Chapter Five: Bell Test
Tenten got to the designated training ground with sleep in her eyes. She'd woken up that morning to find a letter from Master Panda on her doorstep. It had read;
'To my wayward apprentice,
'I see you've managed to successfully graduate from the academy. I'm glad to hear it. It means that when you invariably get chewed up and spat out, you'll be even better at testing weapons. I also have heard that you've been assigned Itachi Uchiha as a jonin.
'I'd be careful.
'The Uchiha regard you as nothing more than a tool to be exploited. And Itachi regards even his own family as tools. After Itachi Uchiha used you to undermine the Uchiha radicals, they were very annoyed. They came to my door making all kinds of accusations demands like they own the place lately. I really wish you hadn't walked out so suddenly; it caused me a huge headache.
'If you'd waited a little while, we all could have been saved a lot of misery.
'The details are a bit much to explain in a letter, but I'll tell you everything if you drop by in person.
'To make a long story short, the Uchiha were expecting a shipment of equipment from me some time ago. I'd hoped to have you deliver the shipment and use the trip to apprentice you to one of their craftsmen. Now the radicals are acting like their equipment was used against them.
"As if they really stood a chance of taking over the Leaf. Sarutobi isn't that old.
"Keep safe."
"Sincerely,
Master Panda."
'P.S: Keep training with the extra Fuijutsu Scroll I sent you. Just remember that every weapon has a set of circumstances that are a hard counter. Keep at it and use it well, and you'll be fine.'
Tenten felt...
Worried as she walked. Her back felt heavy on her as she saw Neji and Lee standing at the ready. Shaking her head, she muttered to herself. "...What the hell did that even mean?"
Rock Lee rushed up to her. "Tenten! There you are!
"You look troubled, is something wrong?"
"I got this really weird letter from Master Panda," said Tenten, walking toward Neji with him. "Most of the time, he only sends letters to give me advice and undermine my confidence. This time he was... supportive. I'm worried about him." Master Panda was never supportive.
"Is there anything in the letter to indicate why?" asked Neji.
Tenten thought about that. "Well... he said he'd been having trouble with some of the Uchiha radicals. And he also mentioned he'd planned to send me with a weapons shipment to the Leaf. Then apprentice me to one of the Uchiha's craftsmen.
"Only that wasn't supposed to happen for a while, and I walked out before he could.
"Now the Uchiha radicals are really mad."
"Why? Did they not get much of what they wanted?" asked Rock Lee.
"It's possible that some among them genuinely wanted the conflict to erupt," said Neji. "If one believes one will win a war easily and dictate absolute terms, a favorable peace is a downgrade."
Tenten sighed and wondered what it had all been about. Now that the conflict was over, more information had been coming out. Little details had spread as tensions relaxed. Apparently, the Uchiha had wanted to have one of their own be Hokage. That as well as a variety of other more reasonable concessions. The more radical elements called for an all-or-nothing approach. Meanwhile, the Leaf hardliners had not wanted to give them anything. Both sides moderates had to appease the radicals.
Neither one wanted to give an inch for fear of the other taking a mile.
What Tenten, Neji, and Lee had done was help Sarutobi give the Uchiha concessions. But without officially doing it. Everyone moved out of the Uchiha district because of health concerns. And funny thing, they never went back. Eventually, the district was abolished as mandatory. After all, why have a rule if nobody was going to follow it?
Not that Tenten got any of the credit. For one thing, the conflict had technically never existed. And what credit there was to give went to Sarutobi and Itachi. Which Tenten found... irritating.
Either way, there was no sense in getting worked up about it. "Well, anyway, we've got everything we need for as much of a week. Food supplies and everything. I also brought my Fuijutsu scrolls, my kunai, and weapons."
"I brought additional supplies since I am a taijutsu specialist," said Rock Lee. "Indeed, comrades. I am certain that together we shall pass this final test."
"Oh, are you?" asked Itachi, standing right behind them. They turned to see him. "You might not be so certain once you learn the nature of the test in question."
"Whatever it is, we shall take on any task," said Rock Lee.
"We are here, aren't we?" asked Neji.
Actually, Neji looked off.
Maybe it was because Tenten had seen what happened last night to him. Or maybe she only noticed it more because she saw it happen. Either way, Neji looked off in a very subtle way. His stoic face remained just a little downcast.
"Very good," said Itachi, motioning to their surroundings. "Look around you, familiarize yourself with this place."
Tenten looked to the training ground, one situated outside of the Leaf Village proper. There were trees, lots and lots of trees. As they did, Itachi raised two bells. "Now, your objective is to get these bells from me as a team. If you successfully get even one bell by yourself, then you as a team will graduate together. However, there will be a time limit of my choosing.
"If you are unable to get the bells before that time limit expires, you fail. If you leave the training grounds before achieving your goal, you are disqualified."
"I understand," said Neji.
"What's the catch?" asked Tenten.
"Ordinarily, the purpose of the test is to see how a group of genin work together as a team," said Itachi. "However, you are already more than capable of cooperating. So, I have decided to repurpose the test for a different kind of training.
"The time limit I choose for this mission is one year. And the training grounds I choose is the world."
One year? A one-year long orientation? Across the entire world?
"What?" asked Rock Lee. "What do you mean, sensei?"
"I mean that the entire world will be your training ground," said Itachi. "And you will have one year to get a bell from me. The only place you cannot go to is the Leaf Village. Anywhere else is fair game.
"You may seek any assistance, seek additional training from others. The only other rule is that only you three must get a bell."
So... they were basically exiled until they got the bells or quit? This was way too heavy for a normal training session.
"Now, let us begin," said Itachi.
"Excellent, then let us-" began Lee. However, even as he spoke, Itachi surged behind him to set a hand on his shoulder. "What..."
"You're slow, even at your fastest," said Itachi.
Then that Itachi vanished, and the ground beneath Lee's feet began to give way as he sank down. Tenten rushed to him as he tried to pull himself out. "I can't... Tenten, Neji, help!"
"Lee!" said Tenten, catching him by the hand. "Hang on, Lee, I'll get you out!"
And then Itachi was behind her. "Helping a comrade is admirable. However, doing so while having an enemy at your back is suicidal."
Suddenly vines surged up around Tenten's body and covered her eyes.
And then nothing.
For a moment, Tenten stood in utter blackness over a dead world. Looking upon it, she had infinite understanding and power. All things were now, but extensions of her, and her power was beyond mortal comprehension. It was beyond even her comprehension. Her own glory was greater than she herself could conceive.
Her skin was pale but perfect in complexion, and her hair flowed around her white. With a wave of her hand, mountains could be cast down and raised up. Her gaze pierced through all material matter. She could perceive all things down to a spiritual level.
And yet, there was nothing else.
Only her, in limitless power and majesty. And the desire came to Tenten, the desire for others, for someone beside her. Waking up, she found herself in the middle of a clearing, feeling... weird. What had that vision been? Either way, Tenten stood and saw Neji beside her.
Running to him, she shook him. "Neji, wake up! Wake up; we need you!" But Neji's eyes were empty. He was ensnared in some of genjutsu, and he was... smiling.
Tenten had almost never seen Neji smile before. It wasn't a confident smirk like you'd expect; he was happy. But she needed to pass the test and get Lee out of this. "I uh... he's under a genjutsu, so if I cause him pain..." Tenten drew a kunai and set it to his arm. "I've never seen Neji smile before. Not like that anyway. Either way... I need him."
Tenten pricked him with the kunai, and his eyes gained life. "Tenten, I... I'm alive."
"Of course you're alive," said Tenten. "What, did you think you were dead?
"I... I had a dream, Tenten," said Neji. "A wonderful dream of a world... it was a place where everyone was good. We thought each person was evil was really just confused and could be set straight with a kind word. Naruto was in it; he became powerful, more powerful than anyone before him.
"It was... beautiful.
"But all these inconvenient questions kept coming to me while I was in it. Details that didn't add up, and I began to wonder if the dream was a nightmare beneath the surface. Yet... yet those details were never explored.
"I had a family, Tenten. My uncle, he was stern, and we had issues, but we fixed them. And Hinata we, we fought but... I loved her, Tenten. And she loved me, but it wasn't that kind of love. Everyone was there, but...
"But I still had a Caged Bird Seal on my head. I tried to forget it, to paste over it, but I couldn't. I... I tried to write myself out of the dream. At first, I was one of the chief players, but I... I faded, and finally...
"Finally, I died. I died saving Hinata, and my death was mourned by the world. I became a hero, and peace came about. And I wasn't there to ruin it for everyone.
"But... it was only a dream.
"And now I'm back here because I couldn't believe in it."
"Neji I..." Tenten felt her heartbreak a little. "Neji, we need to keep moving. Lee might need our help."
"I know," said Neji. He activated his Byakugan and looked around.
"We should... we should come up with some kind of strategy," said Tenten.
"We'll only get one of those bells if Itachi lets us get one," said Neji, standing up. "I doubt he intends to let us get one here."
"Well, shouldn't we at least try?" asked Tenten.
"Perhaps," said Neji. "I'm the fastest between us. You and Lee will make a distraction, and I'll try to circle around and get one."
On they ran, but Neji was weird. Weirder than he'd been before. Now Tenten was really worried. "Neji, are you okay?"
"No," said Neji. "No, I am not.
"I may never be; however, I can still function. What did you see, Tenten?"
Tenten thought about what she'd seen. "I saw nothing.
"I was... I was on a dead world. The only living thing left. I was powerful, more powerful than anything or anyone who ever existed. All chakra and experience had been absorbed into me. I knew every jutsu could do anything, and there was no one beside me at all.
"It was... glorious."
"You mean to say you actually enjoyed such an existence?" asked Neji.
"Hey, I'm a self-sufficient kind of person, okay!" said Tenten. "I like you, Neji. But I don't need anyone. Teamwork is great and all, but when you can do the thing without involving other people.
"So, if I became a god, I wouldn't need anyone."
"There's Lee," said Neji.
Coming to a halt, they found Lee resting on a bed of leaves. Neji punched him in the face.
Lee flew upwards, rubbing his eye. "Neji, why did you... I see, a genjutsu.
"Neji, Tenten, you're here.
"Then what I saw was indeed an illusion."
"More or less," said Neji. "What did you see?"
"I dreamed that I had graduated from the academy and was being challenged to find a bell. My goal was to prove myself worthy of being a genin," said Rock Lee.
Tenten blinked. "...You dreamed of exactly the same thing that is happening right now."
"Naturally," said Rock Lee. "My dream is to prove myself to be the best through hard work. If I did not earn a thing, then there is no sense in having it. My one desire is to be faced with challenges to overcome. One that I have become strong enough to overcome."
"Then how did Itachi even catch you in an illusion?" asked Neji.
And then a flight of crows descended, forming gradually into the form of Itachi Uchiha. "I gave him the illusion that you were both having just as much fun as he was.
"Did you enjoy seeing each of your heart's desires?
"I had planned for something more terrifying; however, it seemed too cruel."
Tenten looked to the others, and they nodded.
"Let's go!" said Tenten.
In formation, they charged toward Itachi and-
Why were they stuck against a tree? Tenten hauled on it and found that ropes were binding them there.
"...Why are we tied up, and how did we get here?" asked Neji.
"I incapacitated all of you before you realized what I was doing," said Itachi, sitting on a rock. "You have been sleeping for three hours."
"Okay, this is ridiculous!" said Tenten. "How could any Team of genin get the bells from you? Aren't you supposed to like... give us an actual way to win?"
"They could not, in an ordinary time scale. After all, I am fighting at full capacity," said Itachi. "That is why I chose to extend it over the period of a year. I am leaving now. You can return to the Leaf and be sent back to the academy. Or you can follow me into the unknown and hope to become strong enough to get these bells.
"The choice is yours.
"A genjutsu is on you that will lead you directly to where I am."
And then Itachi and the ropes were gone.
Tenten was feeling very annoyed at the moment. Standing up, she saw Neji standing up. "...So what now?"
"Need you to ask such a question, Tenten?" asked Lee. "Come now, Tenten, Neji. The challenge lies before us. We now have only to meet it. Better to make an attempt than return so soon in failure?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right," said Tenten. "It's not like any of us wanted to go back there anyway."
And so began a very unexpected journey.