Chapter 4: It's Not Proper Training if There Isn't a Chance You'll Die
Alternatively Titled: "It's a good kind of sore." "…You cut my arm off." "Builds character."
A/N: Hullo again! This chapter is a lot more adventurous in the happenings since I feel like I copped out with the battle on the bridge so expect more fight scenes and bit more explanation on Team Seven's power growth. The actual scale I put in for how Shinobi rank is more for my benefit since it gives me flexibility with how ridiculous characters are in terms of strength. Sorry I didn't keep my word though. Chapter 5 will be started from scratch soon but the content should be pretty hefty. In the mean time enjoy!
Disclaimer: All together now! I don't own either Tokyo Ghoul or Naruto. Plus Ultra(Tears)!
Naruto stood across from Haku who was fiddling with her new Konoha head band. Zabuza was already back at their new apartment, shared in the same building as Naruto's new apartment. Predictably, Hiruzen had nearly needed medical attention for the sheer amount of stress Naruto had given him when he kicked down the office door with an A-Rank Nuke Nin and the last of the nigh extinct Yuki clan in tow. Hiruzen hadn't even bother. The papers had been pulled up, signed, stamped, and pushed through at record speed. He'd claimed that Naruto (as an honorary member of the T&I Division) could vouch for them. He'd beaned Naruto in the head with their new Hitai-ates, pulled a large bottle of Sake out from his desk, and kicked his feet up. He dismissed Team Seven with a pleasant, "Y'all are getting an A-Rank pay now get out. And Naruto? Cause more trouble for me and I'll ensure you never leave the village again."
Naruto being Naruto snapped a sharp salute, chirped a cheerful, "Aye Sir!", and jumped through his recently replaced window.
Team Seven plus Zabuza and Haku beat a hasty retreat when the Sandaime started breathing flames (literally) and only Haku was ballsy enough (ironic since, you know, girl and all.) to jump out the remains of the window after the Naruto. The blonde's cackling was heard village wide.
Now he and Haku were facing off again, mostly because Naruto didn't get a chance to go all out besides his battle with Zabuza, Kakashi was late as usual, Sasuke was burning through the notes he'd made about Advanced Elemental Manipulation, and Sakura was on her 600th push up with a boulder twice her size resting on her shoulders with no sign of slowing down. So Naruto opted to fight Haku.
"Hajime", Sasuke's intonation set them off and a split second later Naruto and Haku clashed. Fist met elbow block and off hand turned into a palm strike. Palm strike redirected with knife hand chop, transitions into a simultaneous High/Low blow. Both are blocked and caught before a rotating jump picked her up off her feet into a throw. Half a somersault let's her land feet first, sliding and twisting on her back into a rising double kick, using their locked arms to pull him in. A jump and full somersault sends him over her kick, arms straight once more and behind her. Releasing her arms and sliding into a low sweep, dodged with a kip-up into handstand and rotating kick. Momentum arrested with a caught foot while lashing out at undefended midsection. A nimble twist puts Haku at Naruto's flank where an elbow collapses his knee and drops him before the free leg comes in at an over head axe.
Naruto does the unorthodox and falls on his back, catching the kick with his own leg before rolling into a flair that sweeps Haku's arms sending her to her back. Naruto joins her an instant later when Senbon threaten to skewer him. From there short jabs, blocks, and punches are exchanged with the odd knee and kick in the middle of their tussle. Both hell bent on abusing the lack of profile their prone forms provided making hits difficult to land and easy to block. At least until Naruto catches Haku's palm strike and uses it for an impromptu Snake Seal. There's a puff of smoke and Haku rolls away and to her feet now facing down two blondes instead of one. She already knows she can't face them both and unrolls a scroll at her feet. Keeping them back with thrown weapons she stomps on it, letting a well of water spout from it and provide her with a much needed terrain advantage. Naruto isn't so keen on letting her abuse it, an Ikkotsu shatters the ground nearest him siphoning some of the water away. This only means that Haku's Sensatsu Suisho forms further away and less numerous rather than not at all. The barrage quickly claims his clone after Naruto uses it as a spring board to safety and twists, hands locked in a Ram Seal. His right fist ignited with sparks that intensified into crackling electricity, "Raiton Dan: Ibuki!" the projectile lightning bolt rammed into dry ground. The water he'd been hoping to conduct it through now surrounded him on all sides.
"Hyoton Hijutsu: Makyo Hyoshou"
Haku's image appeared in every mirror, a split-second later Naruto's Kakugan flared to life and his 'tails' burst forth the blossom at the end already sporting the twisted spire of RC Cells. Naruto's stance immediately became more feral, his tails spiraled around him. A second later Haku launches her assault and Chakra flares on his limbs. Naruto spun up into a rotating dome of tearing fangs. There was a rapid fire set of clangs before the barrage let up and Naruto came to a standstill. At least 50 Senbon hand found their way into Naruto's body and extremities while Haku's Kimono was shredded. Naruto was a porcupine, Haku looked like she'd tackle hugged a belt sander.
The temperature dropped rapidly and frost started to crawl over the ground, Naruto's chakra flared his shirt shredded as two insectoid red 'wings' sprouted out of his shoulder blades and his tails multiplied to four. Haku wasn't having it. When it started snowing Naruto knew it was time to push limits. His wings multiplied to four, the joints connecting to his shoulders turned black. They framed the bottom half of the limbs in a crescent moon with a single black 'eye' each radiating pulsing veins into the wings them self. Then four more tails slithered out. Segmented Red plates with the same black 'eye' spot separated by flexible Black 'muscle'. The outside edge of each segment holding a single shark like tooth and the end of each tail terminated in a curved blade that strongly resembled half of a Earwig's pincer. Except glowing red and sharp as a nightmare.
The skin around Naruto's neck was starting to turn black as well, inching up his face as the veins around his eyes broadened, it was almost as if a mask was forming around his eyes…
Sasuke and Sakura had to beat a hasty retreat already watching in fascination as the two titans clashed. They spoke simultaneously.
""Try not to die!""
Spears of ice materialized out of falling snow only to be shredded by bladed tails, mirrors formed in intermittent area only to be pierced though by feathered tails. Senbon were stopped short by twisting and extending wings. Spearing tails were frozen solid and immobilized only to be freed by bladed ones. Wings were shackled by chains of permafrost only to be strained then snapped by crushing blows. Maces and Hammers of ice fell from the heavens. Great gouts of flame fueled by harsh tearing winds blasted them to shards that quickly formed into more ice spears that shattered on impact with chakra charged wings.
"SOKOTSU!"
"OCHIRŪ KŌRI RYU!"
Twin fists clashed with diving ice dragon and the clearing exploded under the force of the colliding blows. When the air cleared and they could see again, Naruto was buried upside down up to his knees in snow while Haku was embedded in a tree.
"…Draw?" came the blonde's voice.
Haku let out a hacking cough and spat blood from where she'd bitten the inside of her cheek. Or lost a tooth. It could be either with the way her head was ringing.
"Draw." She confirmed. There was muted sloshing before Naruto popped out of the snow back. Wings and tails trailed idly behind him, only becoming active again to help him balance and anchor himself as he broke the upper half of the tree Haku was trapped in off. Hauling it over his shoulders and to the ground, the tree cracked on impact with the hard, flash-frozen earth. Only when Haku was back on stable feet did Naruto let his Kagune recede along with his Kakugan.
He smiled at Haku, "Hey, good match."
Haku tittered, "The same to you as well Uzumaki-kun."
Naruto groaned, "It's Naruto! Na-Ru-To~! None of this Uzumaki crap!"
Haku only fluttered her eyes, "As you say Uzumaki-kun."
Naruto's blank expression lasted long enough to flick her in the forehead. Before she could recover there was a light chop that bent her over at the waist.
"Itai~"
"Don't be cheeky Haku, I'll have to punish you otherwise."
She pouted at him, "Mou~ Naru-kun is a meanie."
His eye twitched, "If Ayame doesn't stop spreading that nickname I'll burn her reading stash."
Across Konoha, a certain brown-haired waitress felt shivers crawl up her spine. She made a special note to be extra nice to Naruto in the coming days.
But that was neither here nor there. What was here, was Kakashi, giving a completely bland look at the ruined training ground.
"You do realize Kurenai will never let us borrow her training ground again right?"
Naruto only shrugged, "Serves you right for not being here to supervise. Besides! Couple of Earth Jutsu and the place will be spick and span!"
Kakashi's visible eyebrow raised, "And the ice?"
Naruto pointed at Haku who had already gathered the majority of the ice above he scroll and sealed it away. Kakashi pinched the bridge of his nose but waved for them to fall in regardless.
"I have some important news. Haku this doesn't apply to you but I want you to listen in since I get the feeling you'll be asked for help a lot." The three Genin and single Chunin ("It's not fair-ttebayo! The hell old man?!") paid rapt attention. "The Chunin exams are coming up in about a Month and a half and I feel like you guys are more than ready. Sakura can crush steel with her chakra enhanced strength, though I'm not sure if I'm more happy or terrified," Sakura flashed a V-for Victory and flexed, "Sasuke, between the studying you do with Naruto and straight talent you're on the way to being one of the strongest Genin we've had since the last Generation of Miracles. Naruto. You've adapted well to having your entire life get turned on it's head and have made leaps and bound in progress not just through Shadow Clones but genuine dedication and hard work. You've all improved drastically from the naïve brats I picked up at the start of this who only worked together because the alternative was humiliation. Now you move as a team, work as a team, fight as a team, and improve as a team because you want to. And that makes me incredibly proud."
Kakashi's eye-smile was so genuine none of Team Seven could meet his eyes. They all looked way bashfully, blushing lightly at such high praise from their usually apathetic sensei.
"But you aren't quite Chunin yet. At least not to me. I want you all at least hovering around High Chunin to Low Jonin by the time we start because Log knows these exams can mean disaster at the worst time. It is expected although not encouraged for competitors to kill one another in these exams so we'll be kicking it up quite a bit. Naruto, you've gotten the hang of your position as a Ninjutsu Savant, but you've only maintained your skill as a Taijutsu user when you've clearly shown just as much promise in that field as your preferred one. Sakura you face the exact opposite problem. Where your brief training sessions with Tsunade see you improve leaps and bounds as a budding Nin-Taijutsu user, your insane chakra control and photographic memory means that you have the makings of a legendary Genjutsu user but haven't touched the subject in favor of basic medical training. That's not a bad thing but your ability to memorize details means you could trap an enemy in an illusion so life like and realistic they'd never know they'd been tagged. Not to mention control like that means you can double and triple layer Genjutsu with far less trouble than others who would have to dedicate years to accomplish the same. Sasuke you are the most well balanced of the team but that doesn't give you a specialization like your teammates to overwhelm your opponents with."
Kakashi met each Genin's determined gaze, "The focus for the next month and a half will be polishing your already established preferences, while we improve and shore up your short-comings. Sakura, congratulations. You now have enough Chakra to make 5 Shadow Clones. Though with your ability to take in information I'd only recommend 3 at most before you overload your brain and slam yourself into a coma. Naruto, your first order of business will be to teach her how, then she'll be helping me hammer Taijustu forms and technique into your head while your clones polish up your Ninjutsu. Will you have Shakuton finalized by the time the exams roll around?" Naruto made a more-or-less gesture and Kakashi nodded. "Then ensure you have the basics of it down and set it aside, you've shown enough control and speed that I can pass on the few Yoton techniques I've copied over time to you as well. Finally Sasuke. Your Fire affinity frankly terrifies me, so I'm giving you clearance to upgrade to B-Rank Fire Techniques and low grade A-Ranks. You know your Chakra capacity, don't over do it. Your Lightning style gets the same pass but no A-Ranks unless absolutely necessary. I have one I want to pass down to the three of you seeing as none of you have any issues with Raiton while Sasuke might get more since he'll need them. Finally we'll polish up your Taijusu training with high yield speed and strength training. Expect to forget what it feels like to not be sore for a while. Haku, these kids of mine are exceptional, no doubt, but they don't have experience. I asked a favor," a massive cleaver flew through the air and was once more caught. This time by Sakura who grinned at Zabuza's impressed look, "And Zabuza has agreed to help out as well. I had to promise him a couple more fights with you Naruto so I hope you don't mind taking the brunt of the punishment."
Naruto rolled his eyes, "As long as he doesn't cut my arm off again."
Zabuza smirked and shrugged, "Said it once I'll say it again brat, a little dismemberment builds character."
Naruto's Kaugan flashed and a manic grin blossomed on his face, "Hold still then. Let me help you 'Build some Character' Zabu-tan."
Killing-Intent flared off the Ex-Missing Nin as lightning flashed between the two.
They broke off he stare down with shared scoffs.
Kakashi just eye-smiled, "Well then let's get to it!"
Team Seven frowned, "Right now?"
Kakashi pulled a kunai and lifted his headband revealing a whirling Sharingan.
"Yup! No time to waste and all that! And like Haku said," they shared a worried gulp as his eyes glinted menacingly, "Try not to die!"
Team Seven succeeded, but sometimes it was a bit too close for comfort.
"You back again? Brat?"
"Honestly Ibiki you need a new line. Every time I walk in here it's always the same thing!" Naruto made a visible but accurate impression of Ibiki's gruff expression and equally gruff tone, "'Back again? Brat?' and then Crazy Snake Lady will tackle hug me while screaming about her favorite Gaki."
Ibiki raised a brow. "She has today off."
Naruto squinted at Ibiki, "You really think that'll stop her? Oy, Ibiki ya better be careful old age is starting to take off with your mind."
Ibiki scoffed, "I'm only 27." He sweat-dropped at Naruto's dumbstruck visage, "It's not that surprising, is it?"
Naruto only nodded, "It's cause you frown like an old man whose wife is nagging at him for inane things but can't say anything about it otherwise she'll smack him with a ladle or Log forbid a frying pan."
At the Nara Household
Nara Shikaku sneezed violently 'What a pain!'
"Skikaku are to listening to me! I'm telling you that the deer population needs cataloguing again because the profits for the antlers we sell fell 230ryo last month! Oy! Shikaku!"
He made the mistake of yawning.
CLANG! CLONG! BONG! CRACK!
Nara Yoshino stomped away from her insensate husband with a heavily dented frying pan in hand.
"Maybe if you'd stop frowning so much it wouldn't be so-BLERGH!"
Naruto was bowled over by a brown and tan blur before it revealed Mitarashi Anko standing with the blonde cuddled to her chest.
"Snuggle~ Snuggle~ My favorite Gaki came by to play! How ya been Gaki! Yu-chan keeps buggin' me cause she hasn't seen you in too long!"
She pulled his face from her cleavage long enough for him to breath before she buried him back.
"Mou~ You've gotten so tall and strong! Where'd all these muscles come from?! Anko-neechan is worried now! You're growing up too fast! What's a girl to do when her little brother moves off into the world and leaves her behind! Poor Anko-neechan is gonna get left by the roadside without any hugs or love anymore~ Buu~!"
Ibiki was having a mild breakdown. They were 4 stories underground where the hell had she come from. Anko was pouting and despite knowing that the blonde and Anko were on good terms there was nothing that ever said they got on this well.
"Anko he needs air."
"Eh? Oh, hello Ibiki-sempai."
Naruto took grateful lungfuls of air while he had the chance. He managed to turn so he could face Ibiki while Anko snuggled him her chest. At least this way he could breath. Though he doubted he looked very dignified with the Tokubetsu Jonin draped over him with her cheek smooshed against his head. He gave Ibiki a bland look, "See what I mean?"
Ibiki ignored Anko's cheery 'Naru-tan came to visit! Anko-neechan happy~!' and gave the blonde a sympathetic grimace.
"Anywho, you here to earn some cash or are ya here for a meal supply?"
Naruto kept pace with he man, even with Anko clinging to him like a limpet, "Mostly the latter and possibly the prior if I can get a quick snack out of it."
Ibiki nodded and led the way, he had the perfect subjects for the blond to tackle.
oOoOOooOooOOoOo
Naruto walked into the interrogation room, two people with strange music note headbands sneered at him. Naruto paid them no mind as he set a chair with the back facing them and straddled it lazily.
He only eyed them briefly before sighing, they'd probably take forever to break. He hoped thy didn't push him too far.
"Hullo you poor unfortunate bastards. I'll be your interrogator today, though, I should warn you ahead of time I have no intention of torturing you. What I will do, will however be excruciatingly painful and traumatizing. If you'd rather stay in one piece and not mentally broken through the sheer amount of pain you'll experience spill your proverbial guts and your literal ones will stay inside you."
They stared. Then they started laughing. Naruto only sighed, "It's idiots like you that suffer for no particular reason and end up blubbering messes in the end", he pulled his jacket off, "Don't say I didn't give you a chance."
The first returned to sneering, "You think we're scared of a brat that talks big! HA! If this was supposed to be a scare tactic it's failing miserably!"
The second one only nodded.
Naruto simply joined in the nodding, confusing them. "Understandable except you're both idiots that don't think. Scare tactic? No, I'm just unique. See I could be Jonin in rank and I'd still not be let down here due to my age. The issue is that I have a very unique body disposition. The shortest version is that I eat people," they blanched but held up a brave front, "And despite living people tasting better than dead I prefer the latter because of how my body chemistry interacts with regular people."
Without warning he was at the second's back and sinking his teeth into and through his clavicle.
The man's screams were vehement but Naruto didn't stop till there was a brutal 'Crack!' and with a squelch he tore a bite out of the man. His screaming intensified, his body thrashing in protests as liquid fire roared though his body. His chakra was spiking all over the place, his pain receptors firing in overdrive. Naruto turned the man so his partner could see the hole he'd bitten into his shoulder, the shattered and fragmented end of the left over bone near his neck and the curious lack of blood despite how hard the man was screaming and flailing.
Naruto gagged the man to muffle the frantic screaming. "See, my saliva has a couple unique chemicals in it. The first is a powerful coagulant so live prey doesn't bleed out before I let them", the man whimpered a the sound of the brutal crunching Naruto put out before swallowing his comrades fucking shoulder with a satisfied gulp, "the second is that it heightens adrenaline and chakra flow which is very important. See your body has cells separate to your blood cells that are sourced in your bone marrow called RC Cells. They produce, distribute, and generally aide your body in any given chakra related matter you can think of. They also taste amazing when the body goes into panic mode. The second thing my saliva does to help that is attack your nervous system and make everything you feel about a hundred times more potent. For example," Naruto flung a dart into he other man's arm. He watched as the liquid in the glass bulb drained into his arm. Suddenly the wood against his forearm was too rough. The ropes binding him felt like they were squeezing his bones and the cold on his skin burned like frost bite.
Horrified he looked up at the blonde who was licking his partners blood clean from his lips. His partner was whimpering pitifully, tears poured out of his eyes as he pleaded with him to just start talking.
"Now then. I'm going to take four more bites out of this guy since neither of you will talk. Then you get another chance to spill. "
"MMMPH! PPWWFFFF! NNNNH! MMMmMMM! PWWWFF! MM ALK! MMALK!"
His partner's begging clearly conveyed his willingness to talk but the blonde ignored him, sighing plaintively. He flicked the not-chewed man on the forearm. It felt like molten metal was being poured into his veins while his bones were ground to dust.
"Always a shame when they refuse to talk. Log knows all that chakra and adrenaline won't let you just black out. Oh well, I'll just go slowly to make sure your hearts don't give out before you talk. Just remember mister" he patted the man he'd taken a bite out of comfortingly before removing the gag, "four more bites till you get another chance to talk."
"PLEASE! PLEASE I'LL TALK! PLEASE PLEASEPLEASEPLEASEPLEASE-" CRUNCHCHEWSQUEALCH! "-ARRRRRGGGGGHHHH NONONONONOPLEASEI'MSORRYI'LLTALK!" STRETCHCHEWRIP!
The man's screams had gone silent, blood was spurting from his throat from the sheer force behind his pain. Naruto chewed slowly, being careful to not let a single morsel slip past his lips as the other occupant stared in horror as his partner was eaten alive.
Naruto gulped down the latest bite, "Oh boy, ya pretty tasty ya know!" he continued to ignore the man's sobbing, "I might not be able to hold myself to only four bites-" "PLEASE NO MORE I'LL TALK-MMPH!" Naruto muffled him and made a shushing motion, "Don't worry. I'll be nice. Any extra bites I want I'll take out of your partner instead. That said you have some nice arms. Right handed? Looks well trained and favored? Welp, I'll just help myself then." the man's muffled whimpers intensified while he shot a look over at the other subject.
"And don't worry," a bloody smile on an otherwise radiantly pleasant face made all the color leave the man, "I'll be sure to treat you well when I get to you. Now where was I? Right! Three more bites for you! Like I said, don't blame me too much I did give you a chance to talk. Oh! And a quick trick I learned as well. Count backwards from a thousand by sevens. It'll help you not go crazy. And if you don't…well…I'll just have to take more bites until you comply now won't I?"
Naruto lowered his elongated canines to man's upper arm, purposefully ignoring the muffled screams and bit down.
"Thanks for the meal."
CRUNCH
"…You sure you won't go out with me?"
"Yes Anko I'm sure. So Mochi-saru-" ("It's Orochimaru.") "-is the leader of Sound and has some plans for Konoha eh? Nothing we can really infer besides that he's looking for holes in our defenses. Need to find more of these chumps to question. Ya don't think he's right and that Suna will really agree to this madness right? Even if they are sinking financially they have to know that succeed or fail they'll paint themselves as backstabbers right? Let's not forget that Konoha might be lax but it's sill one of the Great Five and they'll incur more losses than they can afford even with Sound's help! They'll end up sitting ducks for Kumo and Iwa, those two have teamed up for much less than this. If the temptation to smush one of the Great Five doesn't drag those two into an alliance I'll eat my Kunai."
Ibiki and Anko resolved themselves to keep an ear out for anything of the like, "I have to tell the Hokage and gather the Jonin. Jiraiya has heard some whispers but none of them gave us solid proof of enemy movement. This however is more than enough." Ibiki stroked his chin while the medics patched the two sobbing men up. Naruto had been true to his word, he'd only taken a few bites from each. Just enough that they were truthful and complacent as well as eager to share anything and everything they could to be kept far, far, far away from the blonde. "I'll head out now. Anko and you have free reign while I'm gone. Naruto, do your best to make sure she doesn't cause too much trouble."
Naruto shrugged and hid a devious smile while Anko clung to his shoulders, "Ah…Dunno if I'll be able to do that. See Ichiraku has turned into a café to help me out so their coffee has gotten them pretty popular along with the little sandwiches and deserts they make. Was gonna go get myself a slice of tiramisu," Anko's eyes widened, "slathered with chocolate sauce," her pupils dilated, "and then a nice warm cup of blonde roast. They figured out a way to brew some lovely flavors into the coffee without killing the taste for me same with some of their other coffee based dishes. Thank Log for Tsunade's chemical knowledge. But Oh well, if Anko wants to stay-" she was suddenly out the door and up the stairs, the fading echo of her voice all that remained 'Meet me there Naru-tan!'
Ibiki put palm to face, "You've trained her. Joy."
Naruto only snickered, "Not really. Just figured out how to tempt her into doing what I want while she still thinks it was her idea. Besides, my particular brand of training involves leather collars, handcuffs, and a vibrator."
Ibiki choked, Naruto's cackling ringing in his ear as the blonde trotted off, "Kakashi should never have let you read his books…"
Team 8 was treated to the sight of Uzuki Yugao and Mitarashi Anko sandwiching Naruto between them as they sat at a booth in the newly renovated Café Ichiraku. Naruto, despite his exasperated countenance, was smiling happily and sipping his steaming mug watching as Yugao tried and failed to hide her snickers at whatever animated story Anko was telling. Flailing arms, exaggerated expressions, and mock accents included. As they got closer the conversation was starting to get clearer, "…And the idiot thinks blondie over here ain't worth his time! Bastard grabs me and before I can even be bothered Naruto's already thrown him out he front doors! Poor kid was so drunk I don't think he even remembers clinging to me afterwards," She put on the most adorable pout possible and made fake whiskers with her fingers, "'NO! MINE! Get your own Anko-chan. Dis one mine!' IT WAS SO FUCKING CUTE!"
Yugao was laughing full out now while Naruto only blushed and sheepishly scratched the back of his head, "Yeah, despite how much Tsunade insists I'm steering clear of sake. We don't need any repeats of that incident."
"Hey girls how's it going. Naruto, keeping well?"
All three heads turned to Team 8 as they came up to the shop window Naruto and company sat by.
Anko, predictably, waved cheerily and chirped her greeting while Yugao was far more composed and formal. Naruto…well…he was Naruto.
Eye-smiling and raising a single hand, "Yo. Minna, how've ya been? Everyone get fleas from Kiba yet or did you manage to pre-empt him with a bath?"
Everyone save Shino and the Canine Ninja snickered at that. The boy in question blushed hotly. "It was one time ya blonde bastard! Let it go already!" Naruto only chuckled, letting his relaxed expression become more openly pleasant.
"Seriously, how ya been Kiba, Shino, Hinata? Giving Kurenai a run for her money or are ya being well behaved? Hinata train you all properly?"
Shino adjusted his glasses, "That's Kurenai-sensei Uzumaki-san," Naruto just shrugged, "And we are well. Kiba has thankfully not contracted fleas again," 'Hey!' "while we are improving steadily. Hinata has gotten faster and stronger while Kiba and Akamaru have started to make themselves into a powerful team of bruisers. Their direct assaults have become far more accurate and debilitating. I have improved upon my own Taijutsu and my hives have more than doubled. How are you and your team, Uzumaki-san?"
Naruto paid his bill and waved goodbye to the Yugao and Anko, joining up with Team 8 as they walked towards the Hokage Tower for their next mission.
"We've been good. Sasuke's finally managed to cool his ego" 'Seriously?! Holy Shit it's a miracle!' "and his Justu repertoire is growing steadily between the Uchiha library and Kakashi-sensei. Sakura's got her head on straight finally. She slugs mighty hard now and if Kakashi has his way she'll be able to tie herself into knots with her flexibility plus her medical capabilities are nothing to scoff at. Myself? Definitely gotten faster and stronger now. Managed to create two of my own techniques and I'm moving up my Wind and Fire Nature Transformation exercises to the next step. Lightning is difficult and Earth is mediocre but Water is going to catch up to my other proficiencies soon enough."
Team 8 gaped at him. Kurenai pointed an unsteady finger at him, "Justu Creation?! Nature Manipulation?! That's High Chunin almost Low Jonin level stuff! He's started you already?! AND YOU HAVE ALL FIVE ELEMENTS?!"
Naruto only glanced at her askance, "Why's that a big deal? Oh right, we're supposed to be Genin. Well it's pretty simple. 1.) Shadow Clones. All of us can make them now. 2.) Kakashi is crazy. He explicitly said he has trouble training the basics and theory is his weak point so he more or less pounds the lessons into us. It's 'learn' or 'suffer' with him but what with his Ex-ANBU status that makes sense. 3.) I don't have an affinity so I have no bonuses or benefits but can use them all with as much efficiency as I work for and with Shadow Clones…well, it's goin' pretty fast. As for Sasuke and Sakura they're constantly stealing all my Nature Transformation notes. Sasuke's Lightning Affinity is his main one and it's terrifying while Fire is his secondary. But he's been training it for so long it might as well be a second primary and is therefore also terrifying. Sakura has a conflicting Elemental Affinity with Lightning and Earth and her brilliance makes me want to run for the hills. Previously it was just information recording but now her application is starting to make me think I should send her to Hiru-Jii-Chan to learn advanced theory. By now The Professor is only one with anything to teach her. Did you know she memorized the entire Konoha Library? Literally, the whole thing. And then I'm just broken cause I can summon like, fifteen times the amount of Shadow Clones the rest of Team Seven put together can and heal at a rate that's crossed the threshold from 'Crazy-Insane' to 'Possibly Get My Head Cut Off and Survive' although I'd rather not test that."
At this point Team 8 had stopped dead in the middle of the road.
Even Shino was dumbstruck, evident by the pure disbelief that was painted on their faces. Attempting and failing miserably to regain his composure, Shino barely managed to choke out, "H-How?!"
Naruto shrugged, "I unlocked a Kekkei Genkai, Sauske's Sharingan is at Stage 3 in his left eye and Stage 2 in his right though it'll be fully matured by the time Kakashi and Zabuza are done with us, and Sakura has photographic memory as well as an I.Q that probably exceeds a most Nara. Oh, we also train until we're dead on our feet, sleep, and do the same the next day. I just happen to only need 6 hours to recover vs. Sasuke and Sakura who both need closer to 12. That's the only reason I'm out here instead of with the team, they won't be active for another couple hours. Anyway, gonna go meet back up with Yu-chan and Anko-neechan. See if I can't wheedle Yugao to give me some Bukijutsu tips. Ja ne!"
And he was gone.
"Kurenai sensei, what the hell are they made of? And Zabua? As in A-Rank Missing Nin turned Jonin recently Zabuza? That Zabuza?"
Kurenai stared at her Genin, "We're stepping your training up," they shivered at the manic gleam in her eyes, "Yuuhi Kurenai might be a newly promoted Jonin and this might be my first team, but hell if we lose to Lazy-Pervert-Hatake Kakashi! COME ON KIDS WE'RE GONNA GO FIND SOME BOULDERS FOR YOU TO BENCH!"
"W-W-Wait! Kurenai-sensei don't you think this is a bit hasty! H-HEY!"
Kiba was ignored and Shino simply resigned himself while Hinata hesitated. Kurenai just looked over her shoulder and spoke the magic words, "Naruto will be impressed with how strong you are and if you do well I'll buy you cinnamon buns."
Kiba, Shino, and Kurenai were promptly lifted overhead. Hinata ran down the streets of the village with her Team lifted well over her shoulders and a hungry expression on her face.
'Naruto-kun will notice me! Naruto-kun will notice me! Naruto-kun will notice me!'
Kurenai only hoped Asuma managed to whip his Genin into shape, Log knows that Kakashi's insanity, mixed with Naruto's insanity, and whatever insanity he picked up from Anko would mean hell on earth for them. Well…maybe that was a good thing. She wouldn't be last at least.
"Watch where you're going brat!"
"Hey! Lemme go you freaky crossdressing perv!"
Kankuro seethed, "IT'S WAR PAINT!"
"Yeah, but that's a snuggy in black but who am I to judge what others where into battle."
Konhamaru's eyes lit up along with Moegi's and Udon's. "Boss!" they chorused.
Suddenly all three were at his feet and on their knees as he scolded them about not causing trouble with foreigners.
'How the hell did the brat get over there?'
Neither he nor Temari had seen whatever movement the blonde had made to retrieve the shorter kid but grit their teeth regardless. Kankuro wasn't ready to let it go, the bandaged bundle on his back came down with a thump that drew attention.
"Oy. I don't take kindly to brats that run into me and punks that ignore me."
Naruto only raised an eyebrow, "Well sorry Princess" Temari stifled a snort, "But I don't suppose you could leave it at that then? I'll give this one," he patted Konohamaru on the head, "a good talking to about not causing troubles for others and watching where he's walking. Though I don't suppose y'all are lost? This alley is a little out of the way."
Kankuro only snarled and Temari was starting to not like her brother's attitude, "Leave it Kankuro."
"No way!" he grit out, "This brat and this punk need a beat down! Trash like you should be on the ground in front of your betters Leaf Scum!"
Naruto's easy countenance fell. The full weight of his chakra suddenly collapsed them both to their knees, his glower pinning them there.
"Yare~ Yare~ I'll have to ask you fix your attitude. I assume you're here for the Chunin exams but push this any further and I'm afraid I'll have to report you for causing conflict within our walls and you'll be disqualified before you can even start." He leaned over, "So let me ask again, how about leaving it at that? Neh, Suna Shinobi?"
"You'd think they'd at least try not to cause an international incident and spark a war between them and their only ally by assaulting the Hokage-sama's grandson," Naruto nodded at Sasuke when he appeared in the tree nearest them. Temari was suddenly glad she was already on her knees, Kankuro had almost laid out the grandson of the Third Hokage. Her legs were still trembling when she got back to her feet. As soon as Kankuro was up she slapped him. Hard.
"Idiot!" she hissed, "See your stubborn bastardry almost cost us everything! Not to mention what would happen if Gaara found out!"
"If I found out what…Temari, Kankuro?" the husky gritty voice was less smoky and throaty and closer to I-gargle-sand-for-a-hobby.
They froze, all color draining from them.
"Ah-Ahahaha!," Kankuro's stilted laughter did nothing to belie the dread he felt, "Nothing at all Gaara! Just-Um?!-Getting to know the locals!"
"And apparently causing unnecessary trouble," "Gaara we!-" "Shut up. Or I'll kill you."
The boy promptly shut up, "You're a disgrace Kankuro. Temari, next time make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. By force if necessary, Baki won't be happy about this at all." The strange red haired boy with the gourd on his back appeared between them in a swirl of sand.
"I apologize on behalf of them Konoha-san. We will be on our way. Come on Kankuro, Temari."
He spared no other words and walked away immediately. Sasuke landed beside Naruto, absentmindedly patting the Konohamaru Corps on the head as he raised a brow at Naruto. The blonde was staring after the red head with too much focus for casual interest.
"What did you get off him Dobe?"
Naruto glanced at him and then up at a roof top to their left, "Even with the muddled scent of so many nearby," the presences on the roof rapidly retreated, "he wreaked of blood. Like he was drowning in it. Hundreds of different people have been killed by that kid and judging by the intensity of the stench quite messily. His teammates were genuinely terrified of him too. He would have killed them without any hesitation. What about you Teme? Pink-Eye give you anything?"
Sasuke afforded his comrade a mild glare for the comment about his family's pride, "Not much. This is just supposition but the boy in the catsuit with the shitty make up," the distant shout of 'It's war paint dammnit!' was ignored, "was a puppeteer. The way that chakra was instinctively gathering in just his fingers was a dead give away. The girl is a wind user, I could see it forming in her pathways when she reached for that metal case on her back. Based on the fact she's a Suna Nin, probably a fan. As for the boy, I never ended up looking at his skin," Naruto raised an eye-brow, "It was sand. He was completely covered in chakra laced sand, but that's not the biggest problem. The chakra was laced with wisps of red, and the only place I've ever seen that is in you." Sasuke did not miss the way Naruto's demeanor immediately clammed up and locked down from his previously lax position. His expression betrayed nothing but Sasuke had already spent too much time with him. It might as well have been painted on the blonde's forehead.
"I don't suppose that's particularly relevant Naruto?" The Jinchuriki was reminded of his status quite sharply and winced, "Er…Something I'd have to run by Kaka-sensei. Let's get to it no? Maybe we'll find Sakura along the way and get some answers. All I know is that I really hope that someone as unstable as that is nothing like me."
Now it was Sasuke's turn to raise a brow at Naruto, "Unstable?" he asked, waving off Konohamaru and his group as he and Naruto set out to find their wayward Sensei.
Naruto nodded, "Even if I couldn't see it in his eyes I could practically taste it wafting off him. That kid," Naruto shook his head, "genuinely makes me worried.'
Sasuke, for all his stoicism, couldn't withhold his shiver of agreement. Normal kids don't have Killing Intent like that. Then again, Naruto can do worse and is as far from normal as normal gets.
Both of them so lost in thoughts missed the curious gaze of another two blonds and their white and red haired companions. Not to mention the green haired girl that they walked past whose head and gaze snapped to Naruto's back the second he had passed.
A shiver down his spine had the Uzumaki worried. 'Here's to hoping it's nothing complicated.'
How unfortunate for him.
One Month Later: One Week before the Exam
"I, Sarutobi Asuma, nominate Team 10 to take the Chunin Selection Exams."
"I, Yuuhi Kurenai, nominate Team 8 to take the Chunin Slelection Exams."
"Yo! I'm putting my brats forward to take the exams."
Kakashi gathered many sweatdrops but honestly Hiruzen wasn't even surprised anymore. When Sasuke had come in with Team Seven once, respectfully bowed, and greeted him 'Ossan-sama' he'd given up. Granted Naruto had to pay Sasuke for it to happened he considered that 500ryo and some sealing scrolls was a bit cheap for the massive disrespect. Hiruzen had to admit, he was surprised Naruto hadn't blacked out from air loss with all the laughing he'd done.
Gai decided this was the usual with his rival's hip attitude, "Yosh! I, Maito Gai, nominate the youthful Team 9 to take the most youthful Chunin Selection Exams to help progress there youthful youth! Youthfully!" He finished with a thumbs up, wink, and a blinding smile.
No one reacted. This was Gai they were talking about. His outfit did more than enough for their collective resistance to his antics.
Iruka focused on what really mattered though, "Wait a minute now! I have all faith in them but they're barely 6 months out of the Academy! The training I have no doubt of but what about the experience! I understand Gai since his team have been out of the Academy for a year but what about the rest of you! Are you really sure that they have the knowledge and ability to apply what they've learned?"
The three Jonin exchanged a glance. Technically Kakashi kept reading his porn but they pretended for their own benefit.
Kurenai started, "Honestly, ever since we met with Naruto outside Ichiraku's Team 8 has had a fire lit underneath him. Even Hinata's shy demeanor is ebbing away. Last I heard she managed Kaiten and Hakke:Sanjuu Nishou and Kiba finally managed his second Juujin Taijutsu Ogi and that's not even counting Shino and his ridiculousness. He point blank asked Naruto to send him an overcharged Shadow Clone so he could use his chakra to feed his hive." A quick set of hand seals and she had a baggy coat and opaque sunglasses, "'Why you ask? Because logically he has no reason to deny my request while we have not been pit against each other in competition yet' or so he says." Kurenai let the illusion dispel, "Not to mention Naruto laughed and complemented Shino on 'the sheer size of your massive brass balls' and made a set of 10. Last I'd heard from him, his bugs were still draining all the chakra from them and Naruto made them two weeks ago! Bright side Shino's hive is massive now, he also now has the numbers he needs to preform his clan's larger scale techniques. Note that I say 'preform' and not 'practice' because,' the coat and shades made another appearance, "'It is logical to practice on a scale that is appropriate for my hive. Why? Because this way I already have practice with these techniques and will not have an issue implementing them rather than having to adapt to the stress these techniques would put on me otherwise' Or so he says."
Asuma decided to take over next, "Ino ran into Sakura and while I have no idea what happened between them, it's pushed Ino beyond her limits. Apparently there was something about Naruto that she wheedled out of Inoichi that got her pissed. Then she chatted with Sakura and that got her driven up the walls. Ino being Ino of course dragged the boys along for the ride. I don't know where she got that cat o' nine tails but she puts it to good use at least…" Asuma grumbled under his breath, "Shikamaru's chakra pool and control have doubled thanks to her pushing training down his throat. Yoshino found out and she's crammed as many techniques as she could Frying Pan out of Shikkaku into him as well," he shuddered, "Poor bastards. Choji has it the worst though. Ino's really taking to blackmail and manipulation. She bought as many exclusive chip flavors as bribes and shamelessly incentivises him. She also stole my smokes and only gives me one at a time and only if I give her and the team training she deems appropriate. What a troublesome girl really." He sighed, "Oh, well. How about yours Kakashi?"
There was silence. "…Kakashi?"
"Hmmm? Did you say something?"
There was silence for a beat, "Really Kakashi?"
The man couldn't resist an eye-smile, "Sorry couldn't resist. Welp not much to say. Sasuke puts out enough Lightning to power a city and his fireballs come at a base of White Hot. Then that kid decided, 'Fuck Itachi and his bullshit shuriken crap I'm gonna do it better' his words not mine and is now a budding weapons maniac." He shuddered, "Where he even got that many Kanabo is beyond me but Log if Kawarimi hasn't saved me from becoming paste so many times. Sakura's figured out both Tsunade's Strength as well as the beginning to the Raikage's Raiton no Yoroi which combined with Tsunade's strength means she can bench press the Hokage Monument for about 2 seconds before her strength and techniques fail. Naruto…well…Naruto's Kekkei Genkai has advanced well beyond what the notes said it should and with his Resistance Tag getting upgraded to the full Seal within a month his natural strength and speed unenhanced with chakra are three-quarters of my own base. So yeah, he's a bit of a beast. Not to mention his abuse of Shadow Clones to compensate for his lack of affinity..."
Jaws were on the floor, Hiruzen pointed out the obvious, "Kakashi you kids are insane."
Kakashi sighed, "It's Naruto's fault really. I don't know what scrambled his brains after the whole Mizuki being a dick thing. May the Shinigami use him as a frequent cock muppet for all eternity,"
There was a chorused 'Amen'
"But it did kick him into high gear. Where he should've taken 2 years to get up to speed, he instead took 6 months to surpass ten times over. Then he blatantly told Sakura and Sasuke to fuck off with their collective baggage and get it the fuck together. He cut down all of Sakura's motivations about being a Kunoichi until she figured out this was life or death and now she trains like she expects the entire Iwa Explosion Corps to be waiting outside the gates to Konoha. He told Sasuke that his Kekkei Genkai was the only one that anyone would be able to get their hands on since Itachi is pure un-distilled badass no matter how much he hates him. More importantly if he's captured he will be chained up until the Sharingan breeds true, then they'll cut his eyes out and transplant them, before likely vivisecting him. His final blow was, and I quote, 'If you're lucky you'll only end up with additional features for the women, if not you'll be an Onahole for guys like this.' He then presented Sasuke with a picture of the current Raikage and his stats from a Bingo Book he acquired from parts unknown. Needless to say Sasuke got his head out of his ass if only to keep a different kind of head from planting itself there."
There was a collective shudder. Naruto had exaggerated but he sure knew how to paint a grim picture.
"Other than that I think he's finally coming to terms with his situation. The whole acceptance he got with the team and then with Zabuza and Haku has done wonders. Also…well…To put it bluntly he fucked the shit out of out client's daughter and this was after she found out about his condition so the vigorous and enthusiastic reception he received from her and her oblivious son really showed him that even when people had know him for barely a few hours they were willing to be with him despite his own perceived faults. He's really matured. All of them actually…MY CUTE LITTLE GENIN ARE GROWING UP SO WELL WAAAHHHH~~~!"
They all ignored Kakashi's comical sobbing. Honestly, the man was such a sap.
Hiruzen waved to Iruka, "There you have it, if you have any doubts let's at least take a look see at what the Academy Deadlast has become. If Naruto can improve beyond measure then the others must be fine no?"
Hiruzen set up his Crystal Ball and activated his Telescopic Viewing Technique.
"SOKOTSU!"
The collective silence of every wide eyed Jonin was understandable when Naruto's twin fists impacted one of the trees in the Forest of Death and promptly turned it into powder. Amidst the drifting dust Naruto clenched his fists with satisfaction while Anko clapped happily in the background.
"You've mastered that yeah? So now what gaki? Wanna get Dango with me?"
Naruto gave her an amused look, "Not just yet. Now that I have that down I can start working on the upgraded versions!"
Every single person paled while Anko cackled merrily, "Are you trying to have maps re-drawn brat?!"
Naruto smirked at her, "Ideally, yes. Anyway, how does Gahou (Fang Cannon) and Hageshī ago (Fierce Jaws) sound?"
Hiruzen cut the feed there and glared at Kakashi, "IN-FUCKING-SANE!"
He dutifully ignored Yugao's sniggering, "But beyond that, each of you has nominated your Genin with good reason-and Gai why are you crying?"
Gai raised his previously shadowed eyes. They were on fire, the Kanji for 'Youth' somehow embossed within them, "KAKASHI'S YOUTHFUL GENIN HAVE DISPLAYED SUCH INSPIRING SKILL! TRULY THEY KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO HOWL IN THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH! APOLOGIES HOKAGE-SAMA I MUST GO TRAIN! ROAR MY YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuuuuuuth!"
There were trails of smouldering wood from where Gai's footsteps had burned into the wood with the force of his step's friction.
Hiruzen twitched, "Fuck it. They're in, they die you guys get to explain to parents. Now get out, I need alcohol."
The Jonin left post haste, leaving the Hokage to cry in peace, and Yugao to break down laughing. The other three ANBU simply shared confused glances.
'Either we're too green, or our elite shinobi are insane' the bulkiest signed.
Usagi nodded their agreement to Saru's determination. Karasu only shook their head 'It's not even that, it's Hashirama's fault. Since the founding of this village not a single Elite has come out normal. This wouldn't have happened in the Warring Clans Era.' They signed back.
Then all three sweatdropped, watching Hiruzen somehow guzzle alcohol and smoke his pipe at the same time. Throughout he never stopped crying.
One Week Later, Outside the Academy
"Naruto how many sealing scrolls do you have?" Sakura was very worried. Naruto and Seals mixed far too well in her opinion.
He looked up from the handful he'd pulled out, "Each one has another twelve sealed inside? So, like, 60?"
Sasuke nodded, "No kill like overkill. Now let's get a move on, we wanna be waiting there ahead of time so we can scope out the competition. Sakura followed along, just hoping Naruto didn't blow up an entire section Konoha. At least, not while she was within the blast radius.
Apparently their idea wasn't as original as they hoped. There was a crowd gathered outside of a classroom labeled 316, which entrance to was being blocked by two people. Happily pounding the hell out of anyone stupid enough to challenge them and telling them they were all idiots for trying. Team Seven agreed heartily, this was only the second floor after all. They promptly made there way past the crowd, completely ignorant to the three eyes that followed them. The pair with the exceptionally bushy brows intercepted them as they headed for the stairs.
"You are…Kakashi's students no?"
The three exchanged glances that translated roughly to: 'Holy shit those eyebrows! Naruto you know 'im?' 'No why the fuck would I know him and Log they just got thicker I swear! Sakura how about you?' 'Not only no. Hell no. That outfit is a tragedy and I won't be caught dead anywhere near it.' The three turned back to him while Sasuke spoke for them.
"Yes we are, how can we help you?"
The boy with he vicious eyebrows- oh Log they're sentient and wiggling by themselves!- flashed a nice guy pose complete with thumbs up and blinding grin. Seriously, a smile that white qualified as some sort of non-lethal weapon.
"My name is Rock Lee! And I am the student of the Wonderful Blue Beast of Prey Maito Gai, the Eternal Rival of your Sensei." Team Seven absorbed this while thy tried to clear their flash blindness as the rest of his team approached.
Sasuke squinted, blinking rapidly as his vision returned, "Yes, well it's very nice to meet you but we have to go."
He made to turn around but Lee was already behind them. 'Fast' was their collective thought.
"I have given my name, it is impolite not to give yours."
Sasuke sighed while Naruto took over, "Yeah sorry about that. My name is Naruto, this is Sakura, and Sasuke," he pointed them out individually while Lee's team flanked him. They were gathering too much attention, this needed to end quickly. "And as much as we'd love to stay and chat we have to be going." He bowed and made to leave.
"And where exactly do you need to go? Uzumaki-san?", the one with white eyes inquired.
'Curious. I don't recall giving a family name.'
Naruto glanced at Sasuke. Subtle shifts in their expressions conveying the entirety of the conversation.
'Shouldn't you deal with him?'
'Don't wanna, he's too stuck up.' Naruto's brow twitched.
'Pot meet kettle.'
A vein popped over Sasuke's eye. 'Shut up. Just for that he's all yours.'
Naruto conveyed a sigh with a twitch of his cheek 'You'll regret it.'
Sasuke's nose wrinkled minutely 'Hn.'
Naruto shrugged, "We're going to the bathroom. Tiny bladder big cup of tea."
"Together?" the bun haired girl asked.
Naruto nodded earnestly at this, Sakura was just curious where the blonde would take this. Speaking of actually…
"Sakura has the biggest dick between the three of us and if we don't help her aim and shake she'll flood the bathroom and shatter the porcelain. KayThanksBye!"
Naruto herded Sasuke and Sakura up the stairs leaving the dumbstruck Team 9 and remaining Hopeless Dumbass Losers- I mean Chunin hopefuls on the second floor.
There was a faint 'Really Naruto?'
The response was an exceptionally accurate trumpet of an elephant.
OOOooOOoOoOOooOOO
"Kaka-sensei!" Naruto's flying glomp was negated when Kakashi caught him. He held the blonde at arms length, eye-smiling pleasantly.
"Naruto. Please refrain from-BLERGH!" Naruto slammed into he back of his head and sent him tumbling face first to the ground, the Naruto that had been in his hands popping into smoke. Sakura and Sasuke made lengths to mask their amusement, they failed miserably.
"…Spawned the Shadow Clone behind me when I eye-smiled," Naruto nodded cheerily, "then Kawarimi'd with it when I was preoccupied," the nodding was joined by shoddily muffled giggling, "and then used another to launch yourself at me?" Naruto broke down laughing, Sakura's chortles joined his soon after. Sasuke settled for a smirk. It was basically cackling but in Uchiha.
"Welp, if anything I'm glad you all came here together, I'm proud to say you guys have really improved. More than I thought physically possible. Though I have no doubt your strength came at the price of your collective sanity," Naruto, who was hanging from Kakashi's extended arm as the Jonin stood up interjected, "Sensei sanity is overrated, the voices in my head say so."
The three stared at the blonde's squinty eyed expression.
"Like I said, at the cost of your collective sanity 'cause you infected Sakura and Sasuke. But you've come far. You all exceeded my expectations and you've each managed to touch Tokubetsu Jonin level in at least one area for your studies. I'm-" Sniffle! "So proud of you guys!"
In a twist of fate it was the three Genin that were tugged into a hug by the Jonin, Naruto snickered but his eyes were suspiciously wet while Sakura blushed and held her face, "Sensei you're so embarrassing!", and Sasuke settled for patting he older man on the arm that was wrapped around him.
"There, there Kakashi. We'll be sure to visit you in your nursing home. Someone will have to push you to the store so you can buy your perverted books you know."
While scathing and delivered in a flat deadpan, this only served to make Kakashi's crocodile tears increase in volume. Eventually the fun and games came to an end, Team Seven stood proud before their Sensei. Kakashi gave them one last eye-smile and a head pat each, "Knock 'em dead. Oh, and I placed bets on you guys so win me some money and the first round of drinks is on me!"
He vanished in a swirl of leaves. "He does know we're too young to drink right?"
Both Naruto and Sakura scoffed, ""Tell that to Tsunade-Baachan/Sama.""
The two walked ahead and into the room leaving Sasuke to follow, praying to whatever deity that when he got to S-Rank he didn't lose his mind. Well…anymore of it really.
Team Seven made it into the room and immediately felt the weight of the combined Genin's killing intent fall on them. Sasuke sent one menacing glance out of the corner of his eye and the room broke down into cold sweats. At least until Ino tackle hugged him from behind.
"Sasuke-kun!" The brunette in question sighed so tiredly even Shikamaru winced.
"Hello Yamanaka-san."
She pouted, Naruto was suddenly quite glad he didn't have fangirls (Hinata sneezed and wondered if perhaps she needed a heavier jacket) but he would most definitely enjoy Sasuke's discomfort as the girl pestered him.
"Was…Was I really like?" Naruto glanced at Sakura nodding solemnly, "Worse actually."
The pinkette thought on it a moment, then proceeded to wince, "Yeah really. Thanks for setting me straight." The boy just smirked and gave her a wink, "What are friends for?"
The universe promptly inverted itself as Naruto was bowled over by a flash of blond and purple.
"Naru-kun! Your Ino-tan missed you!" Jaws dropped. Sakura's eye began to twitch violently. Sasuke…Sasuke burst out laughing. It was the most undignified they'd ever seen him but more people were paying attention to Ino snuggling into Naruto's chest. The blonde's face was blank but his teammates could hear the unspoken lament.
'How is this my life, what even, why this, please help.' Sasuke only laughed louder falling on his side and wheezing as the lack of oxygen started to make his vision dim. Sakura was at least nice enough to lift Naruto to his feet, Ino clinging to him all the way.
She gazed up at him with a devious smirk, "Are you finally ready to spill all your juicy secrets? Come on Naru-Kun~ you can trust me to listen to all your little worries~! If you're really nice I'll even comfort you. Wouldn't that be nice? Just curled up to my chest with my fingers running through your hair? You can let go, momma Ino will take good care of you."
Sasuke had blacked out and regained consciousness at this point. He sat up, only to keep laughing at Naruto, and then fall over again.
' has ceased function. Initiating Reboot. Standby…Command Accepted Reboot Progressing…12%...22%...46%...90%...Reboot Complete.'
"Ino…what the hell?"
Her cheeks puffed in mock irritation, "Mou~ I don't see you for a while and you're this cold to me? Where's my warm, cute blondie that always had a brilliant smile for me?'
Yeah, fuck this noise. He picked Ino up with nary a grunt, walked over to Sakura, and placed the girl bridal carry in his teammate's arms.
"Here. Your friend. You deal with her."
He then moved to Sasuke and slapped him upside the head. Sasuke frowned, then slapped the blonde on the arm. Naruto retaliated by pinching him. Sasuke flicked his nose.
""WHY YOU?!"" They devolved into a comical brawl of cheek pulling, wet willies, nose grabbing, etc…
Disbelief was the general reaction. Team 8 came over the at the same time that Team 9 walked into the room and witnessed…whatever the hell that mess was. Team 10 was the last to join if only because Shikamaru thought this was a pain.
"I guess we all made it then? All the Rookies plus Team 9."
Shikamaru's statement pulled Sasuke and Naruto out of their scuffle to rejoin the group. Team Seven exchanged pleasantries, continuing to ignore the glances and whispers of the other competitors behind them.
"You guys," a quiet voice called, "are drawing way too much attention to yourselves."
The group turned towards the grey haired boy that'd spoken up. They eyed the rest of the room. True to form, they were the center of attention once more. Naruto gave the boy enough time to reach their group before putting the Rookie 12 plus 1 behind him. Apparently the competition hadn't gotten the message the first time. His pupils shrunk, the veins on his face coming into stark relief beneath the force of his glare. Killing Intent lanced. A chill wave of murderous intent climbed up their arms and slithered down their backs.
"And what the fuck are you lot looking at?"
Most turned immediately. The few that remained he focused on and let just a bit of his chakra into the mix putting a physical weight behind his threat. Meeting every remaining pair of eyes and seeing not a single person back down he finally relented.
"Good. At least some of you have spines." He turned back to the group with cheerful smile on his face and a chipper skip to his step.
"Hi! I'm Uzumaki Naruto! Nice ta meetcha!" He went to present his hand for a shake but the poor Genin was just standing there wide-eyed, glasses askew. Speaking of, everyone but Sasuke and Sakura were shaken.
"What?"
"What?! WHAT?! 'WHAT' he asks! Dude what the hell was that." Kiba's expression and question was echoed in the nods of the remaining Konoha Genin. The blonde tilted his head.
"It's just Killing Intent. Well…I don't like killing all too much so it's more of my Intent-To-Cause-Excruciating-Pain-And-Suffering but I just calls it as Killing Intent. Bit of Chakra to really bring it home and blam! Easy scares! At least for the weaker ones. I've been taking lessons from Zabuza and he said when you get really good you can cause heart attacks in people!"
Naruto's grin was met with even more confusion and outright disbelief. The most from the Glasses wearing one, "Zabuza…As in Momoichi Zabuza. Ex-Kiri Missing Nin and one of the Seven Swordsmen? That Zabuza?"
Naruto's head tilted once more, this time with squinted eyes, "Well yeah. He's my neighbor. We go to Poker Nights on my off days and his apprentice helps me with Elemental Manipulation whenever she's free. Which is pretty often despite her working at the hospital. I hope she isn't working too hard…"
Naruto trailed off while the rest of the group just looked at him like he was crazy.
"Well…my name is Yakushi Kabuto and I came here to give you guys some advice but if all of you are on his level then I don't think you'll need it."
Ino's mouth was twenty steps ahead of her brain. In other words, no filter. "But he was the Dead Last!" She promptly slapped a hand to her mouth for her unintentional blurt. All eyes panned to Naruto who was idly nibbling some form of jerky he had produced from Log knows where. He noticed their looks and shrugged, "I do a lot of push ups."
There was a noticeable lack of belief. In his statement, they panned back to Kabuto. Kiba took over, "Presume not all of is are insane, and didn't do whatever nightmare training Team Seven sacrificed their sanity to, to get stronger. What kinda advice ya got for us?"
Kabuto shrugged and decided he might as well. He produced a thick stack of cards from his pouch, crouching down and placing them on the ground in front of the group.
"I've been through the exams a couple times so I've managed to collect a good bit of info about the different competitors and what can be expected of them. For example, anyone have a name or a description of a person they'd like to now about?"
The group shared glances, then panned to Naruto.
"Really guys? Gonna let this guys spill all my secrets in front of enemies just to get some dirt?"
There was silence, another round of exchanged glances, "Yeah, pretty much."
Naruto threw his hands up in defeat, "Fine! See if y'all get any help from Team Seven then!'
He was ignored as the group collectively leaned in, watching with open curiosity as the card Kabuto pulled spun beneath his finger. The boy lifted it and began to read.
"Uzumaki Naruto, Genin of Konoha, and Dead Last of the latest batch of Konoha Genin. Then again that class has the highest ratio of Clan Heirs of any generation before so maybe that is to be expected. Orphan, sorry for your loss," the blonde waved it off, that fact wasn't going to change anytime soon, "and member of Team Seven beneath Hatake Kakashi. Ninjutsu and Nin-Taijutsu savant apparently. Despite no proven relations to the Clan he has been reported to have a skill in Fuuijutsu that rivals the late Uzumaki clan-"
"WOAH WOAH WOAH! HOLD UP!" Kiba was staring at the bespectacled boy, "Back up there Four Eyes," 'Wow so original!' he sent Naruto a quick glare, "what's this about an Uzumaki Clan?"
The boy rubbed the back of his head, "I'll explain in depth if you're still interested after I'm done. Long and Short of it is: There was an Uzumaki Clan, they were world renowned-"
Sakura interjected here, "Along with an inhuman ability to understand and write Seals, they also had a wealth of strange Kekkei Genkai ranging from Lava, Mist, Swift, and Storm Release all the way to their obscene life spans, ability to heal both themselves and others, and finally the rare ability to manifest their potent Chakra into physical weapons. Most common was the chains they used, the most famous of which was Uzumaki Mito who married Hashirama Senju and was there at The Valley of the End when he fought Uchiha Madara. After Shodaime-sama freed the Kyuubi from Madara's influence, she used her chains to restrain it and sealed it into her own body, becoming the first of the known Jinchuriki, or human vessels for the Nine Bijuu. Sure Hashirama essentially gave them engines of war, but the ability to negate that was deemed to dangerous to be left alone.
So Kiri, Kumo, and Iwa allied together during the Second Great Shinobi War to take them down. Iwa distracted Suna and Konoha with a quarter half of their army that just stalled for time while the rest ambushed Uzushiogakure. Kiri brought it's Kage and one of it's Jinchuriki while Iwa did the same. Kumo provided a good portion of their Elite STORM division and they wiped them off the map. The Uzumaki got the last laugh though, triggering a defensive seal that shook that whole portion of the ocean like a kid with a snow globe and sank the retreating forces in the ensuing Tsunami. Konoha, in her grief, pushed back after having failed to defend their blood allies. Suna doubled in size after the assault from Konoha and then Hot Springs Country was next. Kumo was punted out so fast they barely had time to regroup and force the advance to a stop. At the end of it all, Iwa's forces were at half strength and the Country without a leader, Kiri suffering the same fate not to mention the loss of a Jinchuriki each. Kumo lost all the territory they'd claimed from the beginning of the war and then an additional quarter from the relentless push. Though there are rumors of a betrayal from within Konoha since there should have been no way for the opposing Nations to have bypassed their sensory barrier, but all of that is lost to annuls of history and the roaring flames of censorship."
They all stared at Sakura. She blushed beneath their stares, "I got bored and memorized the Konoha Library. You'd be surprised what kind of stuff you can find when you try and the Head Librarian isn't paying attention."
Kabuto stared, then looked at Naruto, "Your team is insane." The blonde just sighed, it wasn't his fault dammnit!
"Continuing on, Team Seven has a pretty solid mission reputation with 58 D-ranks, 5 C-Ranks, and- wait…That can't be right. It say you guys have a successful A-Rank beneath your belt while Naruto has a Solo B-Rank."
If they hadn't been the center of attention before, Team Seven was under the microscope now.
They exchanged brief but meaningful glances before Sasuke took lead, "The A-Rank was a mishap. The Client lied to save money and we ended up between him and an A-Rank Missing Nin that wanted his head. It turns out his country was being bled dry by some greedy swine of a shipping Magnate and this old bridge builder was opening up the only way out of the country. Of course the rich sod hired a bounty hunter and by the time we could turn back we were already in the crosshairs. Had we tried to leave we would have died since our knowledge would let the Daimyou know of his misdemeanor, so we stayed, fought, and won by the skin of out teeth."
It was a lie. A well crafted lie, but a lie none-the-less. Too many things occurred on that particular trip that need to stay quiet.
"As for the Solo B-Rank…"
Naruto calmly met their gazes, "That's…" there was electric anticipation, "A Secret~!"
Faces met desks, palms, floor, walls, etc…
"Look as much as I'd love to talk about it, I can't. It's less about what I did that day and more about what I learned. It's classified anyway. Ino already tried but like I said to her, unless you have an informed Jonin tell you or get their express permission I can't say a word under threat of incarceration and Court Martial. Information kills ya know?"
Whatever else could've been said was interrupted with a poof of smoke.
"Well said brat." The cloud cleared to reveal Morino Ibiki standing ahead of a line up of Chunin. The gruff man gave them all a once over before continuing, "Welcome to the First Task of the Chunin Exams. Get a number, get to your seat, and get ready. I aim to cut your numbers down by half at least."
As soon as the test began and the ruled were explained, Team Seven already knew what needed to be done. It took them 4 minutes to identify the plants (not that Sakura needed to bother cheating), and another 12 to separate the ones that had been given false information. Naruto smirked, just like Ibiki to fail people not just based on their information gathering skills but also their ability to discern fact from fiction. Misinformation kills just as easily.
By the time they were finished had at least seen some rather interesting things. First of all, Shino wasn't the only bug user. The green haired girl from Taki has used beetles to achieve the same results as the shades wearing Genin. The red head kid was confirmed as a sand user while the guy with the body suit was also confirmed as a puppet user. The bun haired girl from Team 9, (Tenten or something?) had managed to rig a mirror and wire system to the ceiling. Hinata, Neji, and Sasuke of course had Hax-I mean Dojustu so they abused those. The sound kids he'd kept an eye on had managed to get lucky and copied off of a plant with the right answers, the real question is how. He presumed that they had something in terms of Sound manipulation and distinction but how did they apply that to Jutsu? Was it an advanced nature manipulation or was it a ninja tool? Kekkei Genkai? Whatever. His fellow blonde was his other worry. She did nothing to cheat. She just answered the questions based on pure experience. Half of these subjects they'd briefly glossed over as prospects Kakashi would teach them. Save they were Jonin level theory. Now how about that? Plus her teammates. The red head with the golden eyes, plus their escort who was apparently a Tokubetsu Jonin since their actual sensei was indisposed
Further contemplation was interrupted when Ibiki called time.
"The rules from here on in change. This is where we really put the pressure on you. For this question you have ten minutes to reply. You and your team must answer as one without the ability to communicate. Each team will be called, and you will be questioned, and you will all answer at the same time. If your answers vary or if they come with more than 3 seconds you will all be disqualified. Failure to answer within the immediate request of one will result in your disqualification. This question has no relation to the test you have taken and there will be no hints."
It was easy to see how rattled they were, "But don't worry you can choose not to take this question however that will also result in your disqualification." He met every pair of eyes there, "Finally. Should your team fail to answer this question correctly, you will be banned from taking any further Chunin Selection Exams."
Their outraged screams were music to Ibiki's ears.
"YOU CAN'T DO THAT! HE CAN'T DO THAT?! RIGHT?! YOU DON'T HAVE THE AUTHORITY!"
Kiba's outburst was met with the supportive roar of the remaining Genin (well…those that hadn't already clued in), and while Ibiki was unshaken it was Naruto who put the final nail in the coffin. He turned and with a flat expression met Kiba's frantic gaze, "Doesn't he though?"
From there those of weaker will were crushed. Giving up left right and center. The plants being the first to go and set off the domino effect of disqualifications. Naruto saw Hinata's trembling out of the corner of his eyes. He quickly snapped his hand over hers and gave a comforting squeeze. Her shocked eyes met a cheeky wink and she settled. If Naruto had a plan she would put her faith in him. She just hoped one day he would be able to put his faith in her.
Ibiki simply kept an eye out, when he was sure there would be no more movement. He addressed the class.
"Final chance. Once you go past here there is no turning back. Are you sure this is wht you want?"
Not a single person moved.
"Good. Then…You all pass."
The silence was deafening. The white haired boy from Kumo voiced the question that plagued the unenlightened.
"Wut?" Naruto snickered while Ibiki answered, "You've passed."
The boy's head hit the desk while the head of T&I expanded, "In case you hadn't noticed this test was not supposed to be able to be answered by anyone Genin level. Truthfully unless you were already High Chunin Level or a certified genius you should have struggled. It was to force you to cheat and do so successfully. This was an intelligence gathering test, how well can you and your team collect information and the correct information at that." A few of the Chunin plants came back in with mischievous grins, "We saw every instance of cheating but let those that cheat well get away with it. Those who failed to get the correct information, despite cheating well were failed." 7 out of the 16 plants raised their hands, "These men were all plants for you to cheat off of, those with raised hands had false information disguised as the real deal. Anyone with a brain could have picked the answers apart and found where the discrepancies in the answers did not match the questions asked. Those that failed to discern this failed. Along with their teams."
At this Ibiki removed his bandanna. The mangled, brutalised state of his head bared with a feral grin. Burns, screw pockets, chunks where the skin had been peeled out and apparently regrown chilled the hopefuls to the bone.
"This," he stated firmly, "is the result of a lack of real information while all that was left was lies and false leads. But this is also an example. I did not intend for this to happen nor did my superiors when they gave me a mission with all the information they had. It wasn't much, but could I decline? No. This is what it means to be Chunin and what that last question demonstrated. You will be given missions without all the information. You will given missions that are seeded with false information. You will be expected to carry on anyway. This is what being Chunin means. Ability to gather and discern intel with accuracy and under pressure. Ability to stand firm in the face of danger and continue on when there are no guarantees. When retreat means failure, when advancement could mean death, when you have no idea what you're facing, to be able to charge ahead and turn the worst of odds to your advantage! That is what a Chunin is!"
No matter what your village, words like those put steel in you spine and perseverance in your soul.
"Now then," Ibiki retied bandanna, "You have officially passed the first stage of the Chunin Selection Exams! Your next task begins-"
There was a crash and shattering of glass as a black bundle rocketed through the only window in the room. Four Kunai bit into the ceiling and floor unfurling the bundle and the woman within.
'The Sexy and Single Mitarashi Anko!'
"RIGHT NOW! My name is on banner and I'm you next proct-NARU-KUN!"
"W-W-WAIT! ANKO YOU CAN'T RIG-BLERGH!"
His words were ignored as Anko bowled him clean over the deak and onto his back. Ibiki facepalmed. Hard.
Hinata twitched as she watched the mature Kunoichi snuggled the boy she liked. Kiba and Shino noticed the look in her eyes and winced, the next training session was going to hurt.
Half a second later Anko Was back in front of the class with Naruto snuggled to her chest. It was hard to take her seriously when the blonde hung in her arms, face blank and countenance similar to that of an annoyed cat. Though many had to admit envy as the Violette clutched the blonde to her chest like a safety blanket.
"As I was saying, I'm the proctor for the next exam! Meet me at Training Ground 44 in 15 minutes or you're disqualified! Don't know where that is? Tough luck!"
Naruto's eyes widened, "Anko wai-."
Whatever else was lost as she Body Flickered out with the blonde in her grip. Ibiki took to banging his head on the black board behind him, while the remaining Genin scrambled to move out in time or find someone who knew the way. Sasuke placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder. A split second later and they were gone in a swirl of leaves.
OooOOoooOoooOOooO
Sasuke and Sakura arrived and found Naruto in a fairly compromising position. Anko sat seiza on top of a booth just outside of a massive fence, separating the edge of Konoha from a forest that simply reeked of tragedy, blood soaked soil, and empty caskets. She also had Naruto's head laying on her thighs, fingers carding gently through his hair. Naruto for his part had given up on everything, and was simply feeding Anko Dango from a little Styrofoam box.
"Say 'Ahhh~' Nee-chan!"
Anko smiled brightly and leaned over to nibble the little ball of delight, "Ahhhn~ Nom~!" At this point both the rest of the Chunin prospects had arrived and shared the same expression of 'What even is this' no punctuation. Kiba seethed with internal jealousy along with may of the male populace. Hinata…Hinata's face was a beatific smile, the snarling face of a demon baring its teeth formed out of her pure unadulterated Killing Intent belied her angelic façade.
"Ara~ Who knew Naruto-kun was into this kind of thing!" Her fist clenched around the hilt of a kunai that was slowly warping out of shape beneath her grip. Through gritted teeth, "I'll just have to ask his pretty," the metal groaned, "clingy," the kunai resembled a pretzel now, "overly affectionate Onee-chan all about him! Maybe discuss decency and the like!" By now the kunai was naught but crumpled steel.
Being her teammates, Kiba and Shino mustered all their loyalty to their comrade and took a step away to a safe distance.
"Ah! Naru-kun you have syrup on your fingers! Here let me."
They were treated to the sight of Anko licking his fingers clean. Slowly. Savoring every inch of his digits. Naruto's half-lidded eyes conveyed his compliance with the situation, repaying her with a gentle kiss on the nose before rolling off the roof to join his team.
Hinata's teeth grinding was audible and the monster behind her evolved into something distinctly serpentine, save for the shark maw it had and innumerable amount of eyes that formed in the blackness of it's ocular cavity. A clawed hand was starting to reach out of the darkness while eldritch chants issued from its multiple voice boxes. Naruto panned to her, wondering what the overwhelming source of dread was and whistled appreciatively, "Good job Hinata-chan! That's some mighty fine Murderous Aura ya have! Keep up the good work!"
It was like a door had slammed shut, the beast wailed as it was drawn back into Hinata's shadow when she returned to meek and sweet, "Ah…T-Thank you Naruto-kun. Y-You too."
'Konoha ninja are weirdoes' was a common theme in the foreigner's thoughts.
Anko clapped her hands and brought the attention back to her, "Now that everyone is here, or I at least hope everyone since you know disqualification, we can begin. This," she rattled the fence behind her, causing distant roars and abrasive chittering to seep out from between the trees nearest them, "is Training Ground 44 otherwise known as The Forest of Death!"
There was a collective gulp when a Centipede the length of few city blocks bodily tackled a perched bird the size of a general store out of a branch and onto the ground. There was a strangely human scream from the avian before a wet crunch and a gurgle finished the birds very short and very unfortunate cameo.
"And you will all be spending the next five days in here!"
"What about food?!"
"Figure it out or eat a teammate." Sasuke and Sakura couldn't resist a glance at Naruto, the boy noticed and pouted at them. What assholes!
"…This is too troublesome, can I quit now?"
"Nope!", the Tokubetsu Jonin responded cheerfully, "Even if you fail the next portion of this exam you must enter and survive this forest! Isn't it great?!" No. No, it was not. "Anyway! Your next task is a capture and delivery mission!", here she produced three scrolls. One with the Kanji for Heaven, the next with the Kanji for Earth, and the Final one with the Kanji for Freedom. "Each team will receive either a Heaven or Earth Scroll to protect and transport. You must have a pair of these scrolls to move onto the next Test, meaning at least 50% of you will fail. Some to other teams, and some to the massive and voracious beasts in here. Or the venomous insects. Or the poisonous plants. Or maybe the carnivorous plants. Or the plants that are all of the above. Now then the third scroll," she waved it cheerfully, "will be given to random teams. There will be five of these scrolls in play which will give you a free pass in this exam. Sometimes, luck is just as much of a skill as anything else. The other option is to still complete your Heaven and Earth pair and keep this scroll as a free pass in the Third Exam. Up to you. No one will know who has what scrolls and to add insult to injury you must reach the tower in the center of this forest within the time limit.
Further more, you must be with your entire team. All of you pass or none of you pass. The scrolls must be unopened when you get there, otherwise…well…Both me and Ibiki are the head honchos at Torture and Interrogation. You don't want to find out what will happen."
Once she was sure her slasher smile had impressed the importance of that onto them she nodded and pulled the neck of her mesh shirt down. Yanking a stack of sheets from between her cleavage, 'Damn female Hammer Space!' a certain blonde cursed miserably, "You all need to sign one of these. They're the standard waiver that says Konoha is not responsible if one of you ends up eviscerated or eaten or murdered or generally in a state befitting a closed casket funeral. I mean, how annoying would it be for me to have to take responsibilities for your deaths? Jeez we'd have to sift through Giant Tiger Shit for months just to find a hint of bones! Bad luck if the plants or insects get to you, they won't even leave that much behind!"
Anko's cackling echoed as she handed out the papers, leaving more than one team a trembling mess.
When Naruto's team got into the booth, they were promptly handed a Freedom scroll and an Earth Scroll.
"Nope."
"I'm sorry?" The Chunin behind the desk was baffled. "You don't want it?"
Team Seven shared a glance, "Nah. We wanna work for it. It would be a waste of all out training just to walk past everything we actually prepared for because of some good luck. All bets we'll find another one along the way and get buried up to our eyebrows in some form of shit storm involving an A+ Rank Nuke Nin or something."
The Chunin accepted the Freedom Scroll back from them, "…That's oddly specific."
Sasuke shrugged, "We're responsible for Zabuza's recruitment. Happened on our first C-Rank."
The Chunin nodded, "Welp, fair enough I guess. Good luck and don't die I suppose."
Minutes later they stood outside of Gate 35, almost exactly opposite to where they came in. There was also a fairly experienced Ame Team trying (and failing) to look intimidating at the gate to their left. The Kumo Team was on their right while the Taki Team without the Mint Haired girl was to their right trying (and also failing) to be intimidating. A meaningful nod passed between the two teams ad a silent agreement was made.
The staticky voice of the Proctor echoed out from the bull horns above the gates, "In five minutes the second stage begins. Good luck and most importantly…Don't die!"
The overseer in front of them nodded once and unlatched the lock on their gate. Team Seven and the unnamed man exchanged knuckle bumps and high fives. A buzzer sounded, the gate was flung open, Team Seven left divots where they once stood. The Chunin Exam Second Stage was underway.
Naruto looked down at the Ame Nin that were buried up to there necks. The other one was bound in ninja wire while Sasuke shamelessly pilfered their equipment. Sakura was examining the remaining umbrellas with interest.
Naruto poked the supposed leader with one of the spent ones, eliciting a growl and a curse.
"Is it me or were these guys pathetic? Like, this dude ranted about being elite for like three straight minutes and only used on Technique that really wasn't all that impressive. Between the three of us how many defensive techniques do we have that can block or neutralize that attack?"
Sasuke didn't deign to answer, these peons were a waste of time and he really couldn't be bothered to waste more breath on them. Sakura however…
"I think…15? Maybe 20 with some of the combinations we know? But you're right these guys were pretty pathetic. His monologue wasn't even that good. Naruto I've heard you sleep talk and I'm half certain you'd do better unconscious than this guys could with a week's preparation."
"Hn."
The blonde grinned, "Thanks! Though another Earth scroll is a bit annoying. You think the Kumo Team did better."
Sasuke lifted a hand from where he was sorting the Ame-Nin's supplies and pointed slightly up to their right, "Why not ask them? They've been staring at Naruto's ass for the past minute and a half."
The red head of the team was promptly on the ground ten feet away, red in the face, and pointing dramatically.
"I didn't stare! It was just a glance! Yeah! A quick one to make sure he only had the single shuriken pouch! Nothing more!"
Naruto gave her a slight frown before turning and giving his free cheek a firm 'Slap!', "Darn! And here I thought it was really nice. Sakura what do you think?"
Said girl was pinching her nose to stem blood flow while the other hand gave a thumbs up. Sasuke simply sighed into his palms.
The other blonde and the white haired boy joined their teammate with a sigh. The red head was trying to get a handle on her blush, difficult to do with Naruto palming a handful of firm, toned, well-scultped ass.
'Fuck! I could bounce a ryo off that much meat! Wait…What about the front?' She panned to the pinkette and if sensing here question Sakura mouthed 'Huge'
A raised brow from the Kumo Konoichi.
Sakura held her hands apart and then made a ring with her fingers. Once more mouthing 'Huge'. The two shared a perverted grin while the rest of their team was distracted.
While he two girls were busy heading off to dreamland the apparent leader of the Kumo Team stepped forward.
"Sorry to spy…well…actually not sorry. We're ninja but you know what I mean."
Naruto finally deigned to stop fondling his cheeks, "To be fair you guys are pretty good though. 'Specially you Ms. Leader, mighty light on ya feet ya know? I could barely hear your steps or even your breathing. You guys have skill."
A smile was her response, "Thanks, you guys are pretty alert too. Oh! Right. I'm Nii Yugito and these are my teammates Uzumaki Karui and Uzumaki Omoi."
Both were promptly tackled off their feet. Yugito drew blade in response but almost let it drop at the sheer ridiculousness she was witnessing.
The blonde of the team was holding the two off the ground in a happy hug. Both were slapping his shoulders in submission but the hold didn't seem to let up. Eventually he dropped them and with a smile that outshone the sun introduced himself.
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! These are my teammates Uchiha Sasuke and Haruno Sakura! Nice ta meetcha Big Bro, Big Sis!"
There was an awkward silence, then Naruto was bowled over by Karui. The two cousins simply hopped around happily in each other's arms. Omoi was far more reserved yet still smirked minutely.
Yugito let her guard fall at that and picked up the discussion where they left off, "Anyway," she pulled two Heaven scrolls from her pouch, "you guys are in the same situation as us. Wanna trade and move off? We can watch each other's backs?"
While Sakura and Omoi had picked up a mild conversation, Sasuke was suspicious.
"And we know we can trust you…how exactly?"
Yugito nodded it was fair and Kumo hadn't the best reputation with Konoha after the Hyuuga incident. 'Kami dammned council'
"No, that's fair. I can't really make any guarantees and Kumo hasn't exactly made too many good moves when it involves Konoha but we'll be real. You guys have the advantage here." She waved her hand in a gesture encompassing the forest in general, "And we have no clue what to look forward to so call it a minor hostage situation. We need the help and we can't pull anything without putting ourselves at risk. Flimsy, I know but I can't really think of much else.'
Sasuke eyed her. His gaze was intense, but not dismissive or disdainful, just analytical. She could almost see the thoughts flying past in his head.
"I still don't know…"
"EH?! We can't!" Sasuke made the mistake of looking at Naruto. His pout almost floored Yugito, she almost coughed blood at the sheer force of Cute that plowed into her. He looked like a puppy. A small adorable little puppy that just wanted to love you and keep you warm. And then you kicked it. All of it's excited yipping and happy little jumps reduced to pathetic whimpers as it laid on it's side, betrayed by those it loved.
"Bu-Bu-But my cousin!" his lip jutted out and started wiggled.
Critical Hit!
"…Fine but Kumo Team takes point." Yugito couldn't blame him for caving. Naruto could force world peace with the sheer power of that pout. It was surprising though, something about this Team set her heart at ease. Or maybe it was because Naruto had picked his cousins up on his shoulders and took off running. Sakura took off behind him, scolding him for interrupting her and Omoi's conversation. Naruto's happy laughter was the only response. Sasuke sighed and pinched his nose even though his hands remained in his pocket. Then took off after his idiots.
Yugito couldn't resist a snicker, maybe Sasuke was the one that needed their help more.
Prophecy at it's finest Team Seven ran into trouble on the way to the Tower, "GET DOWN!"
Naruto barely manage to anchor himself and Yugito to the bough they'd been standing on when a blast of wind plowed headlong into their group. Sasuke grabbed Omoi while Sakura snagged Karui around the waist. The blast shredded Naruto's jacket and undershirt leaving him in his mesh shirt over a strange, skin-tight, black, backless, bodysuit. The frown on the blonde boy's face was compounded by slice on his cheek that was wept a thin trail of blood. Sasuke's Sharingan whirled sedately as he analysed the technique. Sakura was already at Naruto's side while Team Kumo was on guard beside Yugito. A nod and unspoken thank sent Naruto's way, Sakura's brief diagnostic was waved away while the Uchiha stepped forward.
"That was a Daitoppa. Completely overpowered, and the actual proficiency needed for that scale is beyond Chuunin. That's High Jounin, easily. Be warned we're facing someone above our skills by leaps and bounds."
"Kukukukuku~! How observant…Sasuke-kun."
The Kusa-Nin that rose from the branch across from them set all kinds of warning bells off. First, they hadn't sensed them. At all. Naruto was already panicking. While Haku had smelled of nothing till she got closer this guy didn't have ascent till he appeared. The thing in front of him stank of blood so intensely the first few hairs on his head gave away the sheer death he was soaked in. When Naruto took a wary step back, Team Seven knew they were dealing with a real threat.
'Orochimaru…you should have died all those years ago.'
'Kurama? Wait! This is the guy?!' Naruto squinted, barely making out the unnatural shape of the Snake Man's eyes. The bestial slit of them gave him away. Also the long flickering tongue.
"Oi…", the Genin risked a glance his way, "That's Jiji's freak of a student…Mochi-Saru or whatever."
While the Kumo-Nin were slightly lost Sasuke hissed a vicious curse. Sakura paled and the Snake Man in question huffed a chuckle.
"Kukukukuku~ Despite that not even being close I have to commend you for figuring that out…Naruto-kun."
Naruto shivered all over and immediately started palming scrolls as he searched rapidly through a seemingly endless amount.
"Naruto what are you looking for?" The blonde didn't even afford Sakura a glance, "Chastity belt." The group plus Orochimaru slammed headlong into tree branch, "Something about this guys makes me worry for my innocence!" *Poof!* "AHA!" Lo and behold Naruto was indeed holding a Chastity belt.
The Sannin had enough of this farce. Holding back his Chakra, the traitor unleashed the full weight of his malice against them. Team Seven didn't even flinch. Omoi and Karui slammed onto their knees, only Yugito managed to keep her footing, even if she stumbled a bit. When that failed to get a reaction, only then did his foul Chakra leak. Their deaths played out in full scope over and over, each instant last than the worst. Burned alive, head crushed, turned inside out, throat slits, crucified, buried alive-
Naruto's potent Chakra flared disrupting the minor Genjutsu the Sanin had snuck into his pressure.
"Oh? Perhaps you aren't so bad Naruto-kun! You and Sasuke-kun make for such interesting specimen! Naruto-"
"Stop saying my name with such familiarity, scum." Naruto's sneer was something Itachi would have been proud of, in that it was implied rather than displayed and the sheer disgust in his eyes communicated everything he felt about the man.
"You disgust me so much I wanna throw my guts up and digest myself just so I don't have endure a second longer of your presence. The fact that you even breathe the same air as me is making the seconds till I die torture. Please crawl into whatever fucked up den of depravity you came from and die a bugs death. Alone, unloved, and not even worth becoming the shit of those above you. Hell I don't think shit personified could be able to bear your continued life. You're the type of horrific people gnaw their own arms off to get away from. Just die and stay dead."
Sakura's low whistle mirrored the other's appreciation. Hell the killing intent had let up while Orochimaru tried and failed miserably to process the pure unadulterated hatred that spewed from the young boy's lips. Kurama was cackling like a maniac in the mean time. He was so fucking proud! Kushina would be laughing like a loon too!
There was a brief silence before Orochimaru's face contorted into a rictus of rage, "What a cheeky brat. Got quite the mouth for someone out of their depth!"
A blitz of seals later, a puff of smoke, and Orochimaru proved his worth as a snake summoner. Unfortunately he was forced to evacuate his perch a split second later when team Seven replied in kind.
"Katon: Kasumi Enbu!"
"Fuuton: Kami Oroshi!"
"Katon: Karyuu Endan!"
Sakura's accelerant was rapidly pulled into Naruto's horizontal tornado. Then Sasuke's Dragon Flame Bulet impacted and hell on earth was unleashed.
"Konbi Jutsu: Shiro Hoshi: Kangei Yosuru!"
The summon was annihilated, the tree it was curled in turned to ash, a trench was seared into the ground where the technique traveled. Team Seven cut the Chakra when the ground started to melt. The Kumo Team could only stare in slack-jawed awe. The scale of destruction the three had unleased was unprecedented for what should be a Greenhorns. Orochimaru's bad mood seemed to evaporate with his Snake summon.
"Go get help. Rush to the tower, we were only twenty minutes out last check. You have five. Move your ass."
Yugito stared blankly before Naruto snarled at her, eyes black and backlit by the red glow of the veins spidering through them.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE! RUN LIKE HELL!"
One look at Orochimaru peeling his face off revealing another beneath it sealed the deal. While Team Seven held the Snake Sanin's attention Yugito yanked her teammates.
Karui sent her a desperate look, barely pulling her attention from Naruto's flaring Chakra, "But!-"
Yugito over-road her immediately, the first clash between the Leaf Traitor and the Leaf Nin sending her hair billowing.
"As we are now we'll get in the way. That kind of teamwork is made with blood sweat and tears, we don't fit there right now. The best we can do is get help!"
Any further protest was cut off when Naruto's body blasted through the tree they'd been standing on. He landed feet first on the next behind it, grabbed the falling trunk, and hurled it like an oversized javelin. The Snake was forced to bend backwards to dodge, had his legs swept by Sasuke who compounded his problems by anchoring the man to branch beneath him with kunai. The tree came back with a vengeance as Sakura wielded it like a mallet. Insult to injury, Sasuke set the whole ensemble on fire with the wire he'd yet to detach. Naruto finished it by punching the Orochimaru sandwich down to the ground, then burying it in a twenty foot crater with an axe kick.
Point driven home Omoi grabbed Karui's arm, yanking her forward with Yugito taking up the rear. Naruto said they had five minutes. They'd make it in two.
Eerie cackling announced Orochimaru's return to the battlefield. Team Seven watched with sick fascination as his jaw hit the ground (literally) and a brand new Orochimaru crawled out from his previous mangled form.
"COME! SHOW ME MORE OF YOUR POWER! THIS CAN"T BE THE END OF IT!"
Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto shared a glance, "If this isn't an emergency I don't know what counts."
"Hn."
"Cover me I'll go first."
Twin craters heralded the boys' departure form their teammate's side. A meaty 'thump' twin 'Clangs' interspersed with violent snarls and sick laughter. Sakura heard none of that. She wasn't like Naruto and Sasuke, she couldn't snap her restraints on a whim she needed focus. She unconsciously registered a kunai that had almost skewered her, dismissing it when Sasuke caught it an inch from her nose and returned it the Snake Summoner where it was replaced by Naruto's lightning fast Kawarimi. Sasuke was close behind, a pair of Kamas in hand he'd pulled from somewhere when she hadn't noticed.
'Enough! Focus! Find the tap, grasp it firmly…Now…Give it a gentle twist…FUCK THAT!'
"SASUKE! NARUTO!", both boys smirked at the black scrawl painting her visible skin hands forming the Ram Seal, "Let's go! On three! THREE KAI!"
Sasuke's grin became a touch feral, his hands snapping into a Ram Seal. "KAI!"
Naruto was last, his usual exuberance replaced with laser focus hands clasped in the familiar Seal, "KAI!"
All three looked like an abstract artists canvas, till each line glowed a vibrant blue and 'unwound', for lack of a better word, from around their limbs.
The three spoke a one, Chakra flaring into visibility around them, "Resistance Seal Full Release." The glare the three leveled would've curbed a lesser man, Orochimaru only smiled wider, "Game on freak face!"
The Forest exploded.
OooOooOOooOooO
The thing about the Shinobi rankings was that they didn't follow a proper linear escalation. Power could be gained by anyone. Experience. Proficiency. Ingenuity. Those made the difference and each came with surviving insurmountable odds and coming out bettered for the tribulations. As such it was a veritable gorge between one level and the next. Using a zero-to scale it would run something like this;
Civilian/Non-combatant(0) = Genin (1,000) = Chunnin (1,000,000) = Jonin (1,000,000,000) = Kage (+1,500,000,000,000,)
So to say Team Seven was unskilled would be woefully incorrect. Hovering between Chunin and Jonin at their age was unheard of and exceptional to point of unbelievable. But this was Hebi Orochimaru. Amongst even Kage Level Ninja, he was an anomaly. So it wasn't surprising when he crushed most of Naruto's ribs driving blood, bile, and spit from his mouth. Testament to the boy's hardiness, even with his breathing strained he managed a grim hold on his opponent's extended fist. Sasuke and Sakura capitalised with everything they had. Orochimaru was not bothered one whit, doing what Zabuza had failed previously and holding both Sasuke and Sakura back with only one arm. Granted he made gratuitous use of the odd knee and shin block it was masterfully executed.
They did however buy enough time for Naruto to recover, the boy immediately pushing his recently healed ribs to the breaking point when he spat a point blank Renkudan while Sakura compounded on it with a ball of explosive tags. Sasuke grabbed her and cleared the blast radius with a Chakra enhanced jump. Naruto abused the recoil of his technique and fled the area. All three utilizing simple technique Naruto had shared with them, rapidly boosting the Oxygen content of the air around the Sannin right before the tags blew. The explosion was magnificent. The girth of the trees they hid behind the better part of why they survived such close proximity to the blast. An instinctual Kawarimi spared Sakura and Sasuke's life when Orochimaru's treasured Kusanagi split their cove in half at waist height. Team Seven regrouped, never taking their eyes off the Nuke-Nin. Orochimaru was chuffed at the skill of his interests. Sasuke he expected far less from so this to him was proof of his potential as a vessel, the other two however? Screw the consequences, he'd have them even if it killed him.
"Kukukukuku~ What magnificent offence! How will you deal with defense I wonder?"
There was no warning, Naruto's eyes widened slightly before he swept Sasuke and Sakura's feet from beneath them. Kusanagi sailed well above their prone form, the arch of the extended blade shearing through air where their necks had been. A quick application of wind Chakra and Naruto divided the branch they were standing on from the tree and sent them into free-fall. Swinging under the branch, Sakura waited a split second for Naruto and Sasuke to clear the surface before she sent their previous foothold wind-milling through the air towards the Sanin. It bought nary a second when he carved through it but it served it's purpose well. The Illusory Bunshin that were Sasuke and Naruto faded out of existence while their true presence was revealed from within the shadows of the two halves of the branch.
Coating his hand with sharpened Wind Chakra, a bastardized attempt at Chakra Scalpels, Naruto dealt with Kusanagi while Sasuke focused on driving electrified finger tips into the main nerve clusters of the Snake's body. Impressive feats of flexibility were all that kept Sasuke and Naruto from being sliced paper thin. Orochimaru made judicious use of Kusanagi's extending capabilities to attack both the Genin with stabs and slices that transformed from feints to blows with less than a second's notice. Naruto delegated himself as the shield, turning his Chakra blades into small whorl shocks of air current that turned the blade away at every lunge. Sasuke became the sword, digits locked like claws and talons of light burning off his finger tips. Naruto and Sasuke made a formidable pair this way. Wind pushed and pulled Sasuke varying the angles at which his blows came from. Sparks flew of the brunette's hands, miniature flash bombs that disguised wind bullets flying from Naruto's palms between the gaps of Sasuke's limbs. Sakura made a vicious reappearance, the force of her straight-right splattering Orochimaru's head all over the forest. The body slumped before melting into a pile of mud. Sakura cleared their heads with a jump flying through handseals to land behind them.
"Doton: Tajuu Doryoheki!"
"Suiton: Hahonryu!"
Sakura's multiple walls barely made the cut against Orochimaru's maelstrom water torrent. Team Seven cleared the wet branch in time for Sasuke's Gian to conduct through and into Orochimaru. Drawing his head up until the beam connected directly with he Sannin flash frying skin and organs alike. When he finally let up, Sasuke was panting harshly. Naruto and Sasukra were immediately at his side, the latter with a Soldier Pill in hand. He took it and swallowed without chewing. Even with their collective guard up, Orochimaru's gleeful laughter still put them on the backfoot. They watched as he once more crawled free of his old 'skin' unharmed and hale before locking onto them with the intensity of a hawk.
"Kukukuku~! What wonderful prowess you have!" he frowned, "But I'm afraid Sarutobi is on the way with an ANBU squad." Those baleful yellow eyes narrowed, "Playtimes over."
It happened in a second. Sakura suffered a blow that sent her head first through six trees and buried her in a crater. Naruto was stabbed through his left kidney. Then split almost in two as the sword carved through his spine, right kidney, and out his flank. Sasuke's eyes widened in horror. The image of Sakura's flight leaving a splattering of blood was burned into his memory immediately. Naruto's wide eyes as his intestines were spilled all over the branch, the barely audible 'Run!' filled with his desperation for at least one of them to survive rang in his ears.
Sasuke couldn't move. The smell of blood-"Accept my gift! Sasuke-kun!"-Cold bodies lying lifeless on the ground of his home- Orochimaru's neck extending grotesquely, fangs poised for a bite- His parents head rolling off their shoulders as he walked into he room and red eyes marked with a tri-bladed pinwheel. 'Foolish little Brother'
When Sasuke panned back to Orochmaru's approaching head, gone were the three tomoe. Three overlapping ellipses painted on a red background became his pupils. Unbridled rage backlit his Mangyekou and Orochimaru had only time enough to flinch.
"AMATERASU!" The black flames of heaven consumed all in their path. The pocket of forest they were in became an inferno. Surrounded by the blaze but untouched Sasuke cradle Naruto's limp body to his chest. Tears of blood staining the boy's fur lined hoody. Orochimaru realized that he'd made a mistake. He'd played with his food for too long and now was suffering for it. A quick shed (along with a good portion of his Chakra) rid him of his old body and he watched as it was burned to ash. And then that ash was burned out of existence. Sasuke's eyes found his form immediately. The veins in his eyes spiking into stark relief with his rage. Chakra was pouring into the next Amaterasu. The Uchiha was hell bent on ensuring all that was left of the scum before him would be a memory. Then, he'd burn that out of existence as well!
At least…that was the plan.
Naruto's body twitched, and in his surprise Sasuke let the flames die. Even Orochmaru was startle at what happened next.
The blond rose like a door on hinges, organs slithering back into his gut like a tape on reverse. The fringe of his hair casting his eyes in shadow. Sasuke was familiar with the red on black eyes his teammate sported. He wasn't familiar with the fact that Naruto had five. A black mask had formed on his face, his regular eyes beneath it, two more spread like a peacocks feather's just above his brow. The last opened vertically in the middle of his forehead. The final change. Each one had a slit pupil.
They moved individually of each other. Spinning and glancing and peering before they locked on Orochimaru. The smile that spread on the boy's face was filled with malice…and completely lacking anything that even remotely resembled sanity.
"HELLO! I'LL BE YOUR HOST FOR TODAY AND WE'LL BE HAVING YOU FOR DINNER! PLEASE REMEMBER TO SCREAM AND DON'T WORRY ABOUT KEEPING YOUR HANDS INSIDE THE VEHICLE AT ALL TIMES! WE'RE ABOUT TO CHEW THEM OFF ANYWAY! AHYAHYAHYAHYAHYAHYAHYA~!"
Six wings and eight tails exploded out of Naruto's back, all coated in a caustic red chakra. The smile on his face succeed where Orochimaru failed and split his head in half.
"THanKS For ChOOSinG UZuMaKI NaRUTo aS YoUR PaRTnEr ToDAy! Let's DAncE!"
An hour later, Sarutobi and company appeared in a clearing. Only problem? There hadn't been a clearing here before. They glanced about at the desolate land, slash marks littered the ground and fallen trees. Some were sporting literal bite marks and others looked like they'd been thrown through a supersized shredder. Alternatively other spaces had been cleared by a massive three fingered hand. Tree, rock, and ground hyper compressed into five-foot-deep impressions. A closer look at some of the tree stumps looked like a giant pair of scissors had been taken to them. All of this compounded with scorched craters that hinted at intense flame burning holes into he ground.
Whatever had happened here had well and truly pushed Team Seven. However, with no Orochimaru in sight, they could not interfere further. With clenched teeth and fist, Sarutobi prayed that Team Seven was alright.
He nodded at Usagi, "Find any trail or evidence you can, then clear out. Any interference with the exams without further evidence will be seen as favoritism."
The ANBU Squad nodded and vanished. Hiruzen eyed the only set of tracks he could make out.
'Kami watch over you…Naruto.'
OOOoOOO
Sakura awoke to a pounding head ache, a cool clothe on her face, and finally complete numbness below her neck. She almost went into shock right there but cool headedness prevailed. A couple of deep breathes calmed her worries. She could feel the Chakra circulating in her body as well as Sasuke's Chakra forming a barrier at the base of her neck. A medical technique designed to keep patients from straining themselves when nerve damage was suspected. A good call on his part, the blow she'd taken from that slimeball Orochimaru might've killed her if she was a lesser woman. It was only quick thinking that let her completely relax her body but keep all the muscles along her neck and spine tensed. It let most of the shock conduct along her muscles and out through her extremities without straining her spine. Too bad it was an absolute assload of shock. Her thoughts were a bit foggy too. 'Minor concussion?' probably not, Sasuke wouldn't have let her fall asleep otherwise. A quick flex and she undid Sasuke's barrier and immediately hissed at the pain in her body she hadn't been aware of. 'Priorities first' a quick Shosen revealed that despite her best effort a couple disks were cracked. She winced at that but she could heal that. He ribs had suffered and so had her arms and a bit of her pelvis. The most intact part of her was her legs, suffering some minor sprains at the ankle.
It took barely ten minutes to fix everything (thank Log her chakra had replenished while she slept) and by the time she was done there was a rustle at the entrance to…the cave? She didn't relax when Sasuke's head peaked in, kunai in one hand and a set of shuriken in the other she watched as he raised his hands.
"Kakashi-sensei has silver hair but Naruto pretends it's grey and always accuses him of…?"
"Being impotent. He even asked Hokage-sama if he suffered a similar problem. Then dove out the office window."
Sakura relaxed immediately and flopped back into her bed roll. Finally taking in the sheer size of the hollowed out tree stump she was in.
"How long was I out?"
The Uchiha knelt beside her, placing another cool clothe on her head along with a bowl of some sort of stew he'd put together with a liberal application of Fire Chakra.
"It's been two days. Naruto is still out cold and of the three of us I was the least injured. A couple of Soldier Pills, Blood Pills, Food Pills, and as much as my amateur Shosen as I could manage without exhausting myself and I was set."
Sakura pulled her forearm from where it lay across her eyes, both of which narrowed at him, "How many pills?"
Sasuke winced. More of a slight tightening around his eyes than a full facial movement but she caught it none-the-less, "Lost about 1.5% of my body fat off of the Soldier Pills and Blood Pills combined. Food Pills helped but had to send a Kage Bunshin out for actual nutrition otherwise we'd be in dire-straits."
Sakura sighed but accepted that desperate times called for desperate measures. "What about the Kumo Team? Yugito and them alright?"
The boy shrugged, "They made it but I doubt they've been allowed back into the forest since they completed the exam. Hokage-sama actually came into the forest himself. I felt the spike in his ire," the boy shivered here, old or no Sarutobi Hiruzen was nothing short of a man made natural disaster with lazer focus built in, "and he came to reinforce along with an ANBU squad. Orochimaru was long gone though, thankfully it gave us a chance to run as well."
There was a strained silence, punctuated only by the lightest snores from Naruto's unconscious form.
"…What happened? Any scenario I think of, one of us should be dead," she missed the wince the brunette pulled, this time full blown, "and the others should be in pieces." This time she did catch the grim expression on the boy's face. She didn't press, just waited patiently. It was 15 minutes later, after she'd ate, wiped herself down as much as possible, and gave Naruto a cursory check over before Sasuke spoke again.
"I think…I think I unlocked a new stage of the Sharingan but I'm not sure." Sakura twisted and watched as Sasuke activated the usual Third Stage before the tomoe began to thin and stretch into a star made of overlapping ellipticals. As quickly as it came he let it go, "But it puts a massive strain on my eyes and chakra. I unlocked some other kind of technique but a lot of it was unconscious. I…I…I hope I'm wrong but…I think my sanity snapped for a split second."
Sakura only stared. Wasn't much to say to that, though the haunted expression on the boy's face was enough for her to scoot over and wrap him in a hug. Testament to how shaken Sasuke was that he only curled up in her grip instead of even managing some sort of gruff grunt. She didn't bother to manage time, just held him till the tremors passed. A grateful nod was sent her way but she waved it off and sat by his side against the rough bark of their little hovel.
"Naruto broke too." That startled the girl fiercely, "Orochimaru pretty much split him in half. While I was busy trying to burn him to ash, something pulled too far in there. He stood up with no visible mark on him save the tears in his bodysuit but when he raised his head…well…I don't think I have words for that. He had some sort of mask that was glued to his forehead and around his eyes. Somehow, and please don't ask me to explain I have no idea, his RC Cells formed a second set of eyes of the edge of his brow and a fifth in the middle of his forehead. Then his Kagune formed into something I've never seen before. More wings. More tails. All covered in that Red Chakra I told you about. The whole time he reeked of bloodlust and just…death. That Chakra cloak burned everything it touched like acid. When two horns sprouted out of the mask and the whole thing covered that fucking Glasgow Grin on Naruto's face things really got out of control. The Chakra started moving on its own, defending and attacking independently, leaping off of wherever it was clinging to his body to tear chunks out of Orochimaru. The freak finally left when some Red/Blue/Puerple orb started forming at Naruto's mouth. He spun to me next and despite having no intention of attacking, just spouting some nonsense about someone named Kurama being glad Snake Freak didn't take my virginity, I panicked and knocked him out with the highest tier Genjustu I know. When he passed out, I grabbed you, grabbed him, and hauled ass till we were safe."
Sakura only nodded. Again, what the hell do you say to that? She was startled when Sasuke wrapped her in a hug.
"?!" Critical Meltdown Imminent! Will Shutdown to Prevent Damage! Cancel Shutdown [Y/N]? Shutdown Aborted! Warning, Heat Levels Exceeding Safe Values!
Sakura's mini-freak out came to halt when the boy sniffled against her shoulder.
"I thought you were dead…"
She settled for letting him cling to her. If she heard any sobbing or her shirt got wet, well…it was probably just dust in his eyes.
OOOoOOO
Naruto woke abruptly 40 minutes later.
"DON'T TRY AND SHAKE MY HAND AFTER PICKING YOUR NOSE!"
Naruto's breathing calmed when he saw Sakura and Sasuke staring at him. When the previous events came back to him he flopped back onto the futon Sasuke had laid him on.
"We made it out alive?"
"Hn."
"Everyone is in one piece and no crippling injuries?"
"Yeah, pretty much."
"…Let's get the fuck out of here. Get to the Tower. And then sleep for as long as possible."
"Agreed."
"Seconded."
"Yippee Team Seven woohoo~!"
It took the collected group 25 minutes, traveling at a reduced pace just to make sure no injuries were exacerbated or agitated, before the tower was within sight. Of course then they ran into three idiots that thought regular Bunshins were actually worth something.
Sasuke's voice rang out, "Drop the illusion and fight us yourselves or we'll annihilate the clearing with you in it."
The clones laughed, the Ame-Genin's voices echoing out from wherever they hid, "As if we'd fall for something that stupid! Hand over you scrolls or get dead! Your choice."
Naruto and Sasuke jumped back to where they entered the clearing from, Sakura coming to stand between them. All three flew through hand seals, accidently pumping in extra chakra due to their irritation;
"Ninpo: Abura Kawanonagare!"
"Fuuton: Daitoppa!"
"Katon: Karyuu no Goen!"
The oil spewed from Sakura's lips was picked up and cascaded by the condensed whorl-shock that Naruto blasted out. The entire clearing was drenched even as the river of accelerant and high oxygen air continued to tear forward. Then Sasuke's flames hit. Maybe it was the unlocking of the next stage of Sharingan but his flames seemed to burn more intensely. A blue wave rocketed out of his throat and the clearing became The Inferno. Within Naruto the Kyuubi cackled with glee before feeding Naruto just a touch of his chakra transforming the wind Naruto was releasing into pure oxygen. Flames flared white, and then came the shockwave.
Thirty feet away the Sound Team that was tasked with testing Sasuke to see if he was worthy of being Orochimaru's vessel decided that the massive swathe of ashen forest was more than enough evidence and retreated quickly.
Though not the typical red carpet, Team Seven arrived at the tower in style none-the-less. A tag along in the form of a red headed girl whom they'd inadvertently saved (and almost accidently roasted) when their torrent of flames flash fried the bear that had mauled her teammates to death and 'almost' ate her. Almost being the operative words, but the reason for prevention was different than what she'd expected…
Oh well! At least she made it to the tower, plus the blonde was a cutie!
Naruto shivered at the quiet 'Hue's that escaped the girl's lips, he could feel her gaze lingering on him (mostly his ass) and he cursed/lauded his amazing genes. For whatever reason though he had a feeling it was his dad's fault for the quality of his ass. With the tower getting closer he shelved the thoughts for another time.
Team Seven being Team Seven with the modifiers Annoyed, Stressed, Tired, and Irritated didn't bother to check for traps and kicked the tower doors off their hinges and embedded them in the walls behind.
[Inside the tower and watching through the cameras Genma turned to Kakashi, "That's not supposed to be possible." Kakashi only shrugged]
Looking up at the inscription, "If you lack Heaven seek knowledge. If you lack Earth seek to strengthen your body. When both come together-blah~blah~blah~blah~! Who wrote this fortune cookie bullshit?!"
Naruto grabbed both scrolls unrolled them and threw them where they landed in an 'X' and began to steam. There was a 'Puff' of smoke and suddenly Iruka was standing there. "Congratulations on passing the Second Stage of the Chuu-" *Snore!*
Iruka sweatdropped at the sight of Team Seven face down and snoring while a fidgeting red head stood watching over them, "Umm…Hi! I'm Uzumaki Karin and these guys saved me! Err…I don't suppose you have a room for us?"
Iruka sighed. 'Honestly. Kakashi's Genin are such a handful'
"…Sasuke."
"Hn."
"Why are you cuddling me?"
"…Iruka dropped us all here and the memory of you getting split in half is till haunting me. Sakura is at your back and I'm clinging to her just as much if it makes you feel better."
"Wasn't a problem really. The real issue is that our limbs are tangled and I have to pee."
"Make a clone and replace with it. Sakura's hiding it well but she needs the rest and comfort of us near. She didn't see you bisected but her medical scans painted a clear enough picture."
"How are you holding up though?"
"…Ask me when I'm calm enough to stop being clingy."
"Hn"
Naruto ignored the slight smirk the Uchiha sported at him for stealing his signature grunt. Swapping with a silently produced clone, the boy made his way to the bathroom. Warm from his shower and bladder empty, Naruto walked out the door of the bedroom and into a small sitting area. Couch, Table, and Karin chewing through a severed arm from his personal stash.
"…."
"…This isn't what it looks like?"
"…"
"I have some explaining to do don't I?"
"Hn."
There was some awkward shuffling (mostly on Karin's part) until Naruto grabbed the same scroll she'd found his 'food' in, unsealed a meaty leg, and took a chunk out of the thigh. As it were, eating people didn't lend itself well to social decorum so Naruto unsealed a bib for each of them. If Karin took issue with the little smileys with 'X's for eyes it was hard to get out around the thick Humorous she was eagerly slurping the marrow out of. Naruto was at least polite enough to wait for breakfast to be finished (it gave him more time to chew through all the little bones in the feet. They were like little hard candies really, one crunch and sweet explodes from the inside!) before sweeping up the scraps and sitting back at the table with Karin across from him.
"So…My name is Uzumaki Karin. Sorry I didn't get to introduce myself but your teammate's, 'Fuck off till after we've had a proper rest' was pretty hard to misinterpret. Umm…I'm a Ghoul from Kusa where me and mom moved after years on the run and I'm here with my- I mean without my team now I guess, for the Chuunin Exams. I guess you can see how well that ended for them huh?"
The little bashful smile and blush sealed it. Before she knew it Naruto had hoisted her into a hug and snuggled her happily. His cries of, 'Cousin!' went completely ignored as Karin blushed bright red and passed out with a nosebleed.
It would take several minutes before she came to, still glued to Naruto's chest by strong arms. They would then spend the next half hour swapping stories until Sasuke came out followed shortly by Sakura. The brunette simply raised and eyebrow getting a beaming smile out of Naruto.
"She's my cousin or something! She's an Uzumaki like me, and she has the same Bloodline!"
Sasuke wanted to point out that Naruto himself had previously claimed no affiliation to the Uzumaki, simply stating it was probably a coincidence but decided that his happiness could be a path to more info. That was a couple dots connected already. Tazuna had said that the Uzumaki had strange bloodlines while Kakashi had emphasized the red hair. Considering Karin had both this provided a definitive link between Naruto and the Uzumaki Clan. Now all he needed to know is if Uzumaki Kushina was indeed his mother and who his father was to have given Naruto such radically different physical features when the red hair was supposed to be a dominant trait in the clan. Maybe finding out who he was would give them the clues they needed to lock down the source of red chakra within Naruto.
Sasuke's eyes flickered to Sakura and he could tell that the exact same thoughts had sped through her head. A miniscule nod was all he gave to acknowledge they were on the same page before Sasuke stepped forward and extended a hand (carefully ignoring the less than savory expression the girl sported in comparison to Naruto's 'innocent' smile), "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. A pleasure to meet you and glad our team idiot will have another trusted person at his back."
Ignoring Naruto's indignant 'Hey!' Sakura stepped forward and bowed politely, "Haruno Sakura. Nice to meet you and thank goodness we have someone else to help keep an eye on him, He's a walking catastrophe waiting to happen and it's a miracle he hasn't leveled the village in the few hours he goes unsupervised."
By now Naruto was crying crocodile tears into he table while Karin patted his back and returned the greetings good naturedly.
"By the way, how'd you figure out she had the same bloodline?"
Naruto raised his head, "She was eating the right arm of that dude that tried to sneak out with the ANBU Patrol Schedules for the next month or so. I told you about him, he was my last mission at T&I before I had to put distance between me, Ibiki, and Anko since they were hosting exam stages."
Karin was surprised by how well Team Seven was taking this, at least until…
"OH RIGHT! We have to tell Hokage-jii-sama about everything that happened in the forest! Come on! Let's see if we can't cover your existence up and add you to Konoha by pretending you got killed with your teammates by that bear!"
Her protests were lost in the wind as Naruto took off with her held bridal in his hands. Sasuke and Sakura took off as well. Now would be the perfect time to get answers. What better way than to back their cagey teammate into a vice between them and the Hokage.
OOoOoOO
The ANBU that tried to stop them from seeing the Hokage lost the battle in record time. A combination of Naruto's shouting and the sneering on Sasuke's face did well to put him in his place.
That and Sakura's parting shot of, "Welp. Better go get breakfast and wait the five days we need for the official request to go through, making he critical information we have on Hebi Orochimaru's presence within the Chuunin Exam obsolete and possibly incurring the deaths of loyal shinobi that could be prevented. I wonder how hard the Hokage would come down on the individual that caused that? Oh well! Guess we won't find out!"
The ANBU in front of them was frozen, W-W-Wait! I might have been too hasty! Gimme five minutes-!"
"Sasuke I heard they have those Onigiri you like, we should go get some before they run out."
Team Seven (plus Karin still being carried by Naruto) turned to leave-
"THE HOKAGE WILL SEE YOU RIGHT NOW! THERE WAS AN OPENING IN HIS SCHEDULE AHAHAHAHAHAH!"
The ANBU's stilted laughter was music to Sakura's ears. 'Ah~! The sweet taste of trampling over the weak of will' She needed to thank Naruto, she would have never been this vindictive without him.
Either way they were set before Hiruzen, his amused smirk letting them know that he'd heard everything that had happened outside his door, and welcomed them warmly.
"Team Seven. It's good to see you in one piece. You do your village and Kage proud by making it this far, especially when a force like Orochimaru stood against you." All warmth drained from his face, "Now. Report."
Naruto set Karin on her feet before straightening and joining his teammates at attention. Sasuke (Being the one that was conscious the longest) expanded on the events of the forest. His Sharingan leant itself well to the report but also left those that were unconscious dumbstruck.
"I got my Kakuja?/You're a Kakuja?"
Naruto and Karin became the center of attention from there. Explaining how they found out about Karin and her history as an Uzumaki and discussing the methods behind how Tsunade (a slip of the tongue revealing that she was Naruto's godmother) had provided the avenue of Naruto's Kakuja powers. Which in turn lead to the journal coming to light. The glare Sakura shot Naruto made him wince, Sasuke's cold shoulder was probably worse though. He'd been ignored for long enough in his short life thank-you-very-much. Though the real regret came from when Hiruzen gave the floor to questions. Sasuke stepped forward and immediately sent the room into lock down.
"What does Naruto's blood relation to Uzumaki Kushina have to do with his status as an orphan? Obviously, she was recognized as part of the clan as a blood to Uzumaki Mito," Naruto blanched and panned to Kakashi, mouthing 'How does he know that?!' Kakashi could only shrug, "so why would Naruto remain under 'Orphan' Status when we had proven relation to a clan that bordered on royalty?"
The silence was foreboding and only gave Sasuke room to press the court while the ball was in his control.
"You," he stared Hiruzen down, "had to have known exactly who she was and buried the information but that doesn't explain why? The bloodline would be safe beneath Tsunade's protection but that's not enough. It would have to stem from his father which leaves the 'Who' also being the 'Why'."
"Uchiha-san that's enough-"
"But his features aren't that of a Yamanaka and neither would some sort of relation between the last Uzumaki and a Yamanaka be hidden since that would further build relations to the clan and strengthen bonds."
Naruto was put in a Full-Nelson to keep him from shutting Sasuke up while Kakashi found himself frozen with a stasis seal ("Sakura he needs to-MMPH!").
"The other issue is Naruto's eyes are Sapphire and not the traditional pupil less green of the Yamanaka and based on a picture of Kushina-sama from old Bingo books it had to be another blond with Blue eyes the likes of which were found only in the Fourth Hokage."
Naruto slumped. Too late.
"Which would be understandably kept quiet but it doesn't end there," by now the door had been sealed and about twenty five different privacy seals had been activated as well, "since it would be kept under wraps but none of the villagers would hate his fucking guts for breathing there's more to the story. So let's ask another question without an answer: What in the name of the Log is the red Chakra tied tightly to Naruto's own?"
The silence was expected but not welcome.
"I see. The adults all know but why do the children of this generation have no idea? It would never have come to me if we didn't talk about Uzumaki Mito's status as the first Jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi which implies there were more than just her. Sakura memorizing the entire Konoha Libray really helped here."
Naruto received a sock to the gut that forced him to his knees. Sasuke caught him in an arm bar, then twisted into a scissor lock, before pinning him in a Boston Crab while Sakura took over.
"See it was stated quite blatantly that the Kyuubi had far too much power for a simple Object to hold it back whereas Suna and Kumo both had specialized sealing tools to hold back their respective Bijuu. In Kumo's case it was the Hachibi which mean the gap between the Kyuubi and the Hachibi was exponential. So not only must the Kyubi be sealed in a Human Being it must also be sealed into an Uzumaki as it was only their potent Chakra and Longevity that allowed the beast to be kept at bay successfully for any length of time."
By now Kakashi's chakra had wormed out of the seal and he'd made moves to quite them but was stopped by a subtle motioning of Hiruzen's eye-brow.
"So we checked further records. Naruto was born on October Tenth exactly thirteen years ago and the day the Kyuubi appeared in the middle of the village as if summoned where it proceeded to rampage. Both Uzumaki Kushina and Namikaze Minato died that day but having taken the Kyuubi with them. The idiot masses believe the beast died that day but as a Being of Pure Chakra there is no conceivable way to kill it. It would reform just like the Rokubi and Yonbi from Mizu and Iwa respectively who had lost there Jinchuuriki to the raid on Uzu no Kuni in the Second Great Ninja War. This leaves very few options. One is that the Fourth found away to seal the beast somewhere it would never see the Light of day, unlikely since the power shift would invite disaster. The Jinchuuriki are unwilling engines of war and to be without one when other nations have two would be rolling a red carpet out for invasion. The other and likely more realistic is that the Fourth sealed it into an Uzumaki child where it would be imprisoned properly and Konoha would have a Shinobi who would eventually be able to call on it's power in combat. However Jinchuuriki are not ever known to be readily welcomed which would explain quite a lot about Naruto's situation since his heritage is buried beneath a mile of politics and paranoia."
Naruto laid defeated on the floor beneath Sasuke. This really wasn't how he wanted this to come to light.
"So let's wrap this up. Based on the gathered evidence not only is Naruto the Heir to the entire Uzumaki Dynasty he is also the third incarnation of the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki after his mother Uzumaki Kushina but the son of Konoha's most lauded and premier Shinobi considered to be a once in a life time prodigy, the Fourth Hokage Namikaze Minato."
Hiruzen was lucky it was Team Ro and Yuugao in the room otherwise the Village's dirty laundry would have been spread across the Elemental Nations faster than the Yondaime's own Hiraishin.
Sasuke pegged the adults in the room with a hefty glare, "Tell us if we missed anything."
Sautobi Hiruzen looked and felt so fucking old right now. Log dammnit if a couple of green-as-grass Genins put this together had anyone else? Should he expect assassins from Iwa in the morning? Another 'Diplomatic' envoy from Kumo? Maybe Mizu would like to make a claim for a 'Citizen' since Uzu had been 'claimed' as part of their lands? Fuck he was way too old for this particular brand of shit.
The man sighed but straightened back up into War Hardened Veteran between one instant and the next, "What you have rooted out is a Kage Class EX Rank Cover-up and this comes with many, many restrictions. You will not act on this information. You will not discuss this information among yourselves. You will not even contemplate this information with in the quiet of your mind. You will hear these words, and then never consciously consider them unless it is in my presence or beneath a security matrix complex enough to keep Jiraiya of the Sannin out. Uzumaki Karin, you have already heard too much. As far as your village is concerned you died in that forest and were eaten alive. If so much as a peep of what I'm about to tell you gets out I will have every single person executed even if they only heard the punctuation in your sentences about this subject. Do you understand?"
Team Seven stood side by side at attention. Karin felt she was in over her head but decided being sworn to secrecy was the lesser of two evils. The other being decapitated to prevent leaks.
"This will reveal a decade old incident that still leaves my mouth tasting of bitter ash and failure. The night the Kyuubi was released was a cluster fuck of a mess no one saw coming. Two things that should have not been known beyond a few supposedly 'trusted' advisors including myself and my late wife got to those with the ability to make use of it. The first is that a female Jinchuuriki's seal is weakest at child birth, leaving them vulnerable without an appropriate Seal Master present to help. I left it to Minato while my wife was Kushina's mid-wife. The Second thing was the location outside of the village that Minato had used for the birthing chamber, which was covered in so many seals and security measures that the only way to by pass them was to bypass Space itself."
Here the Hokage poured multiple dishes of Sake, in a moment that would never be seen again, the ANBU removed their masks, sat by the team, their Hokage, and curled their fingers around a dish each. They sipped only after Hiruzen had taken his first.
"A masked individual utilizing an advanced form of Jikukan Ninjutsu entered the birthing chamber, slaughtered the ANBU and my wife, then proceeded to jam a Kunai in Naruto's newborn mouth and demand Minato hand over the 'Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi'. Here's where the details cut out. Minato had barely enough Chakra to spare on Kage Bunshin but he got most of the important details down. Naruto was in danger and he managed to save him but at the cost of Kushina's kidnapping and the subsequent release and summoning of the Kyuubi within the walls of the village. The entirety of the time it was allowed to rampage Minato spent fighting the masked individual before finally forcing his retreat. Past this Minato helped push the Bijuu back and eventually teleported it away where Kushina used the last of her strength to subdue the beast beneath her Kongon Fuusa, allowing Minato to seal it away. Although, those words don't do what Minato did justice. What he did was Summon and incarnation of the Shinigami itself which split the Chakra of the beast in half before sealing the Yang portion into Naruto and dragging the Yin portion into the stomach of the Shinigami along with his soul. Kushina and Minato's cold bodies were found cradling Naruto in their last moments. Everything else was detailed out by the short note Minato's clone left."
The man slammed two full dishes back before he settled for sipping again.
"Now this is the painful part that sparked the most shameful incident in the history of Konoha. It was widely seen and recognized that the Sharingan was used to subjugated the-"
"WHAT?! HOW?! WHO THE FUCK-"
Naruto cut Sasuke's tirade off and gestured to Hiruzen who was waiting patiently to continue. The boy swallowed the bitter rage and caustic sadness with a force of will. Despite this his Mangyekou spun with his impatience.
"The masked man was an Uchiha, that much was confirmed but not out of our locale populace. He was from outside of the village, having apparently claimed to be Uchiha Madara but we are not sure. All we know that he desires the Bijuu and Konoha's destruction. The shape of the Sharingan in the Kyuubi's eyes was too much to hide and with the clan having been moved to the outskirts of the village durning Tobirama's rule made it too easy for the clan to be essentially divided from Konoha. Not to mention barely a handful of Uchiha were seen fighting the Kyuubi it compounded on the growing suspicion and distrust."
The Third's ire spiked into visibility with a shroud of potent Chakra that splintered his desk, "Though someone was inciting unrest and discrimination against them and when I find them…"
The group did not need to know. They would die. Slowly. Painfully. Likely hanging on to sanity by a thread.
"And that lead to the negotiations that would hopefully prevent civil war." Sasuke's eyes widened in understanding, the meetings, the armaments, why every Uchiha was constantly ready for battle, the hidden messages within conversations he could never pick up, and why Itachi was constantly on edge.
"The Uchiha had planned a Coup D'état for the slights that had been leveled against them. I agreed whole heartedly especially since they were one of the founding clans of the village but nothing could satisfy Fugaku. He took my willingness to deliberate as weakness and would not settle for anything less than complete control of the village and its interests. So we relied on the spies we had within. We had planned on having Uchiha Shisui trap them in a Genjutsu but that was made inviable when Shisui 'committed suicide' and was found with both his eyes missing. See Shisui like you Sasuke had unlocked his Mangekyou and through this gained the ability Kotoamatsukami, a powerful Genjutus with the ability to overwrite the entirety of a person's psyche to fit your needs. In other words, perfect mind control. Someone got wind of this and then he 'disappeared' before this plan could be enacted. We were left with one choice at that point. Initially the only casualties would be the leaders of the Coup while the women and children were left but another person was there that night and helped Itachi but did not stick to the plan. He slaughtered anyone and everyone leaving only you Sasuke. Itachi took the fall and went 'rogue' and we picked up the pieces to ensure the 'Last Loyal Uchiha' would make it to adulthood and hopefully found a new and welcomed Uchiha Clan."
There was silence. An entire clan. The entire fucking clan. Gone. And a loyal Shinobi ousted from his home because someone within the system got greedy, leaving no other option but genocide. Power like Shisui's…there was no way someone else wouldn't crave it.
"Who's the most likely suspect? For the theft of Uchiha Shisui's eyes."
Hiruzen had left two bottles out for the guests and had a single one in hand.
"There is no suspect, we know exactly who did it," Sasuke's eyes shrunk, bloody tears starting to pool from his eyes, "but we have no concrete proof and he has the Daimyou's backing. If I move on him without solid evidence it would be as if I spat in the eyes of the Daimyou. I'd lose my position as Hokage and he would have avenue and support to take over unimpeded."
Sasuke calmed, that was to say he went from 'Incinerate the Village' to 'Incinerate Half the Village'.
"Name?" the boy gritted out.
"Shimura Danzo"
Sasuke nodded, awkward silence ensued.
"What had been revealed this day is nothing short of tragedy upon tragedy upon betrayal upon atrocity. You may not act upon these facts, but I give you free reign to act upon anything that may come from the knowledge of these events."
There were incredulous looks while Team Seven froze, dumbstruck.
Hiruzen bowed his head till it touched his desk, "It should never be your burdens. Many wrongs have fallen against you due to the foolishness of the generation before yours. It was up to us to ensure a brighter future for all of you but all we've done is set the blight of our mistakes upon your path. I ask- no. I beg of you, should you find a way help me pave a path to the future you deserve. I will do all I can to aide you should you ask for it."
Team Seven shared a glance.
"Nah."
The Hokage was justifiably startled. "Wut?"
Sasuke spoke, wiping the blood that had tracked down his cheeks away, "It might be your mistake but it's our problem now. We'll get the information from you but we'll do it on our own power. We'll turn this village on its head and cut the scum out of it with a blunt Kunai if it comes to that. More importantly, raise your head Hokage-sama, you've done your best. It is all anyone can ask of you."
Hiruzen slumped, weight he hadn't even known was there slid off his shoulders. Watching as the team bantered he couldn't help but swell with pride.
"Come. We'll get Karin set up as a citizen and hidden till Kusa leaves. I still have enough flex to push it through."
He ignored Naruto's jabbering about her Kagune and started stamping papers. His eyes drew to the picture of the Fourth on the wall by the door, the mile in the frame seemed wider somehow.
Hiruzen couldn't help but hold Minato's words in his heart.
'You were right brat. The next Generation…They truly will change the world.'
A/N: Whew! This one was a bit of a pain to write. I always know how I want things to start and how I want thins to end I just have problems writing the in between. Thankfully this came out better than expected and gave me a solid grounding for how the next chapter will flow. Ironic since I wanted to end this one at the month gap between the end of the Second exam and the beginning of the Third but this gives me a bit of time to really expand on Sasuke and Sakura, cause I feel like they deserve a bit of love. Other than that thanks for reading and see you next time! Remember, had a good time? Tell me. I goofed? Explain where and how to fix. Have a cool Idea you want to see? Tell me and I'll try and work it in, maybe even as an Omake. Ya boi Gryphon signing off! =3
Technique List:
Raiton Dan: Ibuki][ Lightning Release Bullet: Dragon's Breath][ Lightning is gathered upon the fist of the user before being launched in a condensed bullet at a desired Target
Ochiru Kori Ryu][ Falling Ice Dragon][ Taking advantage of falling snow, a dragon is formed where the force of gravity is abused to give the construct more force on impact.
Katon: Kasumi Enbu][Fire Release: Mist Blaze Dance][ The user exhales a large cloud of accelerant that can be subsequently ignited in the form of a stream of flames or a bomb blast.
Fuuton: Kami Oroshi][ Wind Release: Divine Mountain Wind][ Creates a vortex of winds that can be launched as a continuous stream towards an enemy
Katon: Karyuu Endan][ Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet][ The flames exhaled form into a colossal or multi-headed Dragon streamers before being directed at an enemy
Shiro Hoshi: Kangei Yosuru][ White Star: Welcoming Embrace][ Team Seven's first original Combination Technique, that forms a thick blanket of flames due to the air density and high accelerant concentration before overwhelming and 'embracing' an opponent in a conflagration unachievable in intensity by a single person
Doton: Tajuu Doryuheki][Earth Release: Multiple Earth Walls][ If you don't know what this does seek help.
Suiton: Hahonryu][ Water Release: Tearing Torrent][Similar to the Great WaterFall Technique, the user forms a chaotic whirling vortex of high pressure water meant to send the target tumbling uncontrollably before crushing them with sheer pressure
Ninpo: Abura Kawanonagare][ Ninja Art: Oil River Flow][ The user spews high density, high velocity oil in a concentrated stream that blankets an area in the flammable substance. If continued it behaves as the name would imply as a fast flowing stream of oil
Katon: Karyuu no Goen][ Fire Release: Fire Dragon's Great Blaze][ A downsized but far more intense version of the Great Fire Annihilation, the Great Blaze issues a terrifyingly wide wall of nigh solid flames to incinerate a target. Usually a technique used to kill a battalion's worth of adversaries, downsizing the technique will result in a more intense flame
Fuuton: Daitoppa][ Wind Release: Great Breakthrough][ A massive blast of wind on par with the force of a hurricane if preformed properly. Those with proficiency enough can exhale the technique as pure Oxygen making it ideal for combinations with fire or simply increase the Oxygen content of the surrounding air. Mix with paper bombs for fun but use with caution.
Kongon Fuusa][ Adamantine Sealing Chains][ Uzumaki bloodline that abuses their high density Chakra to form physical constructs. These in particular are renowned for their ability to subjugate Bijuu
