A young woman sat at the desk, half an eye on her work and other on the clock, tapping her foot anxiously on the creaky floor. The little lamp illuminating the office was dim and flickered at strobe-like intervals. A slow, monotonous beeping noise erupted from her wristwatch. She slowly rose from her seat with a stack of finished reports in her arms. The filing room next door had eight towering bookshelves with folders, systematically organized by color and number on the tabs, hanging off the sides. After dealing with the documents, she turned her attention to the six-by-six cubed locker in the corner. Only a few people were allowed keys. But, there was one locker that nobody was allowed access.
She nervously dug deep into her vest pocket, pulling out a rusted, iron key. Her heart was pounding against her chest as she clutched it tightly in her trembling hand. Row four, column five. She thought as she carefully inserted the key into the lock. After one clockwise twist, she ran over to the left side of the locker, pushing it against the wall with all of her might. It was like trying to push a boulder. The wall eventually gave way to her efforts, revealing a hidden spiral staircase. At the bottom was a small crypt filled with scrolls ranging from a variety of sizes.
Wasting no time, she searched the eerie alcoves thoroughly. As she sifted and sorted, her eyes were constantly on the look-out for something out of the ordinary. This is the only one that matched the description he gave. She thought as she hoisted a thick scroll from the pile. After leaving the crypt, she made sure to place everything back in the correct order before running outside in the rain.
As she ducked through the dark alleyways, she occasionally looked back at the Hokage Rock several times. Their eyes observing her in disappointment as she continues to make the biggest mistake of her life. Forgive me, I only do this out of love.She thought as she flung open her apartment door, stepping on the doormat as the water dripped off her soaked body. The sacred scroll wrapped indistinctly in her blue trench coat. She closed the flailing door using her soaked back, sliding down to the floor as she attempted to calm her sporadic breathing.
"I've been waiting for you, Tsubaki."
She almost shrieked at the stern, manly voice coming from across the room.
"Were you followed?"
"No, I-I... br-br-ought the... scroll you wanted," Tsubaki stammered as she crawled across the floor, leaving a narrow trail of water behind her. "N-now you you can st-stop….."
In a flash, the man kneeled in front of her with his hand covering her mouth. "I'll be taking this somewhere safe." He slid the scroll out of her arms, smiling at his new trophy. He ran his hand over her face to calm her panicked demeanor. "You did well."
"I-I..was..so..scared."
"It's all over now." He wiped away the tears streaming down her face with his thumb. "You will never have to do something like that again for me."
"You promise?" She stared deeply into his piercing green eyes.
"Yes," The man vowed before planting an intimate kiss on her lips.
Instinctively, she pressed her wet shirt against his bare, muscular chest. She could feel her mind going blank as his warm hands ran up her spine. Her hands wrapped firmly around his head, twirling the long locks of hair with her fingers.
All of a sudden, she felt her entire body becoming incredibly weak. She tried to push him away, but his bulky arms kept her body locked to his. She found herself laying motionless on the floor, struggling to scream or shout for help.
"I think it's better we finish this somewhere else." He scooped the immobile woman into his arms, heading towards the bedroom. "I am afraid that this is where it ends for us, love." Red triangular tattoos moved halfway across his face and body. "It's not you." The sweet, loving smile she saw earlier was now twisted and malicious,"it's me."
"I…..think I…... got it all down," Naruto panted as he gazed across the field at the target. Through his dusty goggles, he noticed that the charred, soggy wood chips would break off the rim and drop to the ground. Also, there were three horizontal craters about the size of his fist situated above several kunai. I think tomorrow I'll have to try it again with more of them. He thought, gazing down at the other five similar targets.
The blonde immediately packed up his things at the sound of his stomach growling. Today is finally the day! I can't go like this. He quickly raced back through the woods for a well-deserved shower and breakfast. The dawn sun peeked through a hazy screen of clouds, painting the sky an elaborate mix of red and orange. In the forest, the smoky greys covering the trees disappeared to show the lush greenery below. A cool damp morning breeze brushed pass his sweaty black shirt, providing a relaxing sensation to his sore muscles. The chirping and buzzing sounds of the forest filled his ears with a soothing melody.
After a refreshing hour in his apartment, Naruto happily strutted through the streets as he made his way towards the Konoha Shinobi Academy.
"Hey, Naruto!"
The blue-eyed blonde turned to see Ayame and Teuchi signaling him to come inside the shop. As soon as he stepped inside, the aroma from the boiling broths instantly made his stomach growl again. "It smells amazing in here!"
"Perfect timing," Techui grinned as he handed the boy a white porcelain cup. "It's a special tea that's guaranteed to give you all the energy you need!" The older man started rubbing his square chin in deep thought. "We should make that the slogan for our future tea shop." He pulled out a small pad and pencil from his apron, writing down one of many new business ideas.
"Awesome!" Naruto could smell the strong citrus aroma as he slurped his way to the bottom. The tangy taste was a little sharp at first but eventually mellowed out after a few seconds. "That was great! I definitely feel a lot more energized!"
"This is my gift." Ayame gave the boy a sweet smile as she slid his goggles over his eyes, planting a kiss on his forehead.
The feeling of her warm lips onto his cool skin made the blonde blush. The warmth of her breath made little shivers run down his spine. Woah.
After pulling away, she wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck,"it's for good luck."
Teuchi placed both firm hands on the boy's shoulders,"go out there and make us proud!"
"Don't worry Techui-san, Ayame-chan! I'll have this test finished in no time." The blonde waved goodbye as he raced towards his next destination.
Iruka Umino diligently walked through the hallways with confidence in his stride. Today is the day that he will finally take charge of administering the genin exam. The questions were non-stop as soon as he woke up this morning. Did he practice his speech enough? Did everyone else remember what to do? Did he brush his teeth this morning? He was beginning to think that his friends were right about him obsessing over it.
In his right hand was a thick stack of freshly printed tests consisting of ten simple questions.
In his left hand was a nice hot cup of homemade tea to help him concentrate from his restlessness last night. Approaching the classroom door, he noticed the other chūnin instructors following behind him in a single file.
"You can take it easy, Mr. Perfect."
Iruka slightly turned his head to get a glimpse of the green-eyed man behind him. "I am perfectly fine, Mizuki."
"You are as stiff as a board," Mizuki joked, tugging on Iruka's sturdy shoulder. "We need to make sure we loosen you up a little tonight."
"Because that is exactly what I need," Iruka returned sarcastically, stopping in front of the classroom door. The sounds of students' screaming, chatting, and yelling rung in his ears. They're really ready to go. He slowly turned to face his colleagues, receiving an affirmative nod from each of them before entering.
The thirty students silently raced back to their respective seats upon the sight of the chūnin lining in front of the blackboard. An eerie silence fell over the room as the instructors met the eyes of each student.
"Congratulations," shouted the instructors as they applauded. The beginning and end of the clapping were in perfect harmony. Another eerie silence fell over the room as Iruka stepped forward to the podium.
"Today is the day that you prove to us whether you are ready to become shinobi. The five years of dedication and hard work from each of you will be put to the ultimate test," Iruka lectured. "The genin exam will be split into three parts. The first part will be a written test covering some of the material we have covered in class. The second part will be a weapons demonstration of your speed and accuracy in the fields. The last part will require you to perform several basic ninjutsu skills." Iruka watched as the students fidget in their seats. " Each section is worth thirty-three percent of your total score. You will need to pass with at least a seventy-five." The scarred chūnin tapped on the metal plate strapped to his forehead. "At the end of this exam, you will be given your very own Konoha hitai-ate, symbolizing your pride and fealty for the village."
The other instructors took the exams from the stack to pass around to the students.
"You have an hour and a half to answer the ten questions. If you are caught cheating, then you will automatically fail the entire exam." Iruka waited until the time on the clock was exactly ten-thirty,"begin!"
The students scanned through the ten questions:
Give a brief description of chakra?
Name the five great shinobi villages and their respective Kage?
What is the purpose of shinobi?
Why do shinobi use hand seals?
True or False: The Warring States Period took place after the villages were established
True or False: Shurikenjutsu is using a shuriken or kunai as projectiles
What are the eight vital points?
Name and describe the three basic jutsu types?
What is the technique that allows the user to replace their own body with an object the moment an attack lands?
What is the Will of Fire?
They frantically scribbled reasonable answers on their tests. The silence from earlier had disappeared under the noise of pencils tapping the desks. In the first forty-five minutes, Sakura was the first to finish with Shikamaru not too far behind. The proctors walked around to see that some students were still struggling to finish up in the last few minutes.
I gotta get this question finished. Naruto was nervously still writing in the last few seconds. Almost…
"Time," Iruka exclaimed as the students dropped their pencils, "turn in your test now."
The examiners collected the test, placing the neat stack into a manila folder.
"Now the next part," Iruka announced."Once you step outside you will be given a weapons pouch containing twenty shuriken. The goal is to run through the obstacles and aim at the five targets placed throughout. Points will be given on both the number of shuriken you land and finish time. Whenever we call your name, please go to the fields for testing." He glanced down at the clipboard."First up is Naruto Uzumaki!"
"It's my time to shine," Naruto pronounced as he raced outside into the humid afternoon sun.
Mizuki was standing at the starting line with a box of weapon pouches beside him.
"You must score at least twelve points to pass." Mizuki took out a clipboard and stopwatch. "Are you ready?"
Naruto grabbed a pouch out of the box, feeling their weight sink into his hand. He dug his left leg into the dirt with the right leg extended out behind. The tips of his fingers pressing against the starting line. His goggles strapped tight across his face. "Ready!"
"3…
...2….
….1…
Go!"
Naruto sprinted away from starting line, leaving the green-eyed man in a cloud of dust. He zigzagged through the series of vertical logs to find the first target directly ahead of him. Easy! The blue-eyed boy tossed four shuriken out of his pouch as he rounded the sharp corner.
"Three points!"
Damn, I got a little sloppy! He approached the next obstacle of rocks randomly organized onto a little pond. Naruto leaped onto the first rock with his right leg and the next with his left. His rhythm slowed down once he noticed the next target perpendicular to his path. He hurled another four shuriken, continuing to the end of the pond.
"Three points!"
He crashed back down to the dirt track in irritation. Naruto approached the upcoming climbing wall with his right index and middle finger extended vertically in front of his chest. The chakra began building up in the bottom of his feet as he got closer. His first step was nice and firm, leaving the wood underneath unfazed. Halfway up the wall was the next target hanging from a rope. After slinging another four shuriken, he accidentally slipped with his right leg. This is bad! Luckily, he used the rest of his momentum in his left leg to propel himself to the top of the wall.
"Four points!"
The blonde glanced over at the nearby rope that led safely down to the bottom. Instead, he hopped down the wall, rolling on the ground to absorb the impact. He darted up the steep slope of the first log. He carefully placed one foot in front of the other as he held his arms up to balance. After a series of sharp curves, the next target popped up in front of him. Surprised, he quickly chucked another four shuriken without looking.
"Two points!"
I can't screw up this last one! He thought as he slid down the last leg of the balancing bridge. The clapping of his sandals increased as he hurled his body over the sand pit. Midway through his descent, he decided to throw his remaining shuriken at the last target above the finish line. He didn't get a good landing on the dirt, so he went rolling across the finish line.
"Four Points!"
"Yatta," Naruto shouted as he held his arms up in victory.
"Good job," Mizuki congratulated. "You got sixteen points with a time of one minute and five seconds."
"That's probably the best time you'll see today, Mizuki-sensei!"
"I guess so," Mizuki smiled at the boy's confidence. "Now return to the classroom."
The blonde strutted back into the classroom valiantly as the next name on the roster was called. Everyone was focused on the dirt stains and sweat on his jacket. After he took a seat in the back of the class, he gave everyone a thumbs up,"a piece of cake."
Three hours later, the final student returned to the classroom with Mizuki.
"This is the final step," Iruka announced, "you have to successfully demonstrate the Henge, Kawarimi, and at least three Bunshin. Also, you will be required to show at least one extra jutsu outside of those three. Head to the examination room across the all." Iruka started reading off the clipboard. "First is Shino Aburame."
The students sat patiently as they watched, one by one, enter and exit the exam room. They took the loud scream of happiness as a sign of successful exam. A few students, however, left the academy with an empty, sadden look on their face.
"Naruto Uzumaki!"
The blue-eyed boy dashed into the examination room.
"You ready," Iruka asked, receiving a nod from the blonde.
"Begin."
Naruto made a few hand signs, swapping his current position in the room with a log.
"Good."
The blue-eyed blonde made a few more hand signs, creating an almost perfect replica of his instructor.
"Good."
Finally, three perfect clones of Naruto stood proud before disappearing in a puff of smoke.
"Good."
As the chūnin was looking down at the clipboard, Naruto decided to prematurely perform his last jutsu,"Orioke no Jutsu."
Iruka glanced up to see a young woman with two blonde pigtails and captivating blue eyes. Her broad-shouldered torso was maintained by a very voluptuous and buxom figure. She stood completely bare to the chūnin with smoke clouds hiding her wonderful assets. All the blood in Iruka's head shot through his nose, propelling him backward from the table.
Naruto was in complete laughter as he returned back to his normal self, "you should've seen your face!"
"Naruto!" Iruka angrily ran up to the blonde. "I can't believe you would …."
"Suiton: Mizurappa." Naruto's puffy cheeks deflated as a jet of water shot out of his mouth to a nearby training dummy. "That's what I really wanted to show ya." The sudden silence between the two of them made the blonde nervous. Uh oh, I hope I didn't just blow it!
Iruka locked his forearm tightly around Naruto's neck. The man proceeded to grind his knuckles into the blonde's head. "Promise me that you'll never use that jutsu on me again."
"Okay," Naruto chuckled as he pushed himself away. "I promise."
The chūnin walked back to the table to take a familiar metal plate out of the box.
"Congrats, Naruto Uzumaki," Iruka smiled,tying the hitai-ate around the blonde's forehead. "You are now granted the level of genin." The man placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder. "I have nothing else I can teach you."
"Thanks, Iruka-sensei." Naruto waved goodbye as he dashed out of the academy doors. He saw Chōji, Shikamaru, Kiba, and Shino hanging out near the academy swing.
"I can't believe you guys are still here," Naruto sputtered, rushing up to his friends to give them high fives.
"I ended up taking a nap because of how long we were waiting," Shikamaru yawned, brushing the dirt off his clothes.
"Good timing, I just finished my-warm up meal." Chōji held his bag of chips upside down.
"We were all getting nervous when everyone passed by," Kiba mentioned, wrapping an arm around the blonde, "thought maybe you failed the test."
"There's no way they would pass you but not me," Naruto shouted. "They just wanted to save the best for last."
"I think Iruka-sensei tied your headband too tight." Kiba pulled on the blonde's headband, "you think you're hot stuff now."
"Oh, I don't think so," Naruto pronounced. "I know so!"
The group of boys couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Now, let's get this party started," Chouji announced, rubbing his stomach. "I can't wait to eat."
"I spotted a new buffet not too far from here," Shino stated, adjusting his sunglasses.
"Arf," barked Akamaru, leaping down from Kiba's jacket.
"Good idea, Akamaru," Kiba proclaimed as the two of them raced ahead of the group, "last one there has gotta pay for everyone!"
"I ain't losing to you or your mutt!" Naruto quickly chased after them.
"Do they even know where they're going," Chouji asked.
"I guess they'll realize it soon enough," Shikamaru sighed. "I guess you lead the way, Shino."
The three boys casually walked in the opposite direction of the knuckleheads.
Iruka and Mizuki sat at a rickety table in the middle of a crowded shinobi bar. Drunken laughter overpowering the antique jukebox in the corner. Through the windows, the diamonds of lead panes trickles the sallow light of street-lamps. Behind the bar was a never-ending supply of amber liquid suspended in their colorful bottles. The smoke twisted in an artistic way, forming curls of gloom, illuminated by the dim bar lights.
"Megumi, can I get my friend here another round," Mizuki asked as he raised his finger to the server.
"Oh, Mizuki," Iruka slurred. "You don't have to..." The scarred-chūnin paused once his eyes caught sight of the woman. She was shorter than he was, with a short auburn-colored hair shaping her face. She wore a white crop top with matching mini skirt to reveal her slightly tanned skin. The most notable feature that he couldn't help but stare at was her toned figure. His heartbeat racing, and his face flushing even pinker.
"You like what you see," Megumi teased.
"I...I…uh...was...just..uh...I…" Iruka stammered as he scratched the back of his head. "You...are…..you…..have.."
"You're not the first man to stare," She interrupted, placing her index finger over Iruka's lips. "That scar on your nose makes you kind of cute." She slowly ran her finger over the man's nose as she swayed her hips back to the other side of the bar. "Let me know if you boys need anything else."
Mizuki was facedown on the table, gripping his sides tightly to stop shaking from laughter."Who knew that you were such a ladies man!"
"That was so bad," Iruka cringed as he held his hands over his flushed face.
A short silence fell between the men as they drank down their cups.
"Thanks, Mizuki."
"Why are you thanking me?"
"I've had a lot of great success come into my life," Iruka said staring down at the swirling amber liquid in his cup, "and I couldn't have done it without a great friend like you."
"You definitely deserve whatever good things come your , you're the hardest working person I know," Mizuki praised. "The exam was only a big success because of a great teacher like you. I can see that you'll eventually be running the entire academy as headmaster in no time." The green-eyed man stood up from his stool, placing some ryo on the table.
"You leavin?" Iruka sputtered.
"Tsubaki isn't feeling well, so I am gonna go take care of her."
Iruka watched as Mizuki disappeared into the darkness of the bar.
"Iruka!"
The scarred-chūnin turned around to see a group of shinobi huddled around a table. A very muscular, bald-headed man of an above-average height was seated in one chair. He wore a zipped up flak jacket, blue pants, and a red short-sleeved shirt.
"This guy wants to challenge you to an arm wrestling contest," encouraged one of the jōnin.
"I'll have to pass,"Iruka confessed before he felt someone hugging his left arm.
"You sure you don't wanna take him down for me," Megumi pleaded, pouting her lips like a little child.
Iruka's face grew red hot with determination as he gulped down the random shot of whiskey from another table."You're on!"
The entire bar erupted in excitement as everyone started making bets on the two men.
"That was so much food," Naruto shouted happily patting his inflated stomach. He marched into his apartment to find it exactly the same way he left it. The kitchen table littered with used glass bowls, plates, and silverware. There were dirty clothes in the corner, unrolled scrolls that went from wall to wall, and ninja tools spread all across the floor.
"I'll clean it another time," yawned the blonde as he threw off his sandals. He launched himself to the bed to surprisingly come in contact with a huge scroll. It fell off the bed and unraveled itself across the floor to the refrigerator. Damn it! He thought as he rubbed his head, lifting the note from the pillow.
Naruto,
I was recently assigned an urgent mission. There are people inside the village that want to take this scroll to our enemies. They've somehow figured out that I was the one in charge of escorting it across the borders. Take this scroll to the area on this map. I will be waiting there with my team at twenty-three hundred hours. Ensure that no one sees or follows you to this point. You are the only person I know that can do this. I will make sure to tell Sandaime-sama of your efforts when I return.
-Iruka
Burn this note immediately
"That's weird, " Naruto wondered, tossing the letter aside. "I've never gotten a note like this from Iruka-sensei." He focused his attention back on the unraveled scroll. It was hard for him to deny that the calligraphy inside was superb. He could tell that the skill in the brush strokes must have meant that someone great was the original owner. The only person I know with calligraphy like that is Jiji.
His eyes widened as he read over the first few lines. Woah, I never thought jutsus like these could be real! He quickly turned over the clock to see that it was only fifteen minutes after eight. I am pretty sure he wouldn't mind if I read a little bit. Iruka-sensei is always telling me to read more. The blonde took a seat at the kitchen table with a cup of hot ramen in hand. I think I'll just look at this first part.
Iruka was lying on his bed with one hand on his stomach and the other covering his eyes. The entire room felt like it was spinning so fast. He quickly guzzled down his sixth cup of water. I can't believe my friends had to drag me all the way to my apartment. His breath and clothes still reeked of alcohol. I gotta make sure to take it easy next time. He was proud, however, about his current victory in the arm-wrestling contest. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to let go every once in a while.
An ear-shattering knock came from his door.
"Hold on," Iruka shouted as he stumbled across the room.
As soon as he cracked the door, Mizuki rushed into the apartment, slamming the door behind him.
"Have you heard?"
"Heard what?" Iruka repeated in confusion. "And why are you…..."
"Naruto has stolen the Fūin no Sho from Sandaime-sama," Mizuki interrupted.
"I know he likes to play pranks," Iruka expressed, "but that doesn't sound like something he would do."
"Sandaime-sama just informed a few of us not too long ago," Mizuki stated. "Apparently, the spy we have been looking for is using Naruto to sneak the scroll out of the village."
Iruka swiftly leaped into his black shinobi sandals. "Do you know where he could've gone?"
"I think I know the way," Mizuki answered."It's on a hidden path leading to the outskirts."
The two men dashed out of the apartment without another word between them.
Naruto sat impatiently in the deep forest with the scroll strapped to his back. Its woody incense was from its long history of broken branches landing on the forest floor to rot forever. Foliage became thick with huge roots protruding and twisting through the dirt to catch unsuspecting travelers. Occasionally, the shuffling noises of the wildlife in search of food and shelter broke the ominous silence. The foreboding clouds moving overhead cast the lush greenery into a shadowy darkness.
Where is Iruka-sensei? Naruto thought as he laid in the sharp blades of grass.
"There you are!"
The blonde sat up to see the owner of the voice standing over him. "Hey."
I was afraid we were too late. Iruka was completely relieved to see that the blonde was unharmed. He turned around to see that his teammate was gone. I thought Mizuki was right behind me.
"I've been waiting for you," Naruto stated, handing the scroll over to the man.
"Why do you say that," inquired Iruka as he took it from the boy.
"You told me in this letter you left in my apartment," Naruto answered as he handed over the crumpled letter. "Oh, I guess I forgot to burn it."
Whoever wrote this letter must know me well. The scarred-chūnin thought as he read over the note carefully. It is completely identical to my handwriting!
"What's wrong, Iruka-sensei?" Naruto was confused by the shocked look on the man's face. "I thought you were on a dangerous mission with your team."
Iruka knew that someone had to be watching from a distance, waiting patiently for the perfect time to strike. Why didn't he anticipate this beforehand? He scanned the area carefully for the slightest disturbance. The sound of projectiles slicing through the air increased every passing second. Quickly, the chūnin shielded the blue-eyed boy with his body, knocking them both to the ground.
"Run," Iruka squeaked, coughing up blood. "Take the... scroll and run."
"Sensei!" Naruto was shocked by the numerous kunai lodge in the man's back. What's going on?
The two of them could hear someone clapping south of their position.
"I gotta admit that you've got some really good reflexes even after you've had a few drinks."
"Mi-Mizuki," Iruka muttered, wincing with each movement he made. "I understand now."
The green-eyed man stepped out of the darkness, smirking at the pitiful scene before him.
Why is Mizuki-sensei's face so weird? Naruto thought as he stared at the black triangular pattern across the man's face. The blonde ran over to recover the deserted scroll.
"You were more gullible than I thought," Mizuki grunted, sending a forceful kick down at the weakened man.
"Naruto,even if I die don't…..." Iruka exclaimed before another kick dug itself into his stomach.
Naruto sat there clutching the scroll in fear, watching as Mizuki held his chokutō at the Iruka's throat.
"If you give me the scroll, then you can save Iruka." Mizuki extended his free hand out to the boy. "Come on, be a good student for once and roll over the scroll. "
Naruto stood in the field, thinking of the best way to free his sensei. Ninjutsu? It would take too long to execute. Weapons? A little faster but the blonde knew that his shurikenjutsu wasn't perfect. Every scenario that he played in his head ended with Iruka being killed. I guess I have no choice. He dropped the scroll to the dirt and kicked it over.
"Good, but I have one more thing to teach you," smirked Mizuki, "don't ever try to save your teammates." The green-eyed man shoved the blade through Iruka's thigh, twisting the handle before yanking it back out.
Iruka screamed in agony as the blood poured out of the gaping hole in his pants. He gripped his leg tightly, but no matter the pressure he applied the blood had still gushed between his fingers and oozed under his hand. Tears of pain were streaming down his face as he curled up in the dirt.
"They'll only be a hindrance to your mission's success." The green-eyed man tied the scroll to his back, leaping into the darkness of the forest.
"I am so sorry sensei," Naruto sobbed as he tied his orange jacket around Iruka's leg.
"W-we…...both…...didn't know." Iruka tried to lift himself up from the dirt but the pain was too intense for him to stand. "Run back... to the…... village and grab….."
"Mizuki will be too far by then!" Naruto interjected.
"He's…. too...dangerous." Iruka gripped the blonde's forearm tightly. "Now…. listen.. to what I say!"
Naruto felt his anger boiling inside as he watched Iruka struggle through the excruciating pain. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Iruka was shocked at the sight of four real blondes standing before him. "H..h..ow did you learn….. such an…... advance technique."
"You guard Iruka-sensei," Naruto ordered, "you go bring some water from a stream east of here." He handed the crumpled letter to the last one, "and you go grab help back at the village."
"Got it," responded the clones in unison.
"What are you doing?" Iruka watched as the real one raced into the darkness after the traitor. "Naruto!"
I can't believe how easy it was to manipulate those fools into my trap. Mizuki thought as he raced through the damp forest floor. All I gotta do now is take this scroll to Oro… Suddenly, a kunai came whizzing across his face, sinking its razor edge into a nearby tree. A small stream of blood trickled down the man's face. He turned his attention to the enraged boy standing on a branch above.
"I'll kill you," Naruto spat.
"Go ahead and try," Mizuki dared as he dropped the scroll.
Naruto came in high with a leaping punch, and Mizuki easily grabbed the boy's fist, tossing the blonde towards a tree. The blue-eyed boy propelled himself from the trunk with an overhead kick aimed at the man's head. As Naruto's leg reached the max of its swing, Mizuki followed through with a strong kick to the stomach, knocking the boy down to the ground.
"Is that all you got," Mizuki mocked as he unsheathed the chokutō from his back.
Clink
Naruto gripped the kunai tightly as he battled against the blade slowly descending down onto his face. The boy luckily managed to move the edge of the blade away. Frustrated, Mizuki pressed the bottom of his sandal against the boy's abdomen. The tip of the blade pierced through Naruto's black shirt, sinking slowly into his left shoulder.
The blonde swung his right leg across the frontal plane of his body to knock the chūnin away. Unfortunately, Mizuki had a stable grip on the handle, so the sword popped out of Naruto's shoulder. It felt unbelievably painful. Mizuki retaliated with a long horizontal swing, missing the blonde who corkscrewed over the blade. Naruto dropped all of his weight into his right leg as it connected to the man's skull, sending Mizuki tumbling across the earth.
"Damn brat!" Mizuki slammed his palm into the dirt. "Doton: Retsudo Tenshō!"
The earth beneath Naruto split open, sending him down the deep crater. He saw the earth spiral inwards to crush him as he descended further. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The clones made a quick bridge by interlocking arms and hoisting themselves back up to the surface. The blondes noticed Mizuki was completely gone, but the sacred scroll was still in sight. One by one, the clones started disappearing until only one remained. The last blonde leaped towards the nearest branch but was being tugged back down by his ankle.
"You should just give up." Mizuki yanked the blonde closer, sending a vicious punch to the boy's face. The man was stunned when he saw that it was actually another clone.
"Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
All of a sudden, dozens of shuriken came twirling towards the man. Mizuki tried his best to protect himself using his forearms as a shield. A few shuriken left cuts while others submerged deep into his skin. Weakened, Mizuki dropped his arms to find Naruto's fist waiting for him. The boy's knuckles cracked against the man's nose, sending the injured chūnin tumbling away.
I did it! Naruto thought as he watched the man remain motionless on the ground. That one should have him out long enough before the others get here.
The sky rumbled and darkened. Icy rain fell upon the land as if the ocean had been thrown from the sky. Trees bending and twisting with their groans of pain being carried away by the howling wind. A fork of lightning, brilliant and buzzing with a magnificent electricity, flashed majestically through the groaning mountain of clouds. The sound of emptiness disrupted by the loud gregarious booms of thunder.
"I've got to admit I am impressed," Mizuki congratulated, stunning the blonde as he rose from the dirt. The man's appearance had drastically changed. His eyes had yellow irises and black sclera, skin color darkened, nails sharper, and white hair longer. His hulking figure now ripping through his shirt and vest, revealing his newly unscathed body.
"BASTARD!" Naruto angrily punched the man in the chest with all the strength he could muster. It felt like he collided with a giant boulder.
"What's wrong?" Mizuki grabbed the boy's head with both hands, delivering a nasty knee straight to his face. The blonde's crushed hitai-ate flew into the air. As Naruto went soaring back, Mizuki sent a jab into the boy's gut, ending it with a nasty elbow to the spine. "You were so confident earlier."
Naruto laid in the mud, coughing up blood as he gripped his stomach in agony. The taste of tinged of copper filled his mouth. He reached out to the broken headband, only to have Mizuki's sandal press down on his hand.
"How pathetic," Mizuki insulted as he twisted the blonde's hand into the sharp metal bits,"you don't even deserve to be considered shinobi."
Iruka leaned his head back against the soaked tree trunk, concentrating on his shallow breathing. He felt like he was gonna pass out soon from exhaustion. The blood from his wound had finally died down. It had spread into Naruto's rain-damp orange jacket, the bright red quickly darkening, taking on a brownish hue. The only thing occupying his mind was the current state of his blonde student. He knew Naruto was a tough fighter, but this wasn't a classroom exercise. This was life or death.
"I'm... so…. sorry," Iruka uttered.
"It's okay. I was the one who got us into this mess,"interrupted one of the clones, "and I'll make sure we both make it out alive."
"You...shouldn't have …to fight my battle."
"Save your strength sensei," commanded the other clone, "I think help is….."
All of a sudden, the two clones sitting in front of him vanished into clouds of smoke.
"Na...Na….Naruto," Iruka exclaimed, struggling to even move his arms anymore. He knew that it could mean either Naruto was severely injured or dead. Thinking about the latter possibility made him sick to his stomach. If only he had been stronger, then maybe the two of them wouldn't be in this situation.
"Iruka!"
In the distance, the scarred-chūnin saw several jōnin and medic-nin racing towards him in rain jackets.
"Naruto already told us about everything," informed one of the jōnin. "We got teams searching the village for Tsubaki."
"Speaking of Naruto, we thought the real one was with you," asked another.
"He's... further north…," Iruka mumbled before everything around him went dark.
"Don't worry, he's still alive," one of the medic-nin shouted. "We just need to move him out of this storm immediately!"
One of the larger jōnin hoisted Iruka onto their back as some of the group raced back to Konoha.
"Quickly, we need to find Naruto before the storm gets worse!"
The rest of them kept moving through the forest, hoping they can arrive before it's too late.
"I said get up and fight!" Mizuki shouted pressing his foot down onto the boy's stomach. " I don't wanna waste my new transformation on a wimp."
"Kage Buns…."
Mizuki interrupted Naruto with a devastating kick to the face. "Come one, fight me with your fist!" The man watched as the beaten blonde crawl through the mud.
Naruto used the nearby log to hoist himself up from the wet earth. "I….. ain't…... done yet." The blonde landed a weak kick to the man's muscular neck.
"Is that all you got?" Mizuki held onto the boy's leg and dropped to the side, crushing it underneath his massive body. The green-eyed man picked up the blonde by the face and rammed him into a tree.
For several minutes, the chūnin continually beat down on the boy with heavy punches.
Naruto's stomach ached, his arms lost tension and his legs began to weaken from each blow. The boy's tongue was soaked with the taste of blood.
"You're definitely a tough one," Mizuki commented, "Why fight a battle you know you couldn't possibly win?"
"I'm not….. gonna run away and ….I never go back on my word," Naruto huffed, "that is…. my nindō. My….ninja way."
"I'll make sure they put that on your casket!" Mizuki held his charging hand flat, attempting to stab the boy in the chest. The man was caught off guard by an uppercut to the chin, sending him across the forest. What the hell? He looked up to see the boy's red slitted eyes gazing down at him. Naruto's new teeth, hair, whiskers, and nails made the blonde look like a wild animal. "You just got a lucky shot," Mizuki grunted, beckoning the boy over.
A savage growl erupted from Naruto as he lowered his body to the ground. He dug his heels into the dirt as he pushed forward to lunge himself at the man. Astonished by his speed, Mizuki was unable to defend himself from another powerful punch to the chest.
"What's wrong?" Naruto mocked, beckoning the man over."You were so confident earlier"
"Damn you!" Enraged, Mizuki delivered sloppy horizontal swipes at the blonde's head.
Naruto avoided the slashes, leaping over to send several cuts along the man's back. The chūnin swatted behind but the boy backflipped safely away. The blonde pounced again at the man, overwhelming him with a series of powerful punches.
His attacks shouldn't even be able to hurt me. Mizuki thought as he struggled to defend himself from the boy attacks.
Naruto sent a forceful punch to Mizuki's forearms, causing the man to leave himself open.
The boy's final punch into the man's stomach launched him through the woodland.
Impossible. Mizuki thought as he slowly rose up from the soggy earth. He was jealous of Naruto's power. How was it that this boy was stronger than him? The man went racing to the blonde in a blind fury, "I refuse to lose to a child!"
"Hn!" Naruto raced towards the angry man, waiting for the precise moment to strike. The tips of his claws were secreting a mysterious purple substance.
In the blink of an eye, the two slashed pass each other.
A cut like that will have his guts spilling all over. Mizuki smiled as he watched Naruto grabbing onto his midsection. The chūnin stood victorious until he felt his entire body grow weak. What is this affecting my body? He dropped to his knees, watching as blood poured out of deep claw marks across his chest. But when did he hit me? He felt vision growing blurry as he glanced at the smiling boy. He was moving so fast that I didn't even see his hands move!
"Rasetsu!" The boy dashed in a daring instant, flashing ahead akin to a teleport. Naruto struck each of the traitor's vital points. The blonde repeated the assault numerous times, attacking the same places with greater force on each cycle.
Eventually, Mizuki was laying in the mud with his entire body beaten to a bruised and bloody pulp. It would take weeks before his body could recover.
Naruto proudly walked halfway to the scroll before hearing a gasping noise erupt from behind him. Stunned, he marched back over to see the green-eyed man's chest rising and falling irregularly. For some reason the idea of Mizuki still in the world of the living infuriated the blonde. Where did this insatiable lust for blood come from? He raised his right claw into the air, gazing down at the man's throat. He wanted to watch and revel as the traitor drowns in his own blood.
Under the relentless rain, several streams of blood went gushing in the air before landing in the slimy mud.
Hitai-ate - headband
Orioke no Jutsu - Sexy Jutsu
Fūin no Sho - Scroll of Seals
Chokutō - A straight, one-edged Japanese sword
Doton: Retsudo Tenshō - Earth Style: Earthquake Slam
Kage Bunshin no Jutsu - Shadow Clone Jutsu
Shuriken Kage Bunshin no Jutsu - Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu
Rasetsu - A taijutsu technique used by Naruto in his initial jinchūriki form. The attack is a series of progressively faster teleport punches around the opponent's body. Each strike in particular is shown to be targeting vital spots located throughout the body, solidifying that the technique utterly destroys the opponent.
Author Notes: That is chapter six finally wrapped up! This chapter took a lot out of me, but I hope it was definitely exciting. I wanted the fighting scene to be good so that is why it took a long time. I deeply appreciate everyone's patience. I'll try to get another chapter out soon. I know that this chapter might have mistakes throughout, but I am ready to move on to the next.
Shout out to Satoru Ryoma for the three reviews as well as the numerous favorites and follows from other readers.
I know the questions for the genin exam were really simple. I honestly couldn't think of anything more in depth that would be good for academy students to be tested over. Maybe during the chunin exam I will come up with something a little more involved. I am glad that I was able to show off my rendition of the genin exam, since the anime/manga really didn't give us anything.
I think that the fight was a good twist on the usual canon scenario. I know I could've just had Naruto perform Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu against the fight with Mizuki but it wasn't the fight I wanted to write for this story. The reasoning behind Mizuki's plan and power will be discussed more in the next chapter.
I wanna go ahead and say that I don't plan on using the Wave Arc in this story. I have planned a story involving an entirely new cast of characters and villains. There are a few things that I need to work out before I can make it happen. I will not have OC's take over the story if anyone was panicking. The Wave Arc was an amazing portion in the anime/manga. Honestly, it was the main reason that I kept watching the show. I was kind of disappointed that it didn't bring Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura closer together.
Anyways, I decided to base Kyūbi/Naruto's taijutsu names around demons/deities in Japanese mythology and Hindu/Buddhist religion. This was just something I thought would be a good reflection of his new powers. The venom secreting from Naruto's hand isn't something that will be common for his powers. I just used it as a way to reflect the particular demon he was imitating.
Rakshasa (Rasetsu in Japanese):
Rākṣasa/rasetsu are demons or unrighteous spirits that can be best described as man-eaters or cannibals in Hindu mythology. Their insatiable bloodlust is matched with their venomous fingernails and ability to shape shift. They are notorious for disturbing sacrifices, desecrating graves, harassing priests, possessing human beings, and so on.
As always, your reviews, comments, questions, and feedback are always welcomed. Let me know what did you think about the story and characters. Thanks for reading! Stay Tuned!