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Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine, he is Kishimoto's
"Dattebayo!" - normal speech
'Dobe' – Thoughts
'{Shannaro!}' - Inner Sakura
"Ningen" - Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Speech
'Brat' - Boss Summon/Tailed Beast Thoughts
"Kage Bunshin!" - Ninjutsu/Genjutsu/Taijutsu move.
Beta'd by BigCC
Chapter 44: Training Montage
Second Week of Training for the Third Round
Yamanaka Clan Private Training Field
"Try it again, Ino." Kanae directed her daughter. The Yamanaka Matriarch was in her old active-duty ninja outfit, which basically amounted to her usual outfit, the addition of a chūnin vest and a hitai-ate, along with a pouch hanging on her right hip.
Huffing slightly, the Yamanaka Heiress ran through a couple of handsigns before pulling a single violet from her supply pouch and throwing it to the ground. "Genjutsu: Hana no Oka! (Illusion: Flower Hill!)"
To the Yamanaka Matriarch's eyes, that single flower blossomed outward as it hit the ground, covering the ground around her in a rolling wave of flower petals, the overwhelming scent of violets hitting her at once and she felt her body freeze up for a moment before she forcefully disrupted her own chakra, stopping the genjutsu.
Shaking her head slightly to clear the lingering buzz, Kanae looked to her daughter and nodded. "Well done, dear. That makes it three times in a row you've managed to cast it without any issues. I think we can say you've at least mastered the basics of that jutsu. You're progressing quite well, Ino."
"Thanks, Kaa-san." her daughter offered, sagging slightly in relief. Her mother was proving to be quite the demanding teacher, but her efforts were already paying off. Since they'd started, Ino had managed to learn three new genjutsu and had even managed to come up with a new Nin-Taijutsu technique with her help that would hopefully be able to finish most of the people she'd be put up against. Her first opponent was Sakura, a budding genjutsu-type kunoichi, so their fight would primarily be fought using illusions.
Sakura was too smart, and knew Ino far too well, to let herself get caught in one of her family's techniques; particularly after Tenten's defeat.
"And how are your lessons going with your cousin?" the older woman asked.
"Cousin Sen says that I'm progressing smoothly, I'm apparently up to being a 'half-decent' swordswoman now." Ino replied with a shrug. Yamanaka Sen was one of the few members of the Yamanaka Clan to not join ANBU T&I, much like the traitorous Yamanaka Haruo. Unlike the traitor, however, Sen specialized in kenjutsu, specifically Konoha-Ryū Kenjutsu. He'd become Ino's default instructor when she'd returned with a ninjatō and asked to learn, teaching her on and off whenever the two were both in the village. However, with Ino making it to the Finals of her first Chūnin Exams, Sen had decided to kick her training into overdrive to get her as ready as possible.
"You're not just representing yourself out there Ino; as Clan Heir you're representing both the Clan and the Village to a lot of big-name clients. That means you need to give them the best damn show you can." Sen had said
So her kenjutsu lessons had been intense lately, in addition to the additional ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu training she was working on as well.
So yeah, the past couple of weeks had been really intense, and it was only going to get worse until the Finals arrived.
"I've also run another idea by him for jutsu, and he seems to think it has potential." Ino added thoughtfully. "Though, whether or not I can actually get it to work before the Third round is still up in the air…"
"Hm, I think I may have an idea what you're planning. I'll have a word with Sen and see if we can work something out together." Kanae offered with a thoughtful nod. "He's always been a very…physical person, never had the head for Genjutsu. Speaking of new jutsu, I've decided it's time for you to start on a new ninjutsu."
Reaching down to the pouch attached to her hip, she tapped it. Instantly a modest bouquet of fresh moon flowers appeared in her hand. With a small smile on her lips Kanae began to spin the flowers in her hand, forming a large circle in front of her. As she did, the flowers' petals began to glow slightly with chakra as they fell off the flowers, floating in the air and following the spinning flowers like a comet's tail. Moments later the petals formed a ring, which the elder Yamanaka quickly reached out and grabbed by the inner edge with her free hand. With a twist of her waist and wrist, Kanae tossed the seemingly solid ring of flower petals like a Fūma Shuriken, aiming at a Target-kun dummy set several meters away.
The ring cleaved through the straw target's chest like a hot knife through butter.
"Sweet crap!" Ino shouted out a moment later, momentarily awed by the beautiful and deadly technique. "Where the heck did you learn to do that, Kaa-san?!"
"That was the Ninpō: Shingetsu Ichirin (Ninja Art: New Moon Flower Wheel). With the appropriate amount of training, a solid hit from it can cut through sold rock several times over without even slowing down." Kanae replied with a smirk. "It's a jutsu from my side of the family, and a personal favourite of mine from back before I retired from active duty."
"A jutsu from your side of the family?" Ino blinked at that. She'd known that her mother had married into the Clan, but she'd never really talked about them and Ino had never felt the need to pry.
She was a Yamanaka, one of the oldest and most respected Clans in Konohagakure, that had always seemed so much more important and exciting to her. She'd always just assumed they were just civilians or something as equally…bland.
Apparently, she was wrong.
Kanae nodded absently, a fond smile on her face. "My family is originally from Na no Kuni (Land of Vegetables) until my grandfather left about seventy years ago. He was a member of a fairly well-known clan who specialized in Hana Ninpō (Flower Ninja Arts). There was a slight schism in the clan back then, the Daimyo had offered the Clan a place as his Court Shinobi, serving him directly. Most of the clan was all for it, since it would offer both a great increase in the clan's prestige and authority, but a few didn't like the idea of giving up their freedoms and tying themselves so directly to the Daimyo. Since the few who didn't agree were simply branch members who only knew the basics of the Clan's techniques, it was decided that they could leave without any repercussions, so long as they left Na no Kuni.
"Needless to say my grandfather was one of the ones who left; according to him, he was still a hot-blooded young man back down and wanted to see more of the world before being tied down. He spent five years wandering and doing work as a Hōrō-nin until he met and fell head over heels with my grandmother and the rest, as they say, is history. He and my mother both managed to develop several new Hana Ninpō techniques over the years, with the Shingetsu Ichirin being one of my mother's creations."
"Wow…" Ino breathed out, a bit surprised by the rather interesting bit of family history. "Hey wait, why didn't show or tell me about any of this stuff before? I'd have been all over techniques like that even back in the Academy!?" She'd always loved flowers and growing things in general, working in a garden of any kind being one of the few times she'd willingly get dirty and sweaty for.
"Because you were too busy making yourself look good for the Uchiha boy to do any training worth a damn." the Yamanaka Matriarch replied flatly. "I couldn't very well reward you for slacking off, now could I?"
Ino blushed at the censure. "Yeah, okay, I was being a bit of an idiot back then. I've been rethinking my…crush anyway."
"Is that because of a certain redhead's recent seduction lessons?" Kanae smirked impishly as her daughter broke down into a sputtering mess, blushing luminescent red.
"KAA-SAN!" Ino hissed/shrieked at her. "Daddy might be around!"
"He's still working with Ibiki-san on some big assignment at T&I." the matriarch dismissed her daughter's concerns with an airy wave. "Besides, the man had to sign off on your Injutsu training, so there's no point pretending you're still a pure little girl."
"That doesn't mean I want him to hear about my sex life!" Ino snapped back flatly.
"You two spoil each other far too much." Kanae shook her head in amusement, before refocusing. "You do know that there's a good chance you're just going through a phase correct? I think Inoichi referred to it as 'pseudo-romance specific to adolescence' or something like that."
"Yeah, Anko-sensei said the same thing when she gave Hinata and me her version of 'The Talk.'" the genin shivered at the mere memory. "She also said that she's fairly sure I'm Bi and it's not just a phase, though don't ask me how she can tell."
Kanae idly made a note to track Anko down after the invasion and quiz her about exactly what she had said to her little flower to cause her to react like that.
"Well, whatever happens, the best thing is to remember that you're still barely a teenager; you'll have crushes but real love takes time to learn." she warned her daughter. "If you still feel the same in a few years, then we'll see."
"Kaa-san, why does it sound like you're already planning out my wedding ceremony?" Ino asked with a blush
"Because you know what a romantic I am, my dear." Kanae replied with a smirk. "Now, we should get back on topic and get you started learning how to use the Shingetsu Ichirin properly."
Same Time
Family Head's Private Training Hall, Hyūga Main Branch Complex
"That was well preformed, Hinata." Hiashi offered calmly with a judicious nod. His daughter had demonstrated her Jūho to him for the first time in a while, and he was honestly quite impressed. To think that she had come so far in such a short span of time...
"Thank you, Otō-sama." Hinata replied with a bow.
"You have obviously developed a sufficient mastery of the Jūhohō: Hakke Sanjūni Shō. What has your progress been like with the Jūho version of Hakke Rokujūyon Shō?" he questioned evenly.
"It…it is progressing smoothly, Father." Hinata replied, hesitating only slightly. "I believe that I will have reached a level where I can use it reliably in time for my match with Neji-nii-san. However…"
"However?" Hiashi quirked an eyebrow slightly, inviting her to continue.
"I-I found this inside mother's notes." she offered, shakily removing a scroll from her pocket and presenting it to her father. "It appears to be the basic ideal for an alternative version of the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō, one that specifically requires a Suiton-alignment to use properly."
His interest piqued, Hiashi took the scroll and opened it, his eyes darting across the scroll with the practised speed of a man who regularly dealt with paperwork of many forms.
"Hmm…the basis seems to have been fully developed, but it looks like she never managed to get to physically testing and modifying it…Ah! She was pregnant with Hanabi when she wrote this…" he mused as he quickly deciphered the kanji and diagrams. "It looks to combine elements of both the Hakkeshō Kaiten and the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō in order to create something entirely new? Hitomi-chan certainly never mentioned anything like this…perhaps she was keeping it as a surprise."
He looked up from the scroll and gave his eldest daughter a stern look. "While the jutsu itself seems to have been mostly completed, you realize that your chance of both completing and mastering this technique before the Third Round, in addition to your other training, will be extremely slim, even with my help."
"I have to try." Hinata answered firmly, her eyes, the eyes that often reminded Hiashi of his dear wife, flickered with a painfully familiar determination. Just like Hitomi's when she'd set her mind to something. Nothing short of a direct order was going to set her off that path.
Hiashi let out a sigh to hide his smile. His daughter was truly her mother's child.
"Very well then, but focus on your training with the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō for the next few days so I can study the scroll in more detail before we started." Hiashi nodded, bowing to the inevitable. "Now, I believe your sister wishes to spend some time with you right now…"
Blinking, Hinata looked over to the door to see Hanabi peering into the room. She 'eeped' and ducked away when she saw that she'd been discovered.
"Sh-shouldn't I focus on my training for the Finals, Otō-sama?" Hinata asked in surprise.
"You have been training diligently for the past week, daughter. Right now, your body needs time to rest and recuperate or else it will only impede your growth." the Hyūga Clan Head stated simply. "As such, I am ordering you to take the rest of the day off. Go spend some time and play with your sister."
"Thank you, father." the bluenette bowed quickly before walking over and saying hello to Hanabi, who promptly glomped her older sister.
Hiashi watched the two quietly for a moment before walking off via the side door, an almost imperceivable smile on his face. Ever since Hinata had beaten Hanabi shortly after becoming a genin, the two had been closer than they had been in years. Hanabi allowed herself to act more like a child her age should act when Hinata was around, rather than as someone three times her age.
The Hyūga Clan Head knew that it was only a matter of time before one of the more…reactionary members of the Main Branch attempted to reassert some form of control over Hanabi. The younger of his two daughters had always been the one that many of the Elder Council had favoured for being named his Heir, partially due to her talent and partially because she was more…easily led than Hinata. Hinata, while shy and timid, had never been one to simply bow to the commands of those she didn't respect, and her respect for many members of the Hyūga Elder Council was minimal at best.
The fact that Hinata had been mostly removed from the watch and manipulation thanks to the Hokage's Genin Housing Act had frustrated several of his opponents on the Hyūga Council, most notably because she was 'sharing space with the Demon Bitch' according to one.
'I sincerely hope Naruko-san reads her Clan's laws at some point.' Hiashi mused as he headed towards his study. 'It will be awkward enough to enlist her help to save Hinata from being branded with the Caged Bird Seal without having to inform her of the laws of her own Clan as well.'
Later
General Training Field 5
"Ninpō: Ōran! (Ninja Art: Cherry Blossom Storm!)"
The wide swathe of explosions that suddenly erupted across the Training Field made Haruno Kizashi flinch away, silently grateful he'd used an Iwa Bunshin for testing this out. His daughter's intelligence and study habits were truly frightening when applied correctly; she'd mastered writing the fūinshiki for a basic explosion tag in just a handful of days, before managing to alter and miniaturize it into those quarter-sized 'tags' within a week of that.
Granted, gaining advice from Jiraiya of the Sannin had been a major boon to her 'project;' as was the basic Fūinjutsu guide she'd gotten from the Uzumaki girl's estate when she'd last visited her friend. The fact that his daughter had managed to earn even a single lesson from one of the Sannin had been quite the shock.
"How was that, Otō-san?" Sakura asked, sounding justifiably smug.
"That was pretty darn impressive, Sakura." Kizashi chuckled. "A week of study and you've gotten the building blocks of one heck of a jutsu; it would certainly give a squad of chūnin a hard time, especially with that genjutsu you layered over it first. That would be Yūhi Kurenai's work, I'm guessing?"
"Yup. The set-up's all too easy to read without it." the younger pinkette admitted. "Most of Kurenai-sensei's team is training under either their families or other teachers, so she's got quite a bit of free time for now. She was more than happy to take a bit of time to help me develop my genjutsu a bit."
Given that two members of her team were the Heiresses of their respective clans, while Naruko had two of the Sannin to help teach her, that wasn't a surprise.
"Well, I think with the genjutsu she helped you develop and taught you, you should be pretty well stacked in that department." Kizashi opined, nodding thoughtfully. "You've got what? Three or four genjutsu to pull out? I'd say learning any more at the moment might be more a distraction than an asset right now, so best to focus on training and refining what you've learned so far. We can spend the rest of the month working on getting you at least one more ninjutsu from me, as well as building up your taijutsu and shurikenjutsu. Ino-chan's likely a ranged fighter just like both of her folks, particularly if they're handling her training, plus whatever she manages to learn with that pigsticker of hers. Speaking of, once the finals are over, we're going to see about upgrading your equipment for some better protection, regardless of if you get that promotion or not."
"Okay." Sakura agreed eagerly. She'd been meaning to upgrade her equipment since she'd seen the results of a real shinobi battle in Nami no Kuni. Just remember those bloody fights made her shiver, particularly considering she'd likely have faired even worse had she been more involved. She needed some better protective clothing, maybe upgrade herself to some light armour while she was at it.
"Getting you a weapon wouldn't be a bad idea either. Should probably keep it simple though, maybe a set of Shinobi Battle Gauntlets would work." Kizashi continued.
"What's the difference between regular kote and Battle Gauntlets?" his daughter asked.
"Regular kote, the kind built to be part of an armoured suit, tend to be big, heavy and designed to be just as much about protecting the user's hand and wrist as reinforcing their punches." the retired lifetime genin informed her. "Shinobi Battle Gauntlets are the opposite; they're lighter, less cumbersome and are designed primarily to augment a taijutsu fighter's fist and hand strikes. Particularly expensive ones can even have fūinjutsu engraved in them to add some exotic effects."
"Sounds like Naruko's sword, Himiko." Sakura said in surprise. "Or the Seven Swords of the Mist."
"The Sōtō, the Dontō, the Raitō, the Dantō, the Chōtō, the Daitō and the Bakutō, not to mention the Honour Blade of the Uzumaki Clan." Kizashi chuckled. "Each and every one of those weapons are a legend of their own making. Almost any weaponsmith worth the name dreams about eventually being able to forge a single weapon like that in their lifetime. From my own understanding, the Shodaime Mizukage, Byakuren, had the same smith make all seven of the Mist Blades, while the Honour Blade is simply one masterpiece amongst the many forged by the Uzumaki Clan over the five-hundred years of their existence."
"The Uzumaki were weaponsmiths?" Sakura blinked.
"Some of them." Kizashi answered with a shrug. "The Uzumaki were masters of Fūinjutsu in all of its forms, according to Kushina anyway, so they had a lot of different branches that focused on different applications of the Sealing Arts. From what I can remember from Kushina's yammering, there was some dormant volcano on Uzu no Kuni that the clan used to create a natural forge, setting up an entire system of fūinjutsu to draw out and precisely control the level of heat they used when forging, which allowed them to put out much better quality goods. They had a whole branch family assigned to maintaining the forge, developing metal fūinjutsu inscriptions, and acting as the clan's weaponsmiths in general."
"Wow...Naruko's Clan was pretty organised." the younger pinkette said in surprise. Organized and Naruko didn't exactly go together in her mind.
"In their heyday, the Uzumaki were a very large Clan, hon. I can't remember any exact numbers, but I know that they made up the bigger part of Uzushiogakure's Shinobi forces on their own." Kizashi replied absently. "That plus the fact they were the ruling family for Uzu no Kuni as well meant they'd have to have some form of organization to them. Anyway, we should get back to work. It's about time I show you the ninjutsu that I'm going to be teaching you. So far you've managed to learn two solid support techniques, the Mizu Bunshin and Mizuame Bakujō, but you're going to need some firepower if you want to advance. That's why I'm going to be teach you this one.
He ran through five handsigns, Snake, Tiger, Ox, Tiger and Dog, before turning to face the tree stump that was the target and holding his cupped hands out. "Suiton: Mizu Arare no Jutsu! (Water Style: Water Hail Jutsu!)"
Water quickly gathered within his cupped before it exploded outwards, shaping itself into a number of small, ping-pong ball-sized projectiles. The small bullets quickly shot across the distance to pulp the surface of the log with large dents.
"W-Wow..." Sakura breathed. She never imagined her father knew offensive jutsu like that. She'd seen way more powerful ones, sure, but not from her dad.
"Well, that's the kind of technique it is." Kizashi replied, huffing a bit. He wasn't used to using his chakra much these days, so that had taken a bit more out of him than it had back in his active days. "It's a bit short ranged, only really effective up to about ten meters or so, but I doubt Ino has the chakra reserves to use the Shinranshin at its maximum range either. That means you can use it against Ino-chan as long as you're careful and keep your wits about you. It's also pretty chakra efficient, so you can use it pretty freely in a fight as long as you don't try and belt out ten in a row."
"OK." Sakura nodded determinedly. "What are the handsigns again?"
Chuckling, Kizashi went through them slowly for her. It was nice, having father-daughter training moments like this.
That Night
Isolated Training Ground 56
The sound of the campfire crackling didn't disturb Uchiha Sasuke as he gazed into it broodingly. He was enjoying the one-on-one training with Kakashi, no question about that, but he could do without the way the man acted so lackadaisical on occasion. Sasuke was both a serious and driven person, so his sensei's…whimsical attitude tended to irritate him something fierce.
However, even at his worst, Sasuke wasn't fool enough to believe the Jonin wasn't taking this seriously. Even now, with his nose buried in that stupid book all day, Sasuke hadn't been able to land a single proper hit on the man.
Their training had been tough and gruelling, and he'd relished every moment of it. Ever since his graduation, he'd been forcibly reminded that, compared to the monsters that dwelled in the shinobi world, he was still quite weak. That humiliating 'Thousand Years of Death' he'd received during the Genin Exams, Naruko managing to beat both him and his teammates not long after, and Orochimaru having treated his best efforts like a child's games in the Forest of Death...
Kakashi had been drilling his Sekkendō ruthlessly since they started training, not allowing any kind of slip up on Sasuke's part. This was good, because his opponent was a taijutsu monster that wore weights on each leg that could crater a stone-paved floor when dropped from shoulder height.
Sasuke was fairly attached to his skeleton and would rather not have it smashed to dust, thank you very much.
They'd only lightly touched on Genjutsu, mostly because Kakashi was reasonably certain that the Mini-Gai had a technique that rendered all genjutsu completely useless against him. At most, he'd provided a Shadow Clone so that the young Uchiha could refine his Genjutsu: Sharingan. It was still useful practice, considering the only reason he'd managed to use it on Tsurugi Misumi was because the idiot had glared right into his spinning eyes. The Kakashi Clone was tougher because of his 'singular' vision, pardon the pun, and because he had his lone eye looking everywhere except at Sasuke, so he had to actually work for it. No one would make such a stupid mistake in the field once they saw the Uchiha crest on his back.
Ninjutsu had been…interesting. They'd discovered that his Primary Affinity was lightning, rather than the Uchiha's usual fire affinity, though he did have a fairly strong Secondary Affinity for fire. After finding that out, Kakashi had taught him three Raiton ninjutsu
First, Raiton: Raikyū (Lightning Style: Lightning Ball). It was a fast, versatile technique that let the user fire multiple balls of electricity at the enemy, although each ball was pretty weak on its own, more like a really strong static shock to someone with active chakra coils.
The second was a bit more...debatable in Sasuke's eyes. Raiton: Kanden Haribari (Lightning Style: Electric Shock Needles) fired little needles of compressed electricity at the enemy. Kakashi had used it on him, and it was, frankly, weak. He had serious questions about if the technique was even worth calling a jutsu.
The final jutsu was called Raiton: Jinraisen (Lightning Style: Thunderbolt Arrow), and was the most powerful of the three jutsu he'd been given. He gathered lightning into his hand that he could fire at his enemies or combine with a water jutsu to electrify anyone touching the water. It was the latter plan he was thinking of, as even the ludicrous speed at which Rock Lee could run at didn't make him faster than lightning.
He'd also learned a couple of new Katon jutsu as well. Katon: Kaen Senpū (Fire Style: Flame Whirlwind) was a useful jutsu that sent a fast, spinning fireball at the enemy. It also flared up around the user's body in order to activate, which could act as a form of protective barrier for a few precious seconds...not that something as minor as burns would stop someone like Rock Lee.
Katon: Hobakuen (Fire Style: Flame Capture) was an unusually rare fire technique that turned fire into a weapon for him to use. It became a whip that could lash out and strike strongly enough to damage stone.
Finally, Kakashi had made him go through all of his other jutsu in his repertoire, pointing out ways he could improve our augment each one. Ways to improve his control, to use less chakra, increase their destructive power, etcetera. It had been tedious, but enlightening.
"Hmm, these look just about done." Kakashi mused aloud as he turned the meat on the sticks around.
"Kakashi, why are we out in the middle of nowhere?" Sasuke asked abruptly. He'd dropped the 'sensei' honorific on the third day and Kakashi hadn't made a fuss about it, simply requesting he keep it up in public.
"Isn't it obvious?" the cyclopean Jonin asked with a small shrug. "Orochimaru wants to bind you to him with that Juinjutsu, but remaining in a high security area wouldn't be conductive to your training. So, in order to compromise, we're here; in the middle of one of the largest and most isolated training grounds in Konoha so we'll know instantly if he makes another attempt."
"He's stronger than you." Sasuke pointed out bluntly.
"A battle isn't just a straight clash of strengths, Sasuke." the silver-haired man lectured his pupil. "Strength is definitely an important factor, of course, but not to the degree you seem to think it is. Experience, planning, contingencies, terrain, and a host of other factors can be manipulated to overcome a more powerful opponent if you have time to prepare. Granted, at Orochimaru's level, he can likely bulldoze through most people even if they manage to setup a scenario that gives them every advantage, but I'm not most people. Plus, he has to be a bit more cautious in dealing with me because of this."
He tapped his covered Sharingan meaningfully.
"Because every jutsu he uses against you, you can add to your own arsenal in turn." the Last Uchiha realized.
"Yup, I have several jutsu that act as my 'go-to's in most situations, but even Orochimaru has no idea just how many jutsu I've managed to copy. He could try and fight me using just using jutsu he knows I have, but that would go against Orochimaru's sense of pride. Even before his defection, Orochimaru was well-known for his interest in the various forms of ninjutsu, and his pride as a researcher and collector always made him enjoy showing off the wide assortment of jutsu he's either learned or created over his fifty-odd years of life." Kakashi explained offhandedly. "Most ninjutsu specialists are like that, they can't resist showing off the results of their hard work and efforts. It was one of the reasons the Uchiha were such a nightmare for them back when your Clan was at its peak. The Sharingan is a powerful tool, but it does have its limits, as Zabuza showed in Nami no Kuni; without being able to see the opponent's chakra network and handsigns, it's functionally useless."
The idea that something so simple as a chakra-infused mist was enough to block his Clan's Kekkei Genkai made Sasuke fume slightly, but he'd heard the story from Kakashi before, and the man had no reason to lie.
"If Orochimaru wants the Sharingan so badly, why didn't he try to get his hands on it before Itachi wiped my clan out?" he asked, hesitantly.
"He didn't go rogue until a few years after the Day of the Kyūbi for one." the Copy Ninja answered simply as he prodded the fire. "Security was still running high back then, both in and out of the village at that point, especially with those clans who had Kekkei Genkai after the Kumo Incident. There was simply too much of a risk to make the attempt worth the effort back then. If Sandaime-sama hadn't caught onto him, then its possible he'd have tried again once things calmed down again, but then he was forced to suddenly flee the village. Afterwards, it would have been much more difficult to get his hands on an Uchiha with a suitably strong bloodline, considering most of them were involved in the Military Police and thus rarely left the village."
Kakashi paused for a moment to check the meat again before continuing. "Then the Massacre happened and he was down to two choices. One kept under a close watch within the village, and the other roaming unprotected."
Sasuke's eyes widened. "Itachi…he went after Itachi!?"
"He's made at least one attempt to capture and/or kill him that we can confirm." Kakashi answered simply. "He failed, obviously, and has apparently shifted his target to you."
"He'll get my eyes over my cold dead body!" Sasuke growled.
"That's likely his second choice." the Jonin deadpanned. "If he can't ensnare you with his Juinjutsu, he'll likely just kill you and take your eyes. The only reason it's not his first option is likely because he knows about the issues a transplanted Sharingan can cause thanks to my own. Luckily, Orochimaru has always been the type to want everything to perfectly fit his desires, so he won't give up on his preferred method easily."
"He...in the Forest of Death, he tried to bite me on the neck." the Uchiha Heir frowned. "Naruko stopped him before he could, and Hokage-sama showed up right after that, but...was that how he planned on doing it?"
"Probably. Some form of body contact is needed to place any seal, and that goes doubly for a Juinjutsu." Kakashi replied thoughtfully. "Unless he needs something else for the Juinjutsu though, a single fingertip would do. Perhaps he needed to inject you with a substance in order to start the process. One of his Hebi Ninpō involves giving himself venomous fangs."
"He did have fangs..." Sasuke shuddered. "OK, I'm not going to let him bite me."
"He went for your neck because you can't have that removed. If he tries it again, try to at least block with an arm or leg." Kakashi suggested casually.
"I think I'll try to avoid being bitten point-blank, thanks." Sasuke said dryly. He was not being invalided out of the Shinobi Forces by losing a limb!
"In which case, my cute little genin, eat your food, study your scrolls, retire to bed, and we'll start your serious training tomorrow." Kakashi said, holding out one stick of the freshly cooked meat, complete with a sauce that the jonin had been spreading over it while he had been talking.
Taking it, Sasuke bit into it hungrily and was surprised how delicious it tasted. It was crunchy, mildly spicy and very moreish.
"You don't make it through one of the Ninja Wars without learning how to make lizard meat taste divine." Kakashi eye-smiled at his surprised genin. "I always carry a few ingredients to make trail rations and hunted food taste better on me for extended missions. I thought you could use a treat for doing so well over the last week, so I broke them out. Keep the good work up and I'll teach you how to make them while I'm at it."
Ordinarily, Sasuke would disparage learning how to cook as it took time away from his Shinobi training, but if he could make simple lizard meat-on-a-stick taste like this, perhaps listening to Kakashi wasn't such a bad idea in this instance...
The Next Day, At the Crack of Dawn
Konohagakure Main Gate
The two men known as the 'Eternal Chūnin' were bleary eyed as they slumped their way over to the main gate for the Dawn Watch. They'd won some decent money betting on The Uzumaki getting through to the finals, and they'd gotten their hands on it yesterday (after donating a stipend to the Widows and Orphan's Fund, standard practice when betting and winning large) and had gone for a night on the town, something that they were regretting right now...along with all the beer they'd drunk.
"Someone please put me out of my misery..." Kotetsu whimpered as he clutched his throbbing head with one hand.
"Suck it up and just be quiet!" Izumo hissed back, massaging his throbbing temples. "There's water and food in the gatehouse. We can eat when we get there. Oh, my poor head..."
In between bemoaning and cursing their idiocy the night before, the two managed to make it to the gatehouse and take over from the Night Watch crew, who gratefully left for the comfort of their own beds. The two easiest shifts when guarding the gate were the Dog Watch and the Dawn Watch. The Dog Watch was ten at night to two in the morning, while the Dawn Watch was from five in the morning until eight in the morning. The Night Watch was a new security measure that covered the gap in the recently reorganized nocturnal Watches.
Just because a suitably trained shinobi could go days without sleep didn't mean it was a pleasant experience, and not one many would choose to indulge in when there were other, less extreme options.
The two quickly started going through their check-in routine, both grabbing a bottle of cold water to chug as they did to counter the dehydration that often followed a night of heavy drinking. They were just settling into their seats to start nursing their hangovers in peace when two green blurs shot past them, causing the two Chūnin to deadpan at each other.
"They're still at it? Those two have been doing this every morning since the end of the Second Round!?" Izumo groaned, readjusting and tightening his bandanna from where it had been nearly torn off by the miniature jet stream following behind the two Green Beasts known as Rock Lee and Maito Gai as they ran laps around Konoha's outer walls as part of a 'light warm up.'
Kotetsu snorted, as he finished readjusting into his chair after nearly being knocked out. "Don't forget, this is Gai-san we're talking about. That guy doesn't know the meaning of half-measures, especially with that Mini-Me of his involved." the dark-haired guard deadpanned, draining the last of his water bottle in a single pull.
"Guess you got a point." his partner grunted out, picking up his own chair. "Just wish I knew how or why he always does this on our shift."
"Bad timing on our parts." Kotetsu shrugged it off. He honestly couldn't care less about the two lunatics and their inane and insane training program. As long as they didn't do it in the middle of the road or otherwise disrupt traffic, something Gai was polite enough to ensure didn't happen, then it wasn't his concern.
Later
Training Ground 17
"Yosh!" Gai roared loudly as he punched the air. "And with that, our morning warm ups are complete!"
"Hai, Gai-sensei!" Lee called out, just as loudly.
"Now, for the first week, we've focused mostly on refining your current skills with the Gōken, and you've done marvellously so far, my pupil!" Gai declared, flashing his 'Nice Gai' smile. "Now, we start on the serious business of learning new skills and techniques to better prepare you for your future battles, starting with your match with the Youthful Uchiha Sasuke!"
"Hai, sensei!"
Gai stood a bit straighter, his voice quieting slightly but becoming far more stern. "First, there's something we need to discuss. This kind of tournament is not the place to make use of the Hachimon (Eight Gates), and thus I am officially forbidding you from making use of them during the Third Round of the Exams."
"But sensei!?" Lee looked completely shocked by the development, reeling back from his sensei for a moment. "The Hachimon are my strongest trump cards!"
Gai shook his. "I seem to have not impressed this on you enough Lee; the Hachimon are truly a double-edged sword. At your current level, even just activating the Kaimon (Gate of Opening) puts an immense strain on your body, especially if you make use of it in concert with the Omote Renge (Primary Lotus)." Gai paused for a moment. "However, given your current level of training, I will offer a small compromise. If you can advance your physical conditioning to a point where I deem you capable of handling the strain, I will permit you to use the Kaimon, but you are not to use it with the Omote Renge."
"Can...can I ask why you are placing this restriction on me, Gai-sensei?" the genin asked.
"Because the Hachimon are always meant to be a weapon of last resort, my dear student. They are not to be used as a 'trump card,' but as a final saving grace when the lives of you or your allies are on the line. Even for one who has mastered the Hachimon to my level, I will only use the lower Gates against serious, deadly threats. Uchiha Sasuke, for all his talent, is not a deadly threat, nor is young Hyūga Hinata should she manage to overcome Neji. I…I understand your rivalry with Young Neji, and will thus allow you to push yourself as far as you can against him, but only should you face him!"
The relief on Lee's face clearly showed that it was his match against his most Youthful Rival that had been concerning Lee. However, given the Hyūga Heiress' recent and unprecedented growth since her graduation, Gai personally felt that the match between the Main and Branch Houses wasn't going to be anywhere near as simple as some might expect.
That wasn't his concern at the moment though. Neji had already stated that he wished to pursue his own personal training for the finals, and thus he could focus on preparing Lee for the match and preventing his overly youthful ward from crippling himself in the midst of the Finals.
"Back to the matter at hand, up until this point we have focused solely upon the Gōken, as well as improving your physical conditioning in order to both get the most of your Taijutsu and to withstand the strain of the Hachimon, of which you have successfully unlocked the Kaimon, the Kyūmon (Gate of Healing), the Seimon (Gate of Life), the Shōmon (Gate of Pain) and the Tomon (Gate of Limits)." the bowl-cut Jonin summarized quickly. "In all these aspects, you have surpassed all of my expectations, and I can safely say that you've made me beyond proud, Lee. Now, we can begin moving on to different ways of fighting."
"Sensei?" Lee asked, cocking head in confusion as his sense reached into a nearby bush and pulled out a large sack.
"For starters, we'll get you used to these." Gai informed his star pupil as he pulled out a brand new set of weights from the bag, including the wraparound holsters for them. The main difference was that these new weights shaped like rods rather than thin rectangular blocks. "I noticed that your current sets were in need of replacement, but that's not their only use! Observe!"
Pulling out two, the jonin tapped their ends together and they were suddenly connected by thin cords of flexible metal, turning them into a pair of nunchaku. After a quick few flips of demonstration, the Jonin pulled out four more and connected them to the first two, the six weights turning into a Bō Staff. Finally, he whipped the rod around and the six weights separated, linked together to become a rokusetsukon (six-section staff).
"These, my pupil, are something I should have begun training you in long before these exams began." Gai admitted. "They have a higher weight limit then your previous set and they can also be used to form a multi-form weapon to use when normal punches and kicks are insufficient or impractical, but the threat does not require the usage of the Hachimon."
"But Gai-sensei! I swore to become a splendid ninja using just taijutsu!" the genin objected.
"Ah Young Lee, what you and most others forget is that 'taijutsu' isn't merely the art of punching and kicking." Gai said wisely as he swiftly disassembled the staff and slotted the six rods back in their holsters. "While the use of weapon arts is often referred to as 'Bukijutsu' for a broad term, or as specific arts such as bōjutsu and kenjutsu; the truth of the matter is that they are all merely extensions of taijutsu, simply using a tool to act as an extension of your body. There is no dishonouring your vow with this, Lee. Even I use weapons when I wish to avoid using the Hachimon."
Fire blazed in the younger ninja's eyes as he realized that he wasn't going to go against his solemn vow by doing this.
"I shall learn how to wield them, Gai-sensei! If I cannot do so, I shall run ten laps around Hi no Kuni!"
"Bwahaha! As expected of my disciple!" Gai boomed. "Now, I have training weapons for you to begin training with! We shall start with my personal favourites, the nunchaku!"
"Hai, Gai-sensei!"
Later
Aburame Compound, Clan District
"Has your hive finished recovering from their losses against the Amegakure genin?" Aburame Shibi asked his son evenly.
Shino merely nodded. "My Queen has managed to replace all of the loses, and has even managed to produce a small surplus in order to aid in my training." the younger bug-nin replied in a similar tone. Father and son were in a room best described as a mass terrarium, the walls, floor and ceiling replaced with glass etched with elegant fūinshiki around the edges that made it more than strong enough to bear the weight of a handful of humans. Inside the terrarium portion, countless thousands of insects scurried through various tunnels and landscapes.
"That is good. Considering your first opponent is a member of Sunagakure's Wind Dancer Corps, your first match will not be one you can overcome in a direct confrontation." Shibi answered simply. "Had it been the Puppeteer, you would have held a better chance, several of our clan arts can be most effective against their unique form of jutsu. Alas, we must make do with what we have."
"I had anticipated as much; do you suggest I forfeit?" Shino asked calmly, not even slightly bothered by the clinical analysis.
"No." Shibi responded with a simple shake of his head, before explaining. "The Final Round of the Chūnin Exams are not merely based on winning or losing, but also on showcasing your abilities. Simply forfeiting against an opponent that you have a natural disadvantage against would be negatively impact your chances of earning a promotion quite severely. A shinobi must be ready complete their mission even when at a disadvantage after all. In actuality, the fact that you are facing an opponent that has such a clear advantage over you could possibly help your chances should you manage to at least put up a credible fight."
Shibi paused a moment, allowing Shino to nod and take in the information he'd been provided before continuing. "More so, it is still possible for you to obtain victory; you merely cannot do so through a head-on confrontation. You must prepare and act even before the match truly begins. You must fight as a true Aburame, envelop your foe from all sides before she can mount a true defence. From what you have told me, Sabaku no Temari lacks any kind of absolute defence that protects her from all sides; she will blow back attacks from the front, but her rear and flanks will be far more vulnerable."
"I am merely grateful that I am not facing her youngest sibling." Shino stated simply, his voice taking on a grim tone. "His chakra radiates such bloodlust; my insects are terrified of even approaching him. Even more so, Naruko-san is wary of him, perhaps even frightened of him. In the years that I have shared classes with her, I have known very few things that frighten Uzumaki Naruko, father. That a boy our age can do so is…worrying."
"Sabaku no Gaara is indeed a threat to be wary of." Shibi agreed. "Uzumaki-san was right to warn you from approaching him, given the scent of blood pervading his sands. For blood to have saturated them so thoroughly, he must have killed many and often, all done far too easily for my liking. Be on your guard around him Shino, he is beyond the ability of all but a select few to overcome. Should you face him, disengage immediately."
"Understood." Shino nodded obediently. His father was a solidly logical person so he would not make a statement without having solid factual evidence to support it. "Can I ask why Naruko-san is being permitted to battle Sabaku no Gaara then, if he is so dangerous?"
"Naruko-san is an Uzumaki of the Main Branch; that allows her access to a very select form of sealing techniques that can rend most forms of opponent helpless." the Aburame Clan Head answered instantly. "Given that fact, she is one of the few who have a solid chance of overcoming Sabaku no Gaara, and the only one who is not at least an Elite Jonin."
The Aburame Heir considered this information briefly. It sounded factual, and he would simply need to ask Naruko if she did indeed possess such a Fūinjutsu, but something about the way his father said it rang false. Not that Naruko didn't have such a jutsu, but that it was the reason why she was being permitted to face someone that required Elite Jonin, at the very least, to defeat.
'Father would not deceive me unless it was for an important reason. Why? Because he believes in furnishing me with all of the knowledge needed to make logical deduction about my situation.' he thought. 'Therefore, it is likely that there is another reason why Naruko-san is permitted to face Gaara-san, in spite of the danger, one that Father is not permitted to reveal to me, which would imply that it was ordered by the Hokage. Curious. I wonder what secrets you hold that have even the village ruler working to maintain them, Naruko-san?'
"I see." was all he offered aloud. "I shall ask for your guidance for my match, father. However, I doubt I should exert my full efforts given the suspect actions of Sunagakure's forces, Gaara-san's presence alone puts their motivations into question."
Shibi nodded slightly. "Do your best, but do not risk yourself grossly. You mother would be most displeased should you severely injure yourself. We shall begin by adding a second Queen to you."
"A-Another hive?!" Shino asked in disbelief, the emotion breaking through his stoic façade.
"You performed admirably in all aspects of the first two sections of the Chūnin Exam, and your victory during the Third Round Preliminaries, using only two low-ranking jutsu, was flawless." Shibi stated bluntly. "To not grant you a second hive would be remiss of me. In my eyes, and the eyes of the clan, you have reached the ability of a Chūnin. The recognition of Konoha as a whole is merely a formality."
For an Aburame, the number of Queens, in other words hives, that an individual clan member could possess was somewhat determined by their ninja rank, as well as the clan's evaluation of their skills. Chūnin had between one and three hives, while Jonin rarely had less than five. To be granted a second Queen while only a genin was a tremendous honour, one he would be a fool to turn down.
"I shall endeavour to live up to your expectations, father." Shino said once he had reasserted his self-control.
"I have no doubts that you shall." Shibi affirmed before beckoning his son towards the door leading out of the terrarium. "Come. We must select the hive to be transplanted into you with care so that it complements your initial hive."
Shino followed his father, a rare smile crossing his face. He was looking forward to this.
Same Time
Training Ground 9
Tenten huffed as she looked at Neji, the boy staring back placidly at her.
"So you want me to help you learn a technique that, like the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō, is supposed to be limited to the Hyūga Clan Head and the Heir?" she asked, as if to double-check what he wanted of her.
"Precisely." Neji confirmed. "The Hakkeshō Kaiten (Eight Trigrams Palm Rotation) is an absolute defence that is impervious to all attacks. Once I learn it, I shall emerge victorious as it is fated to be."
Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the boy's words, the young Weapons Mistress focused on the situation at hand. "And the best way for me to help you is to pelt you with weapons from all sides?"
"I need to spin whilst releasing chakra from all of my tenketsu at once." the Hyūga Prodigy explained simply. "The release must be evenly distributed and a constant flow must be maintained, both feats requiring exceptional control and focus. Should I fail to maintain an even distribution then it will create openings and weak spots within my defence that a capable opponent could overcome. Should I fail to maintain a constant, steady flow, a sudden loss or increase in output could break my balance and break my technique prematurely, possibly tripping me or even sending me flying. I must be able to maintain my defence under any amount of pressure."
"And won't your cousin know this technique too?" Tenten asked curiously. "She's the current Heiress isn't she?"
"While Hinata-sama has access to them, she lacks the ability to learn either. At best she already knows the Hakke Jūroku Shō and the Hakke Sanjūni Shō, and will perhaps be able to learn the Hakke Rokujūyon Shō by the time of our match." Neji automatically sneered as he usually did when he spoke of Hinata aloud. "She lacks the talent to master two high-level techniques concurrently. She may acquire some paltry ninjutsu, genjutsu and other minor arts in her strange variation of the Jūken, but those will not be enough to close the gap between us."
And there was the Hyūga superiority complex about the Jūken, rearing its ugly head once again. That had been one of the things that had quickly began to cool off her old crush on him after they'd become teammates, along with his aloofness and general lack of social graces (in a different, less directly obvious way compared to Lee's own issues).
"Alright, fine. I'll help you get ready." the brunette agreed with a sigh. "But only with this jutsu; I've got my own training that I need to focus on. Gai-sensei left me a few interesting tricks to work on while he and Lee are out training."
A slight frown crossed his face, but he still nodded brusquely. One of the only times Gai-sensei had scolded him seriously was when he had implied, unintentionally, that Tenten wasn't worth training, which had resulted in Tenten pelting him with weapons for half an hour, a few of which had managed to move fast enough that the fact he could see them coming had nearly been a moot point. Neji had apologized quickly, albeit sincerely, for his slip of the tongue and had been a bit more careful with his wording regarding his two, less-talented teammates.
He was arrogant, not stupid, after all.
"Then I suppose we should begin." he said
The Next Day
Sand Siblings' Hotel Room, Konohagakure
Temari let out a light breath as she settled into armchair resting in her and her sibling's shared hotel room. She'd just finished her official training for the day at the training grounds Konoha had specifically designated for her and her team during the month-long intermission until the Final Round of the Chūnin Exams.
She absently reached into her pack and pulled out the Jutsu Scroll she'd traded with Uzumaki Naruko for.
Katon Renkeijutsu: Karura was, in all honesty, a fairly mundane example of a collaboration ninjutsu. It was designed to be used by two to five users performing handsigns and moulding chakra in unison in order to create a single large-scale attack. It was specifically designed to be usable for those without a strong Fire Affinity as an ambush technique, creating a large destructive attack that would, in addition to harming if not outright killing the targets, would disrupt an enemy formation; allowing the individual users to swiftly move in and attack individually before the targets could reorganize.
Altogether, it would be a useful technique for any team that had good enough teamwork to pull it off. Sadly, as Naruko had predicted, it wouldn't be of much use to Temari and her brothers. Attempting to get Gaara to cooperate with them was nothing short of suicide, let alone convincing him to use anything but his 'mother' and her precious sand in combat. Kankuro was likewise unlikely to be convinced to learn anything that didn't involve his precious puppets, though Temari thought she at least had a chance of being able to convince him at least.
She was really the only one who could make much of the technique, combining it with either her Fūton: Kamaitachi or Fūton: Fūsajin (Wind Style: Dust Wind) techniques in order enhance the heat and power of the flames and possibly twist it into either a flaming cyclone or a wave of burning wind filled with heated sand and dust.
Still, even just having a jutsu that shared her mother's name brought her a warm, comforting feeling. She had so few memories of the woman left, making each a precious gift for the young Wind Dancer, and the scroll only helped to rekindle those fading memories. Unfortunately, it was also adding to the twisting wedge in her stomach that Suna's plans for the Third Round were causing
Suna's economy was tanking, and their idiot Daimyo's penny-pinching ways were slowly starving their village dry. Suna needed to claw itself out of the sinking economical slump that it was in and the Kazekage, Sabaku no Rasa, had decided that working with one of the most infamous traitors in the history of the Elemental Nations in order to backstab their ally was a wonderful idea.
Wrenching her mind from that particular aspect, Temari returned her focus to her match with Aburame Shino. There was a glut of information about the clan of insect wielders in Sunagakure, particularly given their previous conflicts with the Puppeteer Corps. She was also aware that she was something of a natural enemy to the insects that they used, as a single blast of wind could reap hundreds of insects in a flash, as well disrupt their swarms. So her primarily goal for the month was to learn a few new jutsu in order to cover for her weaknesses and prevent the Aburame from being able to sneak anything past her defences.
The first she had decided to learn was Fūton Ninpō: Bōfū (Wind Style Ninja Art: Hurricane), which was a relatively simple move sending a pair of tornados of wind straight at her enemy by waving her Dai-Tessen. Most of her jutsu were designed for wide-area coverage, so having a technique designed to target specific opponents would make up for that.
The next, Fūton: Tatsu no Ōshigoto (Wind Style: Great Task of the Dragon), was a delayed activation Fūton jutsu that struck the opponent from the sky, rather than originating from the user. It was a relatively simple feint, but a good and considering her rather direct fighting style so far, it should catch bug boy off-guard as well.
Next, there was Fūton: Gōfū Bōheki (Wind Style: Great Wind Protective Wall), a jutsu that she was learning and adjusting to push back in three-hundred-and-sixty degrees around her. Most of her techniques tended to be fairly linear and offensive, so this one would not only provide her with a strong defence but also protect her should the insect-user manage to sneak his insects around her to attack from more than a single angle. Even insects bred and raised using chakra like the Kikaichū of the Aburame Clan wouldn't be able to fight against a strong enough wind.
Her final jutsu had been chosen on something of a whim; Fūton: Renkū Yōsen (Wind Style: Drilling Sky Dancing Fan) was an area offence jutsu, creating a large cyclone that ran amok inside of a specific area under the control of the user. It could uproot trees and suck up loosely packed dirt, effectively removing the normal advantage a Konoha Shinobi might have in a forest. This wasn't one she was planning on using in the Finals, but during the invasion that would doubtlessly come afterwards.
Again, she pushed down the tinge of guilt that she felt at what she would be required to do as a Shinobi of Sunagakure. She was a loyal kunoichi and would work on her home village's behalf. She just wished that she could convince herself that something terrible wasn't going to happen.
A sound made her look up and she gulped. Gaara was staring at her unblinkingly. How long had he been in the room?!
"What is that you're reading?" the redhead asked in his low, rasping voice.
"It's...it's a jutsu that I traded for with that redhead you're going to fight during the exams." the sandy-blonde replied hesitantly. "Katon Renkeijutsu: Karura."
An almost imperceivable widening of his eyes, practically a shout of surprise coming from the usually stoic boy, told her that she had his attention.
"Why would she trade it to you?" he demanded.
"Fūton jutsu are apparently pretty rare around here...I just gave her a copy of one I don't use." Temari answered. "She...seemed happy about the trade."
"..." Gaara looked at her before vanishing in a Suna Shunshin.
"...damn you, father...!" Temari growled to herself as she carefully rolled up the scroll and placed it in her own pack. "Damn you to hell and back for what you've done to Gaara!"
Unbeknownst to her, Gaara was listening from outside the room, his mind whirling, even as the mad cackles of his 'mother' echoed in his psyche.
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Next Chapter: Gamabunta and Yatagarasu
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