Chapter Eleven: Jinchuuriki. Heroes and Demons
The person in possession of the DEATH NOTE is possessed by a God of Death, it's original owner, until they die.
"There are two teams fighting up ahead, between the six people there is a full set of coloured balls, as well as an extra pink and green." Hanabi reported.
Kouru looked over at Naruto from his place crouching behind a boulder, "What do you think we should do?" he asked.
Naruto blinked as he frowned in thought, "How's the battle going Hanabi?" Naruto asked.
Hanabi's Byakugan flexed, "Looks like the two Cloud teams are friends or something, cause they're all holding back a lot even still now when both teams are getting weaker." she replied.
Naruto nodded as he took out a kunai and pressed his hand to the length of the blade, "Once we hear the boom, I'll send in a hoard of clones and we follow up and take out any that made it through. Okay?" Naruto said as he placed a seal on the kunai with chakra printing.
Hanabi and Kouru nodded as Naruto stepped out from cover and pitched the Kunai hard. It flew between four combatants that paused at it's arrival as the last duo were locked in a battle of strength in a way that they didn't notice, Naruto smirked, 'Three, two, one.' he thought.
The Tendril Bomb Seal shot out nine tendrils, gripping four of the ninja around it as well as five large rocks before the seal retracted, slamming them all into each other and knocking out two of them as Naruto formed a Ram seal, "Explode!" Naruto shouted.
BOOOM
The two remaining Cloud ninja were flung away from the explosion that severely burned their friends, though there wasn't much chakra channelled into it so it couldn't kill them.
The two Cloud ninjas rolled over to look back, "What happened?" the blue haired man asked.
The red head brought a hand to his lips, "Shh, listen." he whispered.
After they noticed the sound of foot steps, they took defensive stances.
"MULTI-SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"
The two gulped as they suddenly spotted their new opponent, all five hundred copies of him.
##########
The Raikage walked onto the balcony that took up most of the top of the Raikage Mountain, "So, how are they going Mabui?" he asked as he came up behind his assistant and wrapped his arms around her, using her head as a chin rest as he slumped against her back.
Mabui smiled warmly as she stood rigid to try and hold up her Raikage, "It's good you came here, two teams are already on the way back. One of them has already been spotted past the fourth checkpoint on their return trip and they have a second full set." she explained.
A stood up by himself, "Ha! I knew it! So which team is it? Is it Ef's? Or K's?" he asked, thinking one of the teams of his ex-ANBU guard had to be the number one.
"Umm, it's the Leaf gennin team." Mabui said as she looked up at the Raikage apologetically.
The Raikage blinked, "Seriously? I thought they'd be screwed traversing these mountains." he exclaimed.
Mabui giggled, "They're expected to arrive in the next thirty minutes depending on the team that is stalking them." she said.
The Raikage raised an eyebrow, "Stalking? Why not attacking?" he asked.
Mabui looked down at the clipboard, "Umm, they saw the blonde one take out two whole teams by himself and since then they've been hesitating.
A chuckled, "Well, they've lost too, no way someone can sneak up on the Byakugan." he said with a sigh.
##########
"Wait, you'll just give them to us?" the surprisingly stocky young woman of the team said as she held her unconscious team-mate.
Naruto shrugged, "Yeah, we don't need them," he said as he glanced at Hanabi, who pulled out all five balls, "We don't need them right?" Naruto asked.
Hanabi shrugged from her place sitting on the back of the enemy Naruto had thrown to her with his tendrils, "I guess not, but I thought we grabbed these to ensure less competition?" Hanabi asked.
Kouru laughed, "Dude, they only saw your skills. I reckon it'd still be a fair fight against me or Hanabi, I'm cool with that." he said with a smile.
Naruto nodded confidently, "Then let's do it and get going." he said as he turned, already walking away.
Hanabi sighed and chucked one of each colour to the girl who caught them with wide eye shock, "Th-thank you!" the girl exclaimed.
Kouru grinned as he and Naruto began to walk after Hanabi, "Hope to see you guys in the finals! Don't let our generosity go to waste!" he exclaimed before turning and jogging back to Hanabi's side before they began sprinting behind her.
##########
The Raikage sat on the bench with a folder in hand as he looked down at the picture and information of one Naruto Uzumaki, 'This kid single handedly takes out two of my village's teams after seemingly scaring the shit out of the Rock Jonin? What is he hiding?' the Raikage thought as he poked the picture on the face, his eyes narrowing, "Actually... he looks sort of familiar..." the Raikage muttered as he kept poking the face, somehow hoping to prod the answer into existence.
"They're reached the safe zone," Mabui said as she approached the bench.
The Raikage looked up and nodded, "Alright, and they Moving Stairs lead here right?" he asked.
Mabui nodded, "Hai Raikage-sama, they'll be here any moment." she said as she turned away.
The Raikage turned, resting back as he watched the top of the staircase, "Naruto Uzumaki and Hanabi Hyuuga... just why were you sent here?" he muttered to himself as the three popped into his vision, 'And how does this disabled guy fit in here?' he thought as he watched the wild card of the team, the seemingly innocent one armed ninja.
They arrived at the top of the stairs panting as Kouru fell to his knees, thrusting his fist up in the air, "Yes! Finally we can go back to real beds!" he exclaimed loudly.
The Raikage raised a brow at the kid before feeling a chakra pulse near him.
POOF
"You guys made it already?" Genma asked with wide eyes as he appeared behind the Raikage.
Naruto and Kouru grinned as Hanabi dropped back in to her emotionless expression, "Yeah we did!" Naruto exclaimed proudly before noticing the Raikage as Hanabi had done, "Oh Raikage-sama!" Naruto shouted before bowing in respect.
Kouru quickly did the same as Hanabi just looked at the large brown man with a furrow in her brow, still unsure of the scroll he had given her before the exams.
The Raikage leaned forward as Mabui came to a stop by his side, "So kids, what's your team's passcode?" he asked.
Kouru stood and saluted, "Hunt, Speed and Creation sir!" he reported.
A glanced at Mabui, who nodded as she confirmed their answers on the clip board in front of her, making Naruto's eyes narrow, 'Hold on, how does she even have that information? Did Yugito manage to tell her somehow?' he thought curiously.
The Raikage got all of their attention when he stood, "Alright then boys and girls, since you managed to finish this in just under seventy-two hours, you still have two days until the weekend break before the second exam. So you've been rented a training ground to use in the mean time if you'd like, Genma here knows which one," the Raikage said with a nod to the leaf Jonin, who nodded in return, "On Friday the exam ends and that afternoon the second exam will be explained to you. So get going now and remember to be back in the original meeting hall at sun down on Friday, okay?" he explained.
The three gennin nodded, """Hai Raikage-sama.""" the team said in unison.
"Follow me guys." Genma said as he turned and began to walk to the same elevator Naruto and the others had used to come up in.
The team followed, glad that they had gotten back before sun down, though as they looked up at the storm clouds cresting the horizon, they all noticed the sun beginning to set.
The Raikage stared after them for a moment before shrugging and looking down at the folder about Naruto in his hands, blinking as he noticed what Naruto's picture looked like with his thumbs covering the whisker marks, 'Hold on...'
##########
Neji stood with his eyes closed hidden inside a closet, waiting calmly as he listened to the two sets of feet approaching and exchanging idle conversation before the noise faded into the distance.
His eyes opened behind his mask and he sneaked out of the closet and dashed down the long hallway, stopping at the corner before he used a kunai's reflection to peer around the corner, 'Two Main branch elders guarding Hiashi-sama's office. First option is out.' Neji thought before turning back the way he had come before taking a right turn instead of a left.
Neji suddenly stopped as he heard another set of foot steps, making him glance around before stepping into the room two steps behind him just mere moments before another Hyuuga elder walked by with his wife, 'Only Main Branch families are is inside and the other families are either forced to work as guard or have disappeared or run.' Neji thought as he waited for the pair of footsteps to move away again.
Neji peered out of the room as he watched with a frown the Hyuuga Elder leave his wife to walk away on her own while he went into the room six doors down, 'Hinata's bedroom? Damn, that was my next checkpoint.' Neji thought before stepping back into the room.
Neji nodded to himself before walking over to the second story balcony, opening it swiftly and quietly before he snuck out, glancing around to make sure no one was around as he moved through the early night light.
Neji frowned as he noticed the balcony that connected to Hinata's open window was no longer there, making Neji look for other options to get in without chakra or alerting the man inside. He glanced around for a moment longer before smirking under his mask as he spotted a flag pole only a few meters from the window and definitely within jumping distance.
##########
Higetsho Hyuuga walked over to Hinata's closet, ripping the door open before he crouched, "Nothing here..." he muttered as he rummaged through the books and scrolls and pictures she had hiding under her clothes, "Hiashi must've hid it somewhere..." he said with a sigh as he turned around.
Higetsho raised a brow as he saw the seal tags that covered the door, "Oh? Privacy Seals." he said as he formed a hand seal, "Which means not only do people use chakra in this room, they also try to hide it." he said before sending chakra through his eyes, "BYAKUGAN!"
Higetsho's Byakugan sparked to life as he went to look through everything again, though he was interrupted as he turned with wide eyes, "An ANBU?!"
Death's touch had leapt free from the building with the strongest jump he could manage without chakra, his hands gripping the flag pole that he swung around to flip himself back at the wall, curling into a ball to fit through Hinata's window before he kicked out feet first.
Higetsho shouted in shock as Death's foot kicked his chest, knocking him back into the wall, giving Death a moment to hold up his hand as a needle made of pure chakra formed from his pointer finger, "Where is Hinata Hyuuga being kept?" Death's touch asked.
Higetsho scrambled to his feet, taking a perfect advanced stance of the Hyuuga's Gentle Fist style, "You shouldn't intrude ANBU! If Tsunade knew about this she'd-"
CRUNCH
Higetsho shouted in pain as Death kneed him in the sternum, breaking or cracking most of his ribs before he span, gripping Higetsho's neck and throwing him to the ground, "They can't hear or sense us in here, so I'll get my fun unless you tell me," Neji said as he stood over his enemy, "Where. Is. Hinata. Hyuuga." Neji ordered darkly.
Higetsho shook in fear as he shuffled against the wall, "Screw you! I'll never tell!" he shouted as he began to spin,
Neji's eyes widened underneath his mask, 'The Rotation!' he thought as he leapt back.
"EIGHT TRIGRAMS PALMS ROTATION!" Higetsho shouted weakly as the jutsu formed.
Death's touch gave up hiding as Higetsho's jutsu gouged through the wall, breaking the privacy seal's confines and letting everyone in the compound feel the pulse of chakra.
Neji sighed as he blinked his own Byakugan on to scan the compound.
Thirty four Hyuugas spotted him, but he had spotted Hinata.
##########
Naruto yawned as he chucked on his long sleeve shirt from the Sand that filtered the temperature to be moderate no matter it be too cold or too hot, 'So glad I got the extra pricey one,' he thought with a grin as he remembered depositing the bounty from Sasori into cash accounts, 'I should get S-rank criminals more often.' Naruto thought with a chuckle.
Knock Knock Knock
Naruto turned to the door to his and Kouru's room before looking at the bathroom door, knowing that Kouru was in the shower, "Umm, who is it?" Naruto asked.
"That you Kyuu?"
Naruto's eyes widened as he recognised the voice, "Yugito?" he asked out loud as he moved over to the door and opened it.
The woman smirked at him, "In the flesh," she said before grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door, "C'mon, let's go." she said as she dragged him behind her.
"Gah!" Naruto exclaimed as he was forced to pull the door closed behind him, "Hey! I didn't grab my key!" Naruto exclaimed, though he was glad he hadn't changed his pants yet and thus still hand his kunai holsters and ninja pouch.
Yugito shrugged and ignored him, "Anyway, we got a date right? Cause there's some place I'd like to take you and someone you need to meet." she said as she dragged him into the elevator.
Naruto sighed as he stopped resisting and stood next to her, "Alright fine I'll come with you." Naruto said before tapping his pocket, feeling his wallet was still there, "Do I still have to buy you food though?" he asked as the elevator doors closed.
#########
Naruto raised a brow as Yugito pulled him into a fairly dark bar called Storm Clouds, "Hey, is this really the best idea?" Naruto asked as they walked through the open door.
No one looked up at their entrance as Yugito pulled him through the mostly empty bar, "Just follow." Yugito said as she continued to pull him by the wrist.
Naruto sighed again before they came to a red door, she pushed it open to a surprisingly upper class area of the bar, it wasn't particularly busy, but the business was doing well for itself.
Yugito took an immediate left down a deceptively long hallway before opening the door at the end and stepping through, finally let go of Naruto, "Hey, I brought him." Yugito said before stepping to the side.
Naruto stepped through the doorway as Yugito closed it behind him. Naruto raised his head to the single large round table and the single large black man behind it, 'I saw him before...' Naruto thought as he remembered the man he caught a glimpse of before the exams.
The man grinned, "I'm Killer B, yeah that's me, Jin-chuu-riki, for the Hachibi!" he rapped as he stood up, the cigar in his mouth glowing as he took a thug stance, "And it's you Uzumaki, that holds tha' Ky-uu-bi!"
Naruto blinked as he stared at the man as he posed with one foot on the table, "Umm... hi?" Naruto said, the confusion on his face obvious.
Yugito laughed, "Yeah he's pretty fucking weird, but we all got our little quirks." she said as she sat down to Killer B's left.
Naruto just blinked again in confusion before moving to sit down, "So... you're both Jinchuuriki?" Naruto asked.
Killer B nodded as he ashed his cigar onto the ground, "Yeah we are, and this is our secret spot, the Storm Cloud Bar." he rhymed before puffing out smoke rings.
Yugito rolled her eyes at Killer B, "As you heard he'd got the Hachibi in him, the Eight Tailed Oxtopus, and I've got the Two Tails. Who's the other Jinchuuriki in the Leaf?" she asked.
Naruto raised a brow, "Other? There's... no one but me." he said softly.
Killer B whistled, "Whew, that's a shame bro, so what's yo fam's like? How'd you know?" he asked.
Naruto's confused look stayed in place, "How'd I know what...?" Naruto asked.
Yugito sighed, "How'd you find out you were a Jinchuuriki? Here in the Cloud we're always given the ritual at least ten years apart after our parents tell us so that there's always one Jinchuuriki teaching the next, I thought that's what all villages do." she said with a frown.
Naruto frowned, "That what you meant about family? No, I don't have any. Never have," Naruto began, earning shocked looks from the two Kumo Shinobi, "I found out because a criminal tried to use me to do his dirty work and steal something from the Hokage. It was a secret up until I was twelve." Naruto explained quickly.
Killer B frowned, "Damn..." he mumbled before putting out his cigar, "So...Naruto right? I hear there's something goin down tonight, some guy has been tracking Yugito here, that's why we swapped her out so she's in the clear." he rapped.
Naruto raised a brow, "What do you mean?" he asked.
Yugito sighed, starting to get tired of translating for B, "B can sense things pretty well, and he's noticed that for the past week every time I come to see him there's someone who stays on the border of his senses, and that makes sense considering the creeper I saw watching me before the exams." she said with a frown.
Naruto frowned slightly as he realised, "Hold on, these people..." Naruto mumbled as he racked his head for information, "Were they in long black trench coats? Red clouds stitched in too?" Naruto asked.
Yugito raised a brow at him, "Huh? Yeah the guy I saw was wearing that. How'd you know?" she asked.
Killer B frowned, "Yo, Black cloaks? Maybe like the guy that was making that hoax." Killer B said with a nod.
Naruto and Yugito looked at him curiously, "Wait what?" she asked.
Killer B nodded, "It was yesterday when I heard my team say, 'Sorry Mr. Kakuzu, but no entry to the village for you!'" Killer B rapped as he stood, "Yeah this guy came in with merchants pack, but turned out his false paperwork was crap! It ain't been written like that for years, so we turned him round, sent him runnin' home in tears!" he said dramatically before taking a celebratory stance, "Yeah!"
Naruto nodded as he scowled, "It's Kakuzu from the Akatsuki." Naruto said.
Yugito and Killer B frowned as they looked over at Naruto, "Akatsuki? What's that?" Yugito asked.
Naruto frowned as he looked up at Killer B and Yugito, "You would've heard by now of the group that killed the Kazekage? See he was the Jinchuuriki of the one tailed demon, so they hunted him down to extract the beast and kill him. Taking it's power for themselves." Naruto said seriously.
"Woah hold up!" Killer B said, "Someone's hunting Jinchuuriki? That is not fly with me!" He said somewhat angrily.
Yugito looked down, "So... if they started at One..." she murmured.
Naruto nodded, "Then Two is probably next Yugito." he said.
There was a tense silence before the door that Yugito showed them in through opened, making the Raikage raise a brow at Naruto as he stepped in, "Eh? What're you doing here kid?" he asked as he closed the door behind him.
Naruto's eyes widened, "Y-Yugito brought me here Raikage-sama." Naruto explained nervously.
The Raikage blinked before he nodded in recognition, "Oh, so this is the Leaf's Jinchuuriki?" he asked as he smirked, "Well I wouldn't have guessed it before but now that I know... it's kinda obvious." he said with a chuckled before moving and taking a seat next to Naruto, forcing him to be squished between the Raikage and Killer B as Yugito looked at him from across the table.
Naruto raised a brow, "Umm, thanks?" he said sarcastically.
A frowned, "But, how come you or your team didn't mention it earlier? I would've bumped you guys up to first class at the hotel at least." he asked curiously.
Naruto looked off to the side, "They don't know I hold the Fox." he said softly.
A, B and Yugito all looked shock at that, "Eh? Then... oh I get it, it's so no one favours your treatment right?" Yugito assumed, "Cause here in the Cloud the moment everyone found out they were like 'Oh please be my friend', or 'I worship you milady.'" she quoted from her fanboys with a chuckle.
Naruto blinked at her in shock, "Favours?" he asked before shaking his head, "I'm starting to see clearer and clearer how messed up the Leaf Village is." he mumbled with a scowl.
A raised a brow, "Huh? Why's that?" he asked.
Naruto frowned as he looked up to the Raikage, "The vast majority of the people who know about it in my village either hates or fears me for it. I was treated like garbage by everyone but the Hokage up until I was ten." he said calmly before looking down at his hands, "But now... I actually have friends," he said with a small but truly happy smile, "And Tsunade-Baa-chan, Shizune-nee-chan and Ero-sennin are like family now." he said.
A's eyes widened, "Like... garbage? Seriously?" he asked incredulously, "Don't they realise you're protecting them from it? You could've just given in and let it kill them at anytime, they should've been thanking you like the people in Kumo thank B and Yugito here."
Naruto looked up in shock, "The citizens thank you?" Naruto asked.
Killer B nodded with a grin and was about to start rapping, but Yugito cut him off by punching the table, "What the hell were those idiots thinking?!" she exclaimed rather loudly.
Naruto blinked owlishly, "Umm... I... I think the villagers were just scared, it's not their fault for not understanding." he said, trying to defend the village.
Yugito scoffed, "Oh yeah sure, they're blameless in all this." she said as she rolled her eyes, "You Leaf ninja always protecting the weak idiots. That's why no one but the minor villages go to them for help." she said mockingly.
Naruto frowned at that, "Actually the Sand called for our help in saving the Kazekage. That's why I killed Sasori of the Red Sands and why I know these Akatsuki are a real threat." he said seriously.
Killer B looked up at that, "Eh? You killed that puppet guy?" he asked in shock before turnign to his brother to explain, "That's the dude that ravaged the Hidden Mountain village a little ways north from here."
A raised a brow at that, "Seriously?" he asked, looking at Naruto in a new light.
Naruto nodded, "Yeah," he said before looking at Killer B, "And you said the guy at your gate's name was Kakuzu?" Naruto asked.
Killer B nodded, "Yeah, is that important?" he asked.
Naruto nodded, "Kakuzu the Immortal. One of the few men in Akatsuki who we have in depth information on because he doesn't really care if he's noticed or not and he's paired with someone known as only Hidan, someone who kinda likes to scream as he kills about sixty percent of the people he runs in to." Naruto said.
A scowled, "These two don't sound like they should be taken lightly." he said seriously before looking at Killer B and Yugito, "From now on you two are to be together at all times. You no longer are part of ANBU and your team is going to start back on lower ranked missions. You two, are going up to that mountain and starting on Yugito's full release training." the Raikage ordered.
Yugito grinned as Killer B groaned, "Oh man." Killer B complained.
A looked at Naruto and nodded to him in respect, "I know you didn't have to tell us about these Akatsuki people, but I thank you Naruto Uzumaki." A said as he stood, "Look I get that it's our usual Wednesday drinks night, but I think given the circumstances we send Naruto back to his hotel and we go make some proper plans." A said seriously.
Yugito nodded, "Yeah," she said before winking at Naruto, "Let's make our date after the finals kay?" she said with a smirk.
Naruto blinked, "U-umm, I don't think... I mean, I didn't mean to imply it as a, umm..." Naruto mumbled before clearing his throat, "Date." he said.
Yugito's eyes widened at Naruto, "Really? Damn, I thought I finally had a fanboy that was worth his mettle." she said with a shrug, "Oh well, you're still getting me a free meal right?" she asked.
Killer B and A laughed at Yugito as she smirked at Naruto, though the blonde boy just blinked in shock as he slowly stood, "Well... okay I guess..." he said as he snuck out the door.
Closing it behind him, Naruto sighed heavily before turning away, "This got so weird all of a sudden." he mumbled to himself as he walked out of the bar.
As the door closed, A stopped his laughter as a crease formed in his brow, 'I wonder what exactly is going on in Konoha and Suna, who'd disrespect their Jinchuuriki so cruelly only to cherish someone else's just because of their position?' he thought, wondering about why the Leaf was so cruel to Naruto, then gladly sent him out to save the Sand's Jinchuuriki and put him directly in harms way for it.
##########
Naruto sighed as he begun to walk through the Cloud Village, looking up at the cloudless sky before looking down that massive valley he was walking alongside of, 'Oh right, the clouds are below us now.' he thought as he watched the wind blow through the valley.
Naruto looked up at the signs as he walked past, pausing as he noticed a rather large one, "Kumo Ninja Library." he mumbled as he looked up at the sign.
Naruto glanced left towards the hotel and right towards the library before shrugging as he moulded his chakra.
POOF
"Back to the room, just tell them I'm doing research." Naruto said to the Clone as it appeared from the smoke.
The clone nodded before they split ways, Naruto walking along to the library with a skip in his step as he smiled.
"To think... some people see us as more then demons." Naruto muttered to himself happily before looking up at the moon, 'Gaara, this is the place you deserved to grow up.' He thought as he continued his walk up to the small set of steps that lead to the Library's door.
##########
"Woah, looks like I get to skip a section." Ryuk said as he floated in through the massive hole that now existed instead of a wall in Hinata's room.
He floated up to the door and landed on his feet, "I wonder what happened here..." Ryuk muttered as he went to walk through the closed door.
"Huh?" Ryuk said as he walked into the shoji door, "What the?" he said as he pressed his hand to it, "Why can't I get through?" he asked with a frown, "That's not cool." he said with a frown before looking down.
Spotting the handle, Ryuk blinked before just gripping and sliding the door open, "What is going on in this place?" he said as he stepped out and closed the door behind him, not noticing the Privacy Seal reactivating behind him as the door closed, "Hmm, so..." he said as he pulled out his map, "Okay... so I'm half way... Huh?" Ryuk said as he looked up.
Neji Hyuuga, the guy that Ryuk had seen running through the compound, was now limping as he carried the Hinata girl that Ryuk had saved on his back. Ryuk blinked as Neji ran through him with Hinata and opened the door to her room, "Hey it's these guys." Ryuk said as he followed them back into the room.
Neji placed Hinata gently down on the bed before dashing over to the door and closing it behind Ryuk, making the Shinigami raise a brow as this time he noticed the Seal glow.
"Neji-nii-san."
Ryuk and Neji turned to Hinata as she gasped and forced herself to sit up, "Hinata-sama, please rest, don't worsen your injuries." Neji said as he stood before falling to a knee.
Hinata coughed as she slid up against what remained of the wall, glancing out of the hole to see that there was no one nearby, "Your injured too." she said weakly.
Ryuk raised a brow as the two people in the room rested for a moment, "The heck is going on here?" Ryuk mumbled as he turned to walk away again.
"Where are they?"
Ryuk, Neji and Hinata looked up as two silhouettes paused in front of the closed door, "We lost them, quick do another scan."
Neji moved closer to the door quietly as he whispered to Hinata, "Someone without the Byakugan is helping?" Neji asked.
Ryuk raised a brow at that before looking to the door again, "Oooh here we go." he said as he stepped aside.
"BYAKUGAN!"
The moment Neji heard the man outside speak, he leapt forward with a kunai, slashing through the paper of the door in front of him as the two people looked at him with wide eyes, "Die!" Death's touch shouted.
His kunai lodged into the Hyuuga's brain stem as his other hand flashed forward, no longer caring about his chakra being noticed in favour of poking the other ninja in the forehead.
Ryuk's eyes widened, "Woah, he's the one that was taking out all those other people?" he asked out loud as the two opponents dropped dead.
"A ROOT ninja?" Neji mumbled as he pulled out the blank masked enemy's tongue and saw the seal resting at it's crest.
Hinata stood shakily, "What now?" she asked.
Neji turned towards her, "Well, I guess-"
THUNK
Hinata shouted in shock as a kunai was buried in the back of Neji's head, "Nii-san!" she shouted.
A blank masked ANBU stepped over Neji's body, "Hinata Hyuuga, you will come with-"
"EIGHT GATES ASSAULT!"
POOF
The Shadow Clone dispelled as Neji flew out of the adjoining bathroom doorway, poking the Mask's eye holes to lock the first and second gates shut while blinding the enemy. Neji quickly finished his combo, throwing his target into a coma as he panted, "Naruto's tricks sure come in handy." Neji said weakly before falling to a knee again.
"Nii-san, what do we do?" Hinata asked as she looked up.
Hinata gasped as her eyes widened, "Is... that a map?" Hinata asked.
Ryuk turned around and scowled, "Oh shit." he said as he noticed he had dropped the map when he stepped back into the room.
Neji picked it up and looked over it, "Incredible... it's only half of the compound but it's got hallways and pipelines I've never known to exist." he said.
Ryuk paused and grinned, "Hehe, damn right." he said proudly.
Hinata held her ribs tenderly as she crawled up next to Neji, "That's from the Storage Shed near the Gate Guard's artillery area." she said before looking outside again, "We... if we make it there..." she said as she smiled hopefully at her cousin.
"We can get out, and it'll take us to the Aburame compound through the sewers." Neji said as he double checked the path.
Hinata smiled in relief, "The Aburame, thank the Shinigami, Shino will help us." Hinata said.
Neji looked up at Hinata as Ryuk grinned, "Hehehe, who knew I could be the good guy?" Ryuk said with a laugh as Neji blinked.
"Shinigami?" Neji asked.
Hinata looked at Neji and sighed, "As if you can judge Mr. Death's Touch. You're basically representing Lord Shinigami." she said.
Ryuk chuckled as Neji folded the map and tucked it in his shirt, "Well well, looks like I might've stirred up something here, now this is exciting." he said with another chuckle as he watched Hinata be helped back on to Neji's back and began to follow them out into the night air again.
##########
'So complimentary Jutsu aren't a new thing,' Naruto thought as he re-called his new Tornado Rasengan, 'Kumo even had people who make new elements together, Gale Style, Storm Style, Swift Style? I haven't even heard of these things.' he thought before sitting back and stretching.
Naruto looked up at the roof of the library before looking over to the one other person in view. The building was massive, full of shelves that were overflowing with Ninjutsu theory scrolls, Genjutsu theory scrolls and the Shinobi history books. Naruto had found that although Konoha boasted their teamwork, when it came to combination Ninjutsu, Kumo is where it was at.
Naruto glanced back at the two books he had open in front of him as well as the scroll he was writing on, 'So what Ninjutsu that I have can combine together well?' he thought as he decided to write out his Ninjutsu in a list.
Thinking about how his Tornado fist and his Rasengan worked so well together made him tilt his head in thought, 'That Rasengan can carry me across far distances for a strong attack,' he thought as a small smirk crawled onto his face, 'So theoretically, maybe there's a way for me to make the Rasengan a long distance attack, or maybe...' he thought as he reached further ahead to open the second book again.
Feeling a strain on his left leg, Naruto looked down to notice the scroll in his pocket, "Oh yeah." Naruto mumbled as he pulled out his research on the Caged Bird Seal.
Naruto paused as he looked at the scroll, "Kouru mixes Nin, Tai and Genjutsu in his fighting style, maybe I can find a way to mix my Ninjutsu or Taijutsu with my Seals..." he thought out loud before unrolling the scroll and pushing away his books.
Naruto nodded to himself as he once more glanced at the only other person in the library, a blonde woman about his age that was asleep, using her own breasts as pillow.
Naruto couldn't help but stare for a moment before getting back to work.
##########
"Where is he?"
Naruto paused as he was about to knock on the door to his and Kouru's room.
He heard Kouru groan, "He's out somewhere researching, now shut up and let me get some sleep Hanabi!" Kouru complained.
Naruto raised a brow at that, "Hanabi?" he asked before knocking.
The door swung open to show Kouru in his pyjamas, "Thank the Log!" he said as he grabbed Naruto and shoved him into the room, "You deal with her tonight, I'm taking her room." he said before closing the door and walking away with her keys.
Naruto turned back to see Hanabi sitting on the foot of his bed, "Um, hey?" Naruto asked.
Hanabi stood as she faced Naruto, "The exam is over, I was wondering... did you..." she sighed, as she looked down and bit her lip in a very Hinata-esque fashion, "Did you finish it?"
Naruto smirked and nodded, "Go into the bathroom and put take off your clothes, underwear can stay on but like, wrap yourself in a towel or something." he said as he walked ahead.
Hanabi nodded seriously and ran into the bathroom, making Naruto sigh as he looked around the room. He clapped his hands together, "Okay, SEALING ART: CHAKRA BARRIER SEAL!" Naruto exclaimed as he placed his hands on the floor.
A small seal grew from underneath his hand, spreading out to cover the entire room before the four corners met against one another in the center of the ceiling above him. Naruto stood and nodded to himself as the seal faded from visibility, 'Now no one can interrupt.' he thought as he looked around the room.
Grabbing the blanket from his bed, Naruto laid it out for Hanabi to lie down on before he pushed the couch and coffee table to the side of the room.
Hearing the door close behind him, Naruto turned to see Hanabi standing in a bath robe, a light blush on her face as her Caged Bird Seal was visible to the world, "Q-quit staring." she said as she looked down and walked over to him.
Naruto gestured for Hanabi to sit on the blanket, "Sit in the middle and face the window." he ordered.
Hanabi nodded and did so as Naruto moved around to kneel in front of her, his eyes looked at her Caged Bird Seal in determination, 'Just you wait Hanabi, I'll have this thing gone soon.' he thought with a nod before standing up.
Hanabi watched as Naruto walked over to his bed and pulled out his scroll from his pocket, 'What's that?' she thought curiously as Naruto unrolled it slightly and nodded to himself.
Turning to Hanabi, Naruto smiled to her, "Okay, now just keep facing the window, I'm going to spread my counter-seal around you, so it's time to take off the robe." Naruto said as he stood at the end of the blanket in front of her.
Hanabi's blush increased as she took her robe off and tossed it to the foot of one of the beds, showing the world her near-nude form as she sat back with her legs folded beneath her.
Naruto spun his scroll above his head with his right hand as his left hand formed a series of thirty hand seals, ending on a one handed Rat Seal, "SEALING ART: PREPARED SEALING ARRAY!" Naruto declared as the seals written on his scroll began to glow.
Hanabi's eyes widened as she forced herself to sit still as the seals began to shoot off copies around the room, slowly forming a circle that surrounded Hanabi in three sealing circles connected on top of a rectangle of chakra, "Now stay perfectly still." Naruto said as he lowered the scroll and put it back in his pocket.
Hanabi froze again as Naruto pulled out his skeleton pen, sending chakra into it to flush out more ink as he began to write on her face, "Only a few minutes left." Naruto promised as he moved from her face down to her neck.
Hanabi tried to stay still as she felt the pen write out something that felt like a necklace before it grew a line from the back of her neck down her spine and circled her waist, then two lines of seals grew off from her sides and travelled down her legs to line it up with the seal he had on the ground.
Naruto took a step back as he double checked his work, "Okay Hanabi, when I say so, activate your Byakugan, I'm ninety six percent sure that you need it active to keep it once the seal is gone, four percent that it doesn't matter." Naruto said calmly as he stood in the section in front of her, one ring out from Hanabi.
Naruto formed twelve hand seals, "Now Hanabi!" he said seriously, causing the girl to focus her chakra and activate the Byakugan without hand seals, "UZUMAKI SEALING ART: COUNTER SEAL: CAGED BIRD UNSEALING!" Naruto exclaimed as he pointed at Hanabi's forehead.
Hanabi's eyes widened as Naruto's finger seemed to take up the entirety of her enhanced vision. Then her vision turned green, giving her a flash of some unknown seals before it all faded to black.
##########
Knock Knock
"Naruto? Kouru?" Genma asked as he opened the door.
Genma paused as his mouth opened in shock, "Naruto? Hanabi?" he asked.
The Byakugan user was wrapped up in a blanket laying on the bed closer to him, her forehead bare as she slept wrapped up like an oversized baby, Naruto seemingly asleep sitting at the foot of her bed, his head leaning against the wall next to the bed in a bath robe, looking like he had just walked out of the shower before he fell asleep there.
Genma stared at Hanabi's blank forehead for a moment before stepping into the room and sighing as he closed the door behind him, "Wake up NOW!" Genma shouted.
Naruto's eyes snapped open as Hanabi groaned, "Genma-sensei?" Naruto asked as he stood and stretched, "S'goin on so early?" Naruto asked.
Genma sighed, "Well I was actually coming here to get Kouru since I promised to help him nail down a Ninjutsu he wanted battle ready by the second exam," Genma said before folding his arms, "But now, I've found out you've removed Hanabi's Caged Bird Seal." Genma said, his eyes boring into Naruto's.
Naruto glanced over his shoulder as Hanabi's eyes shot open and she tried to get up, though she was wrapped up so tight she couldn't move other then wriggle, "It's really gone?" she asked as she rolled over, trying to see her reflection from the mirror on the bathroom door.
Naruto looked over his shoulder and nodded, "Yep, and now I've got it down as a whole." he said as he picked up the scroll he had accidentally dropped onto the floor the night before.
Genma shook his head, "Y'know, I didn't think you'd actually be able to do it, but not only that, you've done it in less then a week," he said with a smirk, "Hanabi, for the rest of this your headband is not coming off at all. Naruto, I have a seal I couple of things I want to give you." Genma said seriously.
Genma looked at Hanabi pointedly as the girl wriggled, "Hey, why am I wrapped up so tight?" she asked/yelled as she tried to stretch free.
Genma sighed and spat out the senbon between his lips, the simple needle cutting her free before he whistled and the needle cut back to land between his lips, making Naruto's eyes widen at the seal he saw glowing on his new sensei's lower lip, "Go get dressed Hanabi, have a shower, take you time." he ordered.
Hanabi nodded as she stood finding herself wrapped in the other bath robe that would've been Kouru's if he had stayed in the room. She quickly moved to the bathroom and closed the door behind her as Genma sighed and walked over to the coffee table that was pushed off to the side with the couch.
Naruto tied his robe tighter as Genma sat down and unclipped two of the sections of his Jonin vest, "Do you know what rank the Caged Bird Seal is?" Genma asked Naruto.
The blonde shrugged, "Nah, I never really thought about it." Naruto said as he sat down next to Genma on the couch.
Genma nodded as he sat forward, placing the two scrolls onto the couch in front of him, "It's an A-ranked Seal. The third highest tier of seal in existence and a level higher then my own personal seal; the Echo Needle." Genma said as he unravelled the scroll closer to them, showing his minimised seal and a small written paragraph of it's function.
Naruto leaned forward in interest, "Using the sound waves of your whistle to carry a chakra pulse to attract or repel the seal on your needle, that's pretty amazing." Naruto said as he looked at Genma with an impressed smile.
Genma smirked and spat the senbon across the room, landing it perfectly into the cupboard door, "Thanks, it took a while, but the Fourth Hokage helped me get my seal perfected when I was part of the Hokage's Private Guard, which is a time that I also learned another Sealing Ninjutsu." he said as he unrolled the other scroll, "Can you read this seal?" Genma asked.
Naruto looked down at the seal and frowned in thought as he looked at the numerous points of the Seal, "There's... what, a four ringed six point seal of some kind?" Naruto asked as he formed a few hand seals, "SEALING ART: FOUR PRONGED RELEASE!" Naruto announced.
Naruto smirked as the seal rotated counter clockwise, only for his smirk to falter as he saw that each seal that expanded outwards was actually more complete seals, "What the, there's two levels of release in this seal?" Naruto mumbled in amazement.
Genma smirked, "Actually, there's twenty one levels of release." Genma said, chuckling as Naruto's gaze snapped towards him.
"Twenty one?!" Naruto asked out loud, "Geez this is the kind of seal you only hear about one in a lifetime, like the Reaper Death Seal." Naruto said.
Genma smirked, "Or the Flying Thunder God Jutsu."
Naruto nodded as he looked at the seal, "Yeah just like..." he paused as he looked at Genma, "Wait, you said you worked under the Fourth himself..." Naruto said as his eyes widened, "Is this...?"
Genma nodded, "It's my third of it yes. This is the first part of the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, containing a Tetragram Seal like what you said you wanted to know about." Genma said with a challenging smirk.
Naruto nodded as he stared down at the seal, barely glancing up as Genma took back his first scroll and put it away, "You have two days until I'll be checking on your skills myself. Show me what progress you can make on deciphering it. It took me two years just to get to the point I could use it with the help of two others, let's see if you can open a space-time rift." he said with a smirk before walking away.
Hanabi stepped out of the bathroom with her clothes from the day before back on, though her hair was still wet behind her headband, "What're we, oh!" Hanabi jolted as Genma grabbed her arm, "S-sensei?" she gasped before the door closed behind them.
Naruto immediately stood and threw off his robe, standing in just his boxers as he took the Yondaime's scroll and set it on the ground before standing tall again, "Breakfast, get pumped, then clones." Naruto said as he quickly turned to the kitchenette area, remembering that if his clones were made when they were determined and focussed, they kept that mindset until they're dispelled.
##########
"They've made it already?" Tsunade mumbled out loud as she read the letter she received Thursday morning, "Guess it's time to get ready." she said with a smirk as she stood from her desk in the Hokage's office.
"Shizune! Contact Jiraiya, Kakashi and Sakura. Tell them we leave for Kumo in three hours." She said as she grabbed her Hokage cloak from the back of her chair.
Shizune ran in to the room, "What about Kouru's mother? She's a Shinobi too." she said.
Tsunade nodded, "Yeah true, but..." she paused as she frowned, "Oh wait, there's no one for Hanabi..." she said with a frown.
Shizune looked down sadly as well before they both felt a chakra shift in the office. They looked to the office window as a swarm of bugs flew in and formed a small tornado that began to swallow itself, revealing Shino standing with two unconscious people under his arms, "Help them." he said in his ever calm Aburame way.
Tsunade and Shizune helped him lower them to the ground before their eyes widened, "Neji?! Hinata?!" she exclaimed before she and Shizune got to work healing them.
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Chapter End.
Next Chapter: Training in Kumo, Rule Number Two