty the people of this world are capable of.
They simply passed because the decided to stay instead of backing out, that was a sign of faith and courage for these genin.
And then… something unexpected happened…
'INTRODUCING: The Sexy and Single Anko Mitarashi!'
'What in the ancestor's name, was that?' he thought to himself looking at the pathetic sight of an entrance. The woman had purple hair, wearing wire-mesh armor, a sort of skirt and trench coat. He hid behind a chuckle under his cloak. "Alright kids! Welcome to Training Ground Forty-Four! Also known as the Forest of Death!" Anko announced.
Many of the young genin grimaced at the name of the forest, Naruto stayed neutral about the whole thing, honestly the forest itself was beautiful, to think that such beauty held such dangers. "Alright kids, I want you all to sign these waivers." The waivers were just agreements that killing is permitted in this part of the exam. Another barbaric thing, letting children kill children, the Mantle does not permit this.
After signing the waivers Anko grinned once again, "Alright for the next five days you will be in the forest surviving and trying to steal a scroll you need for the one you already have."
"What about food!?" a chubby looking Konoha genin cried out.
"There are plants and fruit trees in the forest, you can also hunt for meat if you want to. Alright kids get going!" with that she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
The genin teams approached their respective places to enter the forest, they all entered in running into the forest, hoping to be done with this quickly.
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Naruto was walking in the forest, observing the plant life. Being taught by a lifeworker Ancilla, he could not help but take samples for him to study, these plants were intriguing. A rustle among the bushes signalled someone was nearby, a crack of a mall branch on the ground says they are nearing him. Out through the bushes was a team of Iwa genin, "Alright, if you know what's good for you, you'll give us your scroll and we won't have to hurt you, too badly."
'Fools.' He said to himself. The Iwa genin did not even bother, they just went for the attack. The lead Iwa shinobi immediately jumped at him with a kunai in hand. Naruto just caught him by the throat with his telekinesis, shocking him and making gasp for air. He threw him to a tree, knocking him out.
The rest of the Iwa team were shocked at the sight, their teammate was being held up in the air by some kind of ability from the cloaked man. "You bastard!" another Iwa genin called out, lunging at him with his sword.
Naruto activated his hard light wrist blades, and sliced the sword in half, using his telekinesis once more, he chocked him to unconsciousness and placed him on the ground. The last one was female, she was frightened, never in her life had she felt so frightened. Naruto just reached his hand, telling her to hand over something. The kunoichi nodded frantically and handed him a heaven scroll… just what he needed. After that he disappeared in a bright blue flash. The Iwa kunoichi widened her eyes even more, that ability looked familiar, like what the greatest enemy of Iwa used during the Third Shinobi War.
The Didact reached tower, his time in the forest was only a mere five hours, he wanted to study the plant life some more. But of course he can do that after the preliminaries. He laid down the earth and heaven scrolls, and poofing into existence was his sister, that's right she was a jonin like their mother. "Onii-chan, I thought you would get here faster."
"Apologies sister, I wanted to study the plant life of this forest, they are fascinating."
Akane pouted, "Mou, onii-chan stop getting distracted! You can study them later!"
"Right, now then, is mother's team done already?" his sister nodded at the question.
"Mhmm, they just arrived half an hour ago."
The Didact smiled and nodded, "That's good, now then we should go and meet them."
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"Sochi, I thought you be here a lot quicker, did something hold you back in the forest?" Kushina asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No mother, I was simply fascinated by the plant life of this forest. Being raised by a lifeworker Ancilla does that to you. The samples I have taken are quite fascinating." He held out a vial of some plants that had regenerating properties.
Kushina's genin team, here was probably the most powerful man in existence, and he is easily fascinated by plants. It was an all-female genin team as well, it impressed Naruto. Female in Forerunner society were highly respected, but here in this world, it was conflicting, many of them viewed as objects and property for the men to use as breeding tools.
The mother chuckled, it cannot be helped. Her son is a knowledge seeker as well as a military commander after all. She cannot wait for her son to show this village what he can do. Plus she has eighteen years to make up for him.
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An incident in the forest had occurred; apparently a man by the name of Orochimaru attacked one of the genins and placed a mark on the boy's neck. The Sandaime decided to go on with the exams, not wanting to make the village look weak. The fool he was, prioritizing reputation over the safety of his people.
Due to the large number of genins this exam, they had to do preliminaries. Kushina's genin team faced off against Kumo shinobi. All three were kenjutsu specialist thanks to Kushina. Mariko was the medic of the team, while Hikage and Mitoko where the hard hitters. All having red hair as they were from the Uzumaki clan. It was an easy win for the three of them, Kumo also had sword users but they were clearly the better ones.
Sasuke Uchiha who had been marked earlier insisted that he continue on with the exams. He faced Yoroi Akudo, a fellow Konoha shinobi. The march started when started draining the Uchiha's chakra. Because of the seal on Sasuke, he could not use any chakra based techniques. He was at a disadvantage. Using taijutsu instead, he had to copy a technique from one of his fellow rookies, throwing his opponent into the air and then slamming him onto the ground, gaining him victory in the end.
The next matches were impressive, a sound shinobi against a Konoha shinobi who used insects. That intrigued Naruto, to be able to use insects and control them at will. Another match was with a puppet user from Suna. He used chakra strings to control the heavily armed puppets. The next match after that was pathetic, two girls who were practically fan-girls to the Uchiha boy fought, in the end they knocked each other out, barring them from moving onwards to the finals.
Now came Naruto's turn. The people were confused at the name though.
'Fury of Eternal Maelstrom VS Kiba Inuzuka.'
"Yahoo we have an easy win Akamaru!" the dog boy declared, earning a bark of agreement from the puppy.
Akane snorted, this boy was an idiot. The Didact simply walked down the arena casually. Kiba laughed, "You are so going down!"
"Are you two ready?" the proctor Genma asked the two.
"Oh yeah!" Kiba roared.
Naruto just nodded, still wearing his cloak.
"Very well then… begin!"
Akamaru immediately transformed into Kiba, the two of them charged at the Didact, only for their attacks to be blocked effortlessly. "What!?" Kiba was a bit stunned, he thought he would have an easy win. He was immediately back-handed by the Didact. Using his telekinesis, he picked up a chunk of concrete from the floor, and threw it at the two, still being dazed by the back-hand. They were immediately knocked out as Akamaru transformed back into dog form. Kiba's sensei Kurenai went down to check on her student, glaring at Naruto.
"Was that really necessary to beat him like that!?"
"Pathetic, your student is pathetic to have underestimated me. And for that he paid the price. Do not worry, he is not dead." With that he walked back up into the platform. Kurenai grit her teeth, Genma placed a hand on her shoulder and shook his head. She then carried him into the infirmary.
The next match was a family feud, Hinata and Neji of the Hyuga clan. It appears there were two branches of the family. The main and the branch houses. The branch houses were subjugated by having a seal on their forehead that when activated, it gives them immense pain. Naruto frowned at this, no one should be subjugated like slaves. They had a bloodline ability that gives a 360 degree view of their surroundings.
The match went poorly for the girl, being psychologically assaulted by her cousin. It was then that she found strength in herself and begun her attack. They were equally matched in terms of hand to hand combat. Dodging and striking at each other, but in the end Neji gained the upper hand by striking her arms and rendering immobile. He tried to kill her but was stopped by multiple Konoha jonin, because of the interference Neji gained the victory by default.
"That was just horrible." Akane muttered, Kushina and Naruto nodded in agreement.
"Indeed, to think their clan could be so cruel, especially to Hinata, she seems like a sweet girl." Kushina replied.
"Dishonorable is what their clan is, they care more about reputation than family, I can tell Hinata is being pressured and ridiculed by her clan for having a gentle and kind hearted soul." The Didact said, "That boy tried to kill his own blood, that is unforgiveable, in Forerunner society that would not go unpunished."
"Easy onii-chan, we don't want you doing something right now." Akane reminded him, Naruto just smirked.
"I know, I just hope that I get to face him in the finals."
The last match went badly. A boy by the name Rock Lee got his legs crushed by the Suna shinobi who seemed to love bloodshed. He tried to kill him even after the match ended, luckily Lee's sensei blocked the attack. Gaara asked why he protected him, only for Guy to reply that Lee is someone precious to him. Naruto growled at the Suna shinobi, that boy was a Jinchuruki like him.
All the genins that won picked numbers on who would they be facing. Naruto grinned and got his wish.
Fury of Eternal Maelstrom vs Neju Hyuga
Uchiha Sasuke vs Gaara no Sabaku
Kankuro no Sabaku vs Shino Aburame
Temari no Sabaku vs Shikamaru Nara
Akane chuckled, "Onii-chan got what he wished for."
Kushina laughed, "That Hyuga won't know what hit him."
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All genin teams were given a month to train and prepare. Shion finally arrived at Konoha and was given a royal welcome by the Sandaime and Naruto himself. Hiruzen was shocked that she was Naruto's wife to be. The old man had been trying hard to get Naruto to stay in Konoha, but it just got harder with Shion in the mix, she is a princess, the next in line to lead the Land of Demons. There were rumours that white demons had sworn loyalty to the Priestess and the Princess. If these rumours were true, it would be catastrophic if Shion were killed.
Shion, Kushina and Akane were enjoying their bath in the local hot springs. Naruto was standing guard somewhere outside, when it came to his lover bathing in a public bath, he was paranoid. He did not show it but Shion could tell it made him uneasy.
"Is he really that paranoid?" Akane asked her future sister-in-law, enjoying herself in the warm waters. The princess sighed.
"You have no idea, I was in a public once, and an assassin came after me. Naruto of course dealt with him personally, but after that he would always feel uneasy. Especially here in Konoha knowing that their council knows that I am his fiancé, I have no doubt that someone would be out for my life. That Danzo person, I have a feeling he is more than what he seems to be."
Kushina nodded, "I never liked him, the day he found out I was pregnant with the twins, he forcefully tried to convince to give them to him after I give birth, he still has his ROOT active I just know it. Well at least with him standing guard along with his Prometheans, I don't think we really have to worry."
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The Novi-Didact was patrolling around the hot springs, his Prometheans and the other Forerunner warrior-servants still alive after their empire's downfall were standing guard. They swore loyalty to their new home, and they would be damned if they let that be destroyed as well. Loyalty is important in Forerunner society. Unlike the Prometheans who were loyal to madman Ur-Didact, these were loyal to the late Librarian and the Iso-Didact.
Naruto patrolled around the area when he spotted a white haired man sitting on a tree branch, he pulled him down with his telekinesis, making a loud yelp. "What do you think you're doing huh!? Can't you see I was enjoying my paradise!?"
"You were peeking on my fiancé, my mother and sister." He activated his hard light sword. A double edged blade made of pure light. "Unforgiveable."
A few seconds later multiple Prometheans teleported into the vicinity, LightRifles and Suppressors at the ready. "You have violated her highness and the Didact's family." A Promethean officer said as he pointed his Boltshot at the pervert.
"Woah now guys, I can explain!" the white haired man began to panic, waving his arms like a fool. The three women walked out wearing nothing but towels.
Two warrior-servants carried extra towels and covered them even more, "My ladies please, you are both indecent right now. Please return to the hot springs, we will deal with him."
"No…" Kushina said sternly, turning to the white haired pervert. "It's been a while Jiraiya, I should have known that you would go ahead and peep on us while we bathe."
"I was giving you three a compliment!" the man named Jiraiya tried to justify his actions. The Prometheans and warrior-servants growled and pointed their hard light weaponry at the man.
The Didact on the other hand, was furious. "You dare…"
"Wait, wait, wait! Don't do something you will regret young man!"
Kushina scoffed, "Jiraiya, that young man, is Naruto, your godson."
"What!?" Naruto hissed, "You are telling me this pathetic excuse for a man is my godfather!?"
Jiraiya's eyes were bugging out, "N-Naruto, wow you grew!" the next thing he saw was a fist coming from his godson, and everything went black.
NA: Yep that's Jiraiya for you. The Prometheans and other warrior-servants are living breathing Forerunners. They were the ones who were loyal to the Librarian during the Forerunner-Flood war and did not go through the composition of turning into Knights. There are a few Promethean Knights among their ranks as they were turned loyal by the Librarian after she imprisoned her husband.
Naruto in himself is a Forerunner in a way thanks to the genetic engineering from Guarding Light during his time growing up. It will be explained in the next chapter.
See you all later!