Chapter Eleven
No Quarter
⠀⠀⠀⠀Equipment slots; they were a resource I rarely used, but they were there. There were eighteen slots in total, and were listed as such: head, forehead, eyes, neck, face, shoulders, armor, chest, body, right wrist, left wrist, belt, right hand, left hand, trousers, left shin, right shin, and feet. Because I never wore hats, the head slot was never taken up. Because I didn't need glasses, the eyes slot was never taken up. Because I didn't wear any armor, the armor, wrists, and shin slots weren't taken up. Granted, my weights took up those slots, so to say I didn't use them would be wrong, but overall, to sum everything up, yes, it wasn't a resource I used.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I had to blame my choices in dungeons though. I chose to use a single dungeon over the infinite possibilities I had at my fingertips. I was learning how to throw a shuriken, I was learning how to block a sword with a kunai, I was learning how to sneak around, and I was getting used to using my chakra. I wasn't looking for loot, or looking to power level. It was training, and the drawback was that I gained only weapon drops, experience, and combat experience. No armor, no nicknacks, and no novelties. But that didn't mean I couldn't buy them.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I spun in place as I looked at myself in the mirror. Today was the first time I had ever equipped armor. With my weights in my inventory, I fiddled with the metal plates strapped to my left arm. To put it simply, I paid for arm and shin guards. Both looked exactly like the arm guards that Kakashi wore as a kid, only the metal was dulled to match my headband and much, much thicker. Compared to my weights, they were as light as a kunai, and overall I looked adorable. They didn't clink together when I moved and were strong enough to block most sharp things.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I didn't bother using observe on the armor. I didn't need to and could guess at what it could take. It was thick, metal plates. Swords and shurikens won't be able to get through it. A well-thrown kunai might, but I doubted most shinobi couldn't throw a kunai through three centimeters of hardened steel. I know there was some that could, like a strong wind style user, but it would be a long time before I faced them.
⠀⠀⠀⠀With today being the twenty-third of January, I had exactly one-hundred-twenty-nine days till the start of the Chūnin Exams. Eight more days in January, not including today, plus all of February, March, April, and May. Zabuza and his crap happen sometime in March, so after today, I had two months of D-rank missions to look forward too, but there was no question that today was going to end in success. I had no doubts; luck was on my side, or at least, my Mom's bad luck. She did bet against me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀But with my clock reading four past four it was high time I started heading to Hinata's home, and with a coffee in hand, I was quite grateful for my Gamer's Mind. Even with only six hours of sleep, I was as awake as I could be, but the coffee was only an excuse as to why. With my door locked behind me, I took a sip of my coffee and enjoyed its sweetened bitterness.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Good morning, Sleepy-head," I waved to Hinata.
⠀⠀⠀⠀The Hyūga was too tired to speak, and just mumbled something along the lines of, "Good morning." Her head was downcast, her eyes were barely open, she was slumped over, and the bags under her eyes were as black as the night.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Beside her, Hiashi stood tall. If his smile was something to go off of, he was happy. "Good morning, Hikigaeru-chan," he said with a bow.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I bowed back to him, and joked, "Hinata, you look like you need a coffee. Care for a sip?" I held up my cup.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hikigaeru, we're not allowed to eat anything," she countered in a low, dull voice.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yeah. Kakashi-sama said for us to skip breakfast, but I know for a fact that coffee doesn't count as breakfast. I've have been told it at least six-hundred times. I might be high balling it, but you'll never know."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hold your head up high, Hinata," Hiashi ordered. "Today you're becoming a Genin, and a Hyūga doesn't slouch."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, Otōsan." Hinata fixed her posture, but the sleep in her eyes didn't waver.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Don't worry too much about the test, Hiashi-san," I reassured him. "I did a lot of research on my Papa, the Yondaime Hokage, and Kakashi-sama. So I have a good idea as to what to expect from today."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Really now? And what do you expect from him, Hikigaeru-kun?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"A waiting game, followed by him making the four of us look like a joke. Chūnin by six, Jōnin by twelve, Anbu just a few months later. I know he became an Anbu Captain at some point, but I just don't know how old he was when it happened, but he retired from Anbu a few years ago and is one of few Jōnin who's name alone can strike fear into shinobi from other villages. I know more, but that's all personal stuff," I explained.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, Kakashi-san has always been a prodigy. He would make for a strong Sensei," Hiashi mused.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"C-chūnin by six?" Hinata's eyes were wide, and her jaw was hanging low. "A-Anbu by twelve?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"There are some even younger than us, Hinata-chan, that are stronger than Jōnin. The world's not fair, but we won't have to deal with that kind of stuff any time soon. Today, we're just going to deal with a survival mission. Nothing crazy, mind you. Kakashi-sama isn't allowed to kill us," I reassured her, only to add, "or maim or severely injure. I think. Honestly, so long as he doesn't use 'One-thousand Years of Death' on me or you, I think we'll be fine."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"If he does, then—he and I shall have—words." Hiashi's chakra bubbled, and even if he suppressed it, I could sense faint traces of killing intent.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"W-what's t-the 'One-thousand Y-years of Death'?" Hinata questioned.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"A jutsu so dark, so terrible, that if it is ever used on you or I, then the day of his death will be marked in the history books as the day the village was painted in blood," I said ominously. "Or he'll go to prison. I'm fine with either." She just gulped in fear, and I had stopped myself from laughing. With the way her chakra shivered, I knew she was thinking of horrific, monstrous things.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"It is best you both head out. Do not be late, you two," Hiashi spoke.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Of course. Come on, Hinata-chan! Time to put our lives on the line!" I cheered, taking long, over-exaggerated marching steps, and my freehand swung back and forth with each one.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Neither Naruto or Sasuke looked any better than Hinata, and by the time we arrived, I was finished with my coffee, and my empty cup was put away in my inventory. "Good morning," I said to them, with a skip in my step.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Morning… Hikigaeru-chan," Naruto mumbled, and Sasuke just stayed quiet.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So now that we're all here, do you guys want to hear the good news or the bad news?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What?" Hinata asked, looking up to me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"The good news or the bad news? What do you guys want to hear first?" I asked again.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What are you prattling on about, Hikigaeru?" Sasuke grumbled.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I'll start with the bad then," I hummed. "Kakashi-sama isn't going to show up till about—nine? Ten? Don't know."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What makes you say that?" Naruto asked. "He told us to be here by five."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes, he did, and there's a reason for it, Naruto-kun, but he's not showing up till about nine or ten. Hell, I can tell he hasn't even gotten out of bed," I mused, looking off towards Kakashi's chakra.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You know more than you're letting on," Sasuke pointed out. "Like yesterday, you said you knew more, but they were personal. Just what else do you know?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"His name, his old teammates, a lot of things I won't say, but," I pointed as Sasuke, "he's known for being a shinobi who's copied over a thousand jutsu; Kakashi of the Sharingan," Sasuke's eyes widened, and his chakra flared, but I raised a hand stopping him, "and no, he's not apart of your clan, and I'll explain later when you and I are alone. This is something you have to know, but it's not for everyone. When the two of you feel Naruto-Kun and Hinata-chan have the right to know, then you'll tell them. For now, let me explain what we'll be doing today."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Wait, what's the Sharingan?" Naruto asked.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"It's t-the Uchiha kekkei genkai," Hinata answered.
⠀⠀⠀⠀" I'll explain later, Naruto-kun," I waved Naruto off. "Now, as I said, our sensei to be won't be waking up any time soon, or even showing up, but that's not the important part. What is, is that we're not the first team to be assigned to Kakashi-sama. I was only able to confirm two teams, but I think it's closer to twelve, but long story short, every team he's given this test has failed."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What‽" Naruto screeched.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"N-no way…" Hinata gasped.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Just how hard is this test?" Sasuke asked.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well, it involves fighting against him, but there's something to it. There always is. I was able to learn a few of the tests that most Jōnin give their students, but I don't know what he'll do," I lied. "But there's no way we could win in a fight against him. He was Chūnin by six, Jōnin by twelve, Anbu a few months later, and later an Anbu captain." I leaned towards Sasuke, and added, "He's the one who trained—him."
⠀⠀⠀⠀Again, Sasuke's chakra flared, and he gritted his teeth. "Then why was he assigned my Sensei‽"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"He's the only one who can help you master the Sharingan, and knows 'his' skill set," I answered honestly, "but no matter what, his skills can't be questioned. If he wanted to, he could kill all of us in the blink of an eye. I'm not joking either. There was a record of achievements and feats he was known for during the Third Shinobi War. One of them was cutting a lightning bolt in half. It wasn't natural, but it was going to kill his platoon, and to stop it, he leaped halfway up to the clouds and ripped it in half with his bare hands. No, this isn't an exaggeration, there are several eyewitnesses. One of which I respect, so I consider it credible."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"That's impossible. Lighting is, like, really fast!" Naruto protested.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Never underestimate a Jōnin Naruto-kun. You can't become a Hokage if you don't see the truth in even the faintest of rumors," I scolded him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"And w-we're supposed to fight him?"Hinata quivered.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Fight? Yes. Beat? No." I began to pull off my poncho and tossed it into my inventory. "All we got to do is, um, whatever he asks us. It's going to be tough, but so long as we work together, we should at least be able to pull it off. If we act by ourselves, then we'll be nothing more than a joke. If that, if he likes us, and from what he said yesterday, I think he only likes me, and I think it has to do with the fact I tipped him off of the beavers."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So we could have eaten something‽" Naruto then cried as his stomach growled.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"We don't get to pick what orders we follow, Naruto-kun. As I said, we follow them. All of them. Now, I suggest the three of you take a nap since Kakashi-sama won't be here any time soon. I'll be doing some morning exercises to help get the blood flowing." I reached up, started to stretch.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, you're going to tell me why Kakashi-sensei is known for having the Sharingan," Sasuke insisted.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Alright," I shrugged and waved for him to follow. When we were far enough away from Naruto and Hinata so they couldn't overhear us, I leaned against a tree and looked towards the dark-blue haired shinobi. "Should I start from the beginning or around the time he got it?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Just—don't skip over any details," he requested, and from the way his chakra shifted, I could tell he was impatient.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"It started with him being placed on a team with—Uchiha Obito. If you want to know about their third member, then you'll have to speak to Kakashi-sama, but Obito and him, in short, didn't get along at all…"
⠀⠀⠀⠀Kakashi's arrival was marked with an explosion. An explosion I caused, and the twenty-seventh one at that. As I started to jot down the results of my homemade paper bombs in a spiral notebook, writing down the hight and width of the blasted water, Naruto began to yell at Kakashi for being late. I ignored them and took out one last homemade paper bomb. It was attached to a kunai, and as I tossed it into the lake, the final twenty-eighth explosion boomed through the training ground. It was much louder than the last, and the blast of water was doubled the size of the one before. I had to take a step back just to prevent myself from getting wet.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I think I found my new standard paper bomb," I laughed as walking up to the group of onlookers. "Good morning, Kakashi-sama. I hope you slept well. How was your breakfast at Kumamoto?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Quite nice," he hummed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So it was a lie! You didn't run across a black cat at all!" Naruto yelled, and I flicked him in the ear.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Don't yell so loud, Naruto-kun," I scolded him. "Just because we're outside, doesn't mean you can't use your inside voice."
⠀⠀⠀⠀He just grumbled as Kakashi cleared his throat. "Let's get started," the silver-haired Jōnin said in a calm voice. Then, pulling out a clock from his bag, he placed it on one of three slightly wet tree posts. The current time was fifteen past eleven; a bit later than when I thought he'd arrived. "Here we go. It's set for noon," he went on, meaning we had forty-five minutes. Producing three bells, he then started going over the rules that failed so many before us. "Your assignment is very simple. You just have to take these bells from me. That's all there is to it." He then jingled his bells. "If you can't get them by noon, then you go without lunch. You'll be tied to those posts, and you'll watch as I eat my lunch."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Glad I ate dinner before going to bed then," I hummed. Out of the four of us, I was the only one not grimacing. Even Sasuke looked dejected, but somehow the look that Hinata held was even more flabbergasted than Naruto's.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I take it there are only three bells because one of us will fail, no matter what?" I inquired.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Correct. One of you will fail the mission, be tied to the post, and will be sent back to the academy." He jingled the bells again. "Teams are only made up of three Genin, and one Jōnin. There are four of you. The weakest link will fail, but, then again, all four of you could fail."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So that's why so many Genin team failed before us," Naruto realized.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Kakashi glanced at him, then towards me, only to go on, "You may use any weapons, such as shurikens or swords, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, anything you see fit to use. Come at me with the intent to kill, or you won't get the bells." I lifted a hand up to my chin, looked down, and tried my best to look like I was thinking. "When I say start, you can begin."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Should I?" I muttered to myself, quiet enough for everyone to hear, but soft enough to make it look like I was talking to myself.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Get ready," my three friends readied themselves to pounce on Kakashi, "and—begin!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀I threw my hands out, grabbing Sasuke's and Hinata's collars, and with a foot, I grabbed Naruto's back with a bit of chakra. Before they could get angry with me, I said, "I volunteer to be the one who goes back to the academy. I'll make sure the three of you get these bells, no matter what. I don't want to hear any complaints."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Seriously?" Sasuke asked me, looking shocked and bewildered.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"B-but…" Hinata tried to stutter.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"But Hikigaeru-chan, this is our chance to be—" I wasn't having any of their complaints, and I interrupted Naruto by bending my knee and pulling him closer to me, then slamming the other two into him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀As the three lay crumpled in front of me, I narrowed my eyes, and activated my killing intent at quarter strength, and stated, "The only reason I came to this village was to show my bitch of a Mama what loyalty was. I refuse to betray anyone I care for. I refuse to leave them to die. I refuse to stifle them so their dreams are never reached, or use them as a crutch to grow stronger. I'll take the fall. I'm eleven. You're all twelve. I still have two more allowed years in the academy, and with my shockingly far-reaching sensor abilities, there's no question I'll be placed on a team in a few months.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So today, all of you will become Genin. All of you will pass. All of you will eat lunch, and when I go back to the Academy, you all better stick to the rules. You're scum otherwise," I raised a finger, "but you know what? Those who abandon their friends? Those that betray the ones that trust them? Those that leave them to die? Those people are worse than scum, and I refuse to be like Mama." I ended my rehearsed speech by lifting my killing intent and looking towards Kakashi.
⠀⠀⠀⠀I knew my words would get to him. They weren't word-per-word to what Obito said, but they were close. Close enough for a connection to be there. Close enough to make sense, given my past. Close enough to make him feel that spark he felt so long ago. While I didn't like my mother, I didn't think she was scum, but no one else knew that, and Kakashi's chakra was swelling with pride, regret, and joy. His one visible eye was widened slightly, and it was only after he heard a sizzling below him, that he realized I had rigged the ground him with paper bombs. He leaped away as the explosion went off.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Before the explosion, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata looked just like Kakashi. Their eyes were widened, their chakra was a mixture of joy and pride, and, in Naruto and Hinata's case, love. The former had a crush on me, so I ignored his feelings, and the latter, I knew, wanted to thank me for taking the fall so she could be with Naruto. Then the explosion made them jump, and before they could say anything past screaming, I chased after Kakashi. He couldn't hide from me. I knew where he was at all times. He could suppress his chakra, but, even then, I could still feel it if I just looked around. Without my weights, I was fast enough to catch up to him quickly. He was still faster, but because he took his sweet time getting here, I had enough time to lay traps for him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You three hide," I yelled out as a second and third explosion shook the training ground. "He's a Jōnin! Figure out a plan that can sneak up on him to take the bells while I distract him! Work together, because if even one of you goes back to the academy with me, I'll make your life hell!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀They ran off as I tossed three kunai with paper bombs attached to the ends. Unlike the time I tossed my weapons at Marcellus, I detonated the explosives long before they reached Kakashi. The kunai ripped apart into a wide blast of shrapnel. It ripped apart the tree Kakashi hide behind. Using the blast as cover, I clapped my hands together and ran towards cover. The wood was thicker than I was tall, so it held, and Kakashi just peeked his head around the corner.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You're going to have to… do…" He trailed off, looking around for me, only for another paper bomb to go off near him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Again the sounds of it burning away was enough of a warning for him to leap off, right into where I was hiding. With two stacks of paper bombs nearly invisible in my hands, I tossed them in every direction and leaped away. The crackling of the paper was all Kakashi had as a warning. He leaped away as fifty paper bombs blew apart twelve trees, three bushes, and scorched the grass so violently it became dirt. He landed in the clearing next to the clock and looked back. I let my jutsu drop as I slowly walked out of the dust cloud that it made, and smiled at him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You really are coming at me with the intent to kill," he hummed. "I'm starting to like you more, though, it makes me wonder how many of those you have."
⠀⠀⠀⠀I tapped my chin and looked at my inventory. Telling him was the wrong thing to do, but it let me stall. "Twelve short of six-hundred. You'd be surprised how big of a discount you can get if you buy only in bulk, but that's just the standard ones. Got another two-hundred homemade ones, but they're a bit shittier. I only recently got the standard formula down, and I'm working on a better one to use." I ended my little explanation by pointing at the lake. "They're still usable, though. In fact, I've not even touched my standard ones yet."
⠀⠀⠀⠀Before he could say anything, I made the snake hand seal. It was my go-to at this point and could set off explosives or turn me transparent. I did both and vanished as the explosives under him detonated. They didn't do anything, and he leaped away again. I knew if he could see me, he would have attacked. I also knew that, between all the smoke and explosions, my teammates were expertly hidden and could work out a plan in peace. I doubted they could have come up with something that could get the bells, but that didn't mean they couldn't surprise me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You're not like the others, are you?" Kakashi said, reaching up towards his headband. "I'm going to have to take you a bit seriously."
⠀⠀⠀⠀I decided to let my jutsu fade the moment he revealed his Sharingan. It may not have been a Byakugan, but it could see chakra. It could see the chakra I used to hide, and I knew it. It was how Obito knew there was a ninja sneaking up behind him. It was how Sasuke evaded Deidara's C4. The red pinwheel eye spotted me instantly, and with his other closed, he waited for me to act. His figure was relaxed, his chakra was happy, and it just made me happy seeing him like this. Doubly so, because I knew his Sharingan wasn't going to help him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Reaching into my inventory, I slammed down a yellow ball of paper into the ground. Yellow smoke burst out in every direction, only for dozens of more to be thrown out from inside the cloud. One landed just a few meters in front of Kakashi, while another was thrown in the direction of my team. If Kakashi was going to spot them, my smoke would prevent it.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Sniffing the air, Kakashi asked, "Peppermint? You added peppermint to the smoke bombs?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀I didn't answer and pulled out Lifegiver. I moved to where his front was and aimed at the center of his chakra. Roughly around the belly. Even through the smoke I could tell where he was standing. When I pulled the trigger, I knew he would see the bullet appear out from the smoke. I knew he would be fast enough to dodge it or block it. If he didn't see the bullet, then it would strike him in the stomach, and bounce off the armored jacket he wore. The bang of my gun ment nothing, since the bullet moved faster than sound. There was a very loud ping, followed by Kakashi appearing behind me. A scuffed kunai was in his hand, and his arm was wrapped around my throat.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You know, a gun really isn't a shinobi tool." Dropping his kunai, he snatched my well-crafted weapon from me and held it up. "A bit fancy. You had it crafted after your father's image?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Not quite," I mumbled from under his grip. "If I wanted to do that, I would have added naked women on the grip. I modeled it after his legacy."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I guess that makes sense." He put my gun in his back pocket. "I'll give it back after the test, but I'm curious how you'll get out of this hold. Can't use paper bombs without hurting yourself, after all."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You're right. I can't use paper bombs," I agreed with him, only to look into my inventory. "But it's been five minutes, so I'm hoping they have some sort of plan now. By the way, have you spotted them yet?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Why would I tell you that?" He asked, only to look about with his red eye.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So, no then. Good. You missed them. Now I just need to slow you down somehow to make you easier to take out," I laughed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Slow me down? Just how do you plan on—" Kakashi yelped as I interrupted him by withdrawing a samurai sword.
⠀⠀⠀⠀One of the rules about my inventory is that I must hold the item in some way when it appears. There was no exception, and after clicking yes on a prompt that told me, 'Withdrawing this item like that will cause it to appear inside of you and Kakashi,' I looked up to my soon to be sensei.⠀⠀⠀⠀A sword was going through the both of us. I made it appear through my stomach, and with how short I was compared to him, it went through his knee. His eyes were wide as he looked down at me, and I just smiled up at him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You saw my laundry room, Kakashi-sama, so I'll give you a little hint." I grabbed the blade, and walked forward, pulling it out of him. He didn't fall over by shifting his weight over to his good leg. "I inherited my Sōsofu's regenerative abilities. Didn't get his wood style though. Damn shame, but I did get fire from Papa and water from Mama." I then ripped the blade out of my stomach. My blood peppered the ground, and Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata let out a shocked and horrified gasp from behind the bushes.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Then the wound closed. Kakashi saw it close, and Obito's Sharingan witnessed every detail. "So now, as long as we all rush you and use tactics that require you to move about," I pointed at the three bells hanging from his belt, "then we'll get those from you, and the silver lining is that now you don't have to worry about Guy's beaver problem. You'll be recovering for about a week with that injury. Longer, if people don't know how to do their job.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Then Kakashi melted away, and my gun fell to the ground. I blinked, cursed, and kicked myself. Turning around, I stared at a rather amused looking Kakashi. "Mud clone," I huffed, crossing my arms. I had been so focused on the man grabbing me, that I missed him hiding not ten meters behind me.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Trying to help me get out of Guy's foolery, are you? Wow, I really am starting to like you," he laughed, "and I already knew about your healing. Hiashi-san reported it months ago, but we weren't quite sure of its limitations."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't know, myself," I lied with a smile, "and I don't want to know." I then shook my head and pinched the bridge of my nose. "A mud clone? Really? How could I be so damn stupid to fall for that?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Don't worry. I fool a lot of people."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I know that. You're smarter than a Nara, tougher than a Akimichi, have the eye of a Uchiha, the nose of a Inuzuka, and have enough combat experience to teach a class on war." I picked up my mud covered gun, and tossed it, and my sword, into my inventory.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Your eyes… Every time you use those seals, you shift your eyes around," Kakashi pointed out.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Saw that, did you? Damn Sharingan. It really does spot every little detail." I reached into my inventory again, and in my left hand, pulled out three smoke bombs and a small stack of paper bombs, and in my right, I withdrew the sword I used to scare the kids in class. Minus the blood. Slamming down the smoke bombs, I leaped towards the bushes and covered my weapon in the explosives, but Kakashi didn't follow.
⠀⠀⠀⠀His chakra rushed towards where my team had made noise, and I gritted my teeth. "Crap!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀ I gave chase, only for the Jōnin to turn around and leap at me. With an outstretched hand, he pulled my headband over my eyes and sucker-punched the air out of my lungs. The hut wasn't as hard as Hiashi's, but I wasn't able to fight him off. I threw a punch in his direction, only to miss. I tried to kick, only for him to sweep my feet, knocking me over. Before I hit the ground, he grabbed me, and using the rope he brought with him, he began to tie me up.
⠀⠀⠀⠀When he tossed me over his shoulder, he said in a very somber tone, "Shinobi rule number twenty-nine. A shinobi must avoid capture at all costs. Let's see if those seals of yours work with your eyes covered."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh they do," I said back. "I'm not going to use them though. I want to see if they got a plan put together first, before cutting myself free. Well, not—see, but you get what I mean."
⠀⠀⠀⠀Kakashi stopped in his place and looked over at me. Even with my eyes covered, I could feel his eyes on me, and with the way his chakra moved, I just knew he was. "You know the answer to this test… don't you?" He sighed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀In a very faint whisper, I said, "I knew Naruto was a Jinchūriki within a week of befriending him. Within twelve hours I knew who his dad was. Something like this? I figured it out the moment you pulled out the bells," I grinned at him, "but I ment every word I said, Kakashi-sama. I won't be your student. I'm okay with that, but I'll be damned if they don't pass. Naruto-kun needs friends, and if he fails today, he'll never become Hokage. Sasuke-kun needs to open up, and if he fails today, he'll never be strong enough to kill his brother. Hinata-chan needs to be braver, and if she fails today, she'll lose a chance to grow closer to Naruto-kun.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"They can't get that being Academy Students. I'd rather die than see them fail," I answered from my heart, and it was true. I died once, for myself. Dying for others just seemed right. "If that means I have to play both you and them so they can pass, I will, and—I'd rather do this, then see them fail."
⠀⠀⠀⠀Kakashi panicked. I knew he did, based on the way his chakra flexed away from me. The paper bomb I withdrew from my inventory began to burn. Ten of them, right under the ropes. He used something, I assumed a kunai, to cut the ropes, and grabbed the bundle out of my hands, he tossed them into the air, before leaping away from them. The blast still caught us, and it stung. My left ear was ringing, and my headband was blown off. I was thrown from Kakashi's arms and hit a tree. The Jōnin landed in front of me but was still standing, even if his clothes were smokey.
⠀⠀⠀⠀There was another call of my name from my three friends, but I ignored them and continued to whisper to Kakashi, "They'll work together. I know they will. Just—give them some incentive."
⠀⠀⠀⠀Again, his chakra was a mix of pride and joy. He covered up his Sharingan and yelled, "Alright, listen up," he grabbed me by the back of my shirt and lifted me in front of him with one hand. "you've had enough time milling about." I decided now was a good time to go limp. "Attack me now," I felt Kakashi press something against my throat, "or I'll kill Hikigaeru!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What‽" Naruto gasped.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Y-you can't!" Hinata cried.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Put her down!" Sasuke demanded.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Why don't you make me?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀Sasuke and Naruto rushed Kakashi. The Jōnin tossed me over his shoulder again as Naruto's chakra multiplied. Sasuke was the first to reach us, and only to gasp as Kakashi nocked him away. Then the very recognizable sounds of Naruto's clones popping hit me, followed by one of Naruto's clones actually hitting me. I decided to let out a soft groan of pain, even if it didn't hurt.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Watch it, Naruto! Don't hit Hikigaeru!" Sasuke snapped at him.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I didn't mean to!" Naruto yelled back.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Hinata decided it was time to help, and rushed Kakashi. If he was faster than me, he was faster than the three fresh Genin, and Hinata's forward charge was laughable. Another clone popped, and Sasuke grunted as Kakashi kicked him. A minute passed, and Naruto's chakra divided again. Each one started to yell as they charged, only for Hinata to be used as a battering ram to rid the world of half of them. It was a mess of grunts, huffs, insults, and wheezes as they tried to catch of to Kakashi, and I could barely make out any of it with my eyes closed. I didn't dare risk opening them.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Hey, what's with the book?" Naruto snapped, and his chakra twisted in annoyance.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"To see how it ends, of course. Besides, compared to Hikigaeru, I don't need to worry about any of you," Kakashi said dryly, and I heard him flip a page. "She might only be a smidge faster than some weaker Jōnin, but she's leagues above any of you."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Then put her down!" Naruto demanded. "We did what you wanted, so put her down!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, I don't think I—" Kakashi froze in place and reached down to his side. "Where'd the bells go?" His voice was concerned, but his chakra wasn't. I could tell he started to look around from the way his hair brushed against my side.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Naruto scrambled towards something, and yelled, "Guys, he dropped the bells!" He reached out to pick them up, only to actually pick all three of them up. There was no trap, and I instantly knew something was wrong. Jingling them about, he stated, "We got them!" He then tossed Hinata and Sasuke one.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well, I guess you three are now my Genin team. Congratulations, but, well you see," Kakashi shifted me forward again and held me up, "I still have Hikigaeru."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"But the tests over. We have the bells!" Naruto cried.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"He's right. Put her down," Sasuke demanded.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Y-yeah!"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well, you all aren't wrong. You may have gotten the bells, but the bells had nothing to do with Hikigaeru. I can still kill her if I want to, and I want to for hitting me with those paper bombs." Kakashi put his book away and repressed a kunai to my throat. "I get to pick if she lives," he pressed the kunai into me again, and blood began to spill from the wound, "or dies."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You bastard!" Naruto yelled.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You take one step forward and she dies, or…"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Or what‽" Sasuke demanded.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I don't really want a Genin team, to be honest. I'll let her live. If you all give up being Shinobi. Drop those bells and fail." He purred, and I had to resist the urge to smile. I finally got why he dropped the bells.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"W-what‽" Hinata gasped.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Damn it!" Sasuke hissed, looking at the ground.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"So I take it that's a no?" Kakashi asked, and his voice was eerily happy.
⠀⠀⠀⠀There was a jingle as Naruto dropped his bell, followed by Hinata. Sasuke's chakra twisted as he looked at me, and with a growl, he hissed, "Fine, let her go." Then his bell hit the ground.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Kakashi pulled the kunai away from my throat. "Good. From this day forward, you all," he paused for dramatic effect and put away the kunai, "are team seven. You pass. Congratulations."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What‽" The boys screamed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"I wasn't really going to kill Hikigaeru, but if you all put your own ambitions above her life, even after what she said, then I would have failed you." Kakashi then dropped me, and I let myself go ragged as I crumpled before his feet. Naruto was the first to my side, but Hinata and Sasuke were close behind.
Kakashi just went on, "Those that disobey the rules are scum. Those that abandon their friends are worse than scum. She summed it her quite well, and the number of bells was ment to turn you all against each other. Hikigaeru figured that out and decided to put you all before herself. She's also faking being hurt."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Could you have not?" I asked, opening my eyes. He just chuckled.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"What‽" The three gasped.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"She figured out the test and knew that if you three didn't work together, then you'd fail. She asked me to give you more incentive, so I used her as a hostage."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"She what‽" Naruto and Sasuke gasped, while Hinata went slackjawed.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Sorry for leading you three on, but if I flat out told you what this test was, there was a chance that Kakashi-sama would have just failed us. I promise I'll make it up to you. Somehow. At least you three passed, right?" I apologized.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"You four. Not three," Kakashi corrected me. "From this day forward, all five of us are team seven."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"S-so we're all a Genin team?" Hinata questioned.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Yes." Kakashi nodded.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"YES!" Naruto yelled, leaping to his feet.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"W-wonderful," Hinata smiled.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Again, I'm sorry guys. At least it worked out in the end, right?" I laughed. Naruto just nodded, Hinata smiled, but Sasuke just looked away from me. His chakra was a mix of angry, pride, and disappointment.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Starting tomorrow, you four will go on your first D-rank mission. For now, why don't we eat? I'm sure all of you are quite hungry."
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Like you would not believe. You'd be surprised how hungry you get when your body can heal from anything." I sprang up to my feet and stepped away from the ground. Reaching into my inventory, I pulled out a table, five chairs, and my own little lunch box. When I turned around, I found four rather surprised looking faces staring at me. "What? If I got strong enough seals to carry almost anything in, I'm damn well going to carry around anything and everything. Now come and sit, or do I have to eat alone?"
They joined me, but over the course of our meal, I had to ask, "Sensei, did you really need to use your Sharingan on me? Am I really strong enough to merit you using it?"
⠀⠀⠀⠀"No, not really. Since you knew so much about me, I figured you knew I had it and would act more recklessly if you saw me pull it out. I was right, and you fell for it," He mused.
⠀⠀⠀⠀"Damn," I sighed.
'Because of your actions, your reputation has changed!'
⠀⠀Hatake Kakashi: Well Liked
⠀⠀Uchiha Sasuke: Extremely Mixed
Please Review. It lets me know if you want more.
Author's Note
⠀⠀⠀⠀This chapter took longer than expected to write. Oh, and for everyone saying, "She's Senju, she should have wood-style!" Yes, she is Senju, but no, she doesn't HAVE to have wood-style. Instead, she has fire and water.
⠀⠀⠀⠀Also, I wrote things this way on a whim. Let me know if it worked or not because I have no clue if how I wrote Kakashi was on point or not.
