A.N Hello all, and welcome to the first chapter of the Shippuden Arc. Thank you all so much for your support, i simply cannot say it enough. We should be back in the swing of things so i hope you all enjoy the goodies to come.
As usual Naruto isn't mine, this is purely a work of fiction, and please read and review.
Enjoy.
It was another day in Konohagakure. The early mist and dew had yet to fully settle and the air was filled with a sense of tranquillity.
And as often the case, it was marred by the clashing of weapons, the thumping of bodies driven to blows.
Konohamaru gritted his teeth as he was forced backwards again. His body was tense from the strain and exertion coloured his every move. His feet dragged across the ground and he brandished his weapon with a flourish. It was shaped like a short staff; however on one end was a slightly curved single edged blade. The other end held a sharp spike, partially encased in a hard shell to further secure the spike to the staff. The shell was slightly curved up and outwards, where it split leaving the spike mostly in the centre of the staff. Finally the two ends of the split shell held stronger thicker spikes.
All in all, the weapon gave off a bug themed feel, the tail end of the staff reminiscent of a beetle's abdomen, partially encased in its shell, while on the top end the blade housing was designed in reminiscent of a stinger, despite the fact that it was also a slashing weapon.
Considering its maker who was also Konohamaru's opponent, it wasn't unexpected.
Twirling his weapon Konohamaru rapidly took in his opponent's stance, desperate to find any gaps he could exploit. As he processed the situation his left hand reached into his pouch and dug out several pellets. He ground them in his palms and raised them to mouth level before giving a chakra enhanced blow. The dust quickly filled the air, moving rapidly in a blinding film of white.
"I've told you many times, be careful when you play with white phosphorus"
Konohamaru flinched and shrunk inwards guiltily, before snapping back into attention as a chuckle filtered through the air.
Crap
With a surge of chakra he backed rapidly away from the flowing cloud, just as the whole thing went up in flames. He quickly shook his hand vigorously, dispersing much of the powder residue and taking a sigh of relief as he just cleared the flames. The last time he messed around with white phosphorus it took Tsunade herself to help regrow the patches of skin he lost, and then he spent weeks on an intensive course on the dangers of weapons grade chemical compounds and general shinobi safety practices.
Suddenly his opponent was on him again, forcing Konohamaru to go on the defensive. Sweat poured from the strained genin as he ducked and weaved passed the unrelenting assault, his weapon was very good for attack but wasn't the best for defensive manoeuvres. Konohamaru ducked, avoiding a blow that would have left him headless and scarpered to the right. His journey however was halted by a sharp blow to the back, with another blow he was on the floor.
Only to dissipate in a cloud of smoke, Kage Bunshin
The ground rumbled and cracked, seconds later Konohamaru burst through with a loud flourish. He lashed out with his left foot, catching his opponent off guard and scored a satisfying blow. He landed lightly on his feet and pressed forwards twirling his custom glaive. He let his hand slide down its length as he swung in a wide arc. His opponent quickly bent backwards, avoiding the blade by inches. Konohamaru didn't let up, his chakra pulsed rapidly and his speed increased, he swept forwards with two more arcing blows before making a short jump forwards, he moved into a rapid spin, building momentum and came crashing downwards on his opponent.
The blow slammed hard and kicked up dust everywhere, limiting visibility to a large degree.
"You have improved vastly with the weapon Konohamaru-Kun. More than I expected when it was first brought to my attention." Konohamaru smirked, with a hint of resignation. The voice came from behind him, its unflappable tones once would have sent him into a quite fury, now he accepted it for the way his mentor simply was.
Very few Aburames were expressive after all.
"Still, I have cautioned you repeatedly to limit your flourishes to when you are sure you will strike. You leave yourself open to far too many counter attacks and lose momentum, something this weapon heavily emphasises."
Konohamaru chuckled lightly as he scratched his head.
"I know, but I thought this time I had you. I'm a lot faster now, so I was hoping to at least capitalise on that." Konohamaru grinned as his sensei shook his head lightly and sighed. It wasn't often the Aburame in question would so full of expression and the young Genin delighted in the fact that he could bring that out of him.
"True, your speed has gone up, but that tactic is only effective if you catch you opponent off-guard, or they are slower than you. I have been mentoring you for almost three years now; I know how skilled you are and how much you grow. The only time you had me was with the Kage Bunshin. Like I said, your weapon of choice requires continuous momentum, you need to be constantly making openings and keep your opponent off balance."
Konohamaru nodded his grin fading slightly.
"I know sensei" he gripped his weapon tightly and his gaze dropped to the floor. Silence echoed around for a while. Then Konohamaru felt a hand on his head and he glanced upwards in shock. His mentor wasn't always one for such physical displays of reassurance. Quickly a warm smile grew on the Genins face as the Aburame ruffled his hair again.
"Still, with what you have accomplished these past years I can truly say well done. I only wish you could use the full range of the Kinsect Glaive" The Aburame brought his hand to chest level, showing several Kikaichu crawling along its length. The several soon became a swarm as the they flitted round the Aburame. Suddenly they launched forwards at Konohamaru, a dark cloud buzzing with intensity.
Konohamaru was familiar with the move however and sent a windmill blast of air and chakra. Still, as always the bugs recovered very quickly and he was engulfed. Visibility was poor and the sound from the bugs was deafening. As quickly as they swarmed the dissipated, Konohamaru blinked rapidly at the change and stilled as he felt a blade resting on his shoulder.
"The Kinsect Glaive is so named, due to the symbiotic nature of-"the Aburame began, however Konohamaru cut him off, having heard the statement many times.
"-nature of the weapon and the Kikaichu. Yes I am aware of this sensei, still I like it and I can find other ways of creating openings."
Konohamaru turned to his mentor, conviction firm in his eyes. The Aburame conceded with a nod and another small smile. For the young genin, it was the greatest thing ever.
"We are done for the day. You have to rest up a bit before you meet with your team."
Konohamaru nodded as he placed his weapon in its holster on his back.
"Hai, Shino-Sensei"
In other parts of Konoha similar training's were going on. Lives were being filled with activity. Civilians kept up with their daily challenges and the ninja carried out their duties.
Tsunade sighed as she looked longingly out the window. The last two plus years had been long and tedious, two things she absolutely loathed. People thought that taking care of a ninja village as its Kage was such an honour, but they never realised just how spirit crushing it could be at times.
The political intrigues, the shadow games…..
And the paperwork…..The never ending paperwork.
How Sarutobi ever managed to old age with this work is beyond me. I always said he was touched in the head. Or maybe it was his pipe, constantly smoking the really good stuff.
Tsunade continued to muse, glancing ever so often at the piling high stack of notes and reports and then moaning loudly as she felt her will continue to sap.
At the rate she was going she wouldn't last for much longer. She had no choice.
Tsunade glanced furtively around, before reaching into a secure compartment in the desk and pulled out a small sake jar. She forewent the saucer and brought the jar straight to her lips. A small sigh of satisfaction escaped as the contents immediately made the world around her much better.
"Tsunade-Sama!"
Hell, the world just went down the drain.
Miles away from Konoha several figures darted between the trees and shrubberies of the great forest. The movements were swift and mostly unnoticed, so much so that by the time the forest creatures could react on instinct the figures had long moved on.
"Three week mission away from Konoha, and this happens. I can't wait to get back and start decontamination, all those doctors prodding and pocking away at me" a sarcastic tone from one of the figures cut through the silence.
Another to the left gave a sidelong glance.
"No one asked you to pick up the packet Ikada. Better yet, no one asked you to swallow it either. I mean who does that? Swallows an untested, unverified biological agent without hesitation?"
Ikada sulked as several murmurs of agreement filtered around him.
"Yeah well, the newbie was taking too much time. And we were surrounded. Taichou said make sure no one got the packet from us, it was a spur of the moment thing." Ikada replied, feeling mulish about the whole affair.
"I only needed a few more seconds Ikada-Senpai. There are procedures dealing with biological agents, no matter how well preserved or packaged they might be. I certainly wasn't expecting to see you snatch the item and then stuff it down your throat."
Ikada merely sniffed at the new speaker before shooting a mild glare
"Well, why didn't you try and stop me rookie?"
"Too stunned Senpai" came the swift reply.
"Everyone quiet now."
All mutterings dropped at the command. The group slowed and came to a stop by a small stream.
"Koka, Mogi. Keep over watch. We are deep in our territory but don't be complacent." The two ninjas straightened and made for the canopies, blending in the background.
"Everyone drop down. Ikada…well done, but if you pull a stunt like that again I'll have you on academy duty on a six month tour, understood."
Ikada paled and nodded rapidly.
"Good, Sakura check him again. Anything we should worry about?" The commander threw a strong glare at Ikada, quieting any attempts to grumble about the 'rookie'.
Sakura stepped forwards as the sun's rays filtered through the leaves. She wore a standard chunin vest; however the rest of her outfit was different from her genin days.
Her bodysuit had been replaced with a slightly gothic kimono. The top was secured around her waist with a sash, with the front reaching just above her knees while the back went straight to the floor. The sleeves were long and wide, and her ninja boots were concealed by matching legwarmers. The outfit was a very dark red, almost black with cherry blossoms of various shades scattered across the design.
Sakura ran a practiced had over Ikada's frame, her chakra pulsing gently.
"His body temp is elevated again, but so far nothing too major Takada-Taichou." Sakura reported as she continued her diagnostic. The chakra pulse dimished and she gave a small sigh of relief
"The bag doesn't appear to have ruptured though not for the lack of trying; still at this point it's like playing with a live tag. We need to get to Konoha as quickly as possible and get it out of him."
Takada nodded.
"We are less than an hour away from the village. At this point it may be wise to through caution to the wind and haul ass. Sakura, keep an eye on the lug, anything changes you let me know."
Sakura nodded and shifted closer to Ikada, ignoring the grumbling that ensued. Takada raised a fist and gave the signal to move out.
Sharp burst of chakra rang out and the unit was in motion.
With the unit safely behind Konoha's walls and Ikada in the confines of the medical wards, Sakura could finally allow herself to relax. Milling around in the Chunin recreation room were her squad mates and other off duty ninjas. Takada was nowhere in sight, likely still in debriefing while Ikada was with the medical corps, the latter would be with them for quite some time.
Sakura couldn't help the slightly vengeful smile that filled her face.
Ikada had not been the most receptive to her presence in the squad, especially considering both he and their captain were the oldest ones and she was less than half his age. He more than anyone else had made it his personal mission to shadow her and be an overwhelming thorn, questioning every statement and every action. Had it not been for her time with Naruto and Team Seven she was sure to have cracked under his constant pressure; however she persevered and gave often as much as she got.
And none could question her combat skills.
It may have been Naruto that help first forge her, but Tsunade was the one that hone her craft. The Hokage had been unrelenting and utterly ruthless in her training, pushing her to the very limits and then beyond. The two years spent training had been the greatest challenge she had ever faced and looking back now on those times, Sakura could only feel pride and a sense of accomplishment.
After the training she had joined up with Takada's squad and then, time flew by. She gained her field promotion, primarily due to her medical rating, and under Takada's guidance built up a respectable level of experience and competence. And while at first some of the long standing members of the squad grumbled about her placement overtime she managed to cement her place among them, no one denied her merit.
Well, no one but Ikada.
Still baring the 'light' hazing she received, joining up with Thirteen-B or more commonly called 'Thirteen-Black' had been worth it. They were career chunins to the core, with no desire to move further from their ranks. Some scoffed at them but the sheer number of missions, recruitment choices and tactical flexibility the squad earned was nothing to scoff at. They were a stable element in the ever changing world of shinobi ranks, and not just anyone worked with them.
Their Chunin commander was in his late forties and still had not made the jump to Jonin, yet he had the respect of the Jonins as well as the rank and file. He had been leading the same squad for more than a decade, with some new faces coming and going; only Ikada had a service record that came close.
Sakura smiled at the group picture she managed to con the unit into taking.
She would miss the unit; miss working with them….
Sakura sighed as she closed her locker
Mendokusei
"I know you are lazy, but this is getting out of hand" The hard tone caused Shikamaru to wince. He shifted and slowly opened one eye.
The amused glare he received wasn't all that reassuring.
"It was a nice attempt, I'll admit. But I have two brothers, one that constantly tries to foist of his share of the work using any creative means possible, and the other who has discovered the joys of naps. I've seen it all"
Shikamaru closed his eye and slumped even more, his mood sullen.
"I wasn't trying very hard, you wouldn't have found me otherwise" He muttered under his breath. Feeling the amused glare grow more and more piercing the Nara sighed again and slowly sat up. He stretched out a lazy hand only to receive the file to the chest.
Shikamaru wheezed at the sudden loss of breath and gave a return glare. His assailant however smirked at him. The wind picked up and blew across her face and she raised a hand in reflex, a hand with a rough circular scar going through it.
Shikamaru was glad the file had dropped to his lap; it hid his reaction as his own hand clenched into a fist, a hand that held a similar scar to hers.
If one were to put both hands together they would see it fit perfectly.
Meanwhile, Temari brought her hand down as she looked at the still sitting Nara. Things with the dark haired boy had been….complex, to say the least. The first been the age gap between them, she had a full three years on him. The second was his constant need to slouch and just be so sloth like, it made her molars sad and her dentist a wealthy happy man.
And yet….
She could vividly remember that day in the forest. No hesitation, no delays. He had her fully subdued and out of the fight. There was a strength to him that he rarely displayed, and a keen tactical mind, ruthless when pushed.
And like a moth to a flame she was drawn to him.
The last year she had worked with a number of Chunins from Konoha, but she almost exclusively worked with Shikamaru. Once he was roused from his laziness he was efficient and methodical, something Temari always appreciated.
And he kept up with her schedule, more so she knew he could exceed it, were it not for his constant need to be lazy. Temari was sure it was some form of genetic disorder, when she had stayed with the Nara's his father had been almost exactly the same, it was near maddening.
She put those thoughts out of her mind as Shikamaru began perusing the file again, the major reason she disturbed him in the first place.
"This year's Chunin Exam, held in Suna, what a mess." Shikamaru sighed as he flipped through the pages. He stopped every so often and raised an eyebrow.
"Are any of these accurate?"
Temari nodded
"Mendokusei…Kumo and Iwa have all but confirmed their intent to participate in these tournaments, the same tournaments both nations expressly stated they would not be present for." Shikamaru stated, all weariness leaving his tone.
"Yes, considering how much dust Kumo has been stirring up these last few years it was almost a relief to hear they would not be participating. And now we get this, not just one team but they are sending six teams. This is not just an exam, it's a statement" Temari added her tone level.
Shikamaru rubbed his brow, as if to ward of headache.
"The logistical nightmares alone give pause, however six teams is a bit much even for them. And throw in Iwa, this year is going to be volatile." Shikamaru paused again and gave a huff.
"We need to start over. Run the numbers again, we will fill the slots with the best genin teams, even if we have to reshuffle them a bit."
Temari nodded as she picked up another file.
"What about the rookies?"
"No, not if Kumo are rigging the system like this. My guess is that these 'genin' are that only in name." Shikamaru paused and gave a side glance "if you have any exceptional ones then yes, we can nominate them, but fill the rest with vets, ones that are likely to pass, or at least capable of taking out the competition"
Temari nodded, she gave a glance at the sky and bit her lip.
"This is going to take a while, and I had a dinner date planned."
Shikamaru went still. His fists juddered as he tried to keep his reactions under control. The change was not lost on Temari who let loose another large smile.
Across the village the lives of people echoed. Activities began and ended under the sun, hopes were dashed, and despair turned to elation, life went on.
Tsunade, once the opportunity came, disappeared from the 'Ivory prison' and took the time to enjoy a simple walk down Konoha's many streets. Greetings and well wishes sounded around her and she responded in kind. Her keen eyes caught on occasion children playing all sorts of ninja games, something which never failed to lift her spirits.
In times like this…being the Hokage….isn't so bad…
Tsunade brushed her hair from her vision as she slowly wandered the streets. It was good to be the Hokage.
In thinking of the title, her thoughts transitioned to something she had been waiting for a long while. She had received secure word from her teammate, the training and reconnaissance mission was more or less over and they would be making their way back to the village.
Naruto was coming home. Her little brother was coming back to her.
The communication had come in weeks prior and Tsunade could not deny the anxiousness welling up in her. It was near enough three years ago since they saw each other. Who knew how much he would have grown.
"Tsunade!"
Tsunade whirled round in surprise, not expecting the familiar voice of Jiraiya. Before she could speak her eyes locked onto his and she stopped cold. The anxious tone in his voice then registered and her blood froze in her veins.
Something is not right
Her dark feelings only grew at his next words.
"Tsunade, where is Naruto?! Is Naruto back yet?!"
Land of Lightning – Hidden Sound Base
Smoke and mist coiled around and away from each other, the subtle difference in air pressure creating unique patterns and effects in the air. Despite the shroud of the mist it wasn't easy hiding the increasing glow of a blazing flame.
Portions of the building were burnt out and the rest was going up nicely, with any luck and without much time all of it would be burnt to the core, leaving nothing for scavengers to find.
Still, there was no satisfaction.
Two figures stood a fair distance from the growing blaze, uncaring of the occasional explosions probably from one of the many lab rooms. One was significantly taller than the other, and both were hidden in long dark coats.
"Another dead end…"
One of the figures sighed; the flames surged and illuminated his face for a brief moment.
Sharp reds eyes came in relief, matching the flames, burning before him.
"Orochimaru is becoming craftier, and I had hoped…." The sentenced trailed into the wind.
"Still, we can take this one off the list. There are only a few bases left, and those cannot be touched yet."
The figure turned as the flames reached their peak; the other remained still.
"The snake will make a mistake."
"Sas..."the wind blew, carrying much of the words into the horizon, "-annot hide forever."
