The Month of Revelation
Ichigo Asano stood among a field of straw dummies preparing for his final exercise before his team returned to Konoha.
"Alright Bear Boy. Go…" to a normal persons eye it seemed that Asano hardly even moved, but to the highly trained eyes of the spies observing the exercise what they saw astounded them. Before the word go even finished resounding around the canyon Asano had graced each and every target.
Asano reached down and grabbed his previously discarded straight jacket. "Now if you would kindly remove our visitors Barota, we can be on our way."
"Oh crap. He found us." As the spy said this Barota muttered what sounded like a Jutsu and plunged his arms into the ground. The team of spies started to turn and run but they were too slow. Two giant hands emerged from the ground and grabbed hold of each of their legs. Struggle as they may the two could not free them.
"How did you know that we were here you freak?"
"Oh that wasn't nice. After all I am going to let one of you live. Naota, I believe it's your turn." Naota just smiled and bent down to the ground. Both of his hands disappeared into the shadows of Barota's captives and then emerged with what looked like the still beating hearts of the spies. "Now Naota which one looks more likely to survive the process of putting them back."
"Wait you can't just do the same thing again to put them back?"
"No unfortunately I have some problems putting them back. They always end up inside one of the lungs for some reason. Oh well here goes nothing." Naota plunged his hands into the shadows and then pulled them back out. "Now which one is still alive?" Both of the spies were shaken up but still breathing.
"This is taking to long." Barota curled his hand into a semi fist and delivered a blow to one of the spy's chest right where his heart would be. "Now can we just get on with it? The next training spot is a day away and we only have four days left."
"Fine. You, the living one, go back to your boss and give him this message. 'The Big Three of The Darkness have arrived and are ready to take the Five Great Shinobi Nations down.'" Asano, followed by Barota and Naota, walked away. After the Spy lost sight of them the hand encasing his leg crumbled away leaving him free to go. He turned to face the canyon where Asano had been training.
"There must be at least 500 targets down there, yet he managed to graze all of them and return to his position before the echo stopped." Just then all 500 targets exploded in a mass wave of wind. "That boy is no ordinary ninja. Tsunade must be warned."
In Konoha
Rock Lee was in a secluded clearing in the forest surrounding Konoha chanting numbers that were ascending toward his goal.
"9997…" With nothing but his thumbs touching the ground Rock Lee was doing pushups being observed by his Sensei. "9998…" His weights had been doubled for the month of training he had done, and he was still wearing them during the exercise. "9999…" Did I mention that Gai was also sitting on top of Lee's extended legs during the exercise, more than doubling the weight Lee was lifting? "10000." Gai jumped down off of Lee's legs as Lee swooped down.
"You have done well during this month Lee."
"Thank you Gai-sensei. Do you think it is enough to defeat him though?"
"You mean the one that damaged the door?" By now the rumor of someone in the Chuunin exam putting Kakashi the Copy ninja through the great gate of Konoha was spread around the village. "Yes Lee I believe your will is strong enough to overcome anything that you encounter." Gai gave Lee his Legendary Good Guy pose that always inspired his student. But in reality he did not know if it was going to be enough. The image of Kakashi's face as he got up from the attack that had been inflicted upon him still burned in his mind. How was some one with such strength still a Gennin? "Come Lee that is enough for today." Teacher and student returned to the village. One filled with optimism and the other with worry.
A Secluded Valley
"Don't lose concentration Naota."
"That would be a lot easier if you would stop talking."
"You say that as if your opponents will give you the same generosity." Barota stood where the shade of a palm tree had been.
"That's it."
"Keep going you've still got a little more." Naota's hands were clasped together in a makeshift hand seal. Just a moment ago the clasped hands had begun shaking with effort. Everything within the Valley was in sunlight. Nothing was dark except the three meter radius around Naota which was pure blackness.
"No that's all that's there."
"Fine. Now you can release it." The large ball around Naota disintegrated and went back to the various areas the shadows had been snatched from. "Oh, well. You managed to increase your range by half a mile."
"Congrats, your shield is impenetrable now. Three meters thick was the goal. Pussy."
"You shouldn't pass judgment. Your training is yet to come. We have two and a half days come on."
In Konoha
"Where is Tsunade-sama?"
"Relax Goujin. She is on a diplomatic mission to the Rice Country. Since the Orochimaru incident they have been trying to regain our trust."
"Damn it. When will she be back?"
"She will return tomorrow. What is so urgent?"
"I was spying on those ninja's from the Chuunin exam. You know the ones that put Kakashi through the door."
"Oh, what did you find out?"
"That's what I need to talk to Tsunade about. That boy with the covered eyes is no ordinary Gennin. His speed is on par with some of the faster Jounin I've ever seen."
"Just because he's fast doesn't mean anything."
"Yes but Tsunade said that he has some sort of power that allows him to generate objects out of thin air. That combined with speed could make him dangerous."
"I agree, but nothing can be done until Tsunade gets back tomorrow. Go home and relax."
"Yes Shizune-san. I will return as soon as Tsunade has returned." Goujin turned and left the Fifth Hokage's office.
Shizune sat at the desk opposite the door her spy had just exited. "If that boy is some how connected to Orochimaru then we can expect him to have more tricks up his sleeve than being really fast. Who is he facing in the first round?" Shizune rummaged through the mass of paperwork that awaited the Hokage when she returned for a list of the first round pairings for the Chuunin Exam. "He's facing one of ours? Some one must notify Rock Lee of this development." Shizune rushed out of the door not even bothering to close it behind her.
Outskirts of the Fire Country
"Do you think he's deep enough to go again?"
"Either way he's pretty out of it. He didn't yell at the last three rocks we threw at him." Asano and Naota sat on opposite banks of a river that ended in a waterfall. Barota sat in the flow of said waterfall. His body shrouded by the flow washing over his head. Asano flicked another rock at his teammate to check his awareness. The rock stopped two inches in front of Barota's face. "I think he's ready. Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" A massive fireball issued from Asano's mouth and headed in the direction of Barota. Just centimeters before the fireball made contact with Barota's face it stopped for a fraction of a second and then veered off into the bushes, incinerating them.
"Don't you think a high level ball like that was overkill? It's not like any of the Konoha babies can generate something like that."
"True. But then again we're not really training for them are we? Besides that wasn't overkill. This is overkill, Katon: Karyu Endan!" An even bigger burst of fire issued from Asano's mouth and took the shape of a dragon as it hurtled toward Barota. Barota visibly strained his will but the blast barely even slowed down. The water around Barota shifted paths and became a wall in front of him.
"No, no, no. That wasn't part of the training. Naota."
"You really are a sadistic freak." Naota raised his arms and the shadow of the waterfall rose up and blocked Barota's protective wall.
"Now what will you do?"
Barota's time to think was almost up and it showed on his face as he roused from his slumber. "If you want to play that way then I have no choice. Frozen Eye Primal Half Golem." The rock that Barota had been sitting on shattered as a blast of energy issued out of the air surrounding Barota. The rock fragments reformed around the arms of Barota as the water at his feet enveloped his chest. The fiery dragon made contact with Barota's chest and evaporated as the water armor continuously regenerated.
"Daaaaaaaaamn. Why didn't you do that in the first place? Or you know that one time at the Volcano."
"Because Naota. A treasure chest needs to be unlocked before its treasures can be seen."
"Asano you are way to smart for your own good."
"No just yours. Come on the tournament starts tomorrow. We will need to walk most of the night."
Konoha Hokage's Office
"Hokage-sama I came as soon as I heard you were back."
"Hurry up and make your report. I need a nap; my bodyguard unit hardly let me sleep the entire time we were in the Rice Country."
"My mission was to spy on the ninja's in the Chuunin exam from the Volcano Village."
"Yes get on with it."
"Three days ago I witnessed the one called Asano performing an exercise. That was to touch all 500 targets in a valley and then return to his position. He completed the exercise before the go signal finished echoing around the valley. Then he picked up his jacket and proceeded to announce that he had noticed me and my partner."
"Speaking of, where is he?"
"I am getting there Tsunade-sama. We started to run because we were ordered to avoid conflict. Then another of the boys used a technique that I was unfamiliar with to trap us. When they had reached us the one who controls darkness somehow reached into our chests and pulled out our hearts. I am the one that 'survived' him putting them back. Then they told me to give you a message."
"What is it?"
"He said, 'The Big Three of The Darkness have arrived and are ready to take the Five Great Shinobi Nations down.'"
"That is all. You can go now." Goujin exited the room and closed the door behind him. When he had done this Tsunade spoke again. "If what Goujin said is accurate then we need to do something about our Gennin in the tournament. Any one Gennin who can out play two low level ANBU is incredible. Let alone three of them on one team."
"I have already talked with Hyuuga Neji and Rock Lee. Both wish to proceed with their matches. Also we will be notified the moment they enter the village so we can track their movements." There was a knock on the door. "Enter."
The one at the door was a gate guard. "Tsunade-sama, they're here."
"Thank you. I want two members of ANBU on them at all times and increase security at the matches."
"What if one of the Feudal Lords objects?"
"Tell him that we are doing this as a precaution after what happened last time."
At the Gates of Konoha
Asano, Barota and Naota had arrived at the same time as the representative from the Sand Village, Gaara of the Desert.
"Pay him no mind yet. Remember in the matches, use as little energy as possible, we'll be fighting all day."
"Yeah that means you Golem boy."
"What about you mister Gravity Cannon in the prelims."
"Both of you shut up. God, it is like traveling with a married couple. One last thing, we already know who dies, don't go rouge…"
"Again."
"You're never gonna let me live that down are you Barota?"
"Absolutely not."
Authors Note: If you didn't realize it there is now a forum for anyone who wants to talk about the story in any fashion. I will gladly accept any comment you have / improvement you think I should make. In any case please review to tell me what you think.