Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. I don't own much of anything right now. I don't really go out much at the moment for perfectly normal and understandable reasons, so I'll probably only be able to get them if they are sold on Ebay or Amazon or something XD
Author's Note: So, this chapter came out kinda quick XD Probably cause I do have more time to write now thanks to quarantine.
Majority of you probably don't need to hear me saying this, because I'm assuming everyone here knows and is being precautious, but please take care of yourselves. Stay at home as much as you can, keep social distance from anyone if you do have to go out, make sure to wash hands FREQUENTLY, etc. Just practice good hygiene. I want all of you to be okay, okay? Please stay safe and healthy :)
Now... onto the chapter!
"Naruto-sensei, we're back and we passed-" Katsumi's words died on her lips as she only gaped at Naruto, a look of horror developing in her eyes. "What the fuck happened to you?"
Upon returning to the apartment, Naruto changed into pajamas and served himself a bowl of instant ramen as he waited for them to finish their exam. While his outfit was nothing special – grey pants and a white sleeveless shirt – they did show off a small, bloody hole in his right shoulder.
"Uh… h-hey." Naruto rubbed his head sheepishly with his left hand. "Sorry. The Kyūbi's chakra has been healing that and I was hoping it would be fully healed by the time you all got back. It doesn't hurt though anymore!"
Kanji shook his head before repeating his teammate's question: "What the hell happened?
The three genin of Team Nine took a seat next to Naruto at the table as the Uzumaki began to explain his and Anko's plan on confronting Kabuto. He then explained how their theory was correct and how they fought both him and the Edo Tensei summon of Anko's former sensei, Orochimaru at a memorial ground. He then went on describing the battle in detail and, despite pulling off a victory against him, Kabuto was able to escape.
His genin were silent as he continued with his story. After he finished, they remained quiet for another minute before they started to speak.
"So, Kabuto got away again?" Hanabi asked, frowning. "He's not going to leak back to the rest of Akatsuki about the attack back against them, is he?"
"He shouldn't know." Naruto shook his head. "Cause again, I got a reason to be here, being a jōnin-sensei and all. They shouldn't still suspect it." A chuckle escaped his lips as he crossed his arms: "Although I bet they'll now try and incorporate kidnapping me and extracting the Kyūbi in their plans."
"You're not worried, are you?" Kanji asked, bringing his hands together. "Like, they won't try and target you again before anything goes down, will they?"
Once again, Naruto shook his head: "Nah, they won't. They won't want to draw attention to themselves. I'm not worried about myself."
"Is Anko-sensei going to be okay?" Katsumi asked.
"Yeah. She'll be released from medical in a day or two, if my clone's memories are right." Naruto said. "If anything, Kabuto's the one who is going to need the most healing. I hit him with a jutsu that tore his body up really fucking badly!"
"Oh yeah?" Katsumi tilted her head slightly. "What jutsu?"
"A perfected, senjutsu-enhanced Rasengan." Naruto said, grinning. He then gestured with his hands to his students. "But enough of this. We can worry about Kabuto later. Now, how did the first exam go?"
Instantaneously, all three genin grinned back at their sensei.
"Well, we were about to tell you all about that. We passed." Kanji said.
"We were the third team to pass." Hanabi added.
"We all kicked ass!" Katsumi nodded her head. She then kinda rubbed her head sheepishly. "Although I have to admit, Hanabi and Hebihiro saved my ass a lot of time. She found out the trick real quick and slipped it to me."
Hanabi smiled back while the snake around her shoulders nodded his head.
"I'm just glad to have helped." Hebihiro stated.
"I got all my information from searching through that one proctor's mind, which…" Kanji shivered. "Geez, the red-haired proctor just plain out sucks. Don't want to ever meet her again."
"Well, you won't have to. I don't think, at least." Katsumi noted. "We got the next exam to worry about, after all."
"It's a survival exam, right?" Naruto asked.
Kanji shrugged his shoulders: "We don't know officially, but it's in some place called Raiun Fields, which is also known as the 'Cloud Graveyard'."
"Yup, sounds like a survival exam." Naruto said, chuckling. His face then hardened as his eyes narrowed: "Just remember, I have faith in you, but take this one especially seriously. When people die in a Chūnin Exams, it's usually in the second exam."
"We understand." His three genin said in near unison.
"With that in mind, I'll try and get a training field reserved tomorrow." Naruto said.
"Hmm? You sure you should be training right now, Naruto-sensei?" Hanabi asked.
"Of course. I heal quick. I'll be good as new tomorrow." Naruto chuckled. "Besides, this session tomorrow will mostly be for your benefit. Gonna make sure you three will be able to handle this 'Cloud Graveyard' tomorrow."
"Hmm… this place will do. Yeah. Yeah." Naruto nodded his head as he walked around the area.
Mabui had recommended 'Training Ground Gamma' when the Uzumaki asked her early in the morning about where to go train. The training ground was located atop one of the smaller mountains near the center of the village, close to the Kumogakure Shinobi Academy. The training ground was directly underneath a series of clouds that shielded it from the heavy sunlight. It was large with a freshly cleared dirt with no rocks present. It was equipped with brand new targets and practice dummies.
"Yeah, we can have an intense training session here! Get a good, long workout here!" Naruto declared.
"Uh… sure." Katsumi rubbed her head, looking around the training ground awkwardly. "But question, Naruto-sensei. Why aren't we doing this alone?"
Standing right behind Team Nine as they stepped foot in the training ground was the genin of Team Eight. Behind them was Team Six's genin, with Ebisu bringing up the rear.
"What's wrong with doing a whole Kona genin training session?" Naruto asked, shrugging his shoulders. "First off, Anko-sensei's going to be in medical for the rest of the day, so she won't be able to work with Team Eight. And besides, you all need to work together in this next exam."
"It would be pertinent for all Konoha squads to work together, yes?" Tsunemasa asked.
Naruto nodded his head: "That's correct, uh…" A nervous look developed on his face as he eyed the genin curiously. "Um… Tsunemoto?"
A scowl developed on the Aburame's face: "Tsunemasa."
"Yes, yes. Tsunemasa. Sorry bout that." Naruto rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. He took in a breath before he looked out at the genin with a serious look. "I mean, it's in your benefit to work together. Multiple teams will be able to pass the exam and it would be useful for all three Konoha teams to make it together. Besides, you'll probably have other teams from other villages trying to specifically target you. I'm sure Kumogakure might come after you all."
"I'd like to see them try." Kazuo snorted.
"Yeah." Konohamaru nodded his head in agreement, clapping his hands together: "Moegi, Udon, and I can take them all on our own!"
"You say that now, but you still need to be careful. You really don't know what types of teams you're up against." Naruto said.
"Yeah, and you don't know what shinobi you're talking to." Konohamaru replied, rolling his eyes. "We're going to be fine!"
'Geez, you weren't a brat like this growing up, Konohamaru.' Naruto shook his head, frowning. He noticed in the corner of his eye Hanabi frowning as well as she looked at the boy.
"Please, do not listen to them, Naruto-sensei." Yūna spoke-up, drawing attention to her. "We would be honored to learn more from your perspective about the best ways to prepare for this exam."
Naruto smiled back at the blonde-haired kunoichi before turning to the rest of the group: "Seriously, I cannot stress how important it will be for you all to be able to work together in some capacity. I got the numbers and found out eight teams from Kumo passed. It would not surprise me to hear that they try and 'take advantage' of a Konoha team and just weed you all out, so please be careful and willing to lend a helping hand to you all."
"Other than just teamwork, what other skills do you think we'll need to work on?" Kanji asked.
"Well, general survival skills, which is what I intend on training you all on." Naruto said as he reached into his pocket, pulling out nine sealing tags. "Please, put them on your necks for me."
The nine genin all took one sealing tag and placed it on their necks. Immediately, the tags lit-up, creating a light blue coloration before the light faded away. A grin developed on Naruto's face.
"So, for the first hour or so of this session, I'm gonna try and see if you all can avoid getting hit by some basic weapons." Naruto said as he reached into his pocket of his flak jacket and pulled out a blunt-less kunai. "Without the use of your chakra, that is, as those sealing papers just sealed your access to your chakra."
"Wait, what?" Udon blinked in confusion as he reached for the sealing paper. "You just-"
Naruto tossed the kunai at Udon's face, which caused the genin to yelp as he ducked, barely avoiding it.
"Those seals are part of your training. I want to test your natural instincts and reaction time, cause there's a high chance you'll get jumped during the actual exam. If you remove your sealing tag, then I'll make the training infinitely worse for you." Naruto warned, eyes narrowed. Udon shivered slightly as he nodded his head quickly and fervently. This caused Naruto's gaze to soften as a smile developed on his face. "Having said that, good reaction time Udon.
"Th-Th-Thanks." The boy replied, adjusting his glasses.
Naruto gave the boy a thumbs-up before turning his head to face Ebisu. "Hey, Ebisu, you wanna help with this?"
A chuckle escaped the other jōnin as he nodded his head: "I'd love to help, although I may have to borrow some blunt-less kunai."
"Hey, who said we actually need to keep them blunt-less?" Naruto asked, shrugging his shoulders as he reached into his weapons pouch to pull out a regular kunai. "Maybe this will help them learn faster."
A shiver went down the backs of all nine genin.
"You are an adept, but rather cruel sensei, Naruto-san." Ebisu noted.
After training for four hours, Naruto dismissed the nine genin from the training session, who all promptly went their own ways. Naruto then accepted an offer from Ebisu to go eat together at a small nearby restaurant.
"I don't think I'm that bad." Naruto said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I just teach like how I was taught."
"Anko-san was your instructor, yes?" Ebisu asked. Naruto nodded back, causing Ebisu to chuckle. "That somewhat makes sense. Anko-san was always that way back in the academy days."
"You were in her graduating class?" Naruto asked.
He shook his head: "No, I'm four years her senior, so we missed each other by a couple of years. Still, I knew her when we were genin. I met her during our Chūnin Exam actually. We fought in the Third Round, and while we both ended up receiving the chūnin rank, she did beat me in the finals. She's a merciless opponent, even back then."
"That's not surprising. She's tough as hell." Naruto smirked in response. A waiter came to their table, bringing cups of water down before walking off. Naruto took a sip from his cup as a more solemn look developed on his face. "I'm just trying to be as good of a sensei to my students as she was for us."
"You're doing fine with them, Naruto-san." Ebisu said. Naruto turned his attention back to him. "You have a good presence with them and are active with teaching them survival skills and helping them. You're even fostering relationships with the other Konoha genin, which is important to have well past their time with you. As someone who considers myself an elite instructor, I would consider you an elite as well."
"Heh. 'Elite', huh?" Naruto snorted.
"No point in being modest; recognize your talents and own up to them." Ebisu said. "I admit that I'm not one of the best field agents, but I am great with the essentials of being a ninja and helping instill that information in the minds of impressionable students. There's a reason Sandaime-sama chose me to tutor Konohamaru."
Naruto's eyes dropped down once again: "Hey, Ebisu, you sure Konohamaru's going to be okay?"
Ebisu was quiet for a moment as he brought his hand to his chin in thought. He cleared his throat before nodding his head.
"I've known him now for years, Naruto-san," He said, "I am familiar with his moods and, while he's a good-natured boy, if a bit mischievous, he takes pain badly. He's the kind of boy who lashes out on others when he's destressed. And he still hasn't finished grieving his grandfather."
"Yeah, I know. You said that earlier." Naruto said, sighing. "Just he doesn't come across like himself I guess, y'know? I probably don't spend as much time with him, but I think I knew him somewhat well and he's kinda being a dick right now."
"I'd imagine that his own destress is just merging with generalized anxieties about the Chūnin Exams, especially given the circumstances behind this one." Ebisu said. The jōnin looked down somewhat to his own cup of water. He gripped it in his hands, staring intently at his drink. "Perhaps it might have been a mistake bringing his team here."
"Eh, maybe something like this is what they need." Naruto shrugged his shoulders. "It can help them grow as a shinobi and help force Konohamaru out of his funk."
Ebisu took a sip of his water before responding: "I suppose."
"Although, I do know what you mean. I…" Naruto took a moment to look around at the other patrons in the restaurant. He bit down on his lip as he thought about his words for a moment before he shook his head. "I want them to be safe. So I'll probably get a bit anxious the longer the exams go on."
"Likewise. But the Hokage requested us and we made the decision, as did our teams. I suppose we have to live with it." Ebisu said, shrugging his shoulders. He finally looked up from his cup and a small smile developed on his lips. "And my team will be safe. I will make sure of that."
Naruto smirked in response: "Same."
'God, I can barely feel my feet.' Shikamaru groaned as he slowly walked back to the Nara Clan compound, the moonlight illuminating his walk back.
He had returned to Konoha later than anticipated after spending all day in Shikkotsu Forest. Senjutsu training was tiring and unlike any other type of training he had ever done before. It required constant attention to maintain 'Sage Form', as any lapse in channeling and using nature energy could result in him turning into a slug. Not being allowed to take even a slight rest was enough to mentally exhaust Shikamaru.
Despite his exhaustion, he was making progress with it. He was now able to enter Sage Mode without Katsuyu's assistance. While there was still benefits to maintaining a link with her, as she could funnel nature energy into his body and he would be able to use it almost infinitely this way, being able to enter the state by himself was a recognizable feat. He was also really starting to experiment with the different ways he could use acid, amongst other properties of being a Slug Sage.
'Probably got time to meet with her two more times before I head over to Kumo.' He told himself as he finally arrived at the Nara compound. 'I'd really like to see if it would be possible to split my body apart, like the way the slugs can. Perhaps not to the extent someone like Katsuyu-sama can, but even a little bit would be-'
Shikamaru's thoughts stopped as he entered the entrance hall to the compound. Sitting down in a chair was his mother, Yoshino, holding a teacup in her hands.
"Ah. Look who finally stopped by." Yoshino noted, taking a sip of her tea. "I figured you would have been back by dinnertime, Shikamaru. You've missed it every single day since you've been back, but I kinda figured you would have been there this time at the very least."
"Hey, Mom." Shikamaru yawned in response as he stared to keep walking past them. "Sorry, I'm just going to go lay down-"
His mother threw a kunai directly at his face, interrupting him. Shikamaru side-stepped, causing the kunai to fly into the air and bury itself into the wall.
"Well, you're awake at the very least." Yoshino said, sighing.
"Kinda extreme reaction to missing a dinner I didn't even know was happening, don't you think?" Shikamaru asked.
"I mean, if you say it like that, yeah." His mother frowned in response. "But we've been worried about you, Shikamaru. You live at the damn compound with us but neither Shikaku or I have seen you in over a week!"
"Sorry, I've been training." Shikamaru shrugged his shoulders. "Especially with a mission I got coming up."
"The one in Kumo, right?" Yoshino asked.
Shikamaru was still for a moment before walked over to his mother's side and sat down in a chair right next to her: "I'm surprised you even know about it. I know that Hokage-sama wants to keep things about the mission quiet from anyone not actually going on it."
His mother smirked: "I have my ways to find out things."
"Do your 'ways' involve getting dad drunk and taking advantage of the fact that he loves and trusts you?" Shikamaru asked. His mother laughed somewhat awkwardly, which caused her son to snort: "You could get him in trouble, you know?"
"Yeah, but I'm just being his nosy wife. I'm not going to be any harm to anyone or spread information." Yoshino replied, still laughing. She took a sip of her tea before turning to look at her son: "So, this Kumo mission though… is that why you've been nonstop training?"
"Yup. I leave in six days and I need to make sure I'm ready." Shikamaru said, sighing, as he looked at his hands. "I'm not where I want to be; where I need to be yet. I'm not strong enough yet."
"Shikamaru, I want to be honest with you for a second; you will never be strong enough to satisfy yourself." Yoshino said, frowning. "Your mind will always nitpick you and find something you're not doing right. Some little aspect of your fighting style that's a weakness. One little part that you need to improve upon."
"That doesn't change the fact that it's right." Shikamaru spoke-up, scowling. "I need to make sure I can keep my friends and family safe. I need to make sure I can keep everyone safe." He took in a deep breath before his eyes narrowed on his mother: "This mission in Kumo is going to be just as bad as the Suna-Oto invasion against us and the Kirigakure Civil War. And if this mission goes wrong, a lot of innocent people can die. So I need to make sure I'm always working so I can make sure I don't fuck it up this time."
Yoshino was silent for a moment as she stared at her son with gentle eyes. Shikamaru took in a deep breath before looking away from her.
"I'm sorry for missing dinner; I didn't know you had something planned for the day. But I'm probably going to miss dinner again for the next couple of days until I'm back form Kumo." Shikamaru said as he pulled himself out of his chair.
"So, if you die in Kumo, this will be last memory of you?" She asked quietly, looking down at her teacup. "You distancing yourself from your family so you can focus on your training?"
Shikamaru stopped walking for a moment before he turned his attention back to his mother. Yoshino took a sip of her tea before she quickly set the cup down, accidentally spilling it on the ground as she pulled herself up from her own chair.
"I get it Shikamaru, but please, know that grief works both ways. And if you die because you overexerted yourself, you're going to make a lot of people miserable, especially if you threw away the last bits of time you had with them." Yoshino said. A bitter chuckle escaped her lips. "I'd offer to train with you, but I already know you've surpassed my level. You've been stronger than me for a while, so me training with you would only slow you down. So all I'm asking for you is one dinner with you, me, and your father. Okay?"
Shikamaru was quiet for a moment. His mother shook her head as tears started to develop in her eyes. Another bitter chuckle escaped her lips as she tried to dry off her tears.
"You know, back in the Third Shinobi World War, I lost a lot of my squad mates. And it broke me, to the point that I really haven't been on active duty since then. I think I kinda used marrying Shikaku and having you as an excuse to keep me back in Konoha." She admitted.
Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly: "Mom…"
"So, I get it. You still think back to that day in Mizu no Kuni, don't you? To that Bloodline Hunter?" Yoshino asked.
"… Yeah." Shikamaru admitted, taking in a deep breath. "I hear that little girl, Kaguya Mari, in my nightmares from time to time." He then shook his head. "I've also been hearing Kurotsuchi's crying after she found out her father and grandfather passed. And…" He bit down on his lip hard, trying to piece together his words. "I don't know. I wish there was more I could have done. To save Mari-chan. To help calm down the stuff in Iwa so Ōnoki and Kitsuchi did not have to die."
"… You and I share that feeling: that almost-consuming level of empathy and guilt. But I can see you're already much ahead of me there. You're facing those feelings head-on and trying to ensure they never happen to other people, even those you've never met." Yoshino's tears stopped falling as she looked at her son, a smile on her face. "You're strong, Shikamaru. So strong. And I'm proud of you."
His mother took a step forward towards him, pulling him into a hug that he was quick to return.
The two stayed still for a moment, holding onto one another before they broke apart.
"I'll… try and stop by more. Meet up with you and Dad for dinner." Shikamaru said.
Yoshino's smile widened a little bit: "I'll cook the best damn mackerel you've ever had to prepare you for Kumo."
With those words, the mother and son bid each other goodnight, both receiving some form of peace as they ended their days.
Atop a rock formation in the middle of a cave, twelve silhouettes appeared on individual platforms.
"Well, well. It's getting closer to the big day, huh?" Deidara spoke-up.
As Akatsuki regrouped, the eyes of the group initially focused on 'Tobi'. Directly in front of the masked individual were the silhouettes of both Kido and Tanuki.
"So, I guess you two are officially members now, huh?" Deidara noted, his eyes narrowing.
"'Allies' is probably the more correct term." Tanuki clarified, grinning. "Our goals coincide, after all. We are here to help out."
"Plus, I like them!" Tobi declared, pulling his hands around both their necks. "So they can stay! Heck, I'd even replace Kabuto with one of them!"
"Speaking of Kabuto, the hell happened to you?" Kisame asked, chuckling as he gazed at the silhouette. "Can't really tell cause of the way we're talking, but you're clutching your side pretty badly. Did you get in a fight or something?"
"I had a training session backfire. Nothing to worry yourself about." Kabuto said, shrugging his shoulders. 'Don't need any info to get leaked about my failed expedition last night. I don't need any shit from Tobi right now.'
Hidan, Deidara, and Sasori all raised their eyebrows in response, but did not say anything.
"We did not meet to discuss these trivial topics." Konan stated, drawing attention to her. She then gestured to their leader.
"The plan for our invasion is still to occur during the third exam and pin the invasion on the other shinobi villages in attendance." Pain spoke. "We have already made arrangements to start sowing the seeds of village mistrust in Kumo."
After Pain's words, another silhouette appeared directly in front of Konan's, revealing a man with beige-colored hair, moustache, goatee, and violet-colored eyes that were hidden behind diamond-shaped sunglasses. He wore a baggy brown tunic with green and khaki stripes over a teal shirt and wore green pants. He had a red headband tied around his head and had a pink bangle on his wrist.
"Okay, who the hell is this guy?" Hidan asked, rolling his eyes. "First those ROOT fucks and now we got another 'extra' helping us out?"
"'ROOT fucks'?" Tanuki repeated, a scowl developing on his face.
"This man is En Oyashiro, an arms dealer in Kaminari no Kuni." Pain stated, ignoring both Hidan and Tanuki. "We have paid for his assistance to help in the upcoming invasion."
"Yo." The man waved his hand cheerfully. "Nice to meet you all."
"Ah, I know who you are." Sasori noted.
Deidara turned to his partner in surprise: "You know this hobo, Sasori no Danna?"
"Hobo?" Oyashiro frowned. "Making fun of my clothes? Pretty rude for a guy who looks like a chick to talk about someone's looks like that."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean, hmm?" Deidara hissed.
"En Oyashiro is infamous in the black market of all the elemental nations." Sasori spoke-up, ignoring his raging teammate. "He is most infamous for running his 'Coliseum', where he showcases grand fights between his slaves to an audience for money."
"'Slaves' is a harsh word. I consider them my bodyguards." Oyashiro answered with a chuckle.
"Call them what you want. But they are a collection of highly trained shinobi with kekkei genkai who work directly under you." Sasori stated.
"A collector of kekkei genkai wielders, hmm?" Kabuto rubbed his chin in thought. 'Perhaps this man might be a useful connection to make.'
"You hired this man, Pain-sama?" Itachi asked, his eyes narrowed. "That surprises me."
"He did after my recommendation. This man may be of 'questionable character', but he is useful." 'Black Zetsu' answered. "Any additional numbers to our invasion will make it go all the smoother for us and create even more chaos."
"It also helps that I got a few bodyguards that have some rather 'regional' kekkei genkai, if you're really trying to pin your little invasion on another village." Oyashiro spoke-up. "For example, I have a man named Karyū in my possession with the 'Lava Release' kekkei genkai. He could easily be all dressed up and act like a quality 'Kinryū' Clan Shinobi from Iwa."
"That is something we actually wish to take advantage of." Pain said. "While we intend on hiring your services for the Third Exam invasion, we also plan on hiring two of your bodyguards to pose as rogue foreign shinobi who went on an assault against Kumo genin during the Second Exam."
"Sure. Fine by me." Oyashiro replied, shrugging his shoulders. "Just remember the price for my bodyguards doubles if they die, so unless you got some more money prepared, make sure I get my little toys back, okay?"
A scowl quickly developed on Kabuto's face, but he did not vocalize anything, only staring at the man's silhouette.
"Rest assured, they will live." Pain replied.
"Perfect then!" The beige-haired man grinned in response.
"So we'll have some of this guy's bodyguards attacking, huh?" Kisame asked. "Anything else we should be aware of?"
"In one week, Konan and I will be arriving in Kaminari no Kuni. We would like for us all to meet in person then so we can also see the fruits of Tanuki's and Kido's research." Pain spoke, turning his head to face the ROOT agents. "I have been told by both Tobi and Zetsu that you both have something you wish to show us that will assist with the invasion."
"We have." Tanuki nodded his head. "It is much easier to show in person. I'm sure you all will be pleased."
"In addition, we have already made contact with multiple missing ninja throughout the village. And we are planning to break out prisoners." 'Black Zetsu' spoke up. 'White Zetsu' chuckled in response. "We've also already made fake outfits for the other shinobi villages to increase the confusion. Set-up is ready for us to have a full army for this."
"I can also add to the army." Kabuto spoke-up.
"Through Edo Tensei, correct?" Pain asked. Kabuto nodded his head. "That would be most useful. Zetsu can help you acquire any bodies you need for DNA samples."
"That…" A grin developed on Kabuto's face as he adjusted his glasses. "That would be very appreciated."
"There are matters to discuss." Konan said, clearing her throat.
The discussion turned to more planned asset building for the invasion. The day was getting closer for the Akatsuki invasion and the group was prepared to fully take down Kumogakure and obtain the jinchūriki through any means possible.
Raiun Fields, the 'Cloud Graveyard', was located just above the peak of Mount Hotakayari, Kumogakure's third highest mountain. Floating directly above the summit was a field of seemingly never-ending white clouds.
On the summit of the mountain stood the nineteen genin teams who passed the first exam of the Chūnin Exams. Standing directly at the center of the summit was an elderly Kumogakure shinobi with tanned skin and black spiky hair that was covered slightly by a stylized Kumogakure forehead protector that resembled a hat. His outfit was standard, consisting of simply the Kumogakure shinobi uniform. He had a goatee on his face and had visible wrinkles and contours on his face. He also wore an eyepatch that was marked with the kanji for 'lightning' over his left eye. Right behind him were five other Kumogakure shinobi, who all were observing the genin intently.
The man reached into the pocket of his pants, reaching for a pocket watch. He quickly pocketed the watch before turning his attention to the genin: "There's three minutes until eight, but all of you were punctual. There's no point in wasting time, so let's get moving. It's time to start the second exam."
The man made a hand sign, causing nineteen ropes to fall from the cloud fields above, equally distant from one another. The five Kumogakure shinobi then walked forward, pulling out papers from their uniforms.
"Before we begin, my associates are going to pass out contracts. Please, sign the paperwork. It is simply an acknowledgment that there is a possibly of dying in this next exam and that you are understanding and willing to continue with the exam despite that possibility." The elderly Kumo shinobi.
'As if we already did not know that.' Katsumi rolled her eyes as she took her own paper and signed.
Once all the paperwork was signed and collected, the five Kumogakure shinobi returned to the side of the elderly Kumo shinobi. He counted all the signed copies before he nodded his head and turned his attention back to the genin.
"Now that the acknowledgment have been collected, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dodai. A little background information on myself; I am fifty-four years old, I have been a shinobi for forty-six years and a jōnin for forty years, and I served as an advisor to the Sandaime Raikage. However, the most pertinent information for you all to know is that I am the Second Exam Proctor." The man said, clearing his throat. "I am going to explain things only once, so please listen carefully and do not ask questions until I finish my explanation. And do not interrupt me, please."
Dodai turned his head upward, pointing out the field of clouds above: "Directly above us is Raiun Fields. Stretching at two-hundred and fifty kilometers, this thunderous landscape is going to be your home for the next five days. Your objective is simple; to escape before the time limit." He then gestured to his right, pointing at the ropes. "When the exam begins, each team will climb their own ropes and will arrive in an area in the Raiun Fields equidistant from another-"
"Wait, we'll be up there for five days? How can we survive up there?" A Kusagakure genin, a rather short boy with bright long, blond hair and glasses, wearing a blue-and-green striped shirt with rips and holes in it and khaki pants, asked. "Is there even-"
"What's your name, boy?" Dodai questioned.
"Huh?" The boy blinked before spoke: "Fukuoka Gonta."
"Fukuoka-san, what about 'Do not interrupt me' did you not understand?" Dodai shouted, his eye narrowing.
"Eep!" The Kusa genin inched backwards, nearly tripping. His two teammates, Kono Maitake and another kunoichi – a tall, thin, ivory-skinned girl with white long hair styled in two pigtails and blue eyes, wearing a light grey unzipped jacket over a black shirt and a dark grey skirt – both looked at him in annoyance.
"Don't embarrass us, Gonta." Maitake spoke quietly, a scowl developing on her face.
"Karin-sensei pulled a lot of strings to get Kusa's leadership to allow us to attend. Don't blow it already." The other kunoichi whispered.
"S-Sorry Maitake-san, Ayaka-san." He whispered back, unable to look either of them in the eyes.
Dodai continued to glare at the boy for a moment before he shook his head: "I'll answer that question real quick so we can get back to the more important topics. Raiun Fields may be a landscape of clouds, but you will find cloud formations that are rather solid and stable that resemble trees, caves, and other landmarks that you can use for shelter. Rain clouds are present as well that may act as a source of water, akin to finding a pond in the woods. And lastly, there are bird species that do make the clouds home that you can hunt for food. If you are smart, you will be able to survive up there."
'Rain clouds? As a source of water? Huh?' Kanji blinked for a moment before shrugging his shoulders. 'Eh, what the hell, I'm sure I'll see it when we're up there and it'll make sense.'
"Back to matters of the exam, however." Dodai reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver key that was decorated with three gemstones: two red rubies and one blue diamond. "As I said, your objective is to escape Raiun Fields and return to the surface. There is only a single exit from Raiun Fields and it'll be your task to find out. However, finding the exit will not be enough; you will also need to find one of these gate keys to leave. There will be ten keys hidden throughout the clouds. It'll be your task to locate one of them and take it to the exit in order to leave and pass the exam."
'Ten?' Hanabi frowned. 'But there's nineteen teams here. So there's not enough keys for everyone, huh?'
"I assume a few of you have already used the mental math. As there are only ten teams, nine teams are guaranteed to fail." Dodai noted, chuckling somewhat maliciously. "However, that'd be a best case scenario. I do not believe there's ever been a year where all ten keys were used. More likely, only five teams will actually pass."
There was a pregnant pause over the fields. Dodai quietly observed the group before he cleared his throat: "That is the premise of the exam. Does anyone have any questions that they need clarified?"
"Are we allowed to take more than one key?" Kazuo asked.
Dodai nodded his head: "You are. It would be smart to obtain more than one if you can. Ensure the elimination of more competition for the final portion of the exam."
"Where can we expect to find keys?" Tarinai questioned, crossing her arms.
Dodai scowled in response: "What kind of question is that? Find out yourself when you're there! This is your exam to prove that you are worthy of being chūnin. It is not fitting for one of your rank to just assume we'd give such information out so lackadaisically to exam participants!"
"You said there were rain clouds in the sky, yes?" Maitake asked. Dodai nodded his head. "Is it safe to assume that the weather up there is tumultuous?"
"Yes." Dodai's smirk returned. "Lightning storms and heavy gusts are frequent occurrences that you all should be careful of."
"Hopefully this thing will be a breeze for us." Kanji whispered to his teammates, chuckling.
"Ugh." Katsumi rolled her eyes while Hanabi chuckled in response.
"Are there any further questions?" Dodai questioned. Silence filled the area. A chuckle escaped his lips. "Good. Everyone, please go to an assigned rope. When we give the signal, climb the ropes and enter Raiun Fields. Your exam will begin immediately."
The nineteen genin teams all nodded their heads as they each rushed over to individual ropes. Within seconds, all fifty-seven genin were waiting on stand-by for the signal to begin.
"You ready everyone?" Hanabi asked.
"Ready as we can be." Kanji said, his eyes focusing back on the Hyūga. "Your Byakugan is going to be a big asset here, Hanabi, so we'll default to your lead up there, okay?"
"Uh, alright. Alright." Hanabi nodded her head, tightening her fists. "I'll do my best."
"Don't forget I'm here too. You just lead us around Hanabi, and I'll make sure any teams that cross our paths will get an ass kicking!" Katsumi said, cracking her knuckles.
Silence filled the area once again. A brief gust of wind filled the area. Dodai pulled out his pocket watch and watched as the second hand started to tick slowly. Once it reached zero, he raised his hand upwards.
"Begin climbing. The Second Exam is on!" He shouted.
Immediately, all genin teams began to climb up their individual ropes, one-at-a-time. They all quickly moved up into the white clouds before they all vanished, lost to the clouds.
"What the hell is this place?" Katsumi's eyes widened as her feet touched the 'ground'.
White clouds marked the 'ground' of the Raiun Fields while a flurry of white, grey, and black clouds filled the air above it. Many different cloud formations were scattered on the fields, creating shapes that resembled trees and more mountains. No sunlight could be seen throughout the entire field; the majority of the visible light came from lightning that seemed to scatter from black cloud to black cloud. There was an endless feel to the landscape, as if it went on forever.
"This… this is gorgeous." Kanji said, a smile developing on his lips.
"More like terrifying." Katsumi said, shaking her head. She took a step forward, shaking her head. "How the hell does this work? Why aren't we just falling to our deaths up here?"
"I have no clue. This… it's beautiful, but it's nerve wracking…" Hanabi said. She took in a deep breath before she opened her eyes, activating her Byakugan. A frown developed on her face. "This… this field really does go on forever. I don't even see any of the other teams."
"You know, I didn't think our ropes were that spread apart. I kinda thought we'd be relatively close in position to one another." Kanji said, rubbing his chin. "This place is probably even bigger than we expect it to be. We'll need to be careful to make sure we don't get lost."
"Right." Hanabi nodded her head. "Give me a second to look around. I'll try and see if there's any identifiable landmarks for us to start exploring first."
Kanji and Katsumi nodded their heads as their teammate began to slowly scan the area that she could see.
The Second Exam of the Chūnin Exams was officially underway.
Quick Note:
1: Elaboration that, once again, En Oyashiro the arms dealer is a character from one of the 'Hiden' books (joining both Yuki Kahyo, the Konjiki Brothers, and Tsumiki Kido), but he's a bit more of a special case compared to most since the book he's from 'Sasuke Hiden' was animated in the latter episodes of Naruto Shippuden. Still, timeline wise, his 'Coliseum' battles and black market influence appears to be set across the entire Elemental Nations, but I know the anime adaptation does base his appearance in Kaminari no Kuni. Using that appearance, I thought it would be interesting to introduce him and incorporate him into the story as an Akatsuki asset to give more strength to their numbers for a planned invasion.
If you do not know anything about En Oyashiro, then just wait; researching him and watching the episodes, while I will recognize there are aspects of his character that are nice, I found him to be rather fucked up and it inspired me to give writing him a chance. I hope you enjoy his role in this story! I think he'll definitely be adding something to the Akatsuki threat this arc :)
Author's Note: Yo! Chapter 105 is done!
It is shorter than anticipated, but I kinda had a thought that I'd rather split this segment off from the actual Second Exams. I was already planning on splitting the Raiun Fields section in half anyway because of the planned length, so it made more sense to just split the 'before' parts into its own chapter to make it easy to separate.
I'm REALLY hyped for the Second Exam, by the way. The concept of it was something I had planned for LITERAL YEARS now to create a cloud-based arena to fight in and show how beautiful and devastating it can be. I only just showed a taste of what it is like and what the exam will be like, but I'm really hoping you all are looking forward to it. This one is something I have been ready to write for a while :)
As mentioned above, I've had a lot of time to write because of quarantine. I've been trying to take advantage of it, especially since I'm currently not working and trying to distract myself from a lack of paychecks, unfortunately. I THINK that means I should have chapter 106 done soon-ish as well, but we'll see. My wife is really encouraging me to get more progress done; she wants me to finally finish this story she's been watching me write the entirety of our relationship XD
I know i have a lot of PMs to reply to and I promise I'll get to them. I'm so sorry about my delayed responses. It's been a rather hectic couple of weeks, especially with all this coronavirus stuff. But I'll get to them real soon! Hopefully by tonight :)
Regardless, I hope you are all well! Stay safe and healthy and I'll see you all when the next chapter is done. Until then :)
