CH 19
Naruto - New, Yet So Old - Naruto - New, Yet So Old
Team Seventeen were standing before the last of the decrepit buildings in the Uchiha compound.
"Ready," Naruto said, because his spell was the first that needed to be activated. He received nods from his other two teammates and then he called out, "Wind Style: Scouring Dust Ball".
Sasuke snorted, he couldn't help it because the name of the spell sounded funny to him. He reacted the same way every time, much to the amusement of his teammates. This was the final building and they'd finally gotten the method down to do this by the time they got to the third old building.
The 'Dust Ball' moved through the rooms, removing all interior paint and varnish before doing the entire outside of the building. The 'ball' grew in size and was moved to the centre of the compound where Sasuke was ready to use his, "Fire Style: Camp Flames," spell. Any other Fire spell was just plain overkill and unneeded in this case.
Kakashi-sensei had taken to watching them the third time that they did this, after some concerned citizen had reported to the Hokage that they thought the Uchiha Compound was burning down. He was fascinated at the way they decided to tear down the older hazardous buildings using their Elemental Jutsus.
Tokuma-sensei was with him this time around because the Copy-Nin felt that his fellow Jounin teacher would be interested in the results of what their students were currently doing.
They watched as Naruto slapped Fujin tags on all corners on every side on the outside of the house and then motioned for the other two, to do what they seemed to love doing. They ran into the rooms of the house and planted several charges in corners and at every bearing wall according to the house's blue prints. The two came out and Naruto did a final walkthrough using his strange Gyo technique that his two teammates had finally learned about.
"It's not an ocular Jutsu," Naruto had told them. "It's really something else because I use nearly all of my senses at the same time. It's just another sense to me." He showed them by activating it and finding a compartment missed by Sasuke's active Sharingan eye technique. "I could sorta see by smelling it, if that makes any sense."
Risa had then checked the room and located a couple other hidden cubbies by her sense of smell alone and they were the same that Naruto had found, but that Sasuke couldn't see. Because of that they'd agreed that Naruto had to do the final walkthrough before any building came down just in case the other two had missed something.
Naruto had found two scrolls in the first building, a book in the second and in the third building he'd found Sasuke's mom's journal of her 'new' Kenjutsu Style. For that alone the black haired boy was willing to forgive him his strange abilities, because at least it was nothing like the Sharingan anyway.
The blond boy came out of this house carrying five fairly large scrolls and said, "There are more in there."
Sasuke and Risa looked at the scrolls, separated them and then put them away in storage scrolls. Sasuke then asked, "How much more?"
"You have to come and see this," Naruto said with worried eyes. "I don't know if it was part of the house or not, but you have to come and our senseis should to be here too, maybe they can explain."
Sasuke turned to look in the direction of their Jounin-senseis and called them down with signs, (…Hey, you slackers, we need your advice so come down and help your Genins…)
The two men looked at one another because they thought that they'd been well concealed. They shrugged and then jumped down from their supposedly hidden location.
"You summoned us o' last of the venerable Uchiha Clan," Kakashi-sensei said with a slight tease.
"Yeah," Sasuke said. "We're going to follow Naruto. He recommended that you be there to witness or observe what it is he's found."
Risa had just come out with another bundle of scrolls. "You do need to go down there," she said. "I defused all our explosives, since I don't want anything to happen while you're in there."
Sasuke went into the house and then immediately saw the set of stairs leading down from the main room. "Naruto," he called out, as he came down the stairs. "Yo, Blondie are you all ri… Whoah!"
"I'm fine," Naruto said. "Oh good, Tokuma-sensei you're here, maybe you can tell us if this is normal for a Clan Family? I mean I can understand that many with an active Sharingan would love to learn to hide stuff, which explains the multiple cubbies we found in nearly every building, but this is overkill isn't it?"
"Not really," Tokuma said looking over some of the scrolls. He looked closer and noted that some had the name Uzumaki on them. "Is this possible?"
"There were plenty of intermarriages before and after Konoha was founded," Sasuke stated. "But these all look like they were made before the Founding Time. What I'm a going to do with all of them?"
"Move them out of this house," Kakashi-sensei said. "You have to do that because this building can no longer hold these items. It's not secure."
"Here Teme," Naruto said handing him two large storage scrolls. "Put the ones that you think have value in them and once rolled secure the scroll with a drop of your blood, that way it will only open for you."
"What are you going to do," Sasuke asked, as he began to store some of the older more delicate scrolls, papers and books into one of the large storage scrolls he'd been given.
"I'll start with what looks to be more recent in this corner," Naruto said. "Tokuma-sensei and Kakashi-sensei could you two look around with your limits to see if we missed anything?"
Less than an hour the hidden room had been cleared and neither of the senseis had detected any other hidden area or found any trap in the room. Risa was periodically skimming through some of the scrolls and so were her teachers that had joined her.
"Found it," Tokuma-sensei said. "It's old script, but it dates to the founding of Konoha. It says here that this was part of the library belonging to the Land of Whirling Tides before the war that destroyed their Shinobi village. The library belonged to the Shodaime's wife's family, who were Uzumaki. As you know the Shodaime was also related to the Uchihas. That building must have been their house before a new 'main house' was built."
"My grandmother had always said that our history was on this property, but for some reason no one had ever found it," Sasuke told them. "She was deemed to be completely senile by the other members of the house because she'd could always be heard saying that 'It takes an Uzumaki to find it', repeatedly." He shrugged at the looks he was getting, "She was always muttering stuff like that, but no one ever paid any attention to it because it was always followed by 'Never trust a recurring blemish'." (…i…)
"Curious that it was an Uzumaki that found it, though," Kakashi-sensei pointed out. "Maybe the other thing she said has a meaning that you've yet to figure out?"
"True," Sasuke said. He looked to the blond boy that seemed to be absorbed in reading something. "Naruto?"
"Hm," the boy looked up and smiled. "I never knew that there was this much history on the Uzumaki Family. I hope you'll let me read more of it."
"Of course," Sasuke said. "If you'll help me to preserve it and store it safely until we can read what they contain."
"You got it," Naruto said. "Maybe one of your sturdier buildings can be converted into a secure library."
"I'll have to think about it," Sasuke said. "Could we put these away and take care of that building now? I don't really want to leave it standing."
"No problem," Naruto said and everyone packed all of the scrolls, papers or books that they'd been reading.
They headed out of the main house and then continued the task that they'd wanted to accomplish that day. Their senseis decided to stick around and watch from the roof of a nearby building rather than further away and up in a tree. The explosives had been recharged and then from the distance they saw the building literally shatter into billions of splinters, which were pulled away by a breeze that Naruto controlled.
The glass from the windows were heavier and fell to the ground with a crash. The foundation of the building was destroyed by one punch that Risa did with a chakra filled brass knuckle. It had been specially created to channel the powerful Earth chakra. Doing this loosened the soil and the boys then used their combined strength with the help from Risa's, "Earth Style: Earth Lift", a D to C Level spell, to lift a specific size of land. They pulled the metal piping away from the area that Risa would be Terraforming.
Naruto then guided the wooden splinters back into the pit, where the foundation had been and then let them fall into the hole. He then moved the piping to the centre of the compound and at Sasuke's ready signal his used his strongest Wind severing technique: "Wind Style: Vulcan Blades", in conjunction with the Uchiha's, "Fire Style: Grand Fireball."
The Vulcan Blades spell was a B Level wind spell that could be augmented by any Fire spell to quadruple the effectiveness. It forms three to seven blades made of heated wind, the kind likely found around volcanoes, and can be used to cut any metal. Used with something like the 'Grand Fireball' and the heat intensifies enough to smelt the metal. Cutting the pipes and smelting them at the same time renders the slag into manageable lumps ready for sale once they've been cooled down.
Risa was watching this part because there was something interesting about the process. Sure all of the Elemental Jutsus could be used in battle as offensive or defensive techniques. But really to only be able to use them in a do or die situation, doesn't allow for much practice. Using it this way was really part of their practice. The other reason she was watching at the moment was to rest before performing the last spell in the area.
"Are you going to hose it down like you did the last time," Risa asked.
"Only after you do your bit," Naruto said. "I have a new water spell I'd like to try out. Oi, Teme you don't have any laundry out on the line today do you?"
"No," Sasuke returned. "Why do you ask?"
"You'll see," Naruto said eagerly. He really wanted to try this new Water spell. "Are you good to go Risa? Should we take a break?"
Risa checked her chakra levels and then checked the area that she was planning to terraform. "I'm good to go," she said. "Sasuke do you have those seeds ready?"
"Yes," he said readying the fruit tree seeds that he was going to toss in the soil at her signal. "They're mixed fruit trees that a farmer told me would grow well together in a grove type environment."
"I'm going to double the area," she told them. "So keep an eye on it." The boys nodded and then she called out, "Earth Style: Terraforming Orchard Twenty-Twenty".
The Earth spell made the ground rumble and shift. It felt like the earth was being freshly turned and more was added. The wooden splinters were ground into it and changed into nutrients that the soil needed to become fertile once more for the purpose of growing plant life. It was about to settle completely, but Risa shouted, "NOW."
Sasuke tossed the seeds in semi-formal rows and ensured that like was planted near like or that some were planted near the ones that could share space without overcrowding. He called out, "DONE."
Naruto stepped up and said, "Water Style: Sun Shower." A patch of sun shone down on them and a large area of the Compound, plus couple hundred metres around it. Rain fell thickly and quick in the full sun patch. It was over in, under five minutes, but everything that was under that 'Sun Shower' spell was completely drenched.
"Um," Naruto said as his waterlogged teammates and senseis, as they looked at him surprised. "Oops?"
Akoba grumbled, trotted over to the blond Jinchuriki and the proceeded to shake himself dry, splashing the boy with water.
"At least he's not a big dog yet," Naruto said with a sheepish grin. "Sorry guys."
"You've never practiced that one before did you," Risa asked, tugging the water out of her hair.
"Well, it never came out like this," Naruto told her, doing the same with his own blond locks. "I'm going to need to get my hair cut again." He pushed them out of his face.
Sasuke, just brushed his dripping bangs away from his eyes and said, "You called it forth thinking that it needed to cover the area of the compound in order to hit the slag as well as the part that Risa was working on, didn't you?"
"Yes," Naruto said. "Why do you ask?"
"Baka, you decided to make it bigger and that controlled it," Sasuke said, shaking his head, like the dog had done to remove the water. Then he went to the area to watch the small seeds that he'd planted in the newly turned soil grow under the sun and the large drenching of water that had come down. "At least it was a good thing that you did it, because it looks like the plants are going to do well in this corner."
"Oh wow," Risa said. She placed a hand on the soil and felt the Earth and the nutrients. The plants were going to be fine and it seemed that they might need another drenching soon. "Naruto can you do that spell again. Only this time, in this area and maybe for two minutes, wait ten minutes and then do it again for another three minutes."
"Sure," Naruto said. "I'd stand back if you don't want to get drenched again." Everyone stood away from the growing orchard and the blond called out, "Water Style: Sun Shower," this time he reduced the area in his mind and rain time.
It was interesting to see the plants growing with advance speed. However that was terraforming at it's best. The plants grew through one cycle together up to the point they should be in the current season's cycle. Most of the trees and bushes that grew would bear fruit in a few days time and until the end Autumn. Another 'Sun Shower' and then the trees were flourishing.
"Oh wow," Risa said. "You have lemon and lime bushes, four oranges trees, three persimmon trees and five apple trees. That is a great combination for this region." (…ii…)
"Oh man," Naruto said. "You lucky dog. I can just taste braised lemon fish and herbed greens…mmm or maybe pork steak in persimmon sauce with a side of plain rice…mmm…" He quickly checked to make sure that he wasn't drooling and didn't notice that his teammates and senseis were nearly in that state too just by the description of the foods he'd been describing.
Overhead of the compound a hawk flew by calling out to the Jounin teachers to assemble before the Hokage. Kakashi and Tokuma looked at one another and nodded. Their students were ready. Kakashi used the flicker technique and left to go to the meeting, while leaving his counterpart to give their team at least a day off.
"All right guys," Tokuma-sensei said. "We're giving you the day off tomorrow. We'll meet the day after at the regular time and place, understood."
"Yes Tokuma-sensei," they all said. The Hyuga then used the Shunsin technique to flicker away and get to the meeting with the other senseis and thought. 'At least this technique allows us to get dry before we show up in front of the other Jounin and Chunin.'
Sasuke and Risa turned to face their teammate. Naruto looked back at them, backing away slightly and said, "What…what'd I do?"
"You're going to make that lemon fish for us," Sasuke said. "You can use my kitchen!"
"Payback for drenching us," Risa said and Akoba barked in agreement.
"What!" Naruto exclaimed. "Why do I have to cook?"
"You mentioned the food," Sasuke said.
"That's right," Risa agreed. "It sounded really good too."
Naruto sighed and said, "Fine, but you both have to go to the market for any missing ingredients. Let's see what you have in your kitchen."
"Neh, Naruto," Risa said, as they were heading into the main house. "Did you notice?"
"Yep," the blond said. "The Chunin exams are about to take place."
"What," Sasuke said.
"That hawk was a summons for Jounin with Genin teams to assemble," Risa said. "We'll find out soon if we're nominated or not."
"I think we will be, but that also means that the exams are taking place here," Naruto said, as he looked in a cupboard and pulled out a few spice containers. "Remember when it was time to go to Suna the Hawk came a full month before December 1st and Chunin exams are done every six months, so the next one has to be taking place July1st."
"That's only days away, so it will be happening in Konoha," Sasuke said. "No travel to plan ahead for."
"That's right," Naruto said. "Do you want that bound Henge placed on you today?"
"Can you?" Sasuke asked.
"Sure," Naruto said. "I have extra papers with me. I just have to write the Fujin Sigils on them. I don't know if I ever told you this before, but once you have a bound Henge or Seal like this one placed on you, you can't have another, right?"
"Yes," Sasuke told him. "You told me this when we traveled to Wave Country because you'd built in a protection against Cursing Seals. I don't mind. I think that I'd rather have that extra level of protection, especially against some Cursed Seal. I've read about those." The black haired boy shuddered at the thought.
"I want one too," Risa said.
"What," Naruto asked.
"I'd like that kind of protection too," the girl said. "We don't know what the Genin that are coming here are capable of. If we go on the assumption that they can place Cursed Seals on us and you already have something that can protect us, I want it. For me and for Akoba."
"I'm going to have to review my books for that," Naruto said. "The one placed on Sasuke is specifically linked to his Sharingan with an automated protection against Cursed Seals written in it."
"Do you mean that you've been traveling unprotected," Sasuke said.
"Not really," Naruto said, patting his stomach. "I may not have actively called on him, but I do know that together we live. If I die, he dies and he won't let that happen. Besides when I use the bound Henge for myself, as I'm only hiding a surface image, yours actually hides a DNA imbedded biological function."
"Oh," Sasuke said.
"Let me study it for you Risa," Naruto said. "I should have something in a couple of days, since July 1st is only seven days away. I'll put one on you today, Sasuke, and have it last for three months, only this time without changing the colour of your eyes."
"Yeah, too many people would freak out, if they saw with the blue eyes you like to travel with," Risa pointed out. "That's because they know you and changing your eye colour in town is a big fat flag that says you're hiding something."
Sasuke nodded and then said, "Do that after you make that list for tomorrow's lunch, Dobe."
"Hai, hai," Naruto said with a grin (yes, yes). He was still hunting through the cupboards and the refrigerator for ingredients.
Naruto - New, Yet So Old - Naruto - New, Yet So Old
In the Hokage's main audience chamber, there was a gathering of all Jounin that were in charge of a team or cell of Genin. (…iii…) The old man was seated at the end of a long room and then he said, "You may well guess as to why you've been summoned and what we're here to discuss."
"Is it that time already," Kakashi asked in his normal unaffected tone. His co-teacher had finally arrived in time to hear the rest of the announcement.
Another Jounin stated or asked, "Have you informed the Lords of the other lands yet? Because I believe I've already seen a few of them in our village."
"When is it to be," asked another Jounin.
"One week from today," the Hokage replied with an exhaled breath of smoke from his pipe.
"Isn't this rather sudden," an Academy teacher asked.
The old man removed his pipe from his mouth with another exhale of smoke and said, "To make it completely official, I hereby announce that seven days from today on July 1st, we shall be conducting the examinations for the ninja journeyman rank of Chunin."
The Jounin and Chunin in the room began to whisper amongst themselves for a few moments.
"Now then let's hear from the three, pardon, four Jounin that have been overseeing the training of our newest batch of young ninja," the Hokage said. "Tokuma, Kakashi, Asuma, and Kurenai, please step forward."
The four Jounin approached and lined up, waiting further instructions and explanations from their leader. "Do any of you have, among your charges, any Genin that you'd recommend for this year's Chunin Journeyman exams?"
He paused dramatically and looked at each of the instructors, explaining, "Before we consider them they must have completed a minimum of eight missions, beyond that employ your own judgment, as to whether they are ready to aspire to the next level. To be totally honest, the competing candidates should have done a least double the recommended number of missions."
Iruka was listening to this and his concern was visible as he thought, 'He shouldn't be asking this yet…It's too soon for any of them.'
"Team Seventeen," Kakashi stood forward with Tokuma next to him. "Comprised of Genin Uzumaki Naruto, Genin Inuzuka Risa and Genin Uchiha Sasuke and I, Hatake Kakashi…" Kakashi said.
"…and, I, Hyuga Tokuma," Tokuma continued. "Recommend these three for the Chunin Exam."
Kurenai stepped forward and said, "Group Eight, consisting of Hyuga Hinata, Inuzuka Kiba, and Aburame Shino. These three, I, Yuuhi Kurenai recommend the same."
Asuma stepped forward and said, "Cell Ten, consisting of Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru and Akimichi Choji. These three, I, Sarutobi Asuma recommend the same."
Whispers among the ranks got louder. "All three recommended."
"To think rookies will be in the Chunin Exam this year."
"Hasn't it been five years since that last happened?"
Umino Iruka, Special Chunin stepped forward and protested their nominations, "Wait please. Admittedly they were all students with ability, but it's too soon! They should be tested only after having gained more experience."
Kakashi sighed and turned around, saying, "I became Chunin when I was six years younger than Naruto is now."
"Naruto is different from you!" Iruka continued his protest. "Is it your intent to crush Naruto?"
Tokuma stepped forward and said, "Naruto is more than ready for these exams. Why are you intent on holding him back? He's done four times as many missions, than Kakashi had done before he became Chunin. You never protested his participation for the Winter Chunin exams that occurred in Suna, why do so now?"
Iruka stepped back with a muttered, "I didn't know he'd gone."
Kakashi explained his point of view, "I understand what you want to say and your concerns may be valid. It's aggravating I know, but…"
"Kakashi don't do it," Kurenai requested softly.
The grey haired man ignored his fellow teacher and continued talking to Iruka. "Respectfully, stay out of this," he said. "They're not your students anymore. They're soldiers under my command and I stand by my recommendation."
Asuma only thought, 'What a bunch of troublesome people.'
Kakashi turned back to the Hokage and waited for the recommendation approved form to be signed and stamped officially. Then he picked three for his Genins and then left the room. Tokuma only shrugged at the others and followed his co-sensei.
"When did you tell them that we'd meet," Kakashi asked.
"Day after tomorrow," Tokuma said. "Why?"
"I wonder where they'll be tomorrow," Kakashi speculated.
"Naruto's cooking at Sasuke's," Tokuma said. "Some thing about the lemon braised fish that the boy had mentioned."
"Payback?"
"For drenching them," Tokuma said. "The others will be shopping in the market for the ingredients or so I might have overheard."
"Hm," Kakashi smiled behind his mask. "Care for stroll through the market tomorrow, my colleague?"
"Does it include an ending with a meal of lemon braised fish?"
"Of course," the grey haired man grinned and the Hyuga laughed.
In a single room apartment and blond haired Genin sneezed at the same time as his teammates who lived in different sections of town.
Naruto - New, Yet So Old - Naruto - New, Yet So Old
TBC…(…i…) Blemish or Spot – meaning for the name… "Madara". Or maybe the old woman just read too much Shakespeare, "Out damned spot…" (hee, hee)
(…ii…) Fruit combination – just because I wanted them there, that's all. Not meant to reflect reality.
(…iii…) Warning – most conversation may be taken from vol. 4 of manga or from animé, depending which one sounds better.