Chapter 11: Lessons Taken to Heart
Naruto rushed towards his apartment as though a mob or horde of enemies were after him. The very life of his ninken was potentially at stake. "Please be ok, please be ok," he continued to repeat and prayed his ninken came to no harm.
Bolting up the stairs and slamming into his apartment door, making a huge crack in the wood as a result, Naruto soon found his head wrapped up tightly and felt a prick in his neck. Though he struggled valiantly, the boy soon felt his body go numb and darkness take him.
"Wasn't expecting this but it works all the same," the intruder voiced, "Now onto the final phase."
(Sometime Later)
"Ugh, shit," Naruto groaned as he woke up from his slumber. Trying to get up, Konoha's resident jinchuriki realized that he was bound very tightly to a chair. Trying to reach for a kunai or sharp object was of no use either. Whoever did this to him had taken away any method he could use to escape, "Should have really paid more attention when Iruka-sensei demonstrated the Nawanuke no Jutsu (Rope Escape Technique)," the irony wasn't lost on him.
"You're awake, good," a voice from the darkness suddenly spoke out.
"Huh?" Naruto didn't know if his mind was playing tricks on him but he swore he recognized the voice, "Anko?"
Suddenly the lights came on and Naruto was greeted with the sight of his mentor, "Hey, gaki. What's up?" Anko chirped at him.
"Anko? Wha… What the hell are you doing to Hotto?" he asked upon spotting his ninken in her arms.
"*Whine*" the small ninken whimpered. Currently he was dressed up in a humiliating outfit. A female outfit, too.
"Oh, this? Just getting a little payback," she shrugged, "Picture?" she asked him and showed a series of humiliating photos that involved his ninken.
"Why's he not moving?" Naruto knew that Hotto would be fidgeting or vocally protesting this.
"That would be thanks to this little baby," she casually held up a vial of yellow liquid. "It's a paralyzing agent that takes away your ability to move or speak coherently."
"You drugged my dog!" he shouted.
"I did say I would get back at him, but because I need to leave tomorrow I decided to do it tonight instead. Honestly I was going to do the same to you but you were out," she said and Naruto paled.
"You were gonna drug me too?" he was a little disturbed by how casually she said it. "Wait a minute, you did drug me!"
"Ah, quit your bitchin, gaki, and don't worry about it. It'll wear off in an hour or so. I've done this to a few friends to get them to a surprise party, and to get back at some assholes. Think of it as an elaborate prank," she told him.
"Hey, I prank but even I think this going too far," he told her.
"Really? Cuz if I recall, you've broken into a few places before and set up quite the array of booby traps all rigged to go off if a single one gets triggered. Remember," she looked at him all knowingly and the boy blushed.
Naruto realized he had been caught. The blond had only done this a few times before to store owners or students who were complete assholes in his mind. Though he had gotten caught a few times, other times many had merely suspected him to be the culprit but since none of them could prove it he had been let go.
"Besides as your mentor I can classify this as training. And oh boy would you have failed spectacularly, gaki," Naruto looked at her in disbelief, "Fail? How could I fail?"
"Really?" here she put Hotto down and the ninken whimpered some more. "Let's start with your most recent failure. You saw your lights turned on and instead of either being smart about it, you let your emotions cloud your judgement and decided to come rushing in without a plan. Look where that got ya?"
Naruto blushed with embarrassment. Naruto had gotten better at controlling his emotions since he began training with her but the blond boy still had his moments.
"Secondly, you didn't know the Nawanuke no Jutsu to get out of this. Granted that's partially my fault. I should have asked if you knew it when we began training but that's like the basics of the basics. Though even if you did know it this is special rope that disrupts the chakra for that technique from being executed. Finally, improper locks or counter measures placed around the entrances of this place to prevent people from breaking into your house. Had I been an enemy I could have slit both your throats and been on my merry way, gaki," while Konoha was one of the Great Five they were far from perfect, it wasn't unheard of foreign or enemy ninja slipping in pulling it off. "Hell, I could have cut you open the moment you barged in here guns blazing. I've done it before, so I know what I'm talking about, gaki."
Naruto chocked and paled simultaneously at how she could say such a thing so casually and with a straight face. "You've killed people in their sleep."
Anko nodded, "In their sleep, when they entered their home, you name it, gaki. Some missions you'll need to undertake in the future will involve this kind of work. Depending on the circumstances you need to kill them in a specific way. Be it making it look like an accident or suicide."
Naruto understood but it didn't make it any easier. The academy had always been vague on this sort of thing. Up until now he had merely killed animals, not humans. The zombies were already dead, sort of, and didn't count in his mind. Naruto knew he'd be forced to do so in the future but knowing and accepting the reality of doing the deed were two completely different things.
"This is why the Rite is - was done in the academy, Naruto. Konoha needs to know that their future forces will have what it takes, to make sure they can stomach what others can't. To be a ninja means to endure what others can't. Otherwise our reputation and way of life goes down the shitter if we fail these types of missions. It ain't pretty, that I'll acknowledge, but it has to be done either way. You wanna be Hokage, endure this and become the best goddamn ninja there is," not once did Anko's voice waver and from the use of his name for the first time since this whole thing began, Naruto knew she was levelling with him.
Truthfully she hadn't meant for it to end up like this but for whatever reason she couldn't stop herself. As much as she wanted to deny it, Anko had a soft spot for Naruto. She had a soft spot for her student. "Goddamn it, I'm turning into a pansy," she found the whole situation ironic. For so long she ranted on about not wanting to take care or caring for snot nosed brats and now here she was getting all sentimental for one. Naruto was her responsibility and she'd be damned if she let anything happen to him or his ninken while under her care.
"Anyway, enough of this gloom, doom and heartfelt talk crap," she broke the tension in typical Anko manner, "But you're gonna need to put some defenses around this place. Not everyone in a ninja village is working for the same team as us," here she tossed him a scroll. "Don't open it up now, all I'll say is that it should stop others from breaking in."
"Thanks, Anko-sensei," the blond was sincere when he said this. It then dawned on Naruto that it was the first he ever called her that. Two firsts in one day.
"Sensei, huh? Hmm, I like it! Has a nice ring to it," she smirked. "All, right onto another subject. What'cha get this time?"
Naruto didn't doubt she knew he entered a dungeon but first things first, "You mind healing me and Hotto?" he couldn't exactly get out of this without showing off his Ninpo: Goriki to her. He wanted a few things to remain a secret. "Payback when we fight."
"Aww, you're no fun," Anko pouted but complied and injected him and the puppy with their respective antidotes. "There we go, good as new. Next time don't ruin my fun, mutt."
"Grr," Hottomaru merely growled at the woman who paralyzed him. Some way or another she'd get her comeuppance.
"Don't you growl at me, poochie" she took out some pictures and he paled, "Unless you want the Inuzuka dogs seeing these," she smirked as Hottomaru hid behind Naruto with his tail tucked between his legs. "Good boy," she said and directed her attention towards her ward, "Spill."
"Honestly, other than me leveling up and getting a cool piece of armor, it sucked," his answer was simple and straight to the point. "Got a couple techniques such as the Shunshin (Body Flicker Technique) and the Dokkaso (Toxic Luster Claw) but I can't use em. Don't have the requirements."
"Don't doubt it. The Shunshin's a D-Rank technique but it requires a great amount of control to vitalize every single part of your body. You can hurt yourself pretty damn badly otherwise."
Anko wasn't lying as she knew firsthand on how much it could hurt. Even if one vitalized the muscles that moved the body, the brain wouldn't be able to register the images fast enough if it wasn't vitalized either. Basically, the person would be moving at extreme speeds blindfolded. Which was why high levels of chakra control was required alongside high levels of chakra.
"Still useful though, gaki. You'll just have to meet those requirements, simple as that. What was the other one?" she pried.
"A poison technique called Dokkaso (Toxic Luster Claw)," though it was cool Naruto wasn't really interested in learning healing techniques, poisons yes but not healing. Why bother wasting chakra when he had potions and items that would do that?
For thinking things-
"Let me see," she asked him and gave the scroll he passed her a look over. "Damn interesting," considering who her former mentor was she had seen a variety of poison based ninjutsu. Poison laced kunai, expelling poison from her mouth, even poison being passed from her teeth like a snake. She had seen them and used most of them, but using them from her nails was new to her. Hell, it said the chakra could be moulded into a dangerous and potentially lethal whip.
"Mind if I have this?" it had been a while since she was interested in learning a technique and this one caught her interest.
"How much?" he asked her. He wasn't going to learn the technique but he damn well wasn't going to give it away for free either. Unique C-Rank techniques like this could bring him a good amount of ryo on the Abyss Auction House's website.
"Wanna run that by me again, gaki," it was ballsy move on his part she thought.
"You told me that ninja take advantage of every opportunity that presents itself. I have something you want, what's in it for me?" he smirked.
"Want a boob job?" her answer threw him off guard.
"Wha… What?" he blushed and Anko laughed at his look. "God damn it."
"Oh, that never gets old," she laughed and wiped at tear from her eye before getting down to business, "But seriously now. How much you want, gaki?"
"200,000 ryo," he said with a straight face and Anko frowned. It was quite a bit of money after all but this wasn't you're run of the mill technique either. Technically speaking she would have demanded more but guessed Naruto was giving her a discount or was inexperienced at haggling. Either way suited her. Anko could easily afford it but the purple haired woman was a haggler for this sort of thing too.
"150,000 ryo," she countered and he shook his head.
"No way, 200,000 ryo," he said once more, his previous amount having not changed.
Scowling, Anko made another offer, "110,000 ryo, and I teach you how to make poisons and a useful technique when I get back," she countered.
His interest peaked, Naruto asked, "What sort of technique?"
"A useful one," Anko informed him.
"… A useful unknown rank one?" that was her best offer. "That's it?"
"Trust me you'll like this one," she told him. She wasn't lying either.
"… Make it 120,000, you teach me poisons, and you need to teach me a way to restore someone's chakra," he countered.
Anko didn't expect that, "Why do you wanna learn that?"
"Hotto doesn't have a lot of chakra so he runs out pretty quickly," he explained and Anko understood.
"I guess that's doable. To be honest I've only been taught the basic theory on how to steal someone else's chakra. Never really used it myself but the concepts between Chakra Absorption Techniques and the Chakra Transfer Techniques are similar so it shouldn't be too hard. If it can't be done, I'll teach you that other technique instead, ok?" Naruto nodded, it was fair in his mind.
"All right, gaki, you've got yourself a deal," to finalize it, Anko stuck her hand out.
"I want the ryo before you leave," Anko merely humphed but nodded before they shook hands and they sealed the deal.
Your Bartering Skill has increased by 1!
"Fine," the woman realized she was probably teaching him too well. Speaking of which, "By the way, gaki. How would you be interested in learning kenjutsu?"
"Kenjutsu? Sweet!" though his Basic Bladed Weapon Mastery skill was useful and he learned techniques as it leveled up, knowing an actual style and its techniques could very well go a long way. "Hey, why didn't you teach me Kenjutsu before?"
"Me?" Anko shook her head, "I wouldn't know the first thing on how to wield a sword," the first time her master tried teaching her. Saying it didn't end well wouldn't do it justice. Skilled as she was in various fields, being skilled in the art of the sword she was not. The man had called her accident prone and a walking disaster when using a sword. "Hayate's interested in teaching you. Thinks you've got potential."
"The sick looking guy?" Naruto had his doubts but would take her word for it.
While it was a crude, Anko couldn't help but agree that it was an accurate description of the ninja swordsman, "Yep, but he's one of Konoha's best when it comes to Kenjutsu, probably would have been the very best had a set of circumstances not occurred," as much as she liked teasing him, Anko knew Hayate could have easily become a sword master with his skill. But life was a cold hearted bitch at times and it was not to be.
Changing the subject, Anko asked, "You get anything else?"
Judging from his face splitting grin, Anko could safely assumed he found something god, something very good. "Yep, but I ain't showing it," he grinned at her reaction.
"Fucking tease," she couldn't believe this kid. "Well, whatever. Other than telling you this I have nothing more to say. Oh, wait there was one more thing."
"What's that?" Naruto asked but suddenly found himself falling face forward. Another Anko behind him holding a needle in her hand.
"Nighty night, gaki," she grinned.
"Arf arf! Grr!" Hottomaru growled at her.
"Oh, pipe down, Poochie-gaki. Don't you wanna see your partner wearing this," the picture she showed him made him stop his growling. "I thought you'd see it my way."
(Next Morning)
"Huh? What the hell? God damn it, Anko!" Naruto groaned as he realized he'd been drugged, once again, by his eccentric and psychotic teacher. At least she was kind enough – or merciful enough – to put him to bed. Groaning, Naruto got up and waddled to the bathroom to go about his morning ritual.
"… WHAT THE BLOODY FUCKING HELL!"
Suddenly the door to his apartment opened up and Naruto spotted his cranky old landlord, "Brat! How many times-" the man's ranting was cut short as he spotted Naruto. His mouth moved but no words came out. Naruto honestly thought he was having a stroke. Slowly the man backed out into the hall and closed the entrance.
"BWAHAHAAHAAHA!" Naruto became flushed with anger at the man.
"It's not funny god damn it!" the embarrassed and angry blond shouted at him. Doubting he could be heard by the laughing landlord anyway.
Looking back in the mirror, Naruto closed his eyes, pinched his cheeks – hard – and opened them again. To his horror his hopes of this being a dream –more like nightmare- were utterly and completely dashed. Looking back at him was the face of a female geisha. One that mimicked his every move. In the reflective glass, the boy spotted ruby red lipstick, midnight black eyeliner, curled eyelashes, pale as snow skin adorned with a rosy blush, the whole regalia.
"Arf!" Naruto looked behind him and saw his ninken mirthfully rolling on the floor. This only made Naruto scowl even more and the boy was tempted to strangle his laughing partner. Tsume's punishment be damned.
His entire body trembling with fury, Naruto grabbed onto the wig and pulled with all his might, "OWW!" which was then considered a very dumb move on his part.
Deciding to take off his clothes, Naruto quickly changed his mind upon seeing a pair of medium sized pale looking breasts. Seeing them wasn't a big deal but not seeing something else was for the geisha looking boy. "What the hell? Oh, god damn it, did she give me a fucking sex change or something?" he wondered. For some reason he wouldn't put it past her. This was Anko after all.
"Henge!" he called out but nothing happened and the boy was still in her female looking form. "Oh, you're fucking shitting me," he cursed. Fear or not he was going to get Anko back for this.
"Arf, arf," he heard Hotto and the transformed boy just had about enough of it and moved towards the stripped puppy. As he did though he heard the fluttering of paper behind him and spotted something pinned to the back of his kimono. "This better not be a damn kick me sign," he groused and tore it off.
Dear, gaki.
Hope you enjoyed my little gift to you. Took me a while but I managed to pull it off you are now one hundred percent female.
"WHAT!" the boy felt faint as he read those words.
Just kidding. Really wish I was there to see your face when you read that part. But seriously, this little number is a special Henge I managed to put on you. It can be taken off.
"Oh, thank you merciful kami," Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and continued to read.
However, I'm not telling you how. If you want to lose the breasts and get your dick back you need to rendezvous with Yugao and Hayate at their place.
"Fuck that noise!" Naruto had no intention of letting anyone see him like this.
You're probably thinking there's no way in hell you're going to do that. You think you're going to manage to release this all by yourself. Sorry to bust your balls, or lack thereof, but it ain't gonna work, gaki. To make things more interesting, I put a seal on you that suppresses your ability to use chakra. That means you can't hide, run, or do anything to prevent my demands from being met. I also instructed those two not to change you back unless you get there by a certain time.
Fuck," he groaned. There was no escaping it.
Good luck, gaki. See you in a few days.
Love, Anko.
Ps. I left a little something on that cute pale tight ass of yours.
"Huh?" lifting the back of his kimono and looking in the mirror Naruto deadpanned when he saw what was there.
"This ass is property of the sexy and vivacious Mitarashi Anko," he read. "Oh, kami just kill me now," today just wasn't his day. Looking around his apartment Naruto noticed that any shred of clothing or fabric he could use to cover himself up was gone. The woman had been very thorough with her prank.
"Wait a minute."
Reaching out Naruto managed to take out his Crimson Cloak of the Fire Rat from his Inventory Box. As the technique didn't require any chakra to use it his ability to put and take things out wasn't disabled. "Nice try, Anko-sensei," he smirked and put the cloak on and covered himself up.
Walking out of his apartment, Naruto slowly made his way onto the bustling streets of Konoha. Covering his now female body as best as he could with his awesome cloak, Naruto walked as fast as he possiblly could. The kimono wasn't helping because of how close fitting it was and the cloak he held wrapped closely around his body to hide his identity didn't allow for swift movement on the moment. The fact that the kimono itself was seal bound to his body didn't help either.
"Just don't make eye contact with anyone. Keep your eyes on the ground and slowly make you way towards the house," he told himself.
"Arf!"
Naruto froze and spun his head around and spotted his grinning ninken, "Oh, shit."
Disguised as he was it would do him squat if Hotto followed him. By now many knew he had a ninken and with Hottomaru's easily recognizable looks many would put two and two together and figure it out.
"Hotto, go away!" he hissed lowly but the ninken didn't budge. "Oh, you little mother-"
Glancing around, Naruto speed walked as quickly as he could but the little shit that was his ninken easily followed him. "Go away!" he looked back as he turned a corner. "Oof!"
Naruto felt his head smack into someone and his unpreparedness made him and the individual fall on top of each other. "Ow."
"Hey! Watch where you're … going?"
"Oh, kami no," looking up Naruto's skin would have palled even further had the special Henge not be in place. In front of him was none other than Inuzuka Kiba.
"Hey, there," was the boy's attempt at being suave. "Let me help you," the boy helped the geisha up and Naruto felt the feral boy's hand brush against his ass a few times. Naruto was sorely tempted to beat the life out of him for that stunt.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" he asked the pretty geisha, as though he hadn't done anything wrong.
"Nowhere," Naruto opted to disguise his voice and glanced back at a smirking Hottomaru that had hidden himself away. "Just visiting family," he dusted and then covered himself up as fast as possible. Much to Kiba's displeasure.
"I'll help you," he offered.
"Yeah, I bet you would," despite the Inuzuka Clan heir's age, Naruto knew how lecherous Kiba was and didn't doubt the horn dog was simply doing this with the hopes of getting in his pants, "Oh, sweet kami that sounds so fucking wrong," the disguised boy was just about ready to hurl his guts out.
"You ok?" Kiba asked the girl. "You look ready to lose it."
"I'm fine," Naruto lied. The whole situation was very wrong and sick in his mind. "Thank you though."
"Maybe you should come over to my place for a while till you get better."
It was evident that Kiba was new at this despite his frequent boasted at the academy. Offering to take a girl to his place already without properly knowing her was a dumb ass move on his part. "It's alright, really."
"I insist," the boy pushed.
"Look asshole beat it," Naruto had enough and his real voice came out accidentally.
Stunned by the suddenness of it all, Kiba's mind soon registered the voice and an image popped into his mind, "… Naru-" the blond clamped his hand around Kiba's mouth.
"Shhh," he harshly shushed the Inuzuka heir, "You want the whole world to know?"
The boy merely gaped and almost seemed catatonic upon realizing the girl he was trying to pick up was Naruto of all people. The boy even had to swallow the bile that rose up from his stomach when he recalled him stroking his ass. "Oh, fuck no. Oh, sweet kami no!"
"Yeah," this was very awkward indeed in the blond - now dark - haired academy student's mind. Both males simultaneously wished they knew a way to annihilate this memory as though it never happened.
"What the fuck man!" the boy snarled, his confusion and disgust now replaced with typically Inuzuka anger. "Why're you dressed up like a chick? You a cross-dresser or transvestite who secretly gives hand jobs or something?"
Forcing down his own bile once more, Naruto shook his head furiously, "Fuck no! This is Anko's doing."
"Anko? The snake bitch?" Naruto nodded despite his lack of candor towards describing his mentor. Looking at the geisha transformed boy, and then up and down, Kiba cringed with sympathy, "I've only met her a few times compared to mom and sis, that last time being the longest," he and Akamaru shuddered, "but from what mom's told me I can see happening. Damn that's gotta suck."
Unlike his mother and sister who worked with Anko on a regular basis, and had a great relationship with her, Kiba didn't know Anko all that well. Hell, his sister told him Anko's relationship with them basically made her a family member in all but blood.
"Dude, you don't know the half of it," Naruto wouldn't wish this type of thing on anyone, "…Well, maybe a few," he mentally counted off those who wronged him in the past.
"So… are they real?" Kiba asked.
"What the hell, dog-breath!" the blond couldn't believe him.
"What? I'm just asking if they're real. It's not like I'm asking-"
"Ok, first off, I don't know. It's a special Henge she put on me so maybe," Kiba had to admit he was impressed as casting a Henge on someone else was much more difficult than doing it to yourself. The concept basically required one to manipulate the other person's chakra and surround them in a shell of their desired image. The Inuzuka Clan did it with their ninken by synchronizing their familiar's chakra with their own. Doing it this way made the process being much easier than with someone unwilling.
"Secondly, finish that sentence and I'll neuter you with a rusty spoon," he scowled.
"A spoon? Don't you mean kunai?"
"A spoon is dull you twit! It'll hurt a hell of a lot more!"
Kiba cringed and subconsciously covered up his manhood. Geisha Naruto was crazy Naruto. Crazier actually now that he thought about it. "So… What now?"
"Now I'm forced to walk to her friends place so I get rid of this damn thing," Naruto informed him.
"Well at least it can't get any w-Oh, shit," Kiba pointed across the street and Naruto turned green.
Across was a poster with his regular appearance and his now transformed appearance. Swiping it from the wall Naruto and Kiba began to read it and Naruto turned even greener. "Damn, that sucks man. I mean you've done some good pranks but she's got you beat on this. Seriously, telling the whole village that you had a sex change and you're willing to do-"
"Kiba do me a favor and shut the fuck up!" Naruto shouted at him.
"Ok, Naruko."
The boy blinked, "… What?"
"Naruko. Can't exactly call you Naruto anymore. Technically speaking you are a chick now," Kiba grinned.
Naruto merely remained stone faced upon hearing those words, "Ah-huh," he muttered and faster than he could react, Kiba felt a leg extending into his crotch and found himself screaming in pain a few octaves higher.
"PERVERT! SEXUAL HARASSEMENT!" Naruto shrieked in a feminine voice as he fled the scene. The boy spotted quite a few kunoichi approaching downed Kiba and he smirked as he made his way towards Hayate and Yugao's house. The Inuzuka Clan's heir screams of agony being music to his ears.
(Sometime Later)
"Oh, thank god you're back," Naruto didn't care if it sounded gay or not but he was glad to see his dick again.
"You know how that sounds, right?" Yugao asked him.
"Don't care," was his reply. After getting into a few other close calls on his way here the boy had almost come close to ending his misery a few times. His suffering didn't end there either. After Yugao and Hayate had a good laugh at his expense they made him get to work, while he was still looking like a geisha. When asked why he found out it was because he hadn't arrived on time.
Moving and doing things had been extremely difficult because of the kimono he wore and it had taken the boy an extra hour to finally finish all the chores that was needed to be done. Naruto vowed that Anko was seriously going to pay for this at some point. The only upside was him getting his pay from Anko, having been left with Yugao and Hayate, and his clothes back.
"When you're done admiring yourself, Naruto, I'd like to get started," Hayate called out and held a set of bokken in his hands. Doing as told, the blond boy stood in front of Hayate, "Right then, let's see what you got first."
Catching the bokken tossed at him, Naruto had to admit it had some weight to it despite being a piece of wood, "That bokken there has a seal on it designed to make it feel like you're holding an actual sword. Most bokken are light so when practitioners actually start using a sword for the first time it throws them off."
"Kay, so what do you want me to do?" he asked the man.
"Hold your horses. To start off you need to know a bit about the fighting style I'm going to teach you. The Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu is centered off of speed and deception. The techniques used in this fighting style require you to not only be quicker than others but fool them into thinking where you are going to strike. As such to properly use these techniques we're going to be honing your speed, reflexes, and basic swordsmanship at the moment until I feel you're read to learn some of the basic techniques. Got it?"
The skill Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu has become available. Would you like to learn it?
(YES/NO)
"Yes," was Naruto's answer to both, the action making a screen suddenly popped up at him.
Beginner's Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu. Lv1. Next Lv 0/75. A skill that allows the user to use the sword fighting style of Konoha. Once used and created by Senju Tobirama, this sword style places a high emphasis on speed and deceit in order to properly utilize its techniques. At the moment, the skill set for beginners mainly focuses on speed and reflexes.
* Passively increases movement speed and evasion by 10%
* Passively increases the striking speed of bladed weapons by 10%
* Passively increases the critical hit rate of bladed weapons by 10%
* Passively increases stealth or sneak sword based attacks by 20%
You've received the cumulative perk Beginner Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu Swordsman. However, your current level only allows you to carry up to four perks. You can switch out a current perk with other ones whenever you are outside of dungeons and combat.
Cumulative Perks
Cumulative perks are great to have as unlike regular perks that remain the same no matter what happens these ones will get stronger depending on the actions taken or a criteria being accomplished. This means that whenever you level up you will gain additional Attribute Points boosts.
You currently have two cumulative perks: Apprentice Zombie Slayer, Beginner Konoha Kenjutsu-Ryu Swordsman
"Sweet," Naruto couldn't believe his luck.
"You ready, kid?" seeing him nod Hayate began giving out commands, "Ok, then give me one hundred horizontal slashes and one hundred vertical ones," Hayate ordered the boy, "Get to it."
Shrugging, Naruto set off to do just that. His Basic Bladed Weapon Mastery was already at level six, nearing seven, thanks to the Rat Dungeon. Coupled with now learning this new skill it shouldn't be too hard to do. Swinging horizontally several times, Hayate ordered him to stop, "Ok, not bad for a beginner. You've got a decent grasp on how to swing a sword but you're stance is off a bit. Here, spread your legs apart a little more but keep them parallel to each, and have your left leg come back a little. Your shoulders shouldn't be tense either otherwise your swings won't be as fast. Only tense them when you swing downwards to put a little extra force into it or when blocking someone else's strikes. Try now," Hayate ordered him to go once more.
Already Naruto felt a difference. The boy felt more balanced and his swings were more fluid and agile than they used to be. Despite not looking like it Naruto had to admit that Hayate knew what he was doing. Once he was done this exercise the two moved on to a new one.
"Ok, kid, not bad. Do it again, only this time give me twice the amount of swings!"
Not once did Naruto complain. Every time he was done this set he was then asked to do it over again, and again. As the dozens of minutes continued to pass by and the new amount of swings he needed to perform had Naruto start to feel the burn in his arms until they felt ready to fall off.
"Ok, stop. Take a break," Naruto did as he was told and plopped down on the ground spread eagle style. "Catch!"
With what strength he had left in his arms, Naruto caught a bottle that held a weird and green liquid looking substance, "What's this?" he asked.
"Special drink that functions like a weaker version of a Military Ration Pill. It won't recover chakra but it'll help speed up your muscles recovery from the wear and tear along with giving you a little more energy. It's an old family recipe of mine. May not look like much but it works," Hayate boasted.
"Yeah, if you don't mind wanting to hurl your insides out in the process,"Yugao mentally added. The woman watched on nostalgically as Naruto took a swig and proceed to do the same thing she did years ago.
"Blahh! What the hell's in this?" Naruto had tasted some pretty foul things before but this took the prize.
"What would you expect? Green tea?" while the taste of certain medicines could be altered to taste better the most effective ones for this sort of purpose usually had an awful or bland taste because of the ingredients needed to be used in making it. The more powerful ones such as Military Ration Pills had more powerful ingredients and stimulants. This gave more energy and versatile recovery but caused the body to crash and burn heavily after a certain amount of time had passed.
*Pffft* Wuss," Hayate muttered lowly as he heard Naruto complaining about the taste once more, "Keep drinking it. Won't work if you don't drink the whole thing."
Once Naruto was done drinking the god awful formula, both he and Hayate relaxed for a few more minutes before they got back to it. For the next few hours of the day, Naruto did what Hayate told him without any fuss. The blond jinchuriki did various exercises on blocking, redirecting, and countering. Had he been able to use his Goriki it would have most likely made it much easier but didn't want to risk being questioned.
Following that they then worked on Naruto's reflexes in close counters. This was done by Naruto having to dodge Hayate's fast sword slashes or risk getting hit by the bokken. More than several times did he struck in the legs, arms, or head. To make things even more challenging, the boy was forced to do this without the protection of his own bokken.
"Ha!" Hayate swung upwards and nearly struck Naruto in the chest.
"Ugh," the sweat covered boy grunted and watched as the tip of Hayate's bokken knick his hair. The boy knew he couldn't stop moving. Doing so meant he'd get hit, which in real life could lead to death or potentially dismemberment. In this case it would lead to pain. Despite how they looked the wooden constructs were very hard, Naruto would attest to that himself.
"Faster!" Hayate ordered as he upped the speed of his swings, stabs, and overall movements.
"Shit!" Naruto ducked low and backpedaled from the man's swings and stabs at him. Naruto's legs were burning from the swift and constant movement he was forced to do. More than once did the boy find himself on his ass from a sudden movement and he was forced to roll and get back up just as quickly or risk getting struck by the wooden sword.
When Hayate swung once again, Naruto lashed out with an unexpected kick that left that took the sickly man by surprise. "Not bad," he congratulated the boy for his quick thinking, "but this is a game of dodge!"
"Ah!" Naruto hissed as the bokken smacked against his knee.
"Ha!" Hayate's next swing was low, aimed at his feet, and Naruto was forced to jump upwards. But the evasive action proved futile as Hayate used the momentum of his swing, held his bokken in reverse, and stabbed backwards and struck him in the gut.
"Gahh!" Naruto felt the air rush out of his lungs as the piece of wood made contact. The force behind it also caused to the blond to sail several feet away and start skidding upon making contact with the hard and unforgiven ground.
Were he still not suffering from the previous blow, Naruto would surely start gasping for air. For a moment nothing happened and Naruto was starting to think the blow somehow made him forget how to breathe. It wasn't even headshot either!
"Alright, calm down, kid," Hayate appeared next to him and rubbed his back, "This can happen sometimes. There's no need to worry."
"Gahh!" Naruto gasped and air finally filled or escaped his lungs. Naruto honestly didn't know which.
"There you go," he patted his trainee. "Not bad, kid. Here, drink this."
Seeing what he was being offered, Naruto glared at the man, "You're doing this on purpose aren't you?"
The man merely coughed, "Quit whining and drink your poison," was all he said much to Naruto's consternation. "Once you're done drinking that and you rest for a bit I'm gonna put you through a little test."
"Test?" Naruto asked between gulps, as well as trying to keep his stomach contents down.
"Test," the man affirmed, "You're not only going to give me two hundred horizontal and vertical slashes like before but faster as well. If I see any faults in your form I will add a second to your time and if it's not met you have to start over. Succeed and I'll teach you one of the basic techniques. Fail and you'll have to wait till you get it down," he ordered the blond student and took out a stop watch. "Whenever you're ready."
[QUEST ALERT!]
Sword Basics for Dummies
Main Quest: Perform 200 vertical swings and 200 horizontal swings before the allotted time is up.
Side Quest: Finish main quest 10 seconds earlier.
Second Side Quest: Finish main quest 20 seconds earlier.
Main Quest Completion: 500 EXP, +150 Reputation with Hayate and Yugao, + 2 DEX "?"
Side Quest Completion: 150 EXP, +50 Reputation with Hayate and Yugao, +1 DEX
Second Side Quest Completion: 200 EXP, +100 Reputation with Hayate and Yugao, +2 Attribute Points, "?"
Failure: 100 EXP (Quest can be retaken)
"Huh? Why?" Naruto accepted the quest but the man's order still confused him.
"Why what?"
"Why are we doing this sorta thing instead of anything new?" Naruto clarified for the man.
"Simple, *cough* at the moment all this exercises are meant to try and create muscle memory among other things. To make learning this easier for you, and make it so you can pull moves off like this on instinct. This way when we move on to learning techniques and other exercises *cough* your body will be better adjusted to use and learn them," he informed the boy. When Naruto finished downing the last of the horrible tasting liquid, Naruto rested for a good solid ten minutes. When the time was up, Hayate tossed him a bokken and Naruto got into his stance.
"Now, sword ready and go!" he clicked the stop watch and looked on as Naruto began.
Up, down, up, down, left, right, left, right, the movements repeated themselves as Naruto swung his sword as told. The boy tried his best to concentrate as much as possible and swing as fast as possible too.
The tasks were easier said than done. As several minutes passed away, the fast pace he forced his arms to go at caused them to start burning and the boy knew he had made some mistakes along the way.
Hayate remained impassive as he watched his student. Naruto had potential and guts and didn't do things half-assed like most would. The man wasn't regretting his decision to teach the boy. However, he also saw Naruto starting to slow down, and looking at the time on his stop watch the man knew the boy still had a ways to go.
Up, down, right, left, up, down, right, left, Naruto continued and just as he made it to the last twenty some stretch, a voice called out. "Time!"
[QUEST FAILED]
Sword Basics for Dummies
Main Quest: Perform 200 vertical swings and 200 horizontal swings before the allotted time is up. (Failed)
Side Quest: Finish main quest 10 seconds earlier. (Not Accomplished)
Second Side Quest: Finish main quest 20 seconds earlier. (Not Accomplished)
Rewards Earned: 100 EXP
Hayate sighed and Naruto was downtrodden. The boy had failed. Oh, he knew that despite failing he could do it again but it was still failure no matter how one sliced it. He had failed a few quests before with Anko but he had managed to succeed on his first try too.
"Damn it," a frustrated Naruto growled.
"Don't beat yourself up, kid," Hayate said, "Even I didn't get as close a number on my first try doing this, and I'm a prodigy in kenjutsu," the man decided to leave out the fact that he also had perform much less mistakes too. The boy needed to be cheered up after this loss.
"Yeah, right?" Naruto didn't believe him.
"Really, kid. I'm not sure if Anko's told you this but being a prodigy means nothing in the ninja world. You can be a prodigy in swordsmanship or taijutsu but eventually you'll meet someone who isn't but realize they are better than you. Sure they have advantage at first but sooner or later that won't amount to nothing if they face off against someone with more experience or has a slight advantage somewhere else. For example who do you think would win, a prodigy in taijutsu or a decent taijutsu user?"
"Um," Naruto was sorely tempted to say the prodigy. "Does the other guy have anything else going for him?"
Hayate merely smiled at the boy's thinking, "Good answer, kid. In this scenario the prodigy is skilled in taijutsu and knows all the forms instinctively but the other guy has speed and wit the prodigy can't match. It could go either way. Remember, it's not the prodigious or strongest fighter that always wins the fight, but the fastest, smartest, and most dedicated. You may not have gotten it this time, I'd be surprised if you did, but if you keep at it you'll get it eventually. Took me four times before I could accomplish this," he patted the boy on the back, "Alright, enough talking, back to exercising."
"Hai!" Naruto nodded his head.
Both student and teacher continued to do this for a couple more hours before Naruto was finally spent. Hayate had to admit that the boy's stamina would got a long way into helping the boy. The man wished he had half the kid's stamina when he was his age.
"Not bad for a first day, kid. Come back tomorrow after class and we'll have another go," Hayate instructed but received a tired moan in return. "But first let's get you home," creating a Kage Bunshin, Hayate's clone grabbed Naruto and Hottomaru, and proceeded to take the boy back home. "Come back tomorrow right after class and we'll continue."
The man got a half-hearted wave from the boy as a response. Both his teachers were slave drivers, "What do you think?" Hayate asked his lover.
"The boy's got potential. A bit unrefined and sloppy but he has decent skill when it comes to using a blade," Yugao had always been one to set high standards for herself and others. Part of her also blamed her former captain for that too. "Most kids wouldn't have lasted a third as long him."
"I know," Hayate nodded.
The academy standards had gone downhill in the past couple of decades. At first it was fine as Konoha got more ninja from civilians, but the average graduation age now was twelve or thirteen compare to the old ten. Yugao had even heard Anko complain on what was now being taught compared to the old curriculum.
"You weren't bored were you?"
"No. I played with his ninken," she smiled and Hayate felt sorry. The man knew when she said play she meant something else. "Explains the cuts and bruises I saw on him," the pup would need it though when he thought about it. Getting the experience on how to dodge swords strikes was just as important as learning them. Hottomaru wouldn't be able to learn them, but dodging them would help the ninken immensely in the future.
"So what should we do now?" Yugao asked. Both had some time to kill for the next few days.
"I have a few ideas," the man snaked his arm around his blushing lover and both made their way back home. Life was good at the moment, and Hayate wouldn't change anything about it.
Omake: Worst Wedding Day Ever
"Maybe you should come over to my place for a while till you get better."
It was evident that Kiba was new at this despite his frequent boasted at the academy. Offering to take a girl to his place already without properly knowing her was a dumb move on his part. "It's alright, really."
"I insist," the boy pushed.
"Look asshole beat it," Naruto had enough and his real voice came out accidentally.
Stunned by the suddenness of it all, Kiba's mind soon registered the voice and an image popped into his mind, "… Naru-" the blond clamped his hand around Kiba's mouth.
"Shhh," he harshly shushed the Inuzuka heir, "You want the whole world to know?"
The boy merely gapped and almost seemed catatonic upon realizing the girl he was trying to pick up was Naruto of all people. The boy even had to swallow the bile that rose up from his stomach when he recalled him stroking his ass. "Oh, fuck no. Oh, sweet kami no!"
"Yeah," this was very awkward indeed in the blond haired, now dark, academy student's mind. Both males simultaneously wished they knew a way to annihilate this memory as though it never happened.
Unknown to both of them, someone was recording this entire even and both males were none the wiser. "Oh, this is gold."
(Decades Later)
"Bring on the entertainment!" Kiba yelled, slightly influenced by the alcohol in his system.
"Calm down, Dog-breath," Naruto laughed. Despite it all the soon to be Hokage couldn't help but be happy for his friend. Kiba was finally getting hitched to Tamaki. A beautiful and nice young woman who was almost the exact opposite of the brown haired Inuzuka Clan heir.
"Troublesome," Shikamaru sighed, making his best friend Chouji chuckle lightly. Even after all these years the man still hadn't stopped using his famous catchphrase.
"Mah, mah. Calm down, Kiba," the current Hokage, one Hatake Kakashi told the boy, "they'll be here soon. In the meantime we have a special video to show you."
"Video? What the hell kind of lame idea is that?" he asked.
Kakashi merely shrugged, "Anko says it's supposedly a comedy and a very good one. She's making your fiancé and the other women watch it too."
"…Ah, what the hell. Put when the entertainment gets here it's off!" Kakashi merely nodded. He wouldn't have it any other way either. Dimming the lights, Kakashi placed the tape into a player and pressed play.
""Hey! Watch where you're … going?"
"Oh, kami no," looking up Naruto's skin would have palled even further had the special Henge not be in place. In front of him was none other than Inuzuka Kiba.
"Hey, there," was the boy's attempt at being suave. "Let me help you," the boy helped the geisha up and Naruto felt the feral boy's hand brush against his ass a few times. Naruto was sorely tempted to beat the life out of him for that stunt.
"Why's this so …. Oh fuck," Naruto's eye bulged out.
"The hell is this?" Kiba wondered. It was only until Naruto whispered in his ear did the bachelor sober up, pale to an unknown shade of white, and drop his drink. "Oh, dear kami no!"
"I fail see how this is a comedy," Shino wondered out loud. Many of the men present agreed and they failed to spot both Naruto and Kiba flee the scene.
"Ok, so we're in agreement with what he have to do right?" Naruto asked.
"Absolutely, kill Anko," Kiba nodded.
"No… well maybe, I don't know. You try it and see how it goes," Naruto told him. "All I know is that we gotta leave Konoha for a few days until this dies done."
"Dude I'm getting married tomorrow. Besides maybe it would be that funny to them," KIba prayed.
"BWAHAHAHAHA!"
His hopes were dashed when they heard the thunderous roar of laughter coming from the room. Naruto's eye merely twitched and Kiba looked ready to cry. "So… lay low?"
"Not on my watch, boys," a voice announced and both Naruto and Kiba paled when they saw the women from Tamaki's bachelorette party. All of them sported a knowing grin. "I figured this would happen so I had the tape played earlier in the party."
"Kiba, sweety," Tamaki looked at her fiancé and the man felt a chill, "You weren't thinking of running away like a little bitch now were you?"
"Uh," he couldn't find a proper answer.
"Because if you were I'd have to take a page out of Naruko's book and castrate you with a rusty spoon," she smiled even further and both men paled.
"Oh, I like this girl," Anko grinned. "So you boys going to face the music like men or like a bunch of whinny little bitches?"
Both men looked at each other and made their decision. The next day Kiba and Tamaki married and the man couldn't leave fast enough to go on an extra-long honeymoon. In Naruto's case the man decided he wanted to spend more time with his family before he became Hokage and all of them left for Spring Country to enjoy the beautiful weather. It would be quite some time before anyone would let them forget about the tape.
Status Window
Name: Uzumaki Naruto
Job: The Gamer
Level: 10 Next Level: 4239/7600
Title: Academy Student
Specialization: N/A
HP: 2150
CP: 3350
STR: 40.5
VIT: 55
DEX: 62 (+5) = 67
INT: 101
WIS: 39.5
LUK: ?
DEF: 55
Perks:
?: Additional +3 VIT & +5 INT per Lv, +75 CP per Lv, +25% additional EXP towards
Power Type Fighting Style, -25% EXP towards Chakra Control, - 40% EXP towards reputation gain
?: Additional +3 VIT & +5 INT per Lv, +50 HP per Lv, +25% additional EXP towards Fuinjutsu, -15% EXP towards Chakra Control
Prank King: -10% EXP towards reputation gain, +15% EXP towards Strategy & Tactics, +15% towards Stealth, Additional +3 DEX per Lv
Apprentice Zombie Slayer: 40% increase attack and defense against Undead, +10 stats when facing Undead, +15% additional drops and EXP from Undead
Status Effects:
Malnourished: Hampered physical growth rate, -25% to VIT, DEX, and STR stat base, +20% vulnerability to poisons
Description: Uzumaki Naruto's background is shrouded in mystery. Currently an academy student with inspirations to become Hokage, Naruto has a long and difficult journey ahead of him before he can attain his dream. At the moment, Naruto is considered by many as a shoe in for the title of Dead Last.
Money: 228,640 Ryo ~ (22,864$)
Stats: 7
Here you go guys. Not a lot of action here but still important all the same. Just letting you know now that Naruto learning kenjutsu styles doesn't mean he won't be able to learn a fighting styles such as Frog Kata for example. It simple means he wont be able to learn other *weapon fighting styles* such as a Bojutsu fighting or its techniques. He can still us Bojutsu but a fighting style such as Suizaru-Ryu (Drunken Monkey Style) he can't learn. Just clarifying it all to avoid confusion.
On a more somber note, I regret to inform that the author Freedom Guard has passed away. I only just recently found out he passed way in early or mid August through another story I just began reading. A real shame as fanfiction lost a very good author, his stories being memorable and will no longer be updated, and a family lost a son. It's a shame as his stories along with Psycho G, author of Neon Yondaime Hokage, inspired me to start writing myself. Rest in Peace Freedom Guard.
Only a couple more chapters until canon finally starts. Hope you enjoy this one. Don't forget to go to my Deviantart webpage, Michma13 and got to the journals for the links on what certain things look like. I'd like to thank you all for the following, now over 3000 and the many reviews. Please continue to give me tons, the same amount (70-80) as you guys usually do, and the next chapter will be out as soon as possible. This one will be more action packed.
