Master of the Arts
Arc 1: Settling In Part 3
Chapter 4: The Pressure Is On
Summary: After Naruto and Sakura lose their best friend, they go to extreme measures to get him back. Shikamaru tries too hard to reach into Neji's past and ends up uncovering secrets about himself along the way. Remember kids, everything is connected and it all leads back to the man who started it all. This is a journey for everyone to bring back the people they love.
Disclaimer: Me? Own? Haha, no.
"It's not good for kids your age to smoke," Asuma drawled as he sat down next to a Shikamaru laying on his back and looking up at the clouds.
It had been a week since Ino-Shika-Chou became teammates and the two currently sitting next to each other had become somewhat familiar in those few days.
"It's not good for old men to smoke, either," he lazily replied back looking at Asuma from the corner of his eyes to gauge his reaction.
Asuma stared at him for a moment before chuckling.
"Besides, I'm not a kid," Shikamaru shrugged.
"Compared to this old man right here you are." Asuma pointed his thumb at himself. Shikamaru just smirked and went along with it. "Well I bet you can't beat this kid at shogi," said Shikamaru while he cracked his knuckles and gave his sensei a lazy smile.
Asuma raised his eyebrow and decided to take that as a challenge.
Asuma wasn't dumb. He knew what Shikamaru was capable of. But apparently he had underestimated the kids' intelligence as now Asuma had just lost his fourth game of shogi. In a row.
Asuma did not win, not once.
Asuma put out his cigarette and stared, completely dumbfounded and intrigued at the same time. Genius apparently was an understatement when it came to Shikamaru.
"You're pretty good, kid," he said.
"Oh thanks. That means a lot coming from the guy who lost to me four times."
"I can't believe it. I could never beat Shikaku but to think that I couldn't even beat his son? Maybe I really am getting old."
Shikamaru smiled. He had gotten quite comfortable around Asuma in the past week and he really liked that. No one else besides his father would play shogi with him and even though Asuma couldn't beat him he wasn't terribly bad. He'd actually put up a challenge here and there.
Shikamaru looked up at his sensei and asked, "Wanna get your ass kicked one more time?"
"Well, Shika." Shikamaru's eye twitched. In the short time they had spent together Asuma hadn't failed to find out the nickname he hated most.
Thanks Ino.
"As tempting as that sounds," Asuma continued, "I have some papers to grade and teacher stuff to do." His voice strained as he got up and stretched, Shikamaru soon doing the same.
"Then have a good evening, Asuma-sensei," Shikamaru said as he turned to leave.
"Thanks for the cigarettes by the way," he heard Asuma say but before he could fully comprehend what that meant Asuma had already taken off.
Shikamaru reached into his pockets and froze.
His pack of cigarettes was gone.
Damn Asuma.
Naruto pulled out a Kunai from his pouch and twirled it around on his finger before securely grabbing it properly and aiming it at his target.
It had been two weeks since the official announcement of their team and Kakashi was not lying. This training had been deadly, dangerous, scary, and just downright evil.
I can't believe he was my dad's student.
Naruto stared at the 3rd tier fighter in front of him as he carefully masked his presence. Naruto himself was a 3rd tier fighter and he was having trouble with this guy!
The mission had been to capture him using NP or nature power but Naruto was just about to give up and admit defeat.
But if Sasuke completes this and I don't then he'll brag about it whenever he gets a chance. Tch.
Naruto attached an explosive tag to the end of his kunai and threw it at the suspect. Once the tag went off he used the smoke as a screen to use his rasengan on the target.
But as he pushed his hand at the target there was no impact. He went straight through the target.
Shit! It's a trap!
Naruto had no time to figure out an escape and was captured by the fake clone of his target.
"Uzumaki Naruto," the masked figure said.
Huh? He knew his name?
Naruto must have said that out loud since the guy in front of him started chuckling. "I'm actually a 2nd tier fighter. It's almost impossible to beat me, let alone capture me. You've done a great job using your skills."
Seeing as Naruto was still confused the man went on.
"The goal of this mission wasn't to capture me, it was to see how well you did in tricky situations."
"Oh."
Then it dawned on him.
"Oh! So I passed then?" Naruto grinned.
The man smiled under his mask. "You pass."
"Yay! I'm totally going to rub it in Sasuke's face!"
Since Naruto hadn't been home by the time Sasuke got back he figured that Naruto was having some difficulty with their mission.
Hmph, Dobe.
Wait.
What?
Did Sasuke just refer to their dorm as his home?
He must've been really exhausted to have thought of something so absurd.
But was it really that strange? They were going to be living together for quite a while and Sasuke hadn't once thought about how weird that actually was.
That annoying old woman Tsunade refused to let him switch roommates or even move out because apparently the room had already been paid off and she wasn't going to refund him.
Not that Sasuke cared. His share of the payment didn't even put a dent in his bank account so it wasn't really a loss.
Sasuke figured that Tsunade must have been up to something and that was what bothered him the most. Did him living with Naruto really matter that much to her?
He and Naruto were possibly, sort of friends. Maybe. He still hated a lot about the loud blonde but when it really came down to everything, Naruto wasn't that bad or all that different besides their personalities that somehow worked pretty well together. They both lost their parents and were all alone with huge houses and lots of money.
The only difference is that whenever Naruto thought about his family, he got sad and happy. Sad that they were gone but happy because he really loved them.
When Sasuke thought about his family he would immediately shut down and let anger cloud his judgement. He knew this was bad but he couldn't stop. If he didn't cling onto that anger and hatred he wouldn't be able to get stronger and face his worst nightmare.
Itachi.
That anger was what motivated him to do well in school and train the hardest. That's why he was so strong. If that anger was stripped away from him all that would remain was a lonely and depressed young man who just wanted his family and nii-san back.
That image of himself disgusted Sasuke more than anything else. He wasn't going to become some sad kicked puppy. This is where Sasuke really couldn't understand Naruto. Didn't Naruto also want to avenge his parents' deaths? To Sasuke, getting his revenge was necessary if he wanted to have a happy life…
… But this freaked Sasuke out to a whole new level. What if killing Itachi didn't give him the results he'd expected? Would he end up lonely and empty instead? Would he be sad that he was the only Uchiha left in the world? Or would he have a happy and fulfilling life afterwards?
Sasuke feared of becoming an empty shell of a person who used to be alive. He feared of becoming like his brother.
Sasuke shook his head.
He trained so hard for so long to start having regrets now. He wasn't going to let his whole entire life up until the point when he killed Itachi to go to waste. Sasuke was determined to make Itachi pay for his sins.
Sasuke exhaled a breath he didn't notice he was holding and sat down on the couch. His hands swept over the leather seat until it found the remote. He flipped through many channels until he found something remotely interesting to watch about some ninjas having an exam.
His mind started to wander and he found himself thinking about the approaching competition. Sasuke didn't care all that much about the award itself unless it would give him more information about Itachi's whereabouts. Plus he'd need to at least attempt to win this mission if he wanted to become a 2nd tier fighter. Not that it mattered what level fighter he was. He'd get his revenge no matter what.
Sasuke cared about getting more experience in the outside world. Unfortunately up until the end of high school, most students don't get much experience fighting in life or death situations.
There also may be other stages that could lead him to some good information. And if that many people were going to join the competition, there had to be someone who knew about Itachi and where he currently was.
The main goal of this competition was to gather info and get fighting experience, basically.
An event that was so popular would surely attract Itachi's attention. If Itachi was there, well, Sasuke would show him how strong he was.
He would show them who the stronger brother really was.
Sasuke smirked.
He was actually pretty excited for something for once.
"When are you planning on letting your kids leave, Kakashi?" asked Tsunade while she stamped a bunch of papers she didn't really care too much about and didn't read through either. Shizune sighed. It was her responsibility to go through everything once more when Tsunade didn't pay attention to what she was reading.
Before her stood the 2nd tier teachers who were here to inform her when their kids would be joining the competition.
"I plan on letting them leave in early November," said Kakashi as the door behind him opened and closed. "That early, Hatake? Though you'd have some faith in your kids."
"Oh! Genma and Raidou!" Gai shouted enthusiastically for no particular reason.
Kakashi looked behind him to see his old... 'friend', as most people would call it, senbon in mouth, smirking at him. "Raidou, Shiranui, what a pleasant surprise. To what do we owe the pleasure?" Kakashi asked insincerely.
Genma squinted his eyes at him but said nothing more and let his partner speak for him. "We're just dropping off some papers," said Raidou. "Both of us are pretty busy because of the competition. Genma and I going to be judges this year." Raidou placed the stack of papers neatly on Tsunade's desk and gave her a small bow.
"I do have faith in my children, Genma," Kakashi said. "I'm sure they'll take less than a few weeks. Besides, I have Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto on my team. They're not going to lose."
This information intrigued the Shiranui. "An Uzumaki.. No…," Genma briefly closed his eyes then slowly opened them, "A Namikaze and an Uchiha on the same team? Sure that's gonna work out alright?"
Asuma sighed. "Is there a reason to be concerned?" asked Kurenai. Kakashi gave a deadly glare and was about to snap at him when Tsunade cleared her throat and tapped her nails on her desk.
"Wrong place, wrong time. Hatake, Shiranui." Tsunade stared at them for a moment and sighed. She gestured to Raidou and Genma that they were dismissed.
Genma seemed to get the message and flicked his senbon back and forth for a second before motioning Raidou to follow him. He glanced at Kakashi once more and then left the room.
"Gai, what about you?" Tsunade asked continuing where she had left off before the interruption.
"Of course they are leaving at same time as Kakashi's team! My team won't be beaten by yours, Kakashi."
"Oh? Wanna bet?"
Asuma cleared his throat and joined in. "I guess I'll have my kids leave at the same time as yours then."
"And mine, too," said Kurenai.
Soon many other teachers were joining in which greatly amused Tsunade.
"Hm," she said, "the first team that reaches the end of the Road of Survival will get an extra something from me. That is, if your teams don't die on the way there." She grinned and Shizune could only imagine what type of sadistic 'prize' Tsunade would give out.
"What prize?" asked Kakashi.
Tsunade stopped grinning and began to bite on her thumbnail.
Of course, thought Shizune, she didn't even think it all the way through, did she? "I'll think about it later," said Tsunade as she gestured to the door. "Now go away, I have work to do."
The teachers looked at each other for a moment and then filed out of the office. Before Kakashi got a chance to escape to read some of his 'classic literature' he was stopped by Gai.
"What, Gai?" Kakashi was annoyed enough already because of Genma and didn't want to be subject to one of Gai's terrible contests to prove which one of them was better.
"Are you sure about letting your kids leave this early?" Gai leaned against the door to Shizune's office and studied Kakashi's face for a moment. "It's true that I think they'll finish early but I'd rather give them enough time if they needed it."
"That's not what I meant."
"Hm?"
"My team is very strong and even I decided to hold off on the competition for a whole year. Are you sure about yours? The only strong one on your team seems to be Uchiha Sasuke and one strong team member isn't enough to survive. I thought you of all people would know that, Kakashi. You're not one to do things without thinking them through."
Kakashi took a deep breath before answering.
"Gai."
"What?"
"This is my team, not yours, and I think I know more about my team than you do. I believe that they are ready and I wouldn't send them off if they weren't. I thought you of all people would know that, Gai," Kakashi mimicked.
Gai smirked and said, "I was just making sure, Kakashi. Don't worry," Kakashi wasn't worried, "I trust your decision. Beware of my kids, they're stronger than yours and will beat them."
"Do you wanna continue with that bet then? Whichever team gets through the Road of Survival first wins. If your team wins you get 20 extra wins in our rivalry contest. If your team can make it that far." Kakashi beamed from under his mask. As annoying as it was, Kakashi did want the upper hand in the rivalry contest thing they've been doing for years now.
"Hahaha, Kakashi! That's what I'm talking about!" Gai jabbed his finger at himself, "My team will win."
"So it's a deal?" Kakashi stuck out his hand to shake on it and Gai complied.
"Deal."
Kakashi did have faith in his kids. But looking at Sasuke reminded him of his younger self and that seemed to worry him more than the upcoming competition.
Kakashi had thought it a fluke the first time it happened. But then it happened again. And again.
It was the same look Kakashi had when he was a child and if that wasn't frightening then he didn't know what else was.
Kakashi knew what happened with the Uchiha clan. He wasn't that young when it had happened and by then his teammates were long gone.
But the look in Sasuke's eyes caught him off guard and put him in a bad mood for the rest of the day. It didn't help that Genma just had to stress him out even more.
If Kakashi was right, Sasuke would be hell bent on revenge for his clan and with Itachi still somewhere out there, well, Kakashi just might have to talk some sense into the kid before he attempted anything dangerous.
He wasn't going to let Sasuke become the harbinger of destruction to the team. If Genma had been referring to the obliteration of his and Obito's team then he was going to show that fucker just how determined he was to keep his team intact.
Even if it meant going through the fiery depths of hell.
Kakashi called their team down to the huge forest near campus to discuss their training results. Naruto's big stupid grin was really annoying Sasuke and he just wanted to get this over with so he could go back to his personal training.
"I'm impressed, Sasuke."
Naruto looked confused for a moment. "Why are you impressed, Kakashi-sensei?"
"Well I'm sure you all figured out what the true objective of the training session was and that the fighters you were supposedly going to capture were 2 tier fighters. Even so, Sasuke managed to capture his fighter."
Sasuke smirked when he saw the deflated look on Naruto's face. He'd figured that the fighters were too difficult for his other two teammates but it hadn't been impossible for him.
"I'm guessing you couldn't capture him, dobe?"
"Sh- Shut up!"
Kakashi waved his hand to gain back their attention and continued. "Now now, while it's true that Sasuke managed to capture his target, you and Sakura both did exceptionally well."
"Hah. Take that, teme!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and ignored his roommate's playful taunting.
"Anyways, the real reason I called you three down here was to discuss the MOA competition." Kakashi passed out a sheet of paper to the three students.
Sakura scanned the paper and then raised an eyebrow at her teacher. "What's this?"
"It's a consent form," Kakashi answered.
"A consent form for what?"
"Gee, dobe, who knows?" Sasuke's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Maybe it's for the MOA competition like it says right there at the top of the paper." Sasuke jammed his finger at the top of a pouting Naruto's consent form.
"Whatever," Naruto murmured looking everywhere else but the form in his hand.
"We're not responsible for any deaths during the competition or any preliminary exams that may occur," Sasuke read aloud and raised his head to look at Kakashi. "Preliminary exams?"
Kakashi nodded. "Mm. There have been cases in the past where too many students had passed the Road of Survival and other tests afterward. To reduce the number of students they may hold a preliminary exam before the next stage."
"Also," Kakashi went on, "It's very often that teams make alliances and decide not to fight so that they can all pass the Road of Survival together. So you'll most likely be given an incentive to fight other teams."
Sakura rolled the form and put it in her bag. "An incentive? Like what?"
Kakashi put his hands in his pockets and looked as if he was lost in his thoughts for a moment before answering.
"Well, it changes every year but when I was a kid there was a prize of over 10 million ryo that was split and given to each team that passed. The less people that passed meant that more money went to the winning teams. It motivated people to kill each other in hopes to win the award."
Kakashi pulled his Icha Icha Paradise book from out of his back pocket and opened it back to where he had left off. "Of course, there were people who just killed for the fun of it."
Kakashi sneaked a peak at Sasuke to see if his reaction had changed after hearing his last few words. It didn't.
"There's one more thing I wanna talk to you guys about." Kakashi giggled at the particularly dirty line in his book but then realized that he was currently in front of his students and, well, it wasn't the most appropriate time to be reading a porn book.
But when did Kakashi ever care where he was when reading his porn?
He cleared his throat and straightened up to face his students once more.
"You're not obligated to take this exam. You're not required to do this if you're not comfortable with the possibility of dying. However, this is a prerequisite to becoming a 2nd tier fighter. And lastly, if one of you decides not to then none of you can join the competition unless you can find another teammate before you leave.
"You don't have to sign up for the competition until you leave so that gives you plenty of time to think about it. That's that. I'll see you guys later." And with that Kakashi had poofed into a cloud of smoke.
Sasuke and Naruto both looked at each other. They both knew that the only reason they had come to this school was to win this competition. They looked back at Sakura who seemed to be lost in her thoughts.
Would Sakura ruin it for them?
Sorry if this story his going a bit fast at the moment. It will definitely slow down soon enough. I just already know this is going to be a long fic and I don't want to drag it out even longer. Unless, yknow, you guys want that.
I also failed to mention that this is an alternate universe but it's more of a futuristic type of Naruto since it's still set in the same world and many of the same 'jutsus' and techniques are used. They're just called different things. But there's a reason for that! And it will be explained later.
I also forgot to add a disclaimer to the first two chapters. Oops. Well it's obvious I don't own Naruto or else it'd be a mess like this is.