No I don't own Naruto. There are no pokeballs big enough to catch them all, no matter what the Akatsuki think.
Chapter Thirty One: Mounting Pressure
Coming up on a clearing, Tsunade signaled for a rest. They had managed to reach the border of the Land of Fire with few problems, and were now in an ideal position to get back to work. Over the course of the journey, she had asked Isaribi a number of questions, and had a fairly good idea as to what had and more importantly had not happened in the confrontation with Kiri. While she was overall happy with her apprentices, the blonde knew that the training would have to be picked up if they were going to be able to handle a situation like that again. No, that was not quite accurate. Her job was instead to train her students to handle worse than that on a regular basis. Realizing the enormity of her task, Tsunade began to look forward to the upcoming stop in civilization and its available bars.
Still, S-class missing ninja wait for no one. "Isaribi, why don't you help Shizune set up the camp for the night? I'm sure she would be happy to answer any questions that you have, within reason. Hana, go find some meat for the evening, we could all use a hot meal after the last couple of days. Naruto, make a clone to help and come with me and Hinata. I think that the three of us need to have a little private chat." Seeing her younger apprentices show signs of nervousness, Tsunade decided to allow them to stew a bit. They would need every edge they could get for what was ahead.
Leading the two teens away from the camp site, Tsunade found a fallen tree to rest on. Turning to her subordinates, she fought to keep her tone calm and collected. "Now that we have a moment of time, I want a complete report on the situation that happened back in Sea Country. Begin with the moment that we were separated and leave nothing out." Listening to their duel with the Fuuma ninja, the blonde was mentally swearing up a storm. This was one of the reasons that she was uncomfortable with leadership. She had to listen to the danger her comrades faced after the fact, when there was nothing she could have done. Although she was definitely taking a chunk out of Naruto's hide later. If Jiraiya ever discovered that he had used a Yuri clone make out session with her image, the old pervert would insist on a repeat performance for his next book!
Turning away for a moment, Tsunade allowed both Chunin to squirm for a moment. She needed to make a point as clearly and completely as possible, but was hesitant. Between tempering Naruto's mind and building Hinata's confidence over the last few months, if her next few actions were in any way unclear it could undo all that hard work. Still, she decided that the best option was to have faith. That was all a teacher could really do for a student after all. Reaching into a pouch, she took a summoning scroll prepared back in Sea Country. Originally it was going to be an emergency food supply, but this was more important.
Unsealing the contents of the scroll, Tsunade threw a fish in front of each Chunin. "You are to revive each fish, right here and now. In the field you will not always have time or materials to prepare for such an operation, so both of you should be able to accomplish this task as is. Get to work." Resealing the rest of the fish, a nice alternative to ration bars and somewhat difficult to find inland, Tsunade sat back and watched. As expected, Hinata was able to revive her fish within five minutes. Surprisingly, Naruto accomplished the same thing, even though it took him nearly three times as long. Checking their work, Tsunade was pleased that they both passed, although Naruto would need a little work on details, his subject would still recover.
Resealing the fish, Tsunade faced them with a cool expression. "Today, you both demonstrated basic mastery of the first technique any medical ninja needs to learn in order to qualify for service. What is impressive is that you accomplished this within four months. Unless the practitioner is particularly skilled or has exceptional chakra control, it is normal for this step to take at least six months. However, I must say that this is not enough. You both will have to do better." Seeing the anger in Naruto's eyes was expected, but the hurt in Hinata's gaze was surprisingly painful. She honestly liked the shy Hyuga, and knew how hard she had been working to improve. Tsunade could only try to make herself understood before this spiraled out of control.
Per normal operating procedure, Naruto did not suppress his feelings in the slightest. "What the hell, Baa-chan? We have been doing nothing by training and getting stronger all this time. Both Hinata-chan and I kick major ass, and all you can say is that we have to do better? You're the one who's been so stingy with the jutsu! How are we supposed to get better when you only give us the same stuff to work on over and over? But we have both bled and strained for our training, and you have no right claiming that we are not been trying our best!" Facing down the younger blonde, Tsunade for once kept her infamous temper. Naruto was an impressive ninja and person, but there were some times where he was still such a child. Honestly, she was going to hate being there when that changed.
Nevertheless, she had no choice as both a Sensei and Hokage to establish her dominance before Naruto got really wound up. "If you believe that you can defeat three squads of Kiri hunter ninja and their captain in the middle of the ocean, then you are obviously not trying hard enough!" Seeing both ninja tense at her words, Tsunade sighed. "I'm not mad about your reasons, and fully support them. None of us expected a group of Kiri Jonin that large to suddenly appear, or to be interested in our little group. That was a miscalculation upon my part and I am sorry about it. However, this does demonstrate the fact that we must get stronger faster. Naruto, how many Shadow Clones have you actually been using during your extra training?"
Starting, Naruto scratched his head. "Well, at the beginning I would only make maybe twenty clones. But then some of the clones would replace the dispersed ones and I got used to using more and more. I think that I was up to a hundred clones working together in that last stop before Sea Country." Closing her eyes, Tsunade counted to ten. It would not do to reverse months of effort by ripping the blonde's head from his shoulders.
"The reason that I wanted you to work with fewer clones was three fold. First, I wanted to ensure that your mind would not be overloaded by too many clones dispersing at once. However, it appears that you have adapted to absorbing the information, so that should no longer be a major concern. Secondly, I wanted you to get used to better control with larger reserves of Chakra. The more clones you created, the less chakra each had. Thus, it was easier to control the amount of energy each used. The fewer clones made, the larger their energy reserves, and the greater the difficulty of the training. Still, through sheer stubbornness, you appear to have mastered that as well." Reaching over, she forced his blue eyes to lock with her own. "The third reason was to limit the traces that others could read by following our trail. Any foreign ninja that examined your training areas probably think that we are moving around an army at this point. Not only would that make international relations difficult, but provide a way for people to trace us!" Seeing the shock in Naruto's eyes, Tsunade suppressed the impulse to shake her head. While brilliant in tactics and strategy, Naruto still needed some work on his long term planning. She would have to add it to the program.
Standing, the Hokage turned to include Hinata in her discussion. "What you faced is simply one of several elite units within the other villages. Every ninja must remember that the reason that five major villages have survived through three wars is the relative strength of their members. Iwa, Kumo, Kiri, Suna and Konoha all have exceptional ninja and must respect and acknowledge that less we have another war on our hands. Those Hunter ninja were elite of the elite, and we need to respect that. If not for my personal abilities and greater experience, we all could have ended up on a medical examination table deep within their village within a matter of days!" Giving both teens a wry grin, Tsunade decided to back off a little bit. There was no reason to scare them senseless. "I know that you have grown significantly, but against these odds, such advancement is not enough. It won't be long before the other villages track us down, so I need you ready and able to defeat much more powerful and skilled opponents now, not five years from now."
Seeing that both students appeared appropriately shaken, Tsunade nodded decisively. "That being said, we do have a couple of advantages. One is our teamwork, which I admit is quite impressive. While you two have worked together the most, I don't doubt that Hana, Shizune and I would have no problems working in synch at this point. That will probably give us a vital edge when dealing with specially constructed teams designed to kill or capture us. They don't really have the time to familiarize themselves with one another, so we might gain a slight, but importantadvantage. The other would be the Shadow Clone Jutsu itself."
Turning to Hinata, Tsunade left no room for argument. "When we first began, I could honestly state that learning this technique would be far beyond you. However, with your recent growth and improved control, I believe that you can now maintain three clones at a time to safely train. This will be your assignment before the end of the evening. I want you to master the Shadow Clone with everything that you currently have. If a knucklehead like this kid can master it in a few hours, then I have no doubt that a much more skilled Kunoichi will be ready by the time the sun goes down. We will begin working with clones tomorrow to increase your knowledge base."
Turning to the sullen blonde, Tsunade smirked. "For the rest of our trip to Crater City, I will be having you two running through exercises and training drills using the Shadow Clones to refine your current skills and learn new ones. Since it's approximately five days from here to the place, and assuming you put in four hours a day of training, that will be twelve hours of relative training time a day and two and a half days of solid work before we get there. It might not sound like much, but I assure you that the difference will be notable. Naruto, leave a clone to help Hinata with her assignment. I'll let your third clone pick up whatever Hana shows you tonight and refine it for the rest of the journey. In the meantime, I found just the technique for you to learn. So, let's get to work." Confident that Naruto would be quick to follow, Tsunade moved deeper into the forest. To her gratification, the quiet blonde only took seconds to catch up.
Facing Tsunade, Naruto fought to keep the fire in his eyes. Listening to Baa-chan list their skills and finding them wanting had left the normally exuberant blonde cold. He had thought things were going so well too, with his and Hinata-chan's abilities growing by leaps and bounds. Growing stronger with a precious person gave him a warm and fuzzy feeling that he had missed since leaving Team Seven. Yet, after all their training and battles, the conflict with the Kiri ninja was a rude awakening. To the boy who would be Hokage, it made him realize just how much farther he had to go.
Meeting his gaze with a calm respect that almost looked foreign on the woman's face, Tsunade cleared her throat. "So far, you have learned three skills from the Forbidden Scroll, including the Shadow Clone Jutsu, the Kunai Shadow Clone Jutsu and the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu. Before we continue, I want each of these techniques demonstrated to the best of your current ability." Sighing, Naruto reached into his worn weapons pouch. He was getting so tired of practicing these techniques and was ready for something new already!
Deciding to be a bit unpredictable in his demonstration, Naruto flung both a kunai and a shuriken simultaneously. Both techniques were essentially the same hand seals, but you had to mold the chakra differently based upon the change in mass. However, with the number of hours Naruto had logged practicing the jutsu; it was child s play to form the hand seals in less than a second while molding the chakra for both techniques. Before their eyes, both weapons went from two to thirty without a trace of smoke. Although it appeared that he had thrown them just a little too hard, when the weapons barrage managed to embed themselves within a number of tree trunks, leaving retrieval impossible.
Blinking, Tsunade looked at him oddly. "Why the hell didn't you use that against the Kiri ninja? If that's what you could do while concentrating, a hundred clones using the same technique would have at least allowed you a chance to escape. I haven't seen someone master those jutsu to that level since Sensei!" Blushing at the comparison, Naruto fought down his normal reaction to focus. It would not do for a future Hokage to start jumping around cheering at the top of his lungs. Not while Baa-chan was still annoyed with him anyways.
Thinking back to the battle, Naruto tried to answer without sounding too stupid. "Well, I was about to start a Shadow Clone barrage, when those two guys stopped me with those whips made from water. Besides, I didn't really bring any weapons with me to Isaribi's. I'm running low anyways, and didn't want to ditch them and chance some kid stealing my last kunai or shuriken. We haven't really had much of a chance to restock lately, and I didn't want to freak her out by carrying them around in the open. Those civilian outfits that Hinata-chan and I got don't exactly have a lot of hiding places you know."
Frowning, the Hokage nodded. "I guess I can see your point. Remind me to get us restocked in Crater City; they have a few decent ninja suppliers. You are going to need a new and improved set of gear before we get back anyways." Then, faster than he could blink, she had cuffed him on the head. "Oh, and that was for going into a confrontation without enough supplies! You should have asked one of us for some weapons before even entering that island!" Rubbing his head, Naruto fought back a grimace. Maybe it was the sense of invincibility that the one-handed Rasengan had brought, or the large about of time spent working on staff work, but kunai and shuriken just did not feel that important anymore. Still, it was stupid not to have enough weapons, so he would bite his tongue this time.
Shaking her head, the older blonde cracked her knuckles. "Now that we've cleared the air so to speak, I do believe it's time to show you the jutsu I've decided you need." Forming a series of hand seals faster than he could follow, Tsunade smirked before both were engulfed in darkness. Stumbling back in surprise, Naruto was literally unable to see his hands in front of his face. An unseen tap on the shoulder only added to his disorientation to the point of tripping over his own feet. Hearing Baa-chan laugh, Naruto blushed in embarrassment. He'd done a little blind fighting back in the Academy, but nothing like this. Even his above average night vision was useless in this freaking abyss!
Dropping the Jutsu, Tsunade helped him to his feet. "That was Kokuangyo no jutsu, also known as the Art of Infinite Darkness. It is a Genjutsu that my grandfather perfected during the conflicts with the Uchiha clan before Konoha's founding. Unlike the standard Genjutsu that effect chakra signals of an individual directly, this technique forms a void in the chakra within a certain area, removing all impressions and ocular senses of even the strongest ninja. Among other things, it is said that this technique allowed my Grandfather and Grand Uncle to match the forces of Uchiha Madara himself."
Gaping at the history of the technique, Naruto could not help but jump up and down in excitement. This was the coolest ability he had ever seen! Plus it was the personal ability of the Shodaime himself! With such a technique, his dream was that much closer! Pausing in his celebrations, the blonde had a thought. "Hey Baa-chan, if that technique was so awesome, why haven't I ever heard about it? I mean, everyone knows about the Shodaime's Mokuton, but a technique that can block eye techniques still sounds really cool. I'm sure Iruka-sensei would have mentioned something at least?"
Frowning, Tsunade sighed. "It's not that simple, Naruto. When Grandfather and Uchiha Madara formed Konoha, they had to make a number of concessions with the various clans that inhabit it. Both the Uchiha and the Hyuga requested that this technique be labeled as forbidden, only to be passed down to the Hokage's and their direct successors. Since both the Byakugan and the Sharingan have demonstrated a weakness when facing them, it would have only aggravated relations to continue to use it so openly. But since there are no longer any official loyal Uchiha and the Hyuga are currently on my Shit List, I can see no harm in teaching it to you. After all, one of our main opponents is an Uchiha after all." Remembering the cold and empty stare of Uchiha Itachi, Naruto felt a shiver go down his spine, If this sort of thing would help him deal with Itachi, then it was all the more important that he learn it.
Smirking, Tsunade patted his head. "Now, don't get ahead of yourself. This is considered an A rank technique, and you need to learn it fast. So be prepared to work yourself down to the bone!" Firming his stance, Naruto felt his earlier doubts melt away. This was a technique that he needed to learn to protect his precious people. He could not quit until it was perfect!
Grasping her knees in exhaustion, Hinata struggled to catch her breath under the watch of a worried Shadow Clone. Whenever she had observed Naruto-kun launch this technique, he never seemed to waver despite the massive numbers he could create in a moment. Yet, she had never thought that the raw effort required to create the technique herself would be so exhausting. Despite the months together, and the years following his training, it was only know that the shy Hyuga truly grasped the raw power that her favorite blonde wielded so effortlessly. In the end, it increased her admiration of the boy all over again.
When they had first begun their intensive training after leaving Bird Country, Naruto had offered to show her the Shadow Clone technique to help boost her own efforts. Without a pause, Tsunade-sensei had rebuffed the idea, worried that a fresh Chunin's stamina would not be up to the task of controlling the technique over long periods. She was not aware that her rate of growth was impressive enough to change the Sannin's mind, but Hinata refused to fail this test. The Shadow Clones were a key reason that Naruto had improved so much lately, and if she was to keep up it was absolutely vital that she master it as well. She refused to be a burden on his journey, and needed this strength to deal with their future opponents.
While her sentiment was nice in theory, in practice it was much more than the Kunoichi was expecting. Despite having the clone demonstrate the technique, explain the hand seals and method for molding chakra needed to execute it, Hinata was still struggling. Honestly, after mastering the Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu and the basics of Tsunade-sensei's strength techniques, both of which had also made it onto the Forbidden Scroll, having trouble with the very first technique was downright depressing. Still, even being given the chance was another sign she was stronger than she was before at least.
The difficult part was forming the clone correctly, while retaining control of her chakra. Since it would take a medical genius of Tsunade-sensei's caliber to properly picture each and every organ in the human body, the creator of the technique had discovered a short cut. In essence, you created a solid shell of physical type chakra, while concentrating a cloud of mental type chakra within it. The mental chakra drove the body, while the physical chakra maintained the form. It was due to this inherent destabilization between the two chakras that the clone was actually so fragile. One strong strike forced the mental and physical chakras to interact, canceling one another and releasing the technique.
Naruto had mentioned that with time and tweaking, you could better stabilize the clone like he had in his Chunin Exam match with Neji. However, the important thing was to ensure that the shell could hold the infusion of mental chakra without mixing at all. The sheer density of energy required for something like that was a major reason that the technique was so draining. Every clone took a massive amount of physical stamina and mental concentration just to form. Directing the clones was another level of difficulty in of itself. It was possible, but the effort almost seemed superhuman at times. From what she understood of the process, this was just like when a Tailed Beast formed a body to attack. With the amount of chakra involved, it did not surprise her that only Naruto could throw around armies of the damn things, no matter how raw he seemed.
Still, the end results should be worth it. From what the Naruto clone had explained, the mental chakra of the technique was protected by the physical outer shell. So, the denser the shell, the more information returned to the body. While the physical chakra was lost, the mental chakra would return to the mind of the caster, allowing the memories to be retained. With enough practice, the strain would force her chakra to develop while severely increasing the amount of training possible. Plus, she could learn about fatal or dangerous techniques with minimal risk. What was a little shortness of breath compared to all that?
"Don't worry Hinata-chan I know you can do it!" Hearing the words of comfort and trust coming from the clone, Hinata narrowed her eyes. Even if it was just a clone, Naruto would remember everything it saw. There was no way she would appear so weak in front of her dearest person! Forcing herself to stand, the shy Hyuga almost growled, forming the familiar hand seal. Before she knew what she was doing, the young Kunoichi was looking into her own tired eyes,unmindful of the clones cries of triumph. Of course, collapsing from exhaustion was not part of the plan, but at least the clone was being nice enough to act as a comfy pillow. Smiling, Hinata decided to have a little nap.
Lurking through the underbrush, Hana smirked at the cursing blonde. While he was just a clone, the Inuzuka was not about to waste a perfectly viable training opportunity. Naruto had mastered the basic Hunter Ninja techniques last week, and she was ready to take it to the next level. While the Academy might give a decent survival overview to graduates, when it came to Naruto some extra review was never a bad idea. He was someone who always worked better with practical demonstrations, improved reading skills or no. So learning to really hunt for dinner would be the skill that kept on giving!
"Now Naruto-kun, remember you lessons. A ninja who moves silently is one who is successful. I know that you can sense our prey, but it can also sense us. Become one with your surroundings, and not even the nearest insect will feel your presence." Watching the clone calm down while remaining still, Hana smiled in accomplishment. Becoming one with nature was very difficult for even experienced ninja to learn. In fact, she knew some Jonin who still could not go through the underbrush without making a horrible amount of noise. Watching even a clone of the dead last blonde improving after so little practice was as welcome as it was baffling. From what she had seen, there was never a more natural ninja that Uzumaki Naruto. Just what sort of family could produce such a puzzle?
"Naruto-kun, what you have seen so far is nothing compared to what you will soon understand." Straightening up a bit, Hana assumed an easy lecturing tone, usually used with younger clansmen who had injured their partners during sparing. "The Academy will teach you basic survival skills, but that is nothing compared to the proper way of the hunter. It is one thing to read about the proper plants needed for medicine or how to make a smokeless campfire, but to track something with the intention to kill is a completely different exercise. Tell me what your senses tell you about the subject?"
Frowning, the clone closed its eyes. "I smell sweat and thin hair, with a strong heart beat. There's no rancid scent, just a trace of fresh cut grass, so it's probably an herbivore." Opening his eyes, the blonde looked down. "There are some broken twigs here and here showing that it's come by recently. But, there are also some marks on the lower tree branches. So it's big, and probably has horns, otherwise, it wouldn't leave scores that narrow. I'd guess it's a male deer, and an old one too."
Nodding, Hana was impressed. That was a lot more information than she expected a simple Shadow Clone to pick up on. "Correct, Naruto-kun. Now, since we know its a older deer, we must remember that it will be at it's peak performance. Deer can be very sensitive to predators and move fairly quickly when threatened. To approach something like this, you need to minimize its ability to hear or smell us coming. Stay downwind as best as you can and follow my lead." Watching her student calm his breathing, the Inuzuka gave a cheeky little grin before following the trail. While the path was no problem to follow, adding a little shake to her hips was just in good fun. Hearing him nearly stumble after a particularly notable wiggle was just the sort of boost she was in the mood for. After the stress of the last encounter, they could all use a little relaxation.
Taking a deep sniff, she held up a hand to stop their advance. Concentrating a bit of chakra to her eyes, the Kunoichi could see the outline of their prey just ahead, head bent over a water source. Gesturing that the clone should stay in place, Hana prepared herself. Feeling the flow of the forest and its inhabitants, she became a shadow, gliding across the ground with barely a whisper. The buck did not even have a chance to lift its head before she was upon it, kunai flashing in the sunset. Then there was only silence.
Making sure that the animal was completely dead, Hana let out a sigh of relief. A slip in her strike could have seriously injured the poor guy, leaving him to struggle in pain on the ground. A quick kill was the best mercy she could provide. "Alright Naruto, it's time for the final lesson of the day." Seeing the younger Chunin exit the brush, shocked with her efficiency, the Inuzuka let out a grin. "In nature, if you want to survive you pull your own weight. Grab the carcass and let's head back to camp. You can make the kill tomorrow when we have more time." Sighing, the blonde grabbed the dead deer before gesturing for her to lead the way. Smirking, Hana decided a few more wiggles were more than enough payback for that sort of attitude!
Watching a wide-eyed Isaribi looking around in shock, Shizune could not help but chuckle. While the girl had clearly been exposed to some horrible things while working with Amachi, it was clear to the elder Kunoichi that she was really quite innocent on some of the finer details of the ninja world. Of course, observing people her own age replicate themselves with ease could be a little unnerving. Hearing her question her observations, it was all the brunette could do not to laugh. The younger civilian almost sounded like her when Tsunade had first healed a cut during their training.
Still, seeing her eyes getting wider and wider with each attempt of the Shadow Clone that Hinata made, Shizune decided that extending her amusement would not serve any purpose. Tending to the bubbling pots over the fire pit, the medic sighed. "Why don't you come over and give me a hand, Isaribi-chan? I'll admit that Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan are very impressive for their age, but that's no reason to gape." Observing the child blush, the brunette smirked. It seemed like her fellow apprentices might have the beginnings of a fan girl.
Shaking her head, Isaribi helped to feed the fire as directed, a distracted look still on her face. Finally, after they managed to throw a couple of more logs on the fire, she broke their silence. "Shizune-san, is it really normal for ninja to train like this? I saw some of what Amachi's men did in their off time, but it didn't look anywhere near this intensive. Why are Naruto and Hinata working so hard?" Looking down, the medical experiment looked almost abashed at her forwardness.
Leaning back on her heals, Shizune thought about the question. While she was willing to give Isaribi a chance, there was no way of knowing what the future would bring. For all they knew, the poor girl would leave the second her condition could be treated. Still, there was no harm in a half answer. "Well, you might or might not have noticed, but both of them are not average ninja. Naruto has a drive that I have barely ever seen, and the stamina to match. Hinata feels like she needs to prove herself, if for no other reason than to keep up. When you take them together, standard training methods really don't compare. Therefore, Tsunade-sama decided to push them to their limits, because she believes in their potential." The fact that a number of very dangerous ninja were currently trying to track and kill Naruto would probably not go over well.
Gulping, the younger girl looked away. "I didn't believe them at first. They're both my age, yet were able to beat Amachi in no time at all. I didn't want anyone else to get caught up in my troubles, so I hid away as much as possible. But they wouldn't let me go until I was safe. I honestly don't know if I could ever repay them." Noticing her look at Naruto's clone a few moments longer than before, Shizune held back a chuckle. While Hinata was nearly as important in the eventual rescue of Isaribi as the blonde, it was clear that he had begun to capture another heart. She did not want to damage the existing relationship with Hinata, but if played correctly, Isaribi's fledgling crush might become interesting.
Smiling at the potential drama about to erupt, Shizune patted her on the head. "Don't worry, Isaribi-chan. I'm sure that everything will work out one way or another. Now, while I don't want to push you too hard until we have a chance to properly understand what Amachi did, why don't I show you a few basic medical techniques? At the very least, it'll keep you occupied while Naruto-kun and Hinata-chan are busy with their training." Plus, if their treatments required medicine over a longer period of time, then learning to self-medicate would save the poor girl a lot of time and money. Besides, it was the least they could do.
Blushing, Isaribi was about to answer when Hana returned, her Naruto clone following with a dead deer. Seeing an excellent opportunity, Shizune reached for a knife. "Excellent catch you two. Now, while we wait for Hinata-chan to join us, why don't the two of you pay attention? This is an excellent opportunity to learn a bit of surgery. With so many muscles, it will give you a clear idea about where to concentrate when making a cut." Sure, she could have gone over the chakra scalpel, but only Hinata-chan really had the control to use that right now. A little practical anatomy would be just as effective, and not reveal any village secret techniques to the civilian.
Still, as the lesson began, Shizune could not help but smile at their rapt attention. It was sometimes difficult to put into words, but there was just a sense of fulfillment about teaching that she had not really understood before. Ever since undertaking this journey, the Kunoichi had realized that, despite her skills, a part of her always distained using medical techniques to kill or injure. Showing the next generation ways of healing instead, soothed a raw feeling that had festered within her soul for years. So as she began her lesson, with Hana occasionally interjecting, the brunette was content. Teaching the next generation was one duty she would never object to. After all, these children were the future of their lands.
It was late afternoon in Konoha when a small figure decided to make her escape. Shifting from side to side, the child nonetheless moved with speed and skill beyond her years. Using every ounce of ability at her disposal, the child jumped over the southernmost wall of her family's land before making a break for it. Without some fresh air, the child would go insane. While she knew that there were Jonin on site capable of sneaking up on her, the girl also knew that none would bother at the moment. After all, Hyuga Hanabi had become a much less important figure over the last several months.
When her father had first made the changes in policy within the Hyuga clan, she had not worried too much. According to clan law, she should have been sealed years ago, so a new clause was not enough to really catch her attention. She was still a daughter of the Main House and its head. She was also stronger than nearly seventy percent of the clan children, be they Main or Branch House. Even her elder sister had failed to ever claim victory in a spar with a fellow Hyuga. Hanabi knew that with the loss of Neji, her main competition in terms of skill, the position that was rightfully hers was there for the taking.
What the child had not anticipated was the new attitude of the Branch House members, once their seals had been removed. People who had always been respectful of her requests now looked down upon her like dirt. Every spar that she attempted resulted in both a quick and brutal defeat. Each loss left her weaker and more damaged than the last. As it stood, even those still under the power of the Caged Bird Seal were growing more belligerent. Hanabi was losing face and position faster than she could have believed, and it scared her like nothing else in her short life.
Her father was of no help whatsoever. He simply spent his days locked up in meetings with the clan elders, occasionally leaving to officiate over some squabble. Instead of trying to help her grow stronger, Hanabi was shocked to be discarded without mercy. Her own father had turned to Neji to take the reins, and the boy had refused point blank. The greatest prodigy of the Jyuken in generations had refused his birthright, while the last and loyal daughter of the clan head was left in the cold. The little Hyuga had never felt so betrayed, either by the father that no longer cared about her or the cousin that spat upon his destiny. In all honesty, Neji was probably the only Hyuga she would have accepted losing to at this point.
All that was left for her was training, but that continued to deteriorate as well. Without any major support, she was forced to rely upon training in forms and against immobile dummies. None of her existing family was interested in anything less than beating her into the ground, and she had to attempt to improve simply from observation as opposed to instruction. Even in those rare moments where her father could be bothered to help her, nothing fruitful seemed to come of it. His once rare praise was replaced with the occasional grunt, and more often than not he would leave her sprawled on the training ground floor without a single word of explanation. She had not seen such treatment since her elder sister, and finding herself in the same position was a rude wakeup call.
That was enough to force her from the compound for the day. As an unmarked female of the Main House, Hanabi should not have left the walls of the Hyuga Clan without a minimum Chunin escort. However, none of the available ninja would be interested in the left over Hyuga Heir. While her eyes were strong for her age, Hanabi was nowhere near deaf enough to miss the whispers spreading around the house. Her days as an important upcoming prodigy seemed to be over, and all she wanted to do was sulk out of the sight of her so called family.
Coming across a deserted park near the Academy, Hanabi sought out the tree farthest from the entrance to hide behind. Activating her Byakugan to maximum, the child was thrilled to see that no one seemed interested in her location at the moment, so now was the perfect time to release her stress. Taking a deep breath, Hanabi allowed her mask to crack for the first time in weeks. First one tear, then another escaped before the young Hyuga was balling her eyes out, as silently as possible. She could only allow herself a moment of weakness like this occasionally, but when it happened, there was nothing to do but lose control. Weeks of struggle and isolation had taken their toll, but she would be damned if someone saw her like this. No matter what, she was Hyuga Hanabi, daughter to Hyuga Hiashi the head of the strongest clan in Konoha! She would cry a little, clean herself up and return to the compound ready to face her life again tomorrow. There was no way she would run away like Hinata and Neji did!
However, despite her vow, Hanabi was surprised by the raw amount of pain she had stored over the course of her new existence. Allowing it to wash over her, the young Hyuga was lost in her grief for nearly two hours. It was only by the end of her crying jag that she realized her solitude was over. Looking up, Hanabi was shocked to meet the gaze of her blood cousin Neji. In time since his departure, the prodigy had lost nearly a foot of hair and switched from his standard gear to some sort of grey robe. But the eyes, so familiar and yet so changed grasped her imagination. Neji did not look at her with loathing or disappointment, but something akin to shock. Ignoring his teammate, the child allowed her instincts to take over and grabbed her cousin in a massive hug. He might not be a Hyuga anymore, but no one else could understand her pain right now. It might not be that dignified, but she would be damned before ignoring a decent source of comfort.
Getting back up, Naruto prepared to form the hand signs once again. He had been attempting to learn the technique for nearly two hours now, and was honestly getting frustrated. Oh it looked easy on paper, but actually forming a ball of darkness was surprisingly difficult. It seemed that the very air vibrated with energy at times, and obscuring it all was extremely stressful. The closest analogy he could come up with was trying to grasp a hundred squirming worms while burying them underground. Each time he would try to move the dirt into place, a few worms would slime their way to freedom. Trying to recapture the escaping threads would only allow others to get free while he was distracted. All in all, it was enormously taxing for the young Chunin. Unfortunately, that was not even the most troublesome part of the training.
Feeling a slight surge in the back of his head, the blonde attempted to drop to his knees but was too slow. A pebble, maybe an inch long, flew through the air and clocked him on the head. Completely losing control of the technique, he sighed before trying to get back into position. Tsunade had decided not to do anything half-assed, and had him attempt to learn the Infinite Darkness technique while initiating a battle situation. She would track him from the edges of the clearing before flaring her chakra slightly, simulating the use of a Ninjutsu. Of course, instead of launching a fireball or waterspout, she would instead fling rubble at his unprotected back and sides. He had to track her usage of chakra, dodge attacks, and maintain the technique simultaneously. The Hokage refused to allow him to use Shadow Clones to refine the technique until he could dodge three consecutive strikes. As it stood, he had failed to avoid a single strike so far!
Oh, Baa-chan could go on and on about how the technique was useless without the ability to sense attacks in the darkness, but he knew this was just another form of punishment for the conflict in Sea Country. How was he supposed to master the technique, holding the technique while moving and sensing attacks all at the same time? He had heard about learning under pressure, but this was just plain nuts! Still, it would be a cold day in hell before he allowed a simple jutsu to take him down!
Gathering the same focus that allowed him to re-master the Rasengan, Naruto flew through the familiar hand signs in seconds. For one, perfect moment in time the dome of darkness that marked the technique formed without issue. Then, the blonde felt another surge from right in front of his position. Holding the final hand sign, he jumped, causing the dome to bulge, but not break. Hearing the pebble whiz under his feet, he almost sighed in relief. He was finally beginning to get this technique! The moment of triumph was lost as a second, larger stone flashed through the air, hitting him square on the solar plexus.
Seeing stars, the blonde Chunin could not find the energy to move. Finding himself prone and staring up into the darkening sky, he reviewed that moment of perfect clarity when the technique had worked, only to be brought up short. It was almost like the focus and concentration needed also had to encompass his surroundings, not just a single point on his palm. For someone to harness Infinite Darkness, their awareness and concentration had to be superhuman! Shuddering at the thought, Naruto swore to himself that he would master this technique in battle. Baa-chan might be wining now, but he would be damned if he failed to learn something that would protect his precious people from Uchiha Itachi. Against a foe like that, he would need every advantage he could get!
While his mind had been trained up in terms of raw knowledge and the application of said knowledge, Naruto still had trouble applying these new skills during an actual confrontation. However, after spending two hours trying to multitask with practically no rest, he was quick to use the moment of respite to review and reflect on the course of his training and how he could improve it. So when he stood to his feet, the blonde was more than ready to knock Baa-chan down a couple of pegs. He had a pretty good idea of what had been going wrong so far, but now it was a completely different game!
Of course, that was the moment that his stomach began to growl and his clones began to disperse. Feeling a jumble of new emotions and information infusing his skull, he almost missed Tsunade-baa-chan sneak up from behind him. Of course, by the time he noticed it was too late. Grabbing him by the scruff of the neck, the older blonde smirked. "Why don't we call it quits for the day? I wouldn't want an old woman to wear you out so easily." Blushing at the teasing tone, Naruto looked away quickly. He would show her tomorrow, right now Shizune-nee-chan had cooked and he was starving. After a full stomach and a good night's sleep, the Infinite Darkness Technique would be a piece of cake!
Handing the little girl an ice cream, Neji decided to wait for her to speak. It had shocked the former Hyuga to the core to find Hinata's sister in public without an escort crying her eyes out. Hanabi had always taken the lessons of clan propriety to the extremes, and he had never heard of her showing emotion at all. In fact, he had been present several times when she had beaten Hinata into the ground without a change in expression. Seeing Hiashi's favorite daughter brought so low was almost as disturbing as his initial defeat at the hands of Uzumaki himself.
Still, while he was no longer acknowledged as a family member, Neji felt obligated to find out what had happened to his cousin. He almost asked Tenten for help, but knew that Hanabi was too proud to open up to anyone outside the clan itself. He might have left the clan, but only a Hyuga could properly understand what was going through another Hyuga's mind. Therefore he had sent his roommate home to start dinner while he helped the younger child. At the very least he could ensure that no one started trouble while she was alone without any protection.
Hanabi was not quick to open up, but once she started there was no going back. Neji was treated to a blow by blow of the current clan politics, and was saddened to hear that his theories about the future of the clan with these new policies were coming true. The Hyuga were more divided than they had been in years, and the elders simply stood on the sidelines waiting for someone to come forward and win the power struggle. It was just another reason that he was thankful to leave that mess behind, and could only hope that Hinata would have similar options upon her return to Konoha. As much as it confused him at times, the shy girl was in fact the closest blood relation she had left, and was not even in the country right now.
On the other hand, while not exactly pleased with her treatment, he could understand why Hanabi was being targeted to such a degree. Unlike Hinata, she had never had any problem with her position as a member of the Main House. While he had never heard of the girl using the Caged Bird Seal on anyone, no one wanted to be on her bad side when she decided to indulge. Thinking back on easier days, Neji sat down, ignoring her sudden start. "Hanabi, what you have to remember is that all the members of the Branch House have always been people before they were Hyuga. While few respected Hinata because of her gentle nature, no one feared her lashing out in anger or pride. However, you have spent the last several years doing everything you could to establish your position with the clan. Now that some of the seals have been removed, any anger or frustration about the situation has a new outlet. It's not right, but you cannot honestly state it's completely unexpected."
Frowning, Hanabi glared down into her ice cream cone. "I just don't see why Hinata was given so much leeway. Everyone thought she was weak, but no one even talks about her now. They just assume she won't become the new clan head, but they don't seem angry about her like they do about me. Why does everyone seem to like her, even when they acknowledge her weakness? I've always been taught that the Hyuga value strength above all else, so why do they all seem to forgive her for such weakness? It's not fair!"
Sighing, Neji put a hand through his hair, ignoring its shortness for the moment. "Hanabi, you are more wrong than you know. I hated Hinata for her weakness for years, lashing out at every opportunity. It seemed like such a colossal joke for my father to be lost just so such a pathetic creature could be saved for her position within the clan." Sighing, he looked off into the distance. "But I was wrong. Hinata has a different sort of strength; the ability to do what she believes is right, no matter what the consequence. I had my eyes opened rather forcefully, and hope that once she returns that we can rebuild our relationship in some small way."
Shrugging, the prodigy shook his head. "But besides me, why would the Branch House members lash out at Hinata? She never threatened anyone with the Caged Bird Seal, tried her best to be pleasant and helpful, and cared for everyone. Her infatuation with Uzumaki was a little annoying at times, but there was no reason for them to hate her just because of her status as a daughter of the Main House. In fact, most of the clan simply assumed that she would be put into the Branch House and didn't want to cause any trouble that would make the transition more difficult. In all frankness Hanabi, it's your complete difference of attitude from Hinata that is probably causing these problems. Those that seek power in the Hyuga see you as a threat, and have no reason to hold back."
As his speech continued, Neji could see his cousin shrinking before his eyes. Hanabi had always been strong and skilled, but a good portion of her courage came from her potential to be the next heir of the Hyuga clan. Being the best in her generation and her father's favorite had defined the younger Hyuga like nothing else. Now, without her safety nets, Hanabi was left adrift without any idea as to her potential future. Seeing this, he could only hope to help her out as best as he could. After all, he lacked Naruto's way with people.
Putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, the young ninja tried to think of what Uzumaki would have said but came up short. Finally, he simply decided to be as honest as he dared. "While you are still young, Hanabi, you have not been the nicest person. Attempting to be nice now will only make others think that you are trying to suck up to your tormentors and will be seen as a sign of weakness. Instead, keep your head held high and train as hard as you can to move forward." Finding himself smiling as the younger girl moved into his partial embrace, Neji wondered if he would ever have a chance to talk with his other cousin like this. He still owed the girl more than he could ever repay, and a few frank discussions would make things go much smoother between them. "Still, it's not too late to improve yourself. Try just talking with your family, and learn about them as people. If things improve, the Hyuga will probably still be your responsibility one day, so do your best to work for their benefit, not yourself."
Checking the position of the sun, Neji knew that he did not have much time before dinner. Still, it would be downright rude to leave without one more bit of advice. "Remember my words, Hanabi, and if things ever get to difficult for you, feel free to track me down once again. After all, if there is one thing I've learned, it's you can never have too much support. Now head back before you're missed and stay safe." Noting the determined nod out of the corner of his eye, the ninja headed for home, drained yet satisfied with how the conversation had gone. He could only hope that Tenten had dinner ready, because after that, he was downright ravenous.
Calmly walking through the ruins of the fallen Sea Country Base, Kabuto sighed in annoyance. When Orochimaru-sama had received word that Tsunade had been in the area, he had dispatched his right hand man to ensure victory. With Tsunade isolated with several choice hostages, this was an ideal time to acquire some resources for Oto. Unfortunately, that idiot Amachi had jumped the gun and gotten himself killed. Now that bitch of a Hokage was gone, along with all the work that the scientist had developed for years. While the Snake Sannin was no longer interested in this field of research due to the limitations involved, it was a shame to have a lifetime of work lost to enemy forces. Now he was stuck cataloging the base to discover the number of losses they had incurred from the attack.
Looking over yet another room filled with smashed test tubes and shredded papers, the gray haired medic allowed his senses to permeate the room. While it looked like the people who had cleared the base out had done quite an impressive job, he was not considered the primary confidant of Orochimaru for nothing. Years of secret experiments and careful medical development had allowed him and his master to extend their senses beyond those of an ordinary human. While his sense of smell would probably never match an Inuzuka, the treatments he had both created and undergone allowed his very charka to taste and understand the traces of each and every room. A process that would have taken a team of medics and trackers hours only required a matter of moments for the genius traitor.
So far, after about an hour on the island, Kabuto had made several determinations. Firstly, the three Fuuma ninja were dead from some rather precise strikes. Whoever had killed them had hit vital organs, and had done their best to hide the traces. However, he could determine from both the oxygen levels in the blood and the chemical composition that each trace came from hits centered on vital organs. Without the aid of a very skilled medic, none of them would have survived such attacks.
While nothing could be completely ruled out with Tsunade in the area, his second conclusion was the Fuuma were taken by a third party. Everything from the chakra traces to the number of people involved screamed Hunter Ninja. While he doubted that Konoha would send such a paltry force after an acknowledged Sannin and Hokage level ninja, it would not surprise him if one of the other villages had assumed the Slug Queen would be vulnerable at this point. All in all, it pointed to a perpetrator with insufficient information and no personal agenda besides the obvious. Coupled with the amount of unknown Suiton chakra that still infused the coastline, and he would bet his glasses that Kiri had launched a confrontation of some sort.
Still, that was the extent of what he could determine from the area. There were no traces left of the results of such a meeting, so either the entire confrontation occurred on the surface of the ocean, or both groups were more clever than he had thought. Of course, given the skills and stamina of those involved, it would not surprise him to know the entire group from Konoha could fight on water for hours without getting tired. He could as well, but that was simply raw experience coupled with some special tweaks to his biology. Still, he would have to keep his ears to the ground about any movements between Konoha and Kiri in the near future.
Coming to the last door of the corridor, the Oto ninja paused. Something was different here, but he could not place his finger on it. Entering the area, Kabuto narrowed his eyes at the state of the equipment. Once again, the familiar scents of cheep chemicals and dog overwhelmed him. Apparently, Tsunade had picked up an Inuzuka companion who thought having his or her partners urinate over research was the best method for corrupting scientific results. Still, there was something new in this room that simply refused to be ignored. Turning towards a counter, he finally found what he was looking for, even as his blood ran cold.
It was nothing too impressive on the face of it. Amachi had created a crude refrigerator out of a hollow in the wall using some seal work and mechanical knowhow. Most of the samples had been taken or simply destroyed, but under a single bracket of smashed test tubes was the familiar smell. Running a quick medical jutsu to confirm his thoughts, Kabuto gnashed his teeth in a rare expression of rage. That fool Amachi had gone too far. If Tsunade and company had not killed him, Kabuto would have done so gleefully for hours over such arrogance! Thanks to that weakling, one of Oto's primary biological weapons was now in the hands of the enemy!
Turning swiftly, Kabuto suppressed a sigh of annoyance. Now that the base was public knowledge, he had no choice but to destroy it. While this had become a place where Orochimaru-sama threw away the weaklings that infested the ranks of Oto, the base was still a reasonably important investment. Both its isolation and proximity to key sea routes made it ideal for some of the milder projects that Oro had in the works. But without the secrecy that had protected it for years, the base was simply a loose end to tie up. After planting a few exploding tags and confirming the destruction of the remains, Kabuto would return to his master at once. Things concerning Konoha had just gone from difficult to dangerous, and they would have to develop new plans as quickly as possible.
Rushing through the trees, Nii Yugito kept every physical and spiritual sense at maximum range. Given what she had learned while in the borders of Sea Country, there was no way she was going to let herself be captured unawares. Thanks to the regenerative abilities of the Two Tailed Cat and her own training as a chakra sensor, there was nearly a bubble of space five miles in diameter that a squirrel could not move through without her knowledge. Thus, she felt her teammates far before she saw them. While a normal ninja might have had trouble locating the three, she was one of the strongest in Kumo for a reason. Nevertheless, it would be unwise to tarry much longer.
Landing at the meeting point, she ignored the simple beauty of the scene. All three ninja were hiding in trees near a small stream. The shade of the leaves helped to hide their bodies while the trickling water covered any sounds of their movement. Meeting their eyes, the Jonin flared her unique chakra for identification and kept it brief. "We must leave at once. Gather your supplies and follow me." Allowing them the minimum three minutes outlined within Kumo standards to gather materials, Yugito wasted no time leading them directly towards the border.
The Jinchuuriki had spent years developing a reputation for seriousness and focus, so she knew her comrades would not waste time bothering her with pointless questions. Still, she ignored the numerous signals to explain, focusing her senses once again to ensure their safety. Things were a little too cramped in this country, and she wanted to make tracks before getting the wrong sort of attention. It was a hard three hours of travel at maximum velocity before the border came into sight. Still, she took no chances, only halting after another mile had been covered. Only then would Yugito allow both herself and her teammates to rest.
Of course, after running like scared Genin, she was more than prepared for an outburst or two. Glaring at her, Karui ran her right hand through her red hair, irritation stamped on every gesture. "What the hell, Yugito? Did you steal too much fish in the market or something? There couldn't have been anything that scary in a dinky little country like that!" Bristling at the tone, and the reminder of a little incident in the marketplace when she was still a Genin and skipping meals, Yugito was about to snap back before Samui stepped forward.
"I admit some curiosity as well, Yugito. We traced battle damage that matched our discoveries in the Land of Vegetables here, and the latest traces are at best a day old. What could have made our targets vacate so quickly?" Taking a deep breath, Yugito reminded herself that everyone had grown frustrated with their lack of progress. Sea Country had been their best lead in nearly a month, and everyone was more than ready to make contact with the blonde Hokage. Just because Karui and Omoi could be a little annoying, there was no reason to lose her cool.
Gathering her thoughts, the blonde sighed. "I apologize for the abruptness of our departure, but things are much more serious in Sea Country than the Land Of Vegetables." Seeing that she had their undivided attention, the Jonin continued her report. "The entire militia is in a state of uproar. Apparently, Orochimaru has been operating a secret base off the coast for the last several years, using local superstition to kidnap civilians for experiments by his people. Someone just clued in the authorities because anyone with a headband is now wanted for immediate questioning as to their business within Sea Country." Left unsaid was the fact that she had escaped without any such review. A militia was enough to handle bandits or the occasional rouge Yakuza, but Jonin level ninja were much more than they could deal with.
Rolling his candy around absently, Omoi narrowed his eyes. "This sounds pretty weird. If Tsunade is really treating some big and important VIP, why the heck would she come here? Everyone knows that she and Jiraiya hate Orochimaru with a passion. What sort of healer takes their patient into a country with a bunch of unexplained disappearances?"
Smirking at the rare show of intelligence from the swordsman, Yugito shook her head. "Honestly, I doubt Tsunade would know. From the Intel I managed to gather from the local rumor mills, the number lost was small enough to be blamed on the occasional squall, and any additional cases were simply thought to be the result of local superstition. No one reported it to the Ninja Villages, and everyone ignored it most of the time." Frowning, the Jonin felt a surge of anger at the next bit of information. "In fact, the most proactive thing the people of the country seemed to do was lash out at a local pariah who managed to return from being captured." The stories she had persuaded the villagers to relate had painted a rather nasty picture, and it brought up too many bad memories.
Rubbing her shoulder, Samui interjected. "Well now leaving makes sense. If the entire country thinks that foreign ninja have attacked the populace, a group of Kumo ninja in the middle of nowhere would look highly suspicious. Still, were you able to gather any further information about this pariah? If she was actually a former experiment of Orochimaru's, she might be another useful source of Intel." After all, most of the modern ninja techniques had come from one atrocity or another. If someone had already broken the bonds of humanity, who were they to ignore the results?
Nodding, Yugito retrieved a sealing scroll from her pouch. "I examined her place of residence and found some bandages coated in odd chemicals. There are skin samples that our scientists should be able to examine properly with a little time." Frowning, the Jonin narrowed her eyes. "Unfortunately, by the time I managed to the island the base had been hidden on, someone had already destroyed it with high level explosive tags. I couldn't even find a stable entrance into the ruins, so any data that might have been left is completely lost." Well, there were a couple of underwater entrances that might be secure, but no way in hell was she going underwater.
"Another issue is the traces of a large hunting party. Its a few hours old, but the stink of Suiton Users is all over the island. It appears that Kiri has sent their own search party, and indications are that they made contact with Tsunade's group." As expected, that little bombshell froze everyone in place. The idea of failing their mission just because Kiri got there first was mortifying. "Luckily, I don't believe that Tsunade's group was taken prisoner, because I was able to trace them and someone who appears to be Sea Country's scapegoat heading inland towards the Land of Fire. However, we have no idea if they have managed to come to some sort of agreement all their own."
Leaning back into a nearby tree, Samui's frown deepened. "This is beginning to get more complicated than we are ready for. If Tsunade is already within the Land of Fire, she could be attempting to rejoin Konoha for safety after encountering Kiri's forces. On the other hand, it could simply be a ploy to rest and regroup before moving on. Either way, a misstep could be disastrous."
Nodding, she stood up, face back to its normal cool indifference. "Yugito, I want you to lead Omoi and Karui to the Land of Fire's boarders around where Tsunade's group entered. I am going to meet with the Raikage for further orders, and will join you there as soon as I have made my report. I will try to get Jay to send you orders before hand, but we cannot rely on that. Above all else, do not engage Tsunade while she is in the Land of Fire. That could start an incident that makes the Hyuga issue look like a walk in the park. Now let's move out." Nodding their acceptance, the others leapt back into the trees, minds already hot on the trail of the blonde Sannin.
Authors Notes
Well, it's been a while hasn t it?
Now, I know that many of you have probably been wondering what has been taking me so long to release the latest chapter. I've worked very hard to produce at least two a month and I m honestly a little embarrassed by the delay. However, I ran into a couple of small roadblocks. -_-;;;
Firstly, I have been writing, but branching out a little bit. I have three or four more outlines ready for Different Techniques, one which I have sent out for beta reading. I also have been toying with the sequel to Shifting Connections, but wanted to wait for a little more information from the Manga. For those of you who like to cross genres, I am also toying with a Harry Potter AU on the side. In all frankness, these projects are a lot more entertaining to me than coming up with new and exciting methods of training. Still, it was a necessary evil to ensure further progress, and I hope to start moving forward more effectively now.
Secondly, well, I got a little distracted. You see, I like to write while listening to music, especially the fight scenes. Over the years, a band called Apocalyptica has provided inspiration for many a battle. (For those of you who are curious, youtube their music videos. Path Vol 2 is one of my personal favorites.) There is just something so dramatic about rock played on cellos. Anyways they played their first concert in town after years of limiting their travel to Europe, so I had to go. Of course, between getting my tickets, arranging the time off at work and losing my hearing for a couple of days, my creative energy took a tiny hit. Still, it was so worth it.
Anyways, I thank each and every one of you for your patience and hope that this extra long chapter makes up for the wait. :)
Again I, as always, greatly appreciated all the reviews that people sent me about the last chapter. The only major point I would like to address is the Mizukage as a villain. That's not exactly what I went for here. Instead, I needed a battle hardened ninja, fresh in the position but scrambling to stabilize her village by any means necessary. Mei's no saint, but no Kage level ninja can really afford to be. Well, besides Naruto in cannon, but we'll see how that develops. Time and experience will soften her, but we have other fish to fry at the moment. Don't worry, this is not the last time that Kiri will come up, but let's give them some time to stew in their current frustrations.
Now on to the next chapter! The bonds teammates and comrades share can sometimes defy logic. That doesn t mean that everyone stays on the same wavelength. Stay Tuned!