"The Greatest Idea Ever"
By Qucik-n-Popular
Disclaimer: "Naruto" and its characters do no not belong to me.
A/N: Big thank you to all who've reviewed, favorite, and chose to be updated by this story. It means a lot that it's being well-received.
Chapter Four: An Instructor and Conflicting View Points
Naruto stood in front of the mirror in his apartment observing the new clothes he had purchased the other day. With reluctance and heartbreak he put aside his earlier clothes as they had been ripped in a lot of places from some of the D-Rank missions he's been doing with his team and the practice sessions with Tenten, lately. He remembered feeling sour when she had originally suggested a change due to it being restricting with his new efforts to become a kenjutsu user.
Stubbornness aside, he was actually starting to like these new clothes as he looked at himself in the mirror. He had pants that were a darker shade of orange and were less baggy than the previous one he wore. Lastly, he had a black and orange jacket that honestly may have looked better than the previous jacket.
Along with these, he had a crimson-colored sash that went across his waist and attached his sword to the hip of his body.
As to why he chose this way to carry it, Naruto thought back to another session he had with his bun-haired temporary teacher just the other day.
Tenten and Naruto were relaxing with their training swords next to them. This was a break in their lesson in a cool down period as Naruto was regaining his energy.
Tenten was smiling as she drank her bottle of water before she turned to Naruto and noticed him sheathing and unsheathing his sword a couple of times. A thought occurred to her.
"You know, Naruto, you might want to think of getting something to help you carry that sword. When we're done for today, I'll bring you back to our store and see if we can set you up with something."
Naruto hadn't really considered that as he just been automatically carrying in in his hand. "So would I be putting it on my back like a lot of the Anbu do?"
Tenten frowned, "That is one way to do it. But for you, I think having it on your side would be better at this point."
Naruto felt confused, "Why?"
Tenten sighed and then grabbed her wooden sword before indicating for him to stand up too.
"I'll show you. Reach behind your shoulder like you're trying to pull the hilt of your sword up."
Naruto did as she asked but before he fully tried to grab the imaginary weapon, Tenten closed the distance between them and tapped the point of her sword against Naruto's neck, chest, and belly.
She stepped back, "Do you see? People who are really good with their speed can attack you if you can't bring it out in time. Of course you could train to become faster or train to react in time, to be out of their reach, but that takes years of practice that you don't have yet."
The blond teen was amazed that he hadn't thought about speed being a factor but he guessed it was only normal as he was new to all of this. However, he thought of something that confused him.
"Why do the Anbu do it then?"
Tenten sighed, "Well, their training and experience aside, some of them have chest armor so that helps them as well."
Naruto nodded, satisfied and then went back to the earlier part of the discussion. "So, having the sword at your side is better, right?"
Tenten nodded, smiling, "Right. Having it at your side makes it easier to defend a frontal assault and pulling the blade out is a lot easier, too."
Naruto understood now and Tenten motioned him to pick up his training sword before they started the lesson again.
At the present in his apartment feeling satisfied with his new look, he then got ready before heading out to meet with his team.
Upon arrival at Training Grounds 7, he found Sakura asking Sasuke about his day, to which he was giving her the cold shoulder.
Naruto once again felt that twinge of jealousy. He knew if he was receiving that type of attention from her he wouldn't be acting like that. Though, thinking on it, Naruto knew that her heart was set on the brooding Uchiha. So, could she really make that switch to him so easily?
The whole likelihood was slim but Naruto was stubborn, he knew that. His thoughts soon went to Tenten and he idly wondered if she had any boys seeking her attention or if she had any guy she was interested in. Naruto couldn't say for sure. Tenten came across as a no-nonsense kunoichi to him and it didn't seem like she would be involved in something like that. Or so he guessed, since he hadn't really asked her.
For some strange he reason, he felt he'd be upset if she gave any other guy the attention she was giving him in his training and time with her. Why, though?
Before he could thinking on it any further, the ever-so-late Kakashi arrived.
"Hello, Team." He greeted.
"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura chorused.
Their aloof Sesnei waved his hand back and forth dismissively, "That black cat keeps on getting in my way, there's no way around it." He then looked at Naruto and gave him an appraising look, seeing his new attire.
"Well, well, decided on a new look, Naruto?"
While Naruto shrugged, not replying, it seemed that Sakura and Sasuke finally noticed that their teammate was dressed differently. While Sakura looked it over a bit before muttering about, "There's still too much orange.", under her breath; Sasuke just gave it a glimpse for just a nanosecond before turning back to their sensei.
With inspection of Naruto's clothes done, Kakashi spoke to all of them in a more serious tone. "Now on with some news for you three. I've nominated you all to take the Chuunin Exams that's happening in two weeks."
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura looked stunned by this.
Kakashi continued, "Normally, you three would have to wait until you had more experience but the way you guys handled our encounter with Zabuza and his gang really impressed me."
The sudden praise made the three Genin taken aback but soon Sakura asked a question.
"What will they be testing us on?"
"It differs from year to year," he said, "But mostly it affects on your ability to handle certain roles, being able to carry out a mission solo, and deal with difficult situations."
The team nodded in understanding.
"Now, with that out of the way," Kakashi said, eye-smiling, "The question now is going to be about training. Instead of team training we're going to focus on individual abilities as you might find yourself in a situation where you'll be facing your own teammates in this exam."
Naruto was surprised. He was eager to prove himself against Sasuke, for sure, but if he went up against Sakura; would that really happen?
For the rest of the team's time with their teacher this afternoon, Kakashi helped put together a list of things individually that he felt needed to be worked on for Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura. Once wrapped up and at the end of their team's meeting, Kakashi pulled Naruto aside and told him he had found the teen a kenjutsu instructor and that they were going to meet with him.
Meanwhile, Team Gai was doing their start up exercises when their sensei, Maito Gai told them that he too has nominated the team to participate at the Chuunin Exams. Like Kakashi, Gai also told them to work on their individual efforts as he couldn't see anything wrong with their team skills.
While Gai worked with Lee on his taijutsu skills, Neji approached Tenten and asked her to help him with a clan technique of his. They went to an open area far from Gai and Lee where Neji asked Tenten to attack him with long range weapons. His technique was the Kaiten and as Tenten peppered him with kunai and shuriken he spun at fantastic speeds, causing a translucent dome of chakra to appear around him sheltering him and repelling the weaponry.
Some time in, Tenten's attacks seemed to get a little slower, which was noticed by Neji who called for a break and the two sat down with water and towels, and he then decided to address the issue.
"You're starting to lose your edge. What's got you distracted?"
Tenten shrugged but she knew personally that it was because she was reflecting on Naruto. The way her temporary pupil surprised her at how fast he's been absorbing the things she shown him. At times during their sessions she started to wonder what the blond-haired teen would have been like, if he had come with the same drive to weapons as she had.
Of course she kept this all too herself and knew it'd be pointless to tell it to Neji.
Seeing as how she was not going to be forthcoming, Neji decided to be blunt about his thinking.
"I think you teaching that loser is what's going on. As your teammate I should point this out to you, that trying to make someone like him anywhere near your level is pointless. He is only going to hold you back. People like him are fated to remain where they are."
Tenten looked at her teammate with eyes narrowed, "So you say, but what do you really know about him?"
"I know enough." Neji said, disdainfully. "The weak shall remain weak."
"HE'S NOT WEAK!"
Neji as well as Tenten herself were surprised by her sudden vehemence and how quickly she had snapped. However, Neji didn't comment on it, nor did he bring it up later as she continued to help him with his Kaiten. However, now she was even more distracted. Tenten pondered why she was so quick to defend Naruto? Normally she'd brush off what Neji would have said. However, the more she thought on it, the more she realized that she had actually taken pride in how her temporary partner was doing. Hearing him being slandered was what had set her off, right?
Thinking on the knucklehead-of-a-ninja, she felt a smile come to her face. "I wonder what he'll say when I tell him I'm going to these exams?"
Naruto followed his his sensei as they went through town to a different training area that the Genin had never been to before. There leaning against a post was a man in a Konoha flak jacket with a blue cap on his head that held his shinobi headband in place. He was a little bit shorter than his sensei but not by much. When he turned to them, Naruto noticed that the guy looked like he had bags under his eyes and he seemed to give out a productive cough before speaking to them.
"Hey, Kakashi. Is this the student you mentioned about?"
Kakashi nodded, "Yup, this is Naruto." He turned to his student and introduced him to the man. "Naruto this is going to be your Kenjutsu teacher, Hayate Gekko."
"About that, Kakashi, it looks like Hokage-sama is going to have Genma and me help out with the Exams, so I might not be as available as we agreed on."
Kakashi nodded, "Well, the kid's receiving some basic lessons from another Genin about using the sword, so there will be less than what I asked you for, originally."
Hayate nodded before finally coming back to the blond-haired teen. "Tell me, Naruto-san, why is it that you decided to take up kenjutsu? From what your sensei tells me, it had never even crossed your mind prior to getting your sword."
Naruto thought for a moment before he answered, "I guess part of it is because we had faced a scary guy like Zabuza."
Hayate nodded, having heard from Kakashi about his team's run-in with the Demon of the Bloody Mist. "What's the other part?"
Naruto grinned, "I thought that if I'm going to become Hokage, I need to get stronger and wielding a sword would be the way to go."
Kakashi chuckled while Hayate looked at Naruto, thoughtfully.
Naruto fidgeted under his gaze uncomfortably but it wasn't long before Hayate sighed.
"I'll give you some instructions on kenjutsu but, again, I'm going to be busy. So, I can't be teaching you like a normal sensei. Are you okay with that, Naruto-san?"
Naruto shrugged, "I guess. After the Exams, can we continue?"
Hayate nodded, "Sure. For now though, let's see that sword of yours and see we can get a better understanding on those abilities of it."
The blond teen nodded and unsheathed his sword before passing it to Hayate. The man gave it an analyzing gaze before muttering something under his breath. A moment later, he nicked his finger on the blade and smudged the side of the weapon with blood before looking like he was waiting for something to happen. After a minute or two he sighed and then started concentrating on the weapon before sighing once more. He then looked to Kakashi.
"Come here for a second, Kakashi, I want to you to try something."
Naruto's lazy sensei nodded and then Hayate asked him to do what he did, with nothing happening as well. Kakashi then nodded toward Naruto and Hayate nodded in return.
"Okay, kid, here's what I want you to do. Get some of your blood and put some on the flat of the blade, you got it?"
Naruto nodded, confused, but did as he requested. However, unlike the two adults, something happened as soon as his blood was spread on the blade. The blade gave a shudder and then the blade grew five feet longer in length. It went from a katana to a nodachi.
Startled, Naruto nearly dropped it before he caught himself and then looked at the weapon's change in wonder before looking back to Kakashi and Hayate asking what just happened.
Both men were quiet and giving the weapon a contemplative look before Hayate responded.
"There are fuinjutsu seals on that blade, Naruto-san. One of them is a blood seal, which makes the blade have a reaction once blood is put on it."
Naruto looked amazed, however he looked thoughtful as he pointed out, "But it didn't do this when the two of you put your blood on it. Why is that?"
"We're not sure, right now." Kakashi answered, "However, what I want to know is how do we get it to go back to it's original length?"
Hayate hummed thoughtfully before walking over and looked at the sheath at Naruto's side.
"Can I see that, Naruto-san?"
Naruto nodded and untied his sash from it before handing it to the man.
Hayate gave it a quick once over before seeing something on both sides of the sheath.
"Now it makes sense." He said before he struck the nodachi blade with one side of the sheath, which then caused the sword to shrink back to the size of a normal katana.
Naruto, and Kakashi, were both amazed at the change again before looking to Hayate for an answer.
The man showed the two of them the seals on the sides of the sheath as he gave an explanation. "In Kirigakure they had swords that were given safety features so they could be sheathed like normal swords. The gimmick soon spread out across the Elemental Nations as time went on. This sword has one of those features."
Impressed, Naruto took back the sheath from Hayate and soon he too noticed the seals.
Hayate interrupted Naruto's visual exploration by instructing him on the next task.
"Now, try channeling some chakra through the blade, not a lot though. You have done chakra exercises, right?" He looked both at Naruto and Kakashi when he said that.
Kakakshi nodded and so did Naruto after a moment. The boy then did as he asked and THIS time he did drop the sword as the blade, after his chakra went into it, erupted into red hot flames. However, they went out quickly once the sword left Naruto's hands and fell to the ground.
"Well, that was a surprise." Kakashi said, looking from the sword to Hayate in question, "It seems we're two for two. Why is the sword acting like this only for him?"
Hayate was looking at the sword, lost in thought before he sighed and bent down to pick it up before handing it over to Naruto, who looked at it nervously.
"Can't say at this point but it DOES seem to be "made" for him this way, doesn't it?" He then addressed Naruto, "Kid, we'll meet here for the next week in the afternoon. Are you okay with that?"
Naruto was still staring at his weapon before he broke through his stupor and nodded to the Hayate's question.
Hayate nodded in return. "We'll stop for today as I have something to discuss with your sensei. Tomorrow, we'll try practicing those two forms of your sword till you feel comfortable doing them without worry."
Naruto nodded before wrapping his sash with the sheath back around his waist and putting away his sword.
"Later, Kakashi-sensei, Hayate-san." He then took off.
When they were finally alone, Hayate turned to Kakashi, "I remembered something Genma once told me about the Yondaime, when he was a part of his security detail."
Kakashi nodded for him to continue.
Hayate said, "Remember how Yondaime-sama used to double down the security of his seals, when something worried him?"
Kakashi nodded, having been taught by the man.
"Genma said how the Yondaime always seemed to be trying to figure out someway to protect his wife because of her UNIQUE chakra." Hayate said and then nodded towards Naruto's direction of departure. "As her kid, it would make sense that a sword made for her would work for him, am I right?"
Naruto decided to meet with Tenten at her shop to tell her the news of his taking the Chuunin Exams and to show her the weird things his sword can do. He arrived at her shop at the start of the evening, the door's bell jingling as he went in. It was quiet and he couldn't hear Tenten's father working in the forge in the back, either. However, it wasn't long before her father came down the stairs to see who the customer was.
"Ah, Uzumaki-san. Glad you could drop by. Need that sword sharpened yet?"
Naruto scratched the side of his head, bashfully, "Haven't had any real training with it yet, Shin-san. Sorry."
Shin shrugged before looking at the boy again, "Well, what can I do for you, then. We're closing soon."
Naruto nodded, "Is Tenten around? I have things I wanted to tell her."
Shin shook his head, "I'm sorry to tell you she's gone to bed. She had a hard workout today. I'll let her know you dropped by, though."
Naruto sighed, disappointed he couldn't share the things he learned today with the girl yet.
Later, having left Tenten's shop, he was walking home when he noticed a strange cardboard box following him a little far from behind. He sighed, knowing what this was all about.
"Come on out, Konohamaru. I know that's you in there."
The box came flying off and out from underneath it was the Sandaime's grandson, Konohamaru Sarutobi. The short black haired boy with a long blue scarf around his neck grinned as he looked up at his idol.
"Hey, Nii-chan! How could you tell it was me?"
Naruto looked at him in a bored expression, "Who else would be following me this late in a cardboard box?"
Despite his bizarre entrance, Naruto was glad that he at least had someone to talk to as Konohamaru seemed to notice the changes in his idol.
"Whoa, your new look is killer, Nii-chan."
Naruto grinned, "Yeah, it's not half bad."
Konohamaru looked over Naruto some more and then his eyes went to the sword at Naruto's side.
"Hey, that's the sword I saw you with when you were with that girl!"
Naruto (who was a little surprised that the kid was following him more than he realized) nodded and took it out and showed it to the enthusiastic boy, who marveled at the designs and seals on the blade before Naruto put it back into its sheath.
"I wish that jerk Ebisu would teach me about weapons…" Konohamaru grumbled.
The two of them continued talking while walking until Konohamaru asked Naruto a question.
"Say, Nii-chan, who IS that girl I see you practicing with?"
"That's Tenten," Naruto answered smiling slightly, although he was unaware of it; "She's helping me learn the basics of kenjutsu. I just met my official kenjutsu instructor today."
Konohamaru nodded attentively, before he asked, "Does that mean you're going to stop training with her?"
Naruto stopped his stroll as he thought about that. It made him worry and a little unhappy at the idea of not meeting with her anymore. Maybe he could convince her to continue when she sees how awesome he's getting at the Chuunin Exams or something. The image of her cheering him on sounded nice to him, for some reason.
Konohamaru, unaware of his idol's thoughts, continued. "I gotta say she seems a lot stronger than that pink-haired girl I've seen you around with. Prettier, too."
Naruto opened his mouth to defend his female teammate but closed it as he could see what Konohamaru was talking about in a way. While Sakura had the 'Girl Next Door' type of beauty, Tenten seemed to project kind of a strong, coolness, type of beauty. Naruto considered both girls looks but before he could deliberate any further, Konohamaru was farther ahead of him and he heard the boy grunt and then cry out in panic.
Snapping out of his daze he jogged up around the corner when he was met with the sight of two people, a boy and a girl, with the boy scowling and holding up Konohamaru by the scruff of his shirt.
"Little brat, you need to watch where you're going!" The boy was in a black body suit with face paint on and a wrapped bundle behind his back.
"Dish it out quickly, Kankuro, before HE arrives." The girl said harshly. She wielded a large black fan attached to her back.
"I know, Temari, this will be done with real fast." Kankuro drew his arm back for a punch but Naruto arrived and shouted, "Let him go, now!"
The two people looked to the source and found Naruto there with his hand on is sword.
Kankuro, scoffed, "This twerp hit me, I'm just giving him his just desserts, go away kid."
Naruto unsheathed his sword and walked closer to them, "I Said, LET. HIM. GO. Or are you deaf as well as stupid?"
Temari turned her head away and bit back a laugh but Kankuro grit his teeth before dropping Konohamaru onto the ground, which then the boy scuttled behind Naruto.
"Fine. You wanna play, I'll play." Kankuro reached for the bundle behind him as a dark voice called out to him, which caused him to stop.
"You're a failure to our village, Kankuro."
The two tensed up as there was a swirl of sand in front of them and then a short red-headed boy appeared. Like the other two, he carried something on his back, in this case a gourd.
Kankuro broke into a nervous sweat, "B-But Gaara, the kid here-"
"Be quiet or I'll kill you myself." The boy, Gaara, said as he then turned and looked at Naruto.
Naruto was surprised to see such a menacing gaze on the boy's face directed at him but soon it was gone as he then addressed the two behind him.
"Temari, Kanakuro, we are leaving."
The two nodded and followed after him, as soon as she was in earshot of Naruto, Temari grinned and said, "Chuunin Exams are coming up. Are you entering?"
"I am." Naruto replied.
"Good. Better back up the balls you showed here, otherwise you might just get killed."
Temari then turned back around and followed after the two boys while Naruto watched them wordlessly and Konohamaru clung to his jacket behind him.
To be continued….
A/N II: As you might have guessed, Naruto's "new clothes" are actually the clothes he wears in the second half of the anime/manga just brought in earlier.
As always, please Review and let me know what you all think. Thank you for reading.