A/N Hey all here is the latest chapter of WoF sorry i haven't posted in awhile but again my internet was shut off so here i am with a brand new chapter for you all hopefully you will enjoy.
The past few weeks had been a grueling marathon of training for all the Gennin. this was especially true for Hiruzen's team. While the D ranks kept piling up with abundance, they also had to contend with training each and every morning with a varied but still torturous regimen. Every single morning come rain, shine, or wind gusts of up to 170 plus miles per hour saw Shikamaru being pushed past his breaking point as his mother routinely dished out a can of whoop ass with a side of sadistic sauce. All in the name of training him to better handle his spear. It wasn't any kind of training, in his humble opinion, it was his mother getting back at him for being lazy all the time. He shivered in the cold night air, his back against a tree hiding in the great oak's shadow. To his right hid his blonde team mate.
Naruto's training had been equally monstrous. Every morning found Asuma at his apartment kidnapping him only to use his body as a punching bag, though he did fight back as best he could with wooden replica's of his weapon of choice, the Falcon's talons. He always took him to the same training ground that had a permanent circle drawn into it. His objective was to stay in the circle for three minutes without being tossed out. So far he'd reached two minutes and forty five second. Furthermore in the past few weeks Naruto was seen with his nose always buried in a curious black book. It was a sealers guide to becoming a master and Naruto's secret weapon.
To Shikamaru's left was Tenten hiding in the same manner as they were. The full moon beaming down upon them. Her mornings were taking up with training same as the boys; she worked rigorously on learning how to control her elemental chakra which happened to be Earth, also known as the doton element, as well as working on her skills with the Bo-staff. Beyond that she also helped in the forge at the shop she lived in as well.
Their evenings were entirely devoted to Hiruzen, every night they would meet at his family's estate and they would do a variety of things. Most nights would start with a three on one match, pitting three Gennin against a Hokage who had recently gone from being 70 something to somehow reversing his body age back into his prime state, not exactly a fair fight. Not once had they ever managed to hit him more than once working together as a team. After that would be what they called 'lecture time' as he would teach them, and most times that involved his very useful but still very droll sermons. It was decided by the team that they'd all like to start learning elemental manipulation, so after lectures they were taught elemental manipulation under the extremely watchful eye of Hiruzen. Who was something of an expert on the subject.
Tenten's element had come up Doton, a good complement to her weapon skills. That wasn't really a surprise though as a person's natural nature tended to reflect their personality as well. Hiruzen had her learning how to turn a rock into a ball of clay and back again. It was easier said than done.
Shikamaru's strangely enough to him had been lightning. The teen himself thought it was confusing as to why and how that fit him, but the Hokage was amused by his confusion and had stated he saw the connection but chose not to reveal what that connection was. Shikamaru's training was to keep a steady spark of electricity flowing between two pieces of metal.
Naruto's nature was shown to be wind, which made sense to him but not so much the others. They had all thought he was going to be fire or lightning with how much energy he had all the time. However to Naruto wind symbolized freedom and chose to live his life in as close to that as possible. Naruto's, Shikamaru felt, was the easiest out all theirs. He just had to cut through a stupid leaf. All their combined training had led up to this moment.
Here they were, finally about to test their hard earned skills in a real battle scenario. This night had started differently than past three weeks, they did not walk in to see a kind Kage. He was dressed in battle gear and proceeded to drop the bomb shell that he was going to be testing their skills to gauge their growth. He loved his damned tests too much the team had come to secretly believe. This was a different kind of field test though. The gloves came off tonight, he made sure to instill that upon them before he had disappeared leaving only a note reading:
Find me
They had left that task to Naruto, who had become the team's tracker. It was almost scary how he could home in on anything that had chakra, basically all living things. He had taken refuge the mountainous region behind the Hokage monument, and that brought them to their current position. They knew he was aware of their presence, they were no fools. Advancing slowly was their only option. The rear guard would dart forward while the fore most person watched ahead for predators ready to strike at the moving member while the middle member guarded the rear and further watched the back of the mover. It was a leap frog of sorts.
As they neared the base of the mountain the Hokage chose to greet them. Hanging upside down off a branch behind them blocking their escape back into the forest he spooked them. "Smart way to move sadly not enough when at the final leg you draw your entire attention forward." He smirked when they all jumped and whipped around. Yet by the time they had turned he was long gone from the spot. "Not smart turning around all together." He chided as if they were children, a towering wave of mud crashed down on their backs mere seconds after his words were spoken. "If that's the best you three got I'm disappointed in you."
He spoke too soon as thousands upon thousands of kunai rained down upon him. 'Kage-shuriken jutsu eh? Not bad, wait Wha- Oh shit!' he mentally cursed when he saw the kunai had small clay balls attached to them, along with tiny explosive notes taped on them. Small explosions like the sound of rapid gun shots rocked the night air accompanied by the sound of thousands of tiny shards of sharply pointed objects slicing through the air.
They weren't done however, they knew he would dodge and now they had him in their sights. Naruto had anticipated what direction the Hokage was going to retreat in and was there to meet him head on in the air, He lashed out a kick that Hiruzen caught, another kick met the same fate however Naruto smirked and started twisting his body causing them both to start spinnig like a corkscrew. Positioning the Hokage at an angle so they were a twirling vortex on a collision course with cold, hard mother earth the kage's head hit the ground first, except instead of going 'splat' like it should have, it caved in and turned to mud. Ensnaring Naruto as he fell into the mud and hardening trapping the blonde, "Good try Naruto but not nearly enough for me." when an elbow to the back of the blondes head resulted in a puff of smoke the third knew he'd been had a second time that fight. For now he was the one who couldn't move.
"Kagemane-no-jutsu, success! Naruto, Tenten now!" Came Shikamaru's voice sounding out everywhere and nowhere. 'Damn that kid learned that jutsu too eh? Can't say I blame him for not telling me. It's not really a relevant jutsu.' Seconds after Shikamaru's call Naruto fell down from the forests tree tops and skull bashed the Hokage at horrifying speeds. The resulting hit sent the Hokage skipping across the floor till he hit a tree.
"HELL YEAH! Take that gramps Dattebayo!" Naruto cheered, jumping in the air while punching his fist in the air. That was a solid hit damn it and the best one they'd ever landed on him. It was a celebratory moment in his time. However when Naruto was forcefully made to jump out of the wave of wind that would have slammed into him with force of an iron wall he realized he should probably not celebrate while in battle.
"Pay attention you idiot!" Shikamaru cried once Naruto was in relative safety. "I had to waste chakra because of you now so you better make up for that by focusing from now on got that!" he growled to the boy who nodded and swiftly apologized. Shikimaru grumbled some more before finally shrugging "a troublesome little shit is what you are." He mumbled. Stupid hyperactive blondes, to troublesome for their own damn good. To give the boys some time to recover Tenten had engaged The Hokage in direct combat, she wielded her Bo staff in a deadly dance that kept Hiruzen on the defensive. He wasn't able to retrieve any sort of weapon at the moment. Tenten's offensive and form were rock solid. Her flow was so fast he could only continue to dodge, than again she was going to drain herself fast if she kept this up for much longer.
He could already see her starting to sweat. She was pushing herself to the max and it was only a matter of time before she slipped up and he could take advantage of that. A few moments later she over extended her swing, the moment he'd waited for. About to counter after dodging her strike, he saw Naruto flying at him again like a canon ball forcing him to abandon his counter and leaping backwards into the air starting a chain of hand seals. However before he could finish ninja wire ensnared him cancelling his ability to make hand signs. "Oh no you don't!" Shikimaru growled as he sent the Hokage towards a nice long nap courtesy of the teen slamming the suspended into the ground via the ninja wire.
"Ha! You wish that was enough to defeat me." The third whispered in Shikamaru's ears. Causing the teen to go bug eyed before he was viciously thrown into his incoming teammates. The entangled teammates rapidly got back to their feet, but the Hokage was already on them. A normal Bo-staff in hand he rapidly tore in them Monkey summoner style, using a style that's movements were very reminiscent of an ape's natural movements. It worked though, he was comfortably taking on three ninja's now armed with kunai who by his estimate were fairly skilled. Together they made a pretty formidable team, for a regular shinobi maybe. Hiruzen with seventy plus years of experience and body in its prime was no regular shinobi however. They were on the ropes at this point, having received numerous bruises and even cuts from his weapon. Let it be said that in the bingo book his skill alone with that singular weapon made him a flee on sight.
He smirked the kids were getting desperate for room now, but he wouldn't give it to them. Smacking them around and keeping them corralled close together so he could repeatedly and continuously batter them. Naruto's hand snapped up and caught his incoming blow. He heard the smack and he knew Naruto's hand had to hurt like hell at that moment, but the brats grip was firm and he roughly yanked on the staff making him stumble forward, right into Naruto's skull bash of a head butt, his brain was sufficiently rattled at that point and Tenten's follow up spinning screwdriver kick to his mid section sent him spinning away but Shikimaru again had ensnared him with ninja wire and yanked him back again for a double heel stomp to the chest. Except he had somehow switched with another mud clone at that point.
"ENOUGH!" the Hokage reappeared via slowly rising out of the ground. They forgot he could do that and he loved the shocked and weird expressions he was receiving. He was ninja, and ninja loved to spook people in his day. He was something of a prankster himself. "You three did well, I was hard there a couple of times during that battle. Were I an enemy I would not be so expecting of your combinations or skills, as I have fought you over these weeks I know you three like the back of my hand. I know your styles mannerisms and techniques therefore I am much more difficult an opponent and you pushed me. All three of you go get rest tonight and eat a hearty breakfast tomorrow. You'll need it. Dismissed." He grinned as in the blink of an eye he just vanished without a trace.
"Troublesome bastard." Shikamaru glared at the spot that used to be their sensei. They were beaten and bruised, ego's included.
"Ah come on Shika! Look at the Brightside we hit him hard a few times tonight. That's something!" He clapped the boy on the back, annoying the other teen and causing said teen to lurch forward with every friendly "pat" and almost knocking him over.
"You realize I'm in severe pain right now right Asshole?"
"Like I care Shithead!"
"Pussy"
"Queer."
"Shut the hell up you two! God do you hear yourselves and so help me if you keep swearing I am going to beat the both of you far worse than Sensei just kicked ours! You're giving me a head ache and I'm already angry do you really want to test me right now." The longer she spoke the crazier and angrier her voice sounded. An angry Tenten was an extremely violent Tenten and neither Naruto nor Shikamaru wanted that so they wisely shut up. Just like that she brightened up with a cheerful smile. "Good boys. Let's go get some food I'm starving!" She proclaimed, her belly adding its agreement by way of very loud rumbling. Just then both boys stomach's grumbled in harmony. Food time it was.
After wandering around town for a place to eat that was open this late they eventually found a small Dango shop. Without any other option really available and not really wanting to look to see if there was another one they entered the place. It was a small place, but it had a homey feel to it. Ambling over to a table not too far away from the only other guests in the restaurant, a table of four females, they didn't pay them much attention. They were tired, sore, and looked like they just went through hell. After placing their order they started chatting amongst themselves about the battle.
XXXXXX
This dango shop was a second home to the one and only Mitarashi Anko. A woman with purple hair done in a pony tail that slightly resembled a flame. clad in a tan overcoat with a purple in-seam, it had pockets on both sides, and completed with a fitted mesh body suit that stretched from her neck down to her thighs and complemented by a dark orange mini-skirt. Along with her forehead protector, a small pendant that looked like a snake fang was wrapped around her neck on a thick cord. accessorized with a wrist watch, and shin guards. When three random, but eye catching, gennin showed up looking dragged through hell, she took notice. "Look at those brats over there. Wonder what ate them for breakfast and spat them back out again for lunch and dinner." She wondered aloud to her friends, she had one of the aisle seats so she had a good viewpoint to see them.
To her left was Kurenai Yuhi. She had long, black, shoulder-length untamed hair, and very unique red eyes, with an additional ring in them. She was currently wearing make-up consisting of red lipstick and purple eye shadow. She was in her regular outfit consisting of a red mesh armour blouse with only the right sleeve visible. Over this was very broad material which resembled bandages with a pattern on it similar to those of rose thorns. Her hands and upper thighs were also wrapped in bandages and the Konoha forehead protector in the standard place and regular shinobi sandals. The woman shrugged "Eh I say leave em' be. They probably just did get sent through hell so let them enjoy their peace and quiet."
"Come on Kurenai where's the fun in that? The kids look pretty entertaining, skilled too." The third woman questioning was Hana Inuzuka having long brown hair which she always seemed to wear in a ponytail with two locks of hair framing her face. Her eyes were large, un-characteristically soft for an Inuzuka, and black. Also wearing a light shade of lipstick and having the traditional fang-like tattoos of the Inuzuka clan on both of her cheeks, in addition to a tattoo on her upper right arm that resembling a flower.
"Humph they don't look like much to me. Especially the blonde one." The last speaker was young woman by the name of Yùgao Uzuki. She was dressed all business in black and grey armour, metal arm guards and a katana strapped to her back. Prominently displaying the signature ANBU tattoo on her right shoulder.
"You know I can hear every word you ladies are saying and you know what lady you can go fuck yourself, I just had to battle Hiruzen Sarutobi and survive so you can take your can of snobby and shove it where the sun doesn't shine." Let it be said that Naruto was never one to keep his mouth shut. Tenten promptly grabbed his head and smashed it against the table
"I said stop swearing!" She chided, her eyes flicking over to the table of the woman, all of them sizing the three of them up. "He's telling the truth though, we really are skilled so I would ask that you keep your opinions to yourselves or at least gossip where we can't hear you."
Yùgao scoffed. "Listen here child, you see my tattoo? That means I'm Anbu. I know talent when I see it and you, obnoxious little brat, have absolutely no talent. Your strengths and weakness do not align themselves with what the essence of a shinobi should be. Your utterly useless, your loud, brash, obnoxious and there's nothing silent about you. You should quit now while you can before you cost a comrade their lives because of your foolishness." Her words mercilessly cut into him and were as cold as the Shininigamis' touch himself. Her eyes bearing such a look of anger he might burst in flames.
Naruto didn't know why she hated him but he didn't care he wasn't going to be talked to like trash. "Tch, you don't know me or anything about me I'm Naruto mother-fucking Uzumaki, best damn Hokage there is ever gonna be. Ninja one o one lady, deception is everything. Your underestimating me and that means you probably underestimate a lot of people and that'll get you killed. You might want to be careful Anbu-bitch." His retort was immediate and smoothly dealt.
It even rose the eyebrow of Anko, she had to applaud his quick wittedness. It took a sharp mind to verbally spar like that. When she looked towards Yùgao to gauge her reaction she was shocked to see the purple headed woman smiling. Hell this whole thing shocked her. Yùgao was normally a very kind and caring person, why this Naruto kid flipped her switch she intended to find out. "Humph maybe you aren't as spineless as I initially thought. Your still pathetically weak. You need get much stronger and fast if you have any chance of surviving." It almost sounded like a warning of things to come.
Quite frankly it made all the occupants in the room a little curious. Yùgao than directed her attention back to her friends. "It is late however, I think it is time I go, it was wonderful seeing you all. We have to do this routinely!" She beamed, they all agreed and decided it was time for them to go, but not before they said a few last words to the kiddies in the shop.
"We shall meet again Naruto Uzumaki." Yùgao informed the blonde with a hard calculating look. He returned it with a nod.
At this point Anko jumped on to Naruto's shoulders and wrapped her legs around his neck faster than he could blink. She was grinning so wide her eyes were forced shut. "By the way Gaki, I'm Anko Mitarashi number one resident bad ass of the village, and I don't care if you took on the fucking first Hokage all by yourself I'd still kill you inside of five seconds. Damn your fun though; so I probably wouldn't, more like paralyze you and have some fun with you." at this point the gleam in her eyes left those who saw it just unsure of what Anko's idea of fun meant and they weren't sure if they wanted to find out. Naruto was currently starting to turn a slight purple, Naruto couldn't breathe because of her legs and trying to pry her off was only tiring him out faster."The other lady was Yùgao, and man do you seem to piss her off, I wonder why that is? Well don't go dying out there in the field okay! Bye bye now!" She was gone with swirl of leaves. Leaving Naruto now gasping for air.
"Sorry about our friends there, were not sure what Yùgao was on about but Anko's a little bit…. Eccentric yeah, that's it. My name is Kurenai, it's nice to meet some up and coming talent." She said pleasantly.
"You were at the graduation at the academy, you're a jounin." Naruto stated remembering her receiving a team consisting of Shino, Kiba, and Hinata.
She nodded pleasantly surprised he remembered. "That's right, good memory there kid, this is here is Hana Inuzuka the sister of one of my squad members. You three be safe and get some rest you like you could use it." Her smile was very offsetting after the treatment of the other two.
Hana grinned, "Well yeah I may be his sister but that's like comparing a coyote to a wolf. I run the animal clinic here in Konoha. If you ever need an animal companion stitched up come to me alright?" Naruto liked her immediately, she had a warm personality. That made her okay as far as he was concerned.
"Well as cool as the offer is my teammate here just basically got verbally attacked and physically assaulted, beyond what we've been through already I would really enjoy just enjoying my meal. This whole night has been entirely too troublesome." Shikamaru interjected. Sure these two were nice but he was tired and grumpy.
They all laughed at his whining and said there goodbye's to the two ladies. After they left Naruto stared at Shikamaru. HARD. "What Naruto?" Shikamaru finally asked after several minutes of being under heavy scrutiny.
"Is it just me or did all those ladies all dress a little scantily? Especially Anko." His voice was as quite as possible but he just couldn't be quiet enough for Tenten to NOT hear.
"It's simple really Naruto, it's for distraction. Anything to help win a fight and if a ninja is distracted by staring at some tits well the sight better be worth his life because that's what it's going to cost him." Tenten replied in Shikamaru's stead.
"Oh, I guess that makes sense. Man no wonder the old man's such a pervert! All the female ninja's dressing like that all the time corrupted him!" Naruto snapped his fingers as he shouted.
"What makes you think Sensei is a pervert Naruto?" Shikamaru asked, he'd never seen nor heard of evidence of this.
"Oh you wouldn't know I guess but he reads those gross Icha Icha books all the time. He has a secret stash in every building he frequents on a daily basis." Naruto informed the two now gaping shinobi. He just gave them a blank look. A chilling sensation crawled up his spine at that moment. 'Uh oh maybe I shouldn't have told them that. I somehow feel that's going to come bite me in the ass, oh well to late too worry about it now.' he thought to himself. The three of them quickly retiring to their own quarters after they paid their meals and left.