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Arc 3, Chapter 5
Amegakure,
Akatsuki HQ Tower
Pain regarded his two immortal underlings with an unamused rippled glare. The bright translucent purple shining from off his pair of Rinnegan promised unspeakable pain if his question wasn't answered.
"Why was the boy not killed or at the very least captured by the two of you?"
He repeated again.
Hidan glared at Kakuzu for not allowing him to gut and kill the brat. If he had just done so, they wouldn't be here forced into a kneeling position by the gravity manipulating man standing above them.
"Fuck it!"
He snarled. He wanted to kill something! Anything! Cut off all of their limbs and then sacrifice the limbless body to his Lord Jashin.
"Kakuzu wouldn't let me Leader-sama! I wanted to murder the little shit, but he stopped me!"
Kakuzu let out a hollow laugh, and after a brief struggle he forced his head up from the gravitational force applied to his head. Meeting his leader's eyes, he grunted when the rippled eyes flashed with power and suddenly, he was forced all the way into the ground.
"I swear I will Kill the boy Leader-sama, but… But I require him to grow more so that I can enjoy the thrill of battling a shinobi of Hashirama's caliber."
Kakuzu said through gritted teeth.
"If you wish to fight a shinobi as strong as the first Hokage, the apparent God of shinobi then you are allowed to fight me Kakuzu. For I am God."
Pain informed while releasing the gravity forcing Kakuzu down on his stomach.
He immediately raised his arm blocking a punch launched from the ancient shinobi, and firmly grabbed ahold of the black tendril attaching Kakuzu's hand to the rest of his monstrous body.
Kakuzu's eyes widened.
Pain clenched his fist shut with as much force as possible bursting the black tendrils apart under the force of his squeeze and causing a burst of wind to reverberate in the room shattering the glass window behind them.
He simply wiped away the guck that stained his hand when Kakuzu's dismembered hand fell to the ground twitching.
"I expect you to do better the next time you see this, Ken Senju. Mokuton is a bloodline that I am aware you know personally, so I shouldn't have to warn you of how powerful he will become in the coming years. Leave and fulfill your next mission or I will kill and replace you."
As the zombie duo left his office Pain glared at the fabric of air that pulsed to life in the form of rapid spinning and swirling.
"So, Pain? Nagato? What is it that you will do about this newest player, Ken Senju? Surely you don't expect that weakling Kakuzu to be able to kill the boy."
Pain walked over to the shattered window and glared outside at the rain continuously pouring down on his village.
"I will send Itachi and Kisame to clean up their mess and make contact with the Nine-tail's Jinchuriki; Naruto Namikaze afterwards."
Lightning flashed outside and Pain's glare narrowed more seeing the one-eyed Orange mask in the reflection of a shard of glass still attached to the window frame. Turning around he remained silent upon seeing that Madara Uchiha was gone.
He wondered what the man thought about his rival's bloodline reappearing just when they were about to start their plans. He would've liked to say that it was a mere coincidence, but the world didn't work that way more often than not.
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Konohagakure,
Chunin Exam's Arena
Sasuke's fist rocketed towards Gaara's face, however, instead of hitting the redhead he instead was met with a wall of sand that had formed between him and Gaara in nick of time. He smirked feeling the sand cave in from the impact of his punch and break apart.
Adding just a little bit more power into his swing along with an additional step forward his Sharingan eyes shone with glee seeing Gaara's panicked expression when his hand just narrowly missed him.
Retreating and shaking the sand off from his arm he taunted.
"No way you're this weak… Or am I just that much stronger than you?"
Not taking Sasuke's insult lightly, and finding the thunderous cheers echoing from the arena maddening, Gaara gripped his head, pulling at his red hair furiously.
"Mother wants your blood UCHIHA!"
Sasuke sharpened his gaze seeing the short redhead take a step towards him with madness swirling in his teal orbs. Drawing a kunai into one hand each he grinned and prepared himself for the tendril of sand heading his way.
Nothing would get in his way of defeating Naruto in the finals. Not Gaara nor anyone else!
XxLine BreakxX
Chunin Exam's Stands
"A-Are you going somewhere Ken-kun?"
Hinata inquired with a hint of disappointment lacing her voice. She blushed and ducked her head down when Ken's hand landed on top of her head and gently patted her hair. An action she secretly enjoyed.
Lifting her head when he stopped his patting and lowered his hand down, her blush increased more when she saw the smile beaming down at her.
"I'm just going to go and check on something. Hopefully, it won't take long…"
Ken replied while looking at Sakura and Karin. He sweatdropped when Karin jealously snapped her head away from him and focused her attention on Sasuke's fight down below alongside Sakura.
"Yes, Hinata-chan we will be back in just a moment."
Haku clarified adding on.
He too standing up next to his friend. Seeing the indifferent frown Ken sent him, the Yuki merely smiled, not backing down. After a few seconds of that, he smiled more when Ken sighed with his shoulders slumped forward in defeat.
"Come on then Haku… Just give us a moment Hinata-chan we won't take long…"
He said patting her head one last time before making his way out of the seating area, into the halls with Haku standing right beside him.
"So? I take it you don't have a plan Ken?"
"S-Shut up Haku… I'll figure it out as we go. First and foremost, I want to make that old man into a real cripple."
Ken laughed threateningly while stalking off into the halls with Haku silently following behind him with an amused smile.
After all of their hellish training with Kakashi and after learning from the notes of the first Hokage, Haku believed that Ken was now strong enough to fight. And with him there as well, he'd make sure nothing went wrong.
Hinata shyly looked down at Sasuke and Gaara's fight-
The two of them once again faced, face to face. Sasuke launching quick and deadly attacks while Gaara was rapidly being pushed back with his absolute defense; his shield of sand falling apart beneath each of the Uchiha's strikes.
The difference in skill was like day and night. Sasuke was superior in speed and power, which was all that was needed to defeat a defense-oriented shinobi like Gaara.
Sasuke Uchiha was someone who Hinata considered her opposite. Where Naruto was her inspiration, Sasuke was a representation of something she could never be.
A brutally efficient shinobi.
"Yes, Sasuke-kun!"
Sakura cheered loudly and proudly when Sasuke landed the first hit of the match.
"Argghhh!"
Hinata winced and ducked her head hearing an ear-splitting screech resound from Gaara as he clutched at his bleeding head.
"Ahhhh."
Karin groaned and fell forward, just before she fell out of her seat Sakura and Hinata caught her and rested the glasses-wearing redhead safely against the back of her chair.
"Karin-chan? Are you okay?"
Sakura questioned with her hands already glowing green and situated firmly against her rapidly rising and falling chest.
"Sa-Sakura-chan? Wha-What is that?"
Sakura followed Hinata's shaking finger and began shaking at the monster her love interest was staring down fearlessly in the ring.
"I… I don't know what- that thing is?"
The pinkette answered with wide scared eyes.
"It's- a mon-monster…"
XxLine BreakxX
Ken and Haku froze upon feeling the familiar wave of almost demonic chakra wash over the entire stadium. It wasn't nearly as potent as when they were on the bridge, but it was rising by the second.
Ken took a glance back at where Karin, Hinata, and Sakura were seated before he noticed two men appearing in the center of the arena, one in a flurry of leaves, and the other in a golden flash.
It was Minato and a black-haired shinobi.
At that point, the redhead was no longer human. He was something that Ken could only call a monster. It was large, towering over, most of the arena, Sasuke, Minato, and the strange black-haired man.
"What the…"
Ken mumbled seeing the monster's golden eyes flash white before rolling into the back of it's head and rolling back around as a pair of twin blazing red Sharingan flared to life.
"Who is that next to Minato?"
Ken questioned seeing the two men talk nonchalantly beneath the now dormant beast. He looked at Haku for an answer when the black-haired man scoffed at Minato before ruffling a grumbling Sasuke's hair and quickly disappearing into another flurry of leaves.
"…I think that's Sasuke's father…"
Haku whispered and stared in awe as Minato flashed quickly through hand seals and slammed his palms onto the sand made beast.
After a flash of white and a flurry of black seals spread all along the monster, did the sand start to crumble away until in Minato's hold was Gaara; passed out and lying limply in the Hokage's arms.
"And the winner of this first round due to the use of a forbidden technique not allowed in the exams, Is Sasuke Uchiha of the Hidden Leaf!"
Although the crowd erupted in applause after their shock and fear dissipated Sasuke didn't look happy with the result of his win.
With his arms crossed underneath his unamused frown, he made his way up the stairway that led back to the contestant box, where his blonde teammate was no doubt impatiently awaiting him.
Shortly after Sasuke left the arena Minato too left, although in a much flashier way.
"The second round will now begin! Will Kurotsuchi of the Hidden Stone, and Shino Aubraume of the Hidden Leaf come down!"
Ken tuned out the crowd and shook his head to regain his focus, finding and beating the snot out of Danzo. Continuing his stride towards where he saw Danzo head he and Haku quickly hugged the wall when a flash of yellow sparked in front of them.
It was Minato Namikaze, with Gaara still unconscious on his shoulder.
'Ken and Haku? What are they doing over here next to the Daimyo box? Are they trying to hide from me? …Eh, O…kay then…? I'll just pretend that I didn't see them…'
Minato sweatdropped and let it go, he needed to get Rassa's boy to the infirmary fast before he woke up. As soon as the Exams were over he was going to fix that boy's seal whether Rassa wanted him to or not! So, with that he continued forward through a door ahead of him, pretending like he didn't see the two hiding boys.
"That was close, I wonder how that technique of his works?"
Ken nodded to Haku's proclamation before continuing forward; he too finding the Hokage's strange ability to be fascinating. His violet eyes widened before narrowing with a smirk growing along his face when he saw his target; Danzo enter a room.
And judging by the one-eyed glance and the peculiar glint in his eye, he also saw him.
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Chunin Exam Arena
Beneath the collar of his jacket Shino gritted his teeth in mild frustration as another swarm of his precious personally raised insects; Kikaiachu, were burned alive right before his eyes by the sinisterly smirking brunette in front of him.
His eyes ran up to the stands particularly to his father, Kurenai, and Kiba, and then to Hinata. Each of them, even his standoffish father were leaning forward on the edges of their seats wishing him the best in his fight.
"Come on Bug boy, I want to hurry up and crush Namikaze. Not your dumb bugs."
Shino glared as Kurotsuchi ruthlessly stomped on one of his bugs that was struggling to flip itself off of it's back. He's never hated anyone as much as he's hated the Tsuchikage's cruel granddaughter.
She was a monster with a monstrous bloodline.
He wasn't going to win this, he knew that… But…
"Kick her ass Shino! Let's make this tournament an all Konoha tourney!"
He smirked at the livid glare his opponent threw at Naruto. He was going to inflict as much damage as he could, so that her next opponent, Sasuke would have the upper hand on her.
He lifted his arms and released a swarm of his Kikiaichu, while their physical damage was decent, it was their poisonous attacks that truly made them dangerous.
Kurotsuchi grinned savagely at the swarm and flashed through hand signs. She was going to enjoy killing more of Shino's bugs.
"Yoton(Lava Style): Scorching ball of lava!"
XxLine BreakxX
Chunin Exam Stands
Ken glared at a random passer-buyer who was looking at him and Haku strangely as they leaned their ears against a thick wooden door. He groaned and lifted his head from off the door, giving up. He already tried to force his way into the room using the doorknob, but much to his surprise the door was locked.
"Come on Haku, we've got to find another way inside…"
Ken's eyebrows shot up in remembrance of his terribly named technique, 'Tree Walking'. He hasn't done the technique all that often with wooden structures, san's that one time with Minato's office.
'This should work.'
He thought as he placed his foot into the door and then his other foot. He smirked at Haku's pleased smile and sunk all the way into the door.
It was dark.
It was always dark as soon as he entered a tree or building, at least until…
After his vision came back to him and then his hearing, he forced himself to stay inside of the door rather than popping out on the other side.
The room was filled to the brim with shinobi and Samurai? The sound of the slight rustling of their weapons ringing in his ears.
His eyes scanned the massive room until they landed on Danzo, He was standing with his arms folded behind his back, behind one of the three chairs positioned on a patio, overlooking the arena.
"What is it that you want now Shinobi of Darkness? Another loan for your incompetent little group? Root was it?"
Ken was taken aback by the way the person seated in front of Danzo spoke to the irritating but powerful cripple. Who was this man?
Danzo showed no hostility towards the man despite his mocking tone and dismissive way of words.
"No. Root has been effective since it's founding back during the second great shinobi war Fire Daimyo Kenji. To hear you speak so negatively of the group you helped me create is… Troubling have our work not been useful towards your goals?"
Danzo inquired ignoring the enraged sulk that the Earth Daimyo had. His group has had plenty of missions in his country all of which resulted in negative outcomes for the Land of Earth.
Assassinations, infiltration, thievery, and plundering of villages, just to name a few.
Ken's heart began thumping against his chest in excitement. Both of his targets were in sight- well one of them at least. The Fire Daimyo was still seated with his back turned to him and everyone else besides the two people seated to his left and right respectively.
"Don't question me if I remember funding your little playground for the rejects because I do, and I regret it to some degree. Namikaze has proved to be much more useful and powerful than you and Root has ever been. What do you want from me Danzo? If it's not money than it must be information?"
Fire Daimyo Kenji said while raising and slamming his jeweled fist down on his chair's arm when a resounding, "Winner of the second round is Kurotsuchi of the Hidden Stone!" echoed throughout the stadium.
"Dear calm down we still have four more little soldiers. More so than his lone little girl."
A hand clasped over the Fire Daimyo's clenched fist before a pair of lips lightly kissed it.
Ken felt ashamed to admit it. But the chestnut-haired woman with ruby red eyes much like Karin and her mother was an indescribable beauty. He felt inclined to recognize and respect her looks, even though he knew that she was without a doubt the woman who stole his father's gift to him, from Naruto.
Kikiyo Shijimi, wife of the Fire Daimyo.
"Hmph, that's sweet Kikiyo-dono, will you kiss his hand again when I win this little wager of ours?"
The Earth Daimyo laughed pompously.
"Shut your mouth Yamauichi-dono, she is right! We still have four up on your one. The odds are still in our favor, plus that girl won't be able to beat Namikaze's child. Naruto Namikaze."
Fire Daimyo Kenji sneered and gripped his wife's hand leaning down to place a kiss on it.
Where Kikiyo's eyes were a fiery red, Kenji's eyes were a sharp hue of blue, and his midnight-black shade of hair was cut short with fleeting streaks of gray leaving room for all present to see his powerful face.
'The fuck are these people talking about. A wager between the Earth and Fire Daimyo? What are the pricks betting on?'
Ken gulped.
They were using Naruto, her friends, and the Iwagakure (Hidden Stone) girl all as pawns for their bet. That infuriated him, but he was more importantly nervous. Nothing good could come out of these two betting on something, anything.
Danzo cleared his throat regaining the three nobles' attention.
"Your conversation ties into what I wanted to ask Lord Kenji-sama. I at first wanted to know why you tasked Team Seven with winning the Exams, but now that I know it was because of a bet, I would now like to know what it is you two bet on?"
Danzo asked almost selfishly already knowing that his Daimyo would answer his question.
"Ahaha, Kenji I suppose it wouldn't hurt to inform him. It's just a childish little bet anyways…"
Kikiyo asked her husband for approval to tell.
"It is indeed just a useless bet, I doubt Yamauichi-dono cares either, after all what we're betting over is just another pile of trash that we neglected for far too long."
Kikiyo smiled at the approving nods of both Daimyo's and turned towards Danzo, and by extension Ken.
"We're betting over the rights to the Land of Grass, now that, that stubborn old tool Naido is dead. He should've just picked a side, preferably ours."
Danzo nodded with a satisfied smile. Although he didn't like his Daimyo he respected the way in which he conducted his business. In many ways, the man was just as shrewd and manipulative as himself.
Afterall Kenji has held his position as Daimyo alongside his problematic wife Kikiyo for more than half a century.
"Will the contestant's Naruto Namikaze of the Hidden Leaf and Neji Hyuga of the Hidden Leaf make their way down to the area!"
Ken glanced around the room, contemplating his chances against all of the shinobi and Samurai stationed along the walls. Counting ten on each side he sighed angrily and stepped outside of the wooden door next to Haku with a pissed expression.
"Ken wh-"
"Haku… Let's hurry back before Hinata begins to get worried, I doubt she'd like it if I missed Naruto's fight…"
Haku stared at Ken's back as he walked past him before stepping behind his friend. He wanted to know what put him in such a bad mood but knew that his curiosity would have to wait until Naruto's match was at least over.
XxLine BreakxX
Hinata nervously swallowed as she watched Naruto and her cousin engage in an intense stare down. She "eeped" in surprise when she felt the comforting patting of Ken's hand bounce on top of her head.
"We're back Hinata-chan… and you two…"
Ken said while taking a seat in between Hinata and Karin. He exhaled a deep breath of air in hopes of hiding the anger that swam through his veins telling him to do something he knew he would regret later.
Killing the Fire and Earth Daimyo.
They spat upon Naido's sacrificial death and put the country he worked his ass off to save up for grabs, in the form of a bet! Using Naruto as a fucking pawn of all things.
He wanted to kill them, take back his necklace, and get revenge on Danzo.
Karin turned her head to the side, still choosing to ignore Ken, but paused feeling a deep amount of hatred overflow within Ken's chakra. Gulping and taking a look at him she cringed seeing how emotionless his face was.
He was clearly holding everything back. All the rage and hate festering in him. Saying that something bad must've happened would be an understatement because with every breath he took she felt his chakra turn darker and darker.
"K-Ken-"
"Not now Karin I want to watch Naruto's fight closely."
She felt ashamed of herself when she mutely nodded taking a peek at Haku who eyes were sympathetically looking at her, before turning to Ken in concern.
Not aware of the darkness growing in Ken's stomach, but aware that something was disturbing him, Hinata timidly grabbed Ken's hand and gave it a comforting squeeze.
"I- I hope Naruto-chan helps my co-cousin…"
"Begin!"
Ken nodded just as Naruto dashed straight towards Neji with a furious glare. He hoped that Naruto could forgive him for what he was going to do the Fire Daimyo…
Chapter End
An: And boom I've been holding onto that little plot twist for Arcs now! It feels great to finally let it be known that the Daimyo's are settling their differences over the Land of Grass with a bet of all things lol (I hope that I was able to showcase how smug and arrogant the Daimyos are). Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter I really had fun writing this one. Oh yeah, reviews aren't working rn, so pm If you have questions.
The fights, the Akatsuki, the drama, the interactions, and finally the Daimyos.
Gaara isn't out of this just yet and neither is our favorite Snake Sannin. And yes I made Fugaku stop the One-Tails; Come on guys he has a pair of MS, if either he or Minato were alive during the initial attack in Canon, Shukaku would've never been able to go Sicko Mode in the village.