#I'm back and here to stay. So, onto chapter 12!#

Last time …

The talk took two more hours, but trade had been set up and negotiated between the two nations. Though it was late they also talked about setting up a new mission for tomorrow to have team ten escort the new kage to Utakata. Not that she needed it, but it would help convince him to rejoin the mist if there was a Jinchūriki to have a one on one with him. The next day rose to show team ten standing in front of the Hokage and Mizukage as they received their mission details. "Your mission is two-fold. The first part will be to help Miss Mei here track down the target of Utakata also known as the six tails Jinchūriki. The second part is to help convince Utakata to rejoin the mist now that the civil war is over." Hiruzen said to the four ninja in front of him.

And now…

"Hey Kurama, what's the 6 tails like?" Naruto thought to his tenant as their team searched for the 6 tails Jinchūriki. "Well, Saiken was always a lazy one preferring to play with bubbles than ever get involved with human's. The fact that he has a host is rather surprising." Kurama responded. "That may have been my fault." Isobu spoke up. "How so?" Naruto thought as Shino's bugs picked up trace amounts of chakra from their target. "You see, when I was first approached to get sealed Saiken was in a cave nearby and during my fight with the sealing team the cave walls got destroyed and they caught sight of Saiken, and well it appears they got him." A silence broke out in the mindscape as Naruto focused on his surroundings. They approached a thin figure in a blue kimono laying out on the grass like a certain Nara would like to be doing.

"And why might a team of Konoha Shinobi and a civilian be doing out here?" Utakata drawled out as he turned his head to look at the people who approached him during his nap. "Utakata as the new and current Mizukage I'm bringing you back to Kiri with me, the civil war is over, and a new threat has cropped up that will require you to be guarded." Mei said. "And if I refuse?" Utakata responded. "Well then you get dragged there forcefully by myself and the team I have hired." Mei responded as she started to prepare her chakra. Hearing the way, the conversation was going Asuma prepped his knives as Shino started to have his bugs slowly seep out and stealthily make their way their way to the target. Naruto took this moment to slowly walk to Utakata with his hands raised. "How about we talk about this in a separate space Utakata, Saiken." Naruto said holding out one hand in a fist. Utakata still needing time to prepare his getaway jutsu decided to play ball and bump fists with Naruto.

Utakata's world went black and when he opened them again he noticed five big changes to the environment around him. One the forest had changed, two the team sans Naruto had vanished, three through five was that there was the three, six, and nine tails surrounding him and the other human person. "So, what's this about Kurama, Isobu?" Saiken said seeing as its host and it was dragged into the mindscape of the person with more chakra. "Well, you see Isobu was put under a genjutsu by an Uchiha and made to obey his hosts every command then his host was put in a genjutsu to want to kill all the users of bloodlines." Kurama stated. "Then this youngling came around and managed to break the genjutsu allowing me to think for myself and remember the truth. The third Mizukage was actually the man who set all this up the one who ordered you to be sealed into Utakata here." Isobu continued. "They are planning on capturing us all to reform the 10 tails. We are going to train this one along with his summoning contract to help fight this organization. I only know of two members the Uchiha who put me under the Genjutsu and Kisame Hoshigaki as he came around to taunt my previous host a time or two." Isobu continued. "We were hoping that you would be willing to cooperate with your host as the two of us are with Naruto." Kurama finished. "I guess I can co-operate with my host. It just sucks being cut off from the senses." Saiken reluctantly agreed with a grumble.

"If that's the issue I can fix that." Naruto piped up. "You can?" Saiken asked in disbelief. "Yeah my summoning contract has several seal masters I've been learning from. I should be able to make it to where it would be harder for them to extract you from Utakata and allow you sensory link and mental link with Utakata. The best part is it works both ways meaning both parties have to not mind sharing the sensory links or thoughts. This still allows both of you privacy." Naruto said. "What's with all this preparation and what even is the 10 tails?" Utakata speaking up for the first time, trying to discern the actual threat level. "The ten tails is stronger than all nine of us combined. For you see the ten tails is all of the nine tailed beasts combined." Kurama spoke "The ten tailed rabbit is strong enough to wipe out humanity several times over. We really should train to help prevent or at the least delay the upbringing of the ten tails." Saiken finished for his host.

"Don't forget to have him sign your summoning contract." Isobu said "What's this now?" Both Naruto and Utakata said in unison. "Yeah each of the tailed beasts has a contract associated with them. I have a turtle contract, Kurama has a fox contract, and Saiken has a slug contract." Isobu explained. "Now why didn't you tell me you had a contract" Both humans said with Naruto rounding on Kurama and Utakata on Saiken. "You hated me with a passion for what happened with your master." Saiken shot back. "I forgot all about my contract." Kurama responded with a shrug. "While I wound recommend you sign mine Naruto there seems to be some extra steps for you. It appears that a person by the name of Might Guy is the current holder of the contract. Between getting his permission and needing both contract bosses permission in order to sign both. It might be a moment till you can sign mine" Isobu said. "Alright kid looks like you'll need to talk to Tsunade Senju in order to sign mine." Saiken told Utakata. "All you'll need for mine is to talk to the boss of the clan." Kurama said, as he can't recall their ever being a fox summoner. "So, side conversation done, you'll go back to Kiri without a fight?" Naruto asked. "Yeah, guess I got to train, man this is going to cut into my bubble blowing time." Utakata complained. "Now how do we get out of he…" he started saying only for him and Saiken to fade from the mind.

Utakata opens his eyes to see Naruto talking to his team. Utakata tensed when Mei approached. "Relax he already gave the ok that you are willingly joining." Mei said seeing the tenseness in his shoulders. "So, what now?" Came the question from the blond hyperactive knuckle head. "Now your job is done, and we go our separate ways. Tell the hokage we should have a team of genin ready for the chunin exams. And we shall see you then." Mei said directing the last part towards Asuma. "Well then I'd hope they are ready to face this team. Because for the next month and a half we are training for the chunin exams." Asuma said as he turned with his team waving goodbye and taking off to Konoha.

"Mission successful pops. Mei also says she will be sending a team to participate in the chunin exams." Asuma said. "Excellent, well done we should have a promising chunin exam this year. Before you take them to train I would like a word with Naruto and his summons." Hiruzen said. "Alright, put your equipment up and get ready for training we'll meet at our training grounds in thirty minutes." Asuma said vanishing in a swirl of leaves. With a poof of smoke Dracula stood in front of the hokage as his two teammates walked out the door to put up their supplies. "So, what's this about Hiruzen?" Dracula stated Naruto curious as well. In response the wrinkled hokage pulled a scroll out that was labeled bandits "In this scroll we have all the missions ranking from C to A related to bandits, we excluded the S ranks as we feel we would need Naruto nearby in case he needs to summon more reinforcements. As you may know Naruto the chunin exams are in a month and a half time. The hope is for your clan Dracula to clean up the bandit camps."

"I'll take this back to the council to assign teams to capture and reverse summon them for sustenance for the monsters of the contract that thrive with humans as a food source." Dracula said taking the scroll with a happy gleam to his eyes. "This works out better for everyone as you get the food source, and we have increased trade and travel on civilians without putting our ninja's lives due to little information." Hiruzen stated "What are S-Rank camps?" Naruto asked. "S-rank bandit camps are rare. According to our knowledge there are eleven in the world. Two in each of the big five and one in the rain village. There are two ways a bandit camp or organization counts for S-rank. One is to have many S-rank nuke nin in the camp like the one in rain. Or for the ones in the big five have ten or so a-rank nuke nin leading a camp of several hundreds of grunts with barley any chakra. They are classified as such as it would usually take several teams of Anbu to clear out to reduce the risk of casualties on our side. So, most of the time we wait till some break off to start their own camp in order to gain information or just ensure they don't go back to the camp. " Hiruzen explained to both Naruto and Dracula. "Those camps might take most of the council. Though I am more impressed they can operate at that size or keep the men they do have since moving so many would surely take a lot of effort to keep hidden." Dracula commented. "That's the thing though is that they don't require stealth. They usually split up under each commander of the camp and do multiple raids at a time and when they are back in their camp they have the numbers and home field advantage." Hiruzen stated.

"What about the ones in Sand and Mist? They are our allies could we possibly strengthen ties by taking out their own S-rank camps. Im not saying do a purge of their bandits like we are but more take out some of the bigger threats and make trade and commerce between us easier." Naruto suggested. Both Dracula and Hiruzen thought about it. "I'll have to bring this up with Mei and Rasa next time I meet them which will most likely be the chunin exams." Hiruzen stated. "Well, I'll be off. Naruto while the council and the teams assigned are on these missions we will be sure to leave Kira and Baba out of them to continue your seal training." And with that Dracula poofed away to get teams together and ready. "Speaking of Mei told me about a water dragon you used that left you drained so I'll be having Asuma teach you Nature conversion for the month and a half leading up to the Chunin exams. That way it's easier to launch jutsu off without them being so taxing. Who knows if you train in one release instead of all of yours you might be able to use some of the lower ranked jutsu without or few hand signs." Hiruzen started then joked at the end.

"That's possible?" Naruto asked. "What's possible?" Hiruzen replied in confusion. "Doing a jutsu without hand signs?" Naruto responded, "Well yes, I can do several without hand signs. In fact, there are few jutsu that I have in my arsenal the actually require hand signs. I mostly use them to confuse my opponents. By using hand signs if they haven't faced me before forces them to underestimate me as they think the rumors about me aren't true." Hiruzen responded now understanding his question. "Well, this gives me an idea see you later old man." And with that Naruto body flickered out of their with a poof of smoke.

"Alright team we'll be training in a slightly different fashion in the upcoming month and a half." Asuma said as his team walked onto the training grounds. "Since I plan on enrolling you in the chunin exams I'll be ensuring you have what it takes to all become chunin so let me break down what each of your training schedules will be." At this the team all sat down on the grass knowing this would be a longer talk. "We'll start with Shino." Said speckled boy perked up an eyebrow in interest at being first but had no other reactions. "While you have great chakra reserves, great control over your chakra, and outstanding control over your insects you lack the ability to improvise with your bugs and any jutsu to make your chakra reserves be useful so over the next month and a half I will be teaching you improvisation and jutsu." "Next is Shikamaru. Now you have excellent control of both your chakra and shadow you could have a bigger reserve and even if you don't have an affinity to it I would like to teach you a fire jutsu or two for you to use." Asuma continued "Why make me learn a fire jutsu if I don't have an affinity for it?" Shikamaru asked, not seeing the point. "Simple, on a long term mission you may run out of flash tags to help with creating shadows. So instead, I could teach you some fire jutsu to make a less powerful but more deadly light to extend your shadow." Asuma responded earning a nod of understanding from the pineapple haired genin. "Now Naruto I'm assuming with two beasts inside you your control is back to being shot for the most part. So, in order to fix that we'll be utilizing clone training for the days we train together. How that will look will be that you will train for an hour, we'll start with one thousand clones doing a variety of chakra exercises then you will meditate as they dispel in groups of fifty. An hour after the last clones dispel you will create one thousand more to start on nature transformation."

"Sensei what is nature transformation?" Shino asked curiously. "Well, it makes jutsu of different elements easier to use and less taxing for example if one to reach a mastery of fire manipulation they could use some of the more complex jutsu with little more difficulty or cost than an average shinobi would a fireball" Asuma responded. "Well how do we find out our affinities?" Shikamaru asked. "Usually, you'd channel some chakra into some special paper, but I don't have any on me right now. Tell you what though I'll grab some before our next session" Asuma promised.

*** Chapter twelve next chapter will involve training, the bandit camp cleaning, and part one of the chunin exams. I got more ideas a brewing but wanted to work on this and jade cards before I commit myself too more. Reading back on my work to ensure consistency has led me to notice errors that I will be ironing out over the next week or so. For those of you following this is your warning if it gives you an update about chapter changes.***