Chapter 64: The Strongest Ever
"Well I was right," Elvo said landing hard on the ground.
Naruto was on a tree branch breathing heavily, his longer katana broken in two, "right about what?" he asked before jumping down too.
"This is going faster. In the past day you've gained as much as you did in the weeks before you used your weapon," Elvo said sticking the tip of Devin Influence into the ground and sitting down.
"Really, how can you tell?" Naruto asked sitting down too, eager to learn of his improvements.
"It's a god thing, but don't expect it, only me and Kami can do it," Elvo said.
Naruto scoffed and folded his arms. A grin soon found its way to his face, "so why'd we stop, getting tired?" he asked as his grin widened.
"Your sword broke. Either you need a new one, or to fix that one," Elvo said.
"That it?" Naruto asked, his grin still wide.
"Yeah, I'm fine, you're the one nearly out of breath," Elvo said, Naruto scoffed again and Elvo laughed.
x-X-x
A week and a half had passed since Sasuke attacked Sakura and there was no sign of the boy. Sakura was fine and back on her feet, though Nomad had ordered her an undisclosed period of rest due to the trauma the attack had caused her.
"What do you plan to do about this?" an elder angrily asked pounding on Nomad's desk.
"What, Sasuke? He's already on the hunter lists and our hunters are already after him," Nomad said.
"He's vowed to kill two of our ninja, shouldn't you be doing more?" the elder demanded.
"No. we're well guarded here, and everyone knows about it, so he can't get in so easily," Nomad said.
"You have too much faith in your friends," the elder said as he stood up straight.
"And you don't have enough faith in your village," Nomad said sternly.
The elder gave a low grunt in anger before walking out of the office. Once he was gone Nomad breathed a sigh of relief.
"Leading's not as easy as you thought, huh?" Wiseman asked walking through the wall to the left of Nomad's desk.
"You only had a squad of twelve to manage, I think a village would be inherently harder," Nomad said.
"Probably. Any word on the Kid?" Wiseman asked sitting down.
"No, we've had nothing since he left a month and a half ago," Nomad said leaning back.
"How long did Elvo say this would take?" Wiseman asked.
"He didn't say, but he hoped less than a year," Nomad said as he began to rub his eyes.
"This is going to be difficult," Wiseman said with a sigh.
"Why, what's wrong?" Nomad asked.
"The girl, Sakura, I'm sure the Kid could cheer her up in an instant," Wiseman said.
"You really care that much?" Nomad asked stopping his eye rubbing and looking at Wiseman.
"She's one of the best medics we got, and the missions you've been sending out have been rather brutal lately," Wiseman said.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Nomad said slowly.
x-X-x
"Well, now I have to congratulate you Naruto. It took you three months, but you finally did it," Elvo said before Devine Influence vanished into the sky again.
"Really, you mean I'm ready to be a god?" Naruto asked looking at Elvo with a wide smile on his face. He seemed to have forgotten the several cuts that covered his body.
"No, you're become the first human the have over a quarter of your potential tapped. We now know that your can eventually become a god. But to continue with me at this pace will take longer than your lifespan, it's time to meet your next teacher," Elvo said clapping a hand on Naruto's shoulder.
Naruto looked at Elvo with a confused look before Elvo moved to stand beside Naruto and look into the sky, Naruto looked as well. The clouds began to darken and swirl around a central point. A few moments later and lightning cracked. Then a wind tunnel came down from the center of the clouds and hit the ground. The instant the wind tunnel hit the ground it vanished and the clouds went back to normal. In the center of where the wind tunnel was stood an old man in black samurai robes.
"Chaos, you made it right on time," Elvo said.
"I am a watcher, I would hope that I'm very punctual," Chaos said.
"I remember you from when I died," Naruto said slowly.
"Yes, you would. But now is not the time to reminisce, it is the time to advance your power," Chaos said.
"Right, what do I have to do," Naruto asked eagerly.
"Firstly, get in proper shape. I want you to do pushups," Chaos said.
Naruto's face fell, "pushups, what will that do?" Naruto asked.
"You'll be able to tell me when you're done. Now, I want you to do as many as you can, but these won't be ordinary pushups," Chaos said.
"Huh? What are they then?" Naruto asked.
"Simple. Do one push up. Once your arms are straight form a clone on your back in the pushup position. The two of you do a pushup in unison and you form a third and so on," Chaos said.
"And you want as many as I can? I've done over ten thousand clones!" Naruto yelled.
"Yes, but can you lift ten thousand clones and do a pushup? You'll stop when the first thing goes out, balance, stamina or strength," Chaos said.
After a moment of silence Naruto hit the ground and started the pushups as Chaos had said. He got just over one hundred and fifty when he lost his balance. Most of the clones vanished when they hit the ground, and Naruto dispelled the few remains.
"Fairly well kid. You'll do it again tomorrow, and again, and again, until it's your stamina that gives out, not balance, and not strength," Chaos said.
Naruto sighed and nodded.
x-X-x
Nomad sat in his office going over the report of the hunter ninja who returned the previous night. He was deeply wounded, and only left alive because his attacker didn't want to be bothered with killing him. The attacker was Sasuke.
"Anything useful?" Grim asked from the other side of the desk.
"Nothing. Only an idea that Sasuke only wants Naruto and Sakura dead, otherwise he has nothing against this village," Nomad said.
"Us too, according to Sage," Grim said.
"Right, I forgot that," Nomad said putting the report down.
"We're screwed huh?" Grim asked.
"You hospitalized him with you're second strongest attack. You could kill him with it, or the better one," Nomad said.
"If I manage to pull it off. He's seen it already, he knows what to look for, especially with his eyes" Grim said depressed.
Nomad was about to answer when his doors burst open.
"Hokage-sama, it's an emergency!" the chuunin said running up to the desk.
"Explain on the way," Nomad said rising to his feet and following he chuunin out of the office, Grim bringing up the rear.
The chuunin told Nomad how there had just been a random attack on lower level ninja in the village. The attacker seems to have vanished, and medical ninja are on the way.
"Grim head the medics off, if Sakura's among them tell her not to come, and stay with her until this is cleared," Nomad said.
Grim nodded and parted from the others. The chuunin turned to look at Nomad, "what's that about?" he asked.
"Guarding the one that's known to be a target, Sasuke," Nomad said.
The chuunin smiled and stopped running, Nomad stopped as well, "When'd you notice?" the chuunin asked.
"When you came in not looking like any real chuunin, when you called me Hokage-sama instead of Nomad like the real chuunin, and when you said the attacker left with no trace. Any other would track the attacker before getting me," Nomad said.
"You really don't get as much credit as you deserve, that was pretty good," Sasuke said as the henge vanished.
"I suppose I'm the target today?" Nomad asked.
"Yes. Of the terrors, you're the closet to him," Sasuke said.
"So you want to kill everything he loves and cares for before killing him," Nomad said.
"Right, so he can feel the pain I have," Sasuke said.
"You best draw your weapon then," Nomad said taking out his spear.
Sasuke smirked before charging Nomad, drawing his katana on the way. He swung down at Nomad's head but Nomad blocked with the center of his spear shaft. Each pushed their weapon in an attempt to overpower the other. Sasuke flooded his chakra into his blade before tilting it back a bit and forcing it forward with a burst of energy.
Nomad's shaft broke in two and the tip of Sasuke's blade cut his face downwards over his right eye, it was now useless. Sasuke took another swing at Nomad but the Kage jumped back and threw the dull half of his shaft at Sasuke like a javelin, keeping the bladed part in his right hand.
Sasuke split the shaft in two long ways and dove at Nomad, shooting several fireballs in front of him. With his byakugan activated Nomad managed to dodge all the fireballs, despite his lost eye. Sasuke swung at Nomad who went to block it with his remaining half of his spear.
Sasuke's blade cut clean through it severing the spearhead. Nomad didn't miss a beat and lunged at Sasuke with his dagger extended. But the sharingan was also in play and the attack missed as well. Sasuke smirked and threw a kunai at Nomad. Nomad didn't dodge the attack completely, but he managed to get his vitals out of the way and took the kunai in the upper leg. He pulled it out and flung it into the ground.
Sasuke jumped back but the instant he landed he charged at Nomad. Nomad blocked the attack and dodge out of the way of the backlash. Sasuke turned to stab Nomad in his new location but Nomad moved back as best he could with his bad leg. The tip of the blade still cut into Nomad's stomach because he couldn't move fast enough.
"I'll give you credit for being extremely fast, and even managing to weaken my eyes. I'd be very surprised if I see the end of the day, but Naruto, he's way beyond both of us. You have to realize that," Nomad said as he stumbled a bit from the attack.
"Still trying to save me? It's a lost cause," Sasuke said jumping at Nomad.
Nomad moved out of the way and sent an attack at Sasuke's side. The blade of the dagger was stopped by Sasuke's katana and Nomad felt electricity surge through him. he stumbled backwards in pain and Sasuke ran his katana through his stomach.
"Sakura seems to have survived it, you try now," Sasuke said as Nomad coughed up blood.
Sasuke pulled his sword out and ducked down just as Sage's staff whizzed past where his head just was. Sage landed behind Sasuke who kicked him in the back before stabbing Nomad through the chest. Two katana swung fast at Sasuke who jumped out of the way and vanished in a puff of smoke as Wiseman fell to his knees beside Nomad, sword still in his chest.