-Jonin Exams-
Naruto used the past year to further commit himself to his duties as the Raikage's apprentice and successor. He had finally attained the 'lightning armor stage three' and was working on gaining mastery over that. At this point, he could only maintain the stage three armor for a couple minutes, which wouldn't be enough in a real fight. Ai was proud of Naruto and the good he did for the people of Kumo. The kid worked tirelessly and never quit once he set his mind to something. Ai had Naruto create a blood clone that helped him with his daily duties and worked from a desk in his office. Naruto's blood clone was the solution for how to train in the political arts and do field missions at the same time.
Naruto's shadow clones operated daily to devote himself to gaining mastery over his father's jutsu and clan knowledge. The Namikaze scroll contained an absolute wealth of knowledge and history that Naruto would master for the benefit of his people. Sadly, Kumo spies, and the Lightning Daimyo, had confirmed that the Namikaze fortunes had already been confiscated by the Fire Daimyo since there were no remaining living heirs. This infuriated Naruto and Kushina, but what was done is done. They weren't hurting for money or influence, so they decided to let it go until it was time to crush Konoha.
His father's scrolls proved useful in developing Naruto's jutsu and taking them to the next level. The Rasengan on its own was a potent jutsu, but Naruto wouldn't be allowed to use it until they released their identities. That didn't stop Naruto from learning the Rasengan, which was actually a great chakra control exercise. With this in mind, Ruto provided the steps for learning the Rasengan to the members of the Maki clan, Ai and the Divine Bolts. While it was a family jutsu, Naruto wanted to use it for the benefit of Kumo as a whole. Ai was given permission to teach it to jonin level shinobi and above, on the condition that they only use it as a last resort in battle. Luckily for Naruto, most Kumo shinobi struggled to learn the jutsu quickly, so it wasn't commonly used yet.
Naruto and team 12 were called into the Raikage's office along with two other chunin teams of Kumo. Naruto recognized them as kids from two years in front of him in the academy. He nodded his head to them, and they bowed in return as a show of respect. Ruto then looked to greet his Raikage and thought, yet again, that it was very awkward to see his blood clone sitting there next to Ai.
"Good afternoon team 12, team 31 and team 32. I have called you here today to give you a chance to earn your jonin promotions. Iwa is hosting the jonin exams in one month and they have extended an invitation to us. Is there anyone here that doesn't believe they are ready to take the exams?"
"We stand ready to prove the might of Kumogakore, Raikage-Sama." Ruto answered when he saw nobody was going to speak up.
"Good, you will set out in three weeks time. Ruto, you will be thrown into the grinder again. I will meet you on my training ground in one hour. For everyone else, find your jonin sensei and get you preparations going. I expect many of you to earn your jonin promotions. Dismissed."
One hour later, Ai arrived on his training grounds to see Ruto struggling through his physical workouts. He clearly had upped his weight and resistance seals and was struggling to finish his lunges. Ai couldn't blame him, knowing Ruto, he was probably pushing the weight and resistance seals to their limit. He watched Ruto get to his goal and collapse to one knee on the ground.
"Damn bud, what do you have your seals cranked up to?" Ai asked with a hint of taunting in his voice.
Ruto was breathing hard. He had been training his body since he left the Raikage's office. He formed a rat seal, and his seals glowed a brilliant blue before dulling once again. As the shirtless boy stood to his feet, Ai saw that the weight seals were now ten distinct and thick lines as they faded out. The dull glow of the resistance seals showed the kanji ticking back down to 6, which meant that Ruto had them cranked up past 6. Ai himself walked around on level five resistance and he had yet to push past level 10, which literally felt like moving while buried in a steel wall.
"Oh, you know. I lost count, I just push chakra into them until I struggle and then I do my workouts. I know I did Deadman's Climb last week at level 10 resistance and 1000-pounds on each seal. That was a bitch." Ruto said between pants and gasps of breath.
"Holy shit bud, remember to take it easy every once in a while. You look buffer than me these days and it's making me look bad." Ai said with a smirk on his face.
Ruto raised an eyebrow at his idol, Raikage, sensei and father figure. "Well, maybe we should hit the weights together then. If that doesn't work then maybe you should just hand over the hat, old man."
Ai laughed heartily. "In good time, Ruto. I have zero doubts that you will eclipse me. Let this 'old man' pave the way for you a bit more. Now, stand to, it is time to spar."
After an hour of Ai putting Ruto through the ringer, the two were up on top of the Raikage tower and eating some bentos that Rias had prepared. Ai looked across at the man on his right. Kami never saw fit to bless him with a wife or son, but this man was his. He did this, at least in part. His chest swelled with pride and his heart filled with love, so he thanked Kami for this opportunity.
"So, Sensei, how is the deployment of the communication scrolls going?" Ruto asked in between mouthfuls.
"Brilliantly. The way you and Mabui adapted her instant transportation seal is truly revolutionary. Kirinji sends his regards, and his messengers thank you as well. In battlefield use, it allows for remote deployments and increases efficiency. We need you to complete the tamper proof seals so that we may give a pair to our allies." Ai responded.
"Okay, well that's good to hear. I thought it seemed pretty revolutionary, so Mabui and I spent a whole week on it. She appreciated the time together and I appreciated a week of light training."
"How are your girls doing? How are Tsunami-Chan and little Kaisa?"
Naruto sighed as he thought about his first son and distant partner. "Ai, am I doing the right thing? I always missed my father growing up and when I think about getting Tsunami pregnant, or the prospect of getting my clan sisters pregnant, I just don't know."
Ai looked out over his village and thought about his phrasing for a second. "Look bud, there isn't a right answer to this one. Most of the past generations grew up without one or both of their parents. This world is cruel, and power is important to protect the ones you love and to make changes. One thing I can say for sure is that any kid born of you will be strong. More than that though, it is your heart that reaches people."
"Is that enough to justify denying my children a proper father?" Naruto sounded truly pensive and unsure of himself, a rare sight for Ai.
"These women see something special in you, and they want their children to bear that trait. Not to mention that you and Nagato are the last known males of your clan. If your clan sisters, as you called them, get with a non-Uzumaki then their children will be one quarter or one eighth Uzumaki at best. Within a generation or two, the Uzumaki blood probably wouldn't pass one of your clan's bloodlines. If you commit to this though, then you will create a broader generation of Uzumaki that will have far more options while maintaining the clan's bloodlines. You could even add your own bloodline to the clan."
"Yeah, I guess. I realize that my power is special, I realize that I care for each girl, but when I think about the children … the children are what gives me pause."
Ai slapped him on the back. "Look bud, your children will grow up knowing their father was a great man. They will be able to stroll into Kumo and be worshipped as the children of Kumo's Tenshi no Raijin, leader of the Divine Bolts. You will have no shortage of people that will help you. If you do help father the next Uzumaki generation, they will have a whole island and the people of Kumo to support them."
Naruto smiled wistfully at the thought. He loved his raucous clan compound, and he wanted that big family atmosphere for his family as well. He remained quiet and fixed on his thoughts until Ai spoke again.
"I know Kaisa is just a baby but when you go to Wave, what do you see?" Ai asked, hoping that this would drive his point home.
Naruto smiled a truly genuine smile. "I see Tsunami smiling and happy as she rules over Wave. Inari is such a good big brother and Tazuna doesn't drink as much. The people seem happy to help with the baby too."
"Well, if it is like that in Wave, where you only visit once or twice a month, what makes you think it wouldn't be even better here or in Uzu?"
"I get your point, Tu-San…" As the words left his mouth, Naruto tried to catch them and swallow them back up, but he couldn't.
Ai heard what Naruto called him and froze. In ten years, Naruto never once called him father. Rather than pressure Naruto into confirming what he just said, Ai slung a massive arm over his shoulder and pulled him close. A normal 16-year-old would look like a doll next to Ai, but Ruto was now a full inch or two taller than him and he was just as big. Therefore, it looked like a proper one-armed man hug.
That's when Killer Bee showed up and completely shattered the moment.
"Yo, not so little Naruto and big brother Ai, I have been bored all day so I'm lookin to play. What ya say, Mr. Nine, I could polish ya up and give ya a shine." Bee nearly fell off of the roof due to the weird and arrhythmic gyrations of his rap dance.
"I say you sit your butt down, don't ruin the moment, Tu-San and I were lookin' around, so just sit there and own it." Naruto shot back in rap form.
Ai shook his head, "Ruto, bud, I am more than happy for you to call me Tu-San, but if you don't cease that incessant rap, I will jump off this tower."
Bee looked at his brother. "C'mon big bro, don't be a downer, it would be a real shame if you jumped of this tower."
Naruto just laughed and slapped Ai on the back, "C'mon, old man, let's go get some training in with Bee before he devolves into speaking in Shakespearean poetry."
Three weeks later, Ruto, Samui, Mabui, team 31 and team 32 began their journey to Iwa led by Darui, Sizo and Matsuki. The jonin senseis were there more as a formality and extra muscle than as actual senseis. The trek to Iwagakore took two days and the group camped out in the Iwa mountains overnight. The four male chunin were extremely jealous of Ruto sleeping in the same tent as Samui and Mabui. If they saw the interior of the fuinjutsu tent, they would have been even more jealous.
The next day the group checked in at the gates of Iwa and Darui was told that the Tsuchikage wish to meet with the Divine Bolts. Darui told the other two teams to get them checked in at the hotel and told them to set standard security. Nobody had forgotten the Konoha treatment and Ai had cautioned them to watch out. Iwa was always known to be more than a little bit shady.
Team 13 was told to enter the Tsuchikage's office and Darui led the way in. In a formal and professional manner, the Bolts lined up behind their sensei. The Tsuchikage had been waiting for this opportunity. The whole world had heard about this team by this point, and he was on that list. He wanted to know more, his council demanded he find out more, but this team projected absolute professionalism and gave nothing away.
As Ohnoki looked over the group, he studied each member intensely and realized that he couldn't sense their chakra signatures at all. On top of that, their gear was all top notch and streamlined. He didn't see any external pouches other than the fuinjutsu kits and medical kits. The kunoichi were toned and he could tell without a shadow of a doubt that they were professionals and not some hopeless fangirls. Since he was a closet pervert of an old man, he really appreciated their feminine curves. Based on the giant blonde's cough, he was most likely caught peeking.
That brought Ohnoki's attention to the blonde, the real man of interest and reason he called this team here. The Ruto Maki, the Tenshi no Raijin, a teenager that was able to force Hanzo to take him seriously. The 6-foot 3-inch, 225-pound, 6-percent body fat and totally ripped man. The greatsword peeking over his left shoulder with its eagle pommel head was truly intimidating, especially in combination with the electric blue katana handle on the left hip. Even though he couldn't sense chakra signatures, all of his battle instincts were blaring red warning sirens throughout his body.
Cough, cough, "You wished to see us, Tsuchikage-Dono?" Darui asked with boredom laced into his voice.
This snapped Ohnoki from his musings, which took almost a whole minute. "Yes, I wished to meet the highly touted Divine Bolts. I must say, Darui-San, your team is most impressive. I do look forward to seeing them perform in the finals."
"Thank you for the compliment, Tsuchikage-Dono. We will be sure not to let you down." Darui replied impassively.
"Well, there was another reason I wished to invite you here today." Ohnoki's gaze shifted from Darui to Ruto. "I have heard about the high quality of your seals, Maki-San. I have been unable to acquire some of the more advanced seals and the mission requests we submitted were declined. Could you please explain why you would provide services to other nations but not my own?"
Ruto looked to Darui, who nodded at him. "Tsuchikage-Dono, as you said, the seals are valuable to a nation. We established a policy of only working with allied countries to prevent our own seals from being turned against us. Unless Iwa is offering some form of alliance, the only seals we will offer are the commercially available variety."
Ohnoki growled, but he couldn't fault the boy. "Tell me, boy, do you understand how it looks when you sell to Kiri, Wave, Ame and Fire country, but you won't sell to my land?"
Ruto shrugged impassively. "Tell me, old man, do you really not understand our position? Also, for the record, we do not sell to Konoha. Old man Kirinji asked us to provide our services to Kenshin on his behalf, and we were paid handsomely."
Ohnoki didn't know that bit of information and he didn't know this kid was that close to the Daimyos. He decided to try and take back the offense. "My apologies, Maki-San. I thought you were providing seals to Konoha. I thought that Kumo had a nonaggression pact with them."
"We do, but that is a far cry from an ally. As I am sure you know, we have very close ties with the new regime in Kiri. Mei Terumi is a good family friend and willingly signed the treaty and subsequent blood contract. As for the other minor countries, the princess of Ame is my soon-to-be wife and Wave is an intimate ally of ours and a valuable trade partner. Kumo bears no grudges against Iwa, but we will also not endanger ourselves."
Ohnoki grunted. "Very well, that is acceptable, and I will discuss it with my council. I look forward to seeing the results of these jonin exams. Enjoy your stay in Iwa."
Meanwhile, two teams of prospective jonin were entering through the Iwa gates. Might Guy was leading his team 10 through the Iwa gates and having a rather one-sided conversation with Ebisu, who had been called up since Kakashi left. Ebisu didn't believe these brats were ready for jonin, but when an Uchiha Hokage tells you to jump, you ask how high. Hiruzen watched with mirth in his old eyes at Guy's antics. He played idly with the prosthetic arm that the Maki family had gifted him and was grateful to have his left arm back after nearly 16-years without it.
Hiruzen's gaze shifted from the merry conversation to the chunin team that Ebisu was leading. Sasuke Uchiha, a fresh chunin, Shikamaru Nara, a fresh and damned lazy chunin, and Sakura Haruno, a girl that clearly didn't deserve to be chunin. He shook his head as he thought of these kids competing in the chunin exams. Sasuke may be, and that is a big maybe, talented enough, but he lacks the mentality and battle experience. The other two will not earn the rank, no chance. He left the group and went to catch up with an old friend.
Sasuke scowled on his way to the hotel. His father had given him a side mission and he wasn't sure why his father cared about some foreign kunoichi. Why would his father want him to kidnap a Kumo girl? He shivered as he remembered the big blonde one that dominated the chunin exams a while back. He dismantled every opponent he faced with little issues, but with his Mangekyo Sharingan, he thought that he could handle him now. With all of the training he had done, he should be more than a match for a non-Uchiha. He just wished that his father would have given him a competent third teammate if he were going to perform a mission within the exams.
A while later, Hiruzen entered the Tsuchikage's office and greeted his old friend. Ohnoki looked up, saw him and immediately pulled out some sake from his desk. The two sat and sipped drinks for a minute before the conversation started.
"How is retirement treating you, old friend?" Ohnoki asked.
Hiruzen cocked an eyebrow. "If I am old, what does that make you?" The two shared a laugh before their impassive looks settled on their faces once again.
"How are things going with that Uchiha brat holding the reins?" Ohnoki asked with seriousness in his voice.
Hiruzen sighed, he couldn't even fake it anymore. "Honestly, Ohnoki, I don't even recognize the village anymore. Without spilling secrets, the invasion hit us hard, and I lost many of the shinobi that I thought would carry on the Will of Fire."
Ohnoki was familiar with Hiruzen's outlook on shinobi life. Truth be told, he appreciated the concept, and he has tried to instill similar ideas into his shinobi. "I am sorry to hear that, old friend. Did you ever think you would see the fall of one of the great five in our lifetimes?"
Hiruzen looked down and refilled his saucer. "No, no I did not. While I find it justifiable, I find it incredibly sad. The way Fugaku went about it also left me wanting…"
Ohnoki waved it off. "Retaliation was justified, and the methods were no worse than what Suna did to you. Now, what do you think about the changes with Kumo?"
Hiruzen gave Ohnoki a look that said he knew what games he was playing. "Their meteoric rise is terrifying. So is the complete change in their mentality. To think that one clan had such a profound effect on them … makes me wish that clan came to Konoha."
Ohnoki laughed at that. "I can safely say the same thing. To think that militaristic nation was the first to turn fuinjutsu and ninjutsu into a commercial subsidy. Is it really all the Maki's doing?"
"That is what we believe." Hiruzen held up his prosthetic arm and wiggled his fingers. "Look at this piece of fine craftsmanship. They took my measurements, chakra and some simple medical tests and they were able to create this in one week. Unfortunately, I was locked down in the hotel the whole time, but to think that they created this for me … it is generations ahead, or maybe I should say it is the quality of past generations of fuinjutsu."
Ohnoki got up from his seat and walked around his desk. He took time analyzing the metal arm and he forced himself to admit it was truly remarkable. "Can you use hand signs with it and channel your chakra?" Hiruzen nodded and Ohnoki whistled. "Is Konoha going to push for a full treaty or extend the nonaggression pact?"
Hiruzen gave Ohnoki a coy look. "That falls into the village secrets category old friend, but if you tell me yours …"
Ohnoki waved him off and returned to his elevated seat behind his desk. The two continued the amiable conversation for another hour or so. The subtext of the conversation expressed supreme caution when dealing with Kumo. Ohnoki was hoping to curry favor and Hiruzen was hoping that Fugaku didn't something stupid to agitate the new number ones.
Two days later, Ruto walked confidently into the assessment area where Iwa jonin were setting things up and guiding the contestants to a sign in booth. The Kumo teams got in line and were waiting patiently for their turn when two Konoha teams got in line behind them. Ruto instantly postured and put himself between the Kumo and Konoha teams. Shikamaru, lazy genius he was, instantly noticed the posturing, but thought it would be too troublesome to say anything about it. That didn't stop the cocky and entitled Uchiha though.
"Well, well, look what trash the wind blew in from Kumo." Sasuke sneered. Shikamaru face palmed and team 9 watched on with interest, ashamed of their comrade's behavior. Ruto simply ignored the Uchiha, but that all changed when the Uchiha tried to lay a hand on his shoulder to force him to turn around.
In a flash, much faster than anyone was ready for, Ruto turned, snatched the forearm that was approaching him and yanked it hard enough to turn Sasuke around. Now, Sasuke's right arm was locked behind his back and Ruto's free hand was in a hold around his jugular. In a menacing whisper, Ruto returned Sasuke's opening remarks.
"Well, well, if it isn't the entitled little Uchiha that never seems to learn his lesson. Talk to me or my teammates like that again and I will make it my mission to personally hunt you down in the second phase of these exams. Trust me, little Uchiha, your eyes won't save you. So, sit down, shut up and wait your fucking turn. Say anything else while we are in line and my left hand here will finish the job it is itching to complete right now. Am. I. Clear?"
The close proximity to Ruto's killer intent, the helplessness of his current position and the memory of his ass whooping in Wave flashed through Sasuke's mind. In a manner completely foreign to most Uchihas, Sasuke nodded submissively and Ruto shoved him into the arms of the pink haired banshee. Sakura was frozen as the masked blonde glared at her. The piercing blue eyes paralyzed her while simultaneously daring her to speak. Shikamaru scratched his bundled ponytail and stepped forward.
"My apologies, Ruto-San. I will make sure my troublesome teammate doesn't act up again."
"Make sure you do that, Nara-San. I wouldn't want to cause an international incident because one, tiny, insignificant, entitled, pompous, arrogant ass decided to push me too far." Ruto turned around.
Sasuke's injured pride outweighed his fear now and his Sharingan flared to life and took its Mangekyo form. In a violation of international law and a basic declaration of war, Sasuke called upon the black flames of Amaterasu. Ruto sensed the chakra buildup and noticed it was a sizeable amount of chakra, in a blur, he grabbed his teammates and pushed them out of the way. A spurt of black flames that burned nearly as hot as the sun ripped into the line of participants before most people knew what was going on.
Since Ruto had pushed his teams out of the way, he caught the edge of the Amaterasu flames, but the poor, unsuspecting chunin from Kusa was doused in them. Before anybody could react, Ruto flashed into his lightning armor and returned Sasuke's attack with excessive force and violence. Ruto drew his katana, which naturally channeled the lightning chakra of the lightning armor and he severed both of the Uchiha's hands with two lightning-fast strokes before he hit him on the back of his neck with the pommel of the katana, knocking him out.
For Sasuke's part, he had locked onto the peasant that dared insult him and he unleashed his new technique onto him. The technique puts severe strain on the Mangekyo Sharingan, and it caused his eyes to bleed trickles of blood. He let out a burst of his heavenly flames, knowing that this would end it and he would never feel this sense of overwhelming insignificance again. Before he knew it, his mind processed a frame of images that showed blurs of motion before his whole body lit up in electrified pain. Then his whole world went black.
In the realm of the conscious, Ruto was forced to take off his mask and armor as the black flames of Amaterasu ate away at them. On his shoulder, a patch of flames was eating away at chakra reinforced flesh and Ruto was crying out in pain. Mabui didn't hesitate for long, she whipped out her fuinjutsu kit and created a 'fire sealing method – fuka johoin' and slapped the seal on Ruto's shoulder. The black flames were sucked into the seal tag, leaving a shoulder that was burnt down to the bone and the flesh was crisped. Ruto also had burns on the right side of his face where the mask slowed down the progress of the flames.
Chaos descended as Konoha shinobi took up defensive positions around Sasuke, with Sakura in the middle trying to staunch the bleeding. The other Kumo teams jumped in front of Ruto, and the Kusa team looked on the verge of attacking the Konoha teams. Suddenly, nearly 40 ANBU of Iwa, better known as Golem, had all contestants surrounded. Samui and Mabui didn't care, they were too busy tending to Ruto. The wound on his shoulder glowed with green light as the healing tag combined with his natural regeneration to grow back the destroyed muscle and tissue. The burns on Ruto's face let off steam as they hissed and healed.
Shikamaru watched in a stunned silence as Sasuke might have started the 4th Great Shinobi War. His mind froze when he saw Ruto's face and memories of his childhood crashed into his hectic mind. He subconsciously stored the memories away for later processing as the tension reached new levels due to all of the surrounding shinobi closing in on the Konoha group.
A Golem captain shouted in a threatening tone. "Konoha nin, you will drop your weapons and stand down or we will be forced to consider your whole group as hostiles."
Sakura screeched as she attempted to heal Sasuke, "What are you talking about? That monster attacked my Sasuke-Kun! You should be arresting him!"
Shikamaru calmed her before instructing team 9 to stand down, "Golem-San, what my teammate is saying is that we have a critically injured team member and Maki-San is the one responsible."
The Golem captain laughed with menace in his voice. "For a Nara, you must believe everyone else is stupid. We witnessed the whole fight, and it was the Uchiha who is at fault. Maki-San defended himself and neutralized a threat. For your teammate's actions, you will all be placed in holding until your teammate receives medical attention and is stable enough to return to Konoha. Konoha is no longer welcome to attend these exams."
Neji Hyuga stepped forward. "Golem-San, I have no issues with the Uchihas team being disqualified but I would like to petition your Tsuchikage to let team 9 remain. We have all put in considerable effort to be worthy of a jonin promotion and would like the chance to prove ourselves." Neji and team 9 bowed.
Ohnoki floated over the group, soaking in the aftermath of the scene. He froze for a moment when he looked at the state of Ruto Maki. There was something so familiar about those eyes and hair. It clicked for Ohnoki, and he nearly fell out of the air in surprise. He wondered how he could best use the information to his advantage. So many things just clicked into place as he understood the identity of the youngster.
"That is quite alright, Hyuga-San. You and your team may stay, but the Uchiha and his team will need to leave. We will have our doctors attempt to save his hands, but I make no promises. Mr. Nara and Ms. Haruno will be held in lockdown until the Uchiha is stable."
Sakura was about to shriek in response to the perceived injustice, but Shikamaru covered her mouth and bowed to the Tsuchikage. "Thank you for your consideration, Tsuchikage-Dono. We will offer no resistance to your orders."
Sasuke was thrown on a stretcher and his hand were placed into a stasis scroll to better preserve the tissue. Samui watched with a scowl hidden beneath her mask as the Konoha team were escorted away. Once they were a fair distance away, Samui turned her scowl on team 9, who seemed to be watching the rapid healing of Ruto with fascination.
Mabui was putting the finishing touches on Ruto's healing when she noticed that his face was uncovered. She looked around in a near panic as she noticed multiple Golem guards tensed up at Ruto's appearance. 'Anything they have is pure speculation, but speculation can still lead to danger,' Mabui thought. She unsealed a spare Bolt mask and handed it to Ruto, who seemed to break from his pain and understand what she was trying to say.
"Well, Maki-San, are you going to be able to participate in the jonin exams?" Ohnoki said with a glint in his eyes.
Ruto looked up and the cold gaze laced with KI noticed the glint in the old man's eyes. He saw the shiver run down the short man's spine and knew that he would have to deal with this. Ruto raised himself off the ground and stretched his shoulder with forward and backward circular motions. The fresh patch of red skin was uncomfortable, but Ruto didn't let it show. He intensified his gaze and locked eyes with Ohnoki as he slid his mask back on his face.
"Worry not, Tsuchikage. I will be fine. Grit is just as important to a shinobi as any other shinobi tool. I would ask that any insights granted by this little display be kept between the two of us." Ruto's tone carried power and an unspoken threat, a threat that Ohnoki did not and could not miss.
"Very good, Maki-San. I look forward to seeing what you can do. If you make it through the second phase, I would like to invite you to dine with me. Good luck, Maki-San." Ohnoki's tone was laced with a hidden joy. He could sit on this information for two weeks before he turned the screws. 'Let the boy sweat a bit and then I will come with my offer,' he thought.
"He knows, or at least he knows enough to be dangerous." Ruto said through the communication seal.
Darui heard that and paled. "I am going to let Shina and the Raikage know. Stay calm and do not let this affect you, Ruto." Darui pulled out the communication scroll and penned a message to the Raikage. Two minutes later, Darui relayed the orders. "Raikage says that he will be arriving after the second phase to train you, Ruto. He will not let the old midget push us around."
"Gotcha, okay everyone, Hikari has my healing sorted and I will be fine. Let's show them what a fight with Kumo would mean. Darui, let Ai-Oji know that I will be going all out to make a point."
Darui did so and his chill voice came through the channels five minutes later, "All clear Ruto. Raikage-Sama says let 'em have it."
An hour later, Kumo's team 12 were divided up and tested. The first test was a ninjutsu test that consisted of a couple parts. First was the chakra measurement and it used a device that quantified the chakra capacity and reserves of an individual and gave a score. The average score of a genin would be anywhere between 50 to 200, a chunin would be between 200 – 400, a jonin would be 400 to 900, elite jonin 900 to 2,000 and above that would be Kage level.
Samui scored a 1,780, Mabui scored a 1,520 and Ruto caused everyone to pause and look at his score. On the display was 9001, which would be higher than any Kage recorded currently. Ruto was asked to verify the score on another device and this time he flared his chakra a bit and scored a 9,420. The exam proctors were dumfounded, but that wasn't all. After placing his hand on the ball, Ruto flared his chakra to the point that a reddish-gold aura emanated from him and the chakra measuring device cracked. He walked away with a smirk under his mask, his statement had been made.
They led team 12 to a training area for their ninjutsu demonstrations. The ninjutsu were scored with a multiplicative score for the number of natures, a flat score for grade of ninjutsu used and a destructive score. Mabui and Samui each demonstrated proficiency in two natures; Samui used Raiton and Suiton while Mabui used Raiton and Doton. They each performed two of their best jutsus and made quite the impression on the proctors. Ruto came up and announced that he had mastered three chakra natures.
He performed 'suiton – annihilation waterfall', a water jutsu that took all of the water out of a nearby pond and used it to perform a giant uppercut on his target before reforming in midair to crash down on the target. The crash dug a 20-meter deep 100-meter-long trench in the training ground while disintegrating the target dummy. For futon, Ruto performed the widescale 'futon – tempest vortex' justsu, which created a 200-meter-wide tornado that combined blunt winds with wind blades to decimate a wide area. For Raiton, he went into his 'lightning armor – stage 3' and decimated a boulder by running through it. The proctor dropped his clipboard, but Ruto had one more statement to make.
Before the proctor could total his nijutsu score, which was already maxed out, Ruto announced that he had a kekkai touta. Ohnoki was watching the boy with all the intensity an old fart can muster and he spat out his tea when the boy said kekkai touta. The proctors cleared the way and Ruto demonstrated one of his higher ranked storm jutsus. He encased his hands in a combination of the three chakras before he clapped his hands and called out 'storm release – storm beam'. This was a concentrated variant of Darui's 'laser circus', as a result the beam of storm chakra ripped through the training ground and bore a hole in the far mountain, which was a kilometer away.
The reactions to this jutsu were priceless as people gaped at the path of the laser and the fresh hole in the mountain. It took a full five minutes for people to pick their jaws off the floor and return to normal. Needless to say, Ruto was scored as the highest in the ninjutsu category, followed by Kurotsuchi, Samui and Mabui. The other Kumo teams peppered the top 20 and put on a good showing for Kumo.
The next assessment phase was genjutsu which all members of team 12 excelled at. Ruto used kitsune illusions to pass the genjutsu test, but he didn't show off much in this. After genjutsu was taijutsu, which had the contestants clear a timed course of target dummies and was graded on speed and destructive abilities. Rock Lee cried anime tears when Ruto bested him by .2 seconds and was given ten more total points on destructiveness.
After taijutsu, all contestants cleared an obstacle course. This was graded on speed alone with a number of penalties that would add to the contestant's time. No chakra use, or body reinforcement, was allowed on this, but Ruto still claimed the number one spot by 17seconds. At this point, Neji had to pick Rock Lee off of his knees and throw him into the arms of Guy. The terrible beachside sunset mortified the Iwa shinobi and all others that were caught in the unbreakable genjutsu.
Ruto, Mabui and Samui all took the extra options of kenjutsu and fuinjutsu. They didn't display anything classified, but the trio took top marks in both of these categories. Maya, Haku and Chojuro were simply blown away by the display of skill from their Kumo friends. They each believed that they had worked hard to develop their skills, but something was clearly done differently in Kumo. For Maya, the daughter of the Mizukage, to be placed 9th on the raw assessments didn't bode well for Kiri. Many of the other contestants felt the same as the top three spots on the overall assessment board were populated by team 12 of Kumo.
Kurotsuchi was seething, this was her opportunity to represent Iwa on her home turf and she placed fourth in the assessments. She had heard of this team, but she didn't think she would be this outgunned. Ruto score a total of 4204, Samui 3133, Mabui 3130 and Kurotsuchi totalled 2989. In most jonin exams, Kurotsuchi would have had the number one spot. Ruto literally set the jonin exam record by over 1100 points.
Ohnoki watched the first phase of the assessments and the clear warning that Ruto gave him. The boy had glanced in his direction after every assessment and his warning was clear. Fuck with the Maki clan and you fuck with your death. The boy's resolve was impressive and Ohnoki could see why the boy was so highly regarded. In a straight up fight, Ohnoki and everyone else in Iwa would lose to this young man. If it were just one shinobi, Ohnoki could deal with that, but it wasn't just one. Even the no-namers from Kumo occupied nine of the top twenty spots. Kumo as a whole just put its cock on the table and Ohnoki knew Iwa couldn't measure up.
After the assessments, the teams were released for the night and told to report to an old, dugout mine that was on the outskirts of Iwa at 6am the next day. Team 12 immediately went back to their hotel room and had a meeting with Darui.
"Darui-Sensei, Ohnoki knows my identity. I am sure of it after the way he watched me during the assessments and after our verbal exchange. He will try to use it to exploit Kumo." Ruto said, clearly frustrated with the duck-assed Uchiha that threw a wrench in the plan.
"I know, Ruto, it's okay. The Raikage will be here a day or two after your second phase. He won't let that old fart do anything; your mother even thinks it may be time to make your public debut."
Ruto looked up with concern and the girls each took a hand to comfort him. "Uzu isn't ready for the world's attention yet. If Ohnoki spills, then the resurrection of Uzu would become obvious."
"Relax, Ruto. Uzu is protected and the only potential threat is Konoha and Iwa. After the statement you made today, Ohnoki wouldn't dare take Kumo on without preparations. If he does take us on, we have four jinchuriki and a clearly superior force back up by Uzumaki fuinjutsu."
"Sensei is right, Ruto. Be cool and everything will stay cool. Gaara created all of the beaches around Uzu, and he promised you as a blood-brother that he would protect the island in your absence. Wouldn't it be cool to rub your success in Konoha and the Uchiha bastards faces?" Samui said before she placed a kiss on his whiskered cheek.
"We will be with you the whole way, my love. Til death do us part." Mabui teased.
"Oh? You're not getting rid of me that easily. After death, I will find you, both of you." Ruto said as he leaned his forehead into Mabui's. Samui climbed up and rested her head on his shoulder while Darui felt like the awkward and unnecessary fourth wheel.
"Okay, that's nice and all but Ruto how is your shoulder and face?" Darui asked, trying to get the necessary conversation out of the way so he can leave the lovebirds alone.
"Shoulder is tight and tender, but Hikari and my regeneration took care of the worst of it, sensei."
"Good to hear, well I'll leave you all to it. Breakfast is at 5am. Get your minds right and blow this exam away."
As Darui left the room, Mabui got a sparkle in her eyes. "Did you two see that Maya-Chan and Haku-Chan are here? They put up some pretty good scores, too."
"Yeah, I saw the scores, but I didn't see either of them." Naruto answered, laying back on the bed.
Samui curled into Naruto's chest and placed a gentle kiss on his tender shoulder. "Well, maybe we should look for them during the break. It would be great catching up with old friends."
Mabui's melodious laugh filled Naruto's ear as she lay down. "Old? We helped end the war like two or so years ago. That hardly qualifies as old."
Naruto chuckled and locked his hands behind his head to let his girls cuddle in close. With the trio bundled up, they let darkness overcome them and got a much-needed rest for the test to come.
-Jonin Exams – Phase Two-
"Okay everybody, here are the rules of your test. This is an ancient and dugout mineshaft that is 100 levels deep. Each level has multiple access points to the levels below it and the chakra lighting is still there. You will be entering this mineshaft from various points and recovering a ruby medallion. On the lowest ten levels, four ruby medallions are hidden. This is a combat open exam and only four teams will pass. The collection point is here, and you are not safe until you return to this podium with a ruby medallion. This sounds easy, but the maze of the mines and the need for constant vigilance will strain you. Our trap masters had fun preparing surprises for you so watch out for those. You have three days to complete this challenge. You will be escorted to your gates by a proctor and the second phase will begin in 30-minutes."
Ruto channeled chakra to the communication seal and spoke softly, "Okay girls, do we do this the right way or the short way?"
Mabui cocked an eyebrow underneath her mask, her voice echoed beautifully in her teammates ears as she let out a melodic hum. "Ruto, I don't much care for dingy, damp, dark, trapped mines. What is the short way?"
"Laser our way down to the bottom floors, grab what we need and come back up?" Ruto said in a manner that he was asking for approval.
Samui's laugh filled Ruto's ears and it was echoed internally by Hikari. "Only you, Ruto. Only you would think of something that cool."
"Be careful not to collapse the whole mineshaft, Ruto. Even I would have difficulty healing you from millions of tons of rock." Hikari cautioned.
As they walked, Ruto broke down the plan. He noticed how they were oriented to the mountain and calculated his angle. This would require quite a bit of restraint. About 15-minutes after leaving the staging area, team 12 arrived at the gate into the old mine. The team had the plan and Ruto was preparing his chakra coils already. A slight reddish-orange hue appeared around his body and the exam proctor started sweating nervously.
A horn blared from speakers around the mountain and team 12 entered the mine calmly to begin their plan. They entered and walked in about 200-meters before the group stopped. The girls hid around a corner from Ruto as he jumped to the ceiling and hung upside down. He let his transformation fall and brought out his three tails to aid in his power and chakra control. From the tip of each tail, orbs of wind, water and lightning appeared. Ruto closed his eyes in concentration as he focused on regulating, shaping and guiding the three chakras together.
A brilliant light lit the shaft, and a focused laser beam began digging into the ground of the mine's first floor. He focused on increasing the power from each tail, spreading the area of impact and then he willed the chakra out and down. The ground rumbled and the mine groaned in response to the force that was changing its natural structure. The ground floor melted away and the power began melting away the floor easily. The light disappeared down the hole and it just kept going for 15-minutes.
Mabui and Samui watched the brilliant display of chakra and power control as they soaked in the beautiful blue and white light that cut through the natural world like a shark's fin through ocean water. Once Ruto was done, thin beads of sweat glistened on his chiseled arms and caused both girls to gulp. Their bodies responded to the proximity and the pheromone buildup as their bodies heated up. After a minute of recovering, Ruto re-engaged his transformation and hid his aura to the level that the seals on his uniform were able to hide his chakra presence.
Ruto looked to his girls, ladies, women, teammates, lovers and said, "Well, shall we?"
After dual nods, the team began taking their shortcut through the mineshaft. Ruto's pings showed that most teams were already five levels down, but there was a team down on floor 30 that was making steady pace down the mine shaft. He called it out to his teammates, but they decided that discretion was the better part of valor. They counted the floors on their way down and Ruto realized as he got lower than he might have dug a little too low. They had gotten down to the 90th floor and realized that he couldn't see the end of his manmade tunnel.
Mabui giggled, "Go a little overboard, my love?"
Ruto adopted his sheepish pose and gave the back of his neck a good rub. "Maybe."
"Well, it's cool that we are already down here. Ruto, Kitsune eyes please, I don't feel like dealing with traps. We will comb this floor and work our way down."
"Hai, hai, Samui-Chan. Mabui, mind mapping out this floor for us so we can find our shortcut again?"
"Oh, that reminds me. We should probably trap this exit, don't wanna make it too easy for the competition if they find out shortcut." Mabui chimed in.
Two nods confirmed this thought and the evil trio set nearly 80 seal traps around that entrance and the entrance of floors 80-100. Nothing lethal, but definitely painful and debilitating. The group began their jaunt through the lower levels with Ruto leading the way. They entered a chamber that was probably an old rest area for the miners and Ruto halted their merry procession.
In front of the group were four rock golems that had not locked onto them yet. With a couple of hand signs, three balls of potent lightning tore into three of the golems and crumbled them into dust. Ruto enjoyed dismantling the last one with his greatsword encased in lightning chakra. What was once a bulky rock golem was chopped into twenty or more rock pieces in less than three seconds.
Turned out that floor 90 was a bust and the group made their way down to level 91. Ruto's pings told the team that there was a team that had made their way down to the 90th floor and one team had encountered the surprises at the shortcut. Ruto let the girls know and they began to pick up their pace as they searched the 91st floor. After determining that this floor was a bust and setting some trap seals, they made their way down to 92.
They had searched a good portion of the 92nd floor when they encounter a big dig chamber with rock pathways leading over steep drops. It seems like there was a chasm that began on this floor and the group could see entrances and eight more levels below them. Strapped to a stalagmite hanging over a circular earthen island the group saw a red twinkle. Ruto focused on it and pointed it out, but there were four more rock golems on the island and a couple of traps around the edges.
After a minute making a plan and the girls talking Ruto out of simply blowing the golems up, the group descended to the island platform and charged their swords with raiton chakra. They each took one golem and Samui put in some extra effort to make sure that she could deal with the fourth. After dealing with the golems, the group looked up at the stalagmite hanging from the ceiling that was 40-feet above them.
Ruto put two hands around Mabui's waist and hitched her up to his shoulder level. She squealed as she was surprised by Ruto's sudden touch and then she protested what Ruto was about to do. Before her protests registered, she was flying through the air toward the tip of the stalagmite. She flipped her body around and she landed feet first on the sharp piece of earth. She stuck herself to the sharpened rock with chakra and worked her way down to the glowing red pendant. She grabbed it firmly in her grasp and jumped down to the island platform before she playfully slapped Ruto's chest.
The group began their climb to the entrance on the 92nd floor, but they stiffened when they sensed the enemy ambush waiting for them above. Rather than fight over a chasm, Ruto decided to play it diplomatically. The group ducked under an overhang and Ruto created three clones that henged themselves. Rather than waiting to hear out the conversation, the group entered the 94th floor and began the climb up.
With Ruto's clone squad, Ruto called out, "Well, I would hope that we could talk this out, I really don't feel like killing the Tsuchikage's granddaughter. You have ten seconds to show yourselves and speak before I relent and give in to my baser instincts."
Kurotsuchi shivered, she was strong, she knew she was strong, but she also knew that she was no match for the monster before her. "Why don't you save yourselves the trouble and hand over the ruby pendant? This enclosed area and such a steep drop, wouldn't want the great Ruto Maki, Tenshi no Raijin, to meet an early death."
"Is that how you really want to play this, girl?" Ruto's clone growled out.
Kurotsuchi and her teammates felt sweat trickle down their spines. "Hmm, I guess not. Is there anyone else down here yet?"
"Nope, you are the second. Floors 91 and 92 are clear. The nearest group is around the 80th floor right now and I have three squads stuck in my traps." Ruto's clone replied in a totally friendly tone, which contrasted so sharply with his previous statement.
Kurotsuchi turned and whispered with her teammates before they came to a decision. "Alright, you can pass. It isn't worth the risk fighting with a team like yours."
Kurotsuchi spun in a panic as the two female teammates puffed into smoke and Ruto's clone whispered from behind her. "Good choice, Kuro-Chan."
Before Kurotsuchi or her teammates could eliminate the threat, the Ruto clone puffed into smoke. The Kamizura teammate, a bee user, shared her terrified thoughts, "That guy is fucking terrifying."
Back with team 12, the team took another 30-minutes to make it back to their shortcut at the 90th floor. When the team walked up on the first squad caught in their paralysis trap, Ruto and the girls let out a hearty laugh.
"Haha, oh this, hahaha, this is too … haha … too good. How are you girls?" Ruto asked with a coy tone as he looked down on three figures crumpled on the floor.
Maya gritted her teeth as she struggled from her face down, ass up position on the floor. "You! You did this!"
Haku was lying flat on her back as she looked up at the magnificent forms of Ruto and his female teammates. "Ruto-San, it would be most appreciated if you freed us from this seal."
Ruto was hunched over, laughing hysterically, so Mabui responded. "Sure thing, Haku-Chan and Maya-Chan. Once you agree that you will not attempt to attack us. We have spent enough time in this dingy mine already."
Maya growled, "Some friends you are!"
Samui knelt down next to Maya and tucked some of her illustrious red hair behind her ear before she spanked her on her ass. "Now, now, Maya-Chan. That wasn't very polite.
The three Kumo ninjas let another round of merry giggles escape before they each put a hand on the immobilized Kiri team. A faint blue light glowed around their bodies before movement was gifted to them once more. They shook out their limbs and glared at team 12, who was still shaking in fits of laughter. Maya, ever the hot-blood girl her mother raised blew a bang out of her face and huffed in anger as she puffed her cheeks. Ruto was forced to admit the girl was beautiful and incredibly cute with that look on her face.
He held up his hands in defense, "Now, now, Maya-Chan, we freed you because you are our allies. If you hurry up, you will be the third team to reach the lower floors. We have one ruby pendant but there are three remaining."
Maya huffed before Haku bowed. "Thank you for freeing us, we will be going. I do hope we get a chance to face you in the finals."
The young boy with thick square-rimmed glasses seemed to agree with Haku, so Maya relented and punched Ruto playfully in the chest. "This isn't over, Ruto-Kun. Not by a long shot, handsome."
"Sure thing, looking forward to it. We will see you when the test is done, stop by our hotel room. Stay safe, we will clear the tunnels for you on our way up." Ruto threw the group a two fingered salute and prepared to ascend his makeshift tunnel.
Maya blushed and blew Ruto a kiss before she hugged Samui and Mabui. The Kiri team proceeded with their test and team 12 looked up the shaft they had dug. Ruto sent focused chakra pings up the tunnel and sighed.
"We have multiple teams waiting to ambush this tunnel. What do you girls wanna do?"
"It would be cool if we led with Kage bunshin and lightning clones then clear them out?" Samui proposed.
"Hmm, that would be quick, dirty and effective. I want in on the fun Ruto so why we don't each of us make a couple of each and send them up. We follow behind by a minute or so and take it slow." Mabui added onto Samui's idea.
"Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Alright, thumbs up, let's fuck." Ruto responded cheerily.
The ascent back up their tunnel proved to be an eventful endeavor. The shadow and lightning clone combos proved to be very effective at surprising enemy teams and providing openings for team 12 to debilitate their ambushers. They faced three teams in total on their way back up and the first two were simply debilitated. Mercifully knocked out and they would wake in an hour or so to resume their exam.
The whole mood changed when team 12 ran into a Kusa team that decided to be lecherous rapists with a shadow clone of Mabui. Of course, it was just a shadow clone but when Ruto arrived on the level to see a Kusa ninja holding a kunai to clone Mabui's neck and groping one of her boobs, well let's suffice to say he lost it. The clone winked and popped itself when it saw Ruto and Mabui was enraged by someone other than Ruto fondling her. Samui joined the frenzy on her friend's behalf and the blood of Kusa spilt in the mines.
Ruto immediately activated his stage one lightning armor and shoulder checked the offending Kusa male into the mine wall. The guy buried nearly five feet into the wall and the distinct sound of shattering bones could be heard through the crash. He was struggling to get out of the wall when Ruto's extended nails pierced his right shoulder. Ruto let his kitsune instincts take over as he carved up the male that dared to defile on of his mates. Although it was extra bloody on the outside, internally Hikari was on the verge of pulling him into the mindscape to relieve a potent buildup of lust from his display.
Samui stuck to her katana. It wasn't good to break out big jutsus in such tight spaces and the structural integrity of the mine was already damaged by their impromptu tunnel. A thin, electric blue sheen encompassed her katana as she blurred forward at the Kusa kunoichi. The girl's full attention was on the lightning cloaked Ruto, but that didn't spare her from Samui's blade. One clean stroke to her undefended neck ended Samui's fight quickly. Samui preferred quick and easy, she thought it was cool.
Mabui, being the offended party, chose not to take the quick and easy route. The remaining male of the Kusa team was punched ferociously in the head and sent tumbling through the bloody remains of his female teammate. He slipped on her blood when he tried to regain his feet and found his head grabbed by Mabui. His mind raced as terror and lightning spread throughout his body. The sustained blast of lightning chakra left a smoldering corpse at her feet. She left the deceased group after spitting on the ground, Mabui's least favorite thing in the world was rapists.
Team 12 surfaced and made it to the topside checkpoint eight hours and twelve minutes after they started the exam. It was a new record for this variant of Iwa's second phase and the proctors were more than a little surprised when a blood covered Ruto slammed the ruby pendant down on the table. They were released and escorted to their hotel where the proctor told them to meet at the checkpoint at 6pm in two days for further instructions. Team twelve cleaned themselves off, unsealed some pre-cooked dinner, let Hikari out of the seal and spent the next two days in a state of sexual bliss.
When Ohnoki heard that team 12 of Kumo passed the second stage of the jonin exams in just over eight hours, he wanted to be incredulous, but he kind of expected it. That team was 15 or 16 years old, and they were each elite jonin level. Ohnoki estimated Ruto to be around Sanin or just below Sanin level, but he would need to see more to be sure. He was enjoying some bourbon as he finished his paperwork when a chunin responsible he had sent on a patrol crashed into his office. It is clear that this man narrowly escape death and he was struggling to hold on. He was panting, covered in blood and had more than a couple shuriken lodged in his back.
"Hang on, we will get you help but I need to know what's happening. Speak child!" Ohnoki had darted over to the kneeling and panting ninja to support him.
"Tsuchi…kage…sama … Roshi … captured… Daedara… and many … others…" The fits of coughs and spurts of blood finally took their toll on the ninja, who collapsed dead in Ohnoki's arms.
Ohnoki flared his chakra and a squad of Golem appeared kneeling in front of him. "Go to the volcano, find Roshi and bring me the perpetrators. I will send additional backup, go!"
The Golem squad needed no further orders, they disappeared in shunshin to accomplish their mission. 'So, my lost student has returned to his homeland? What does he want with Roshi? Why did it have to be during the jonin exams? Because I would be distracted … Kami damnit all! Who!? Why!?' Ohnoki continued his inner tirade as he struggled to understand the current situation. He would need to inform the council and see if the jonin exams should be continued or if he should throw out the foreign shinobi and lock down his borders.
Two days later at 6pm, team 12, reeking of sex and sake, reported into the checkpoint in front of the old mine. They saw Kurotsuchi's team, the Kiri team and Konoha's team 9 waiting there in front of the podium. The Iwa team looked like they finished early as well, and they were clean and well rested. The Kiri and Konoha teams not so much. Team 9 looked like they went through the meat grinder since they were covered in blood, dirt and cuts. The Kiri team looked exhausted but no worse for wear. Maya told team 12 after the instructions that they used a combination of boil release and hidden mist jutsu to bypass most of the waiting teams. It took them a while, but it was the safest way they could move.
Ohnoki stood on an elevated platform to address the remaining contestants.
"Alright, congratulations on passing the second stage of the jonin exams. Team 12 of Kumo, you shattered the previous record for this course by over six hours. I decided to leave your little shortcut because it produced some interesting results. Anyway, the finals will be held in two weeks. The drawings will not be completed until the day of your match, but it will be a one-on-one tournament style event with a three-way finish.
There will be a banquet to introduce you to dignitaries and Daimyos from various lands held two nights before the start of the finals. Due to an attack on Iwa territory, you will be always escorted by two Golem guards for the duration of your stay. Training grounds are provided to each team and your Golem guards will escort you there at your leisure. That will be all for now."
Team 12 returned to the hotel after sharing dinner with Maya, Haku and Chojuro. Ruto poison tested the food and said they were in the clear before everyone dug in. It was good catching up with old friends and it was great to hear that Kiri was recovering so well. The anti-bloodline faction had suffered multiple losses since the war ended and very few remained. They were reduced to missing nin and highwaymen and they were dying out by the day. Chojuro and Haku represented the new generation of the seven swordsmen. Haku wielded the Nuibari, a needle sword with fuinjutsu ninja wire that is used to immobilize targets. Chojuro wielded Hiramekarei which was a two handled blade that was highly chakra conductive and was capable of changing forms.
Throughout the dinner, Samui and Mabui wore confident smirks on their faces as they watched Maya's attempts at seduction. It wasn't that Ruto was unresponsive to them, it was that Ruto was on a completely different level that the well-endowed and innocent redhead. Every naïve and innocent attempt at flirting was met head on by Ruto and it left Maya a tomato-red blushing mess for most of the dinner. Ruto had set up a privacy barrier that allowed him to remove his mask, since the Kiri team already knew his identity and he wanted to be himself around friends.
Haku remained the silent type, but Ruto could tell she had gained some confidence and found her own way since he last saw her. The girl carried a calming confidence about her, and she watched everything playout with a graceful smile on her lips while chipping in commentary every now and then. Ruto noticed that Samui bonded well with Haku and the two seemed capable of having silent conversations with their eyes from across the table. Ruto knew that Samui had branched out with his other girls and that she liked it, maybe she wanted to extend that honor to Haku as well.
Three days after the end of the second phase, Ai and Shina showed up to begin training team 12. When they heard the full story about the incident between Sasuke and Ruto, they were beyond livid. Especially when Naruto told them about Ohnoki possibly discovering his true identity, among other people. Ai and Shina said that they would handle it, but the world began spinning for the Kumo shinobi.
The night before the jonin exam banquet, the Kumo contingent was relaxing and had just got back from dinner when all hell broke loose. A knock came on their door and Shina was the one to answer it. Standing in front of her was a man she wished she never had to see again. His long mane of white hair, that goofy ass grin and ridiculous outfit with the unique hitiate marking him as the toad Sanin, Jiraiya. Before Shina could slam the door in his face, a hand stopped the door from closing.
"You know, after I saw your kid demasked, I asked myself how I missed it. I asked myself how the ninja world could be so blind. But the main question I asked myself is why you never reached out to me, Kushina."
-Flashback-
Following his orders, Jiraiya was scoping out Iwa and there was an event that would provide the perfect opportunity. The Jonin Exams are a great time to scope out talent from around the elemental nations, especially when that talent includes his main target, Ruto Maki. Thus, Jiraiya waited patiently for the exams to start, idly noticing that this Kumo team really was cautious. He got nothing from them except noting that the tall blonde was definitely banging his two teammates. So, after giggling perversely and scribbling a couple things down in his notes, Jiraiya waited patiently.
Then he was hidden on a hilltop, protected by his chameleon jutsu and using his trusty spyglass to gather information from afar. Jiraiya had slapped his forehead when he saw the Uchiha engage in open hostilities during the Jonin exams. He watched the dismemberment and casual incapacitation of the Uchiha brat but then something caught his eye. The masked teen was finally unmasked, and he needed to focus on that.
He turned his focus to the blonde's face and froze as recognition washed over him. Temporarily haunted by a ghost, he tried to regain focus through his telescope, but the blonde was already masked once more. Jiraiya closed his eyes and focus on the image he saw in his telescope. The same spiky, Sunkissed blonde hair, the powerful azure blue eyes, Kushina's face laced with three whisker marks on his left cheek. He was sure another set of whiskers would be on the right side of the kids face if it wasn't burnt. Then, Jiraiya watched as the kid healed freakishly fast and shook off the effects of Amaterasu before he returned to his tasks.
Jiraiya proceeded to watch this Ruto Maki decimate the standards of the jonin exams by breaking out three 'S' ranked jutsus of three elemental variants and even added a kekkai touta. The whole time he watched the performance, especially when the kid drew up his fuinjutsu seal with ease, he imagined himself watching Minato. The images of the past repeatedly haunted him and he could no longer ignore his gut instinct. He would need solid proof before he could confront them, and he was patient enough to wait and find it.
Then, he watched Ai waltz into Iwa alongside a woman that rang the same reminiscent alarm bells in his head. As soon as he saw Shina's face, he had his confirmation, and everything clicked into place. It was so thinly veiled that it was ridiculous. Kushina's body was never recovered, the Maki name, which is just the tail end of Uzumaki, the rumors of Uzu's recovery, their first names followed the same suit as their last names. The reason Tsunade defected to Kumo became clear in Jiraiya's mind. Then one overwhelming thought crushed him; why didn't Kushina trust him and include him?
-End of Flashback-
Jiraiya was stunned by the speed that a paralysis seal was slapped on him, and he was further surprised by the ease with which Kushina dragged him into the room and threw him on the floor. The nail in the coffin of Jiraiya's hope was the burning fury in Kushina's eyes and the look of absolute apathy in Naruto's azure orbs.
"Well, I guess I should say I am happy to meet my so-called 'kyofu', but you lost the right to that title almost immediately after you gained it. Why are you here, Jiraiya?" Naruto's cold voice cut across the room and pierced Jiraiya's heart.
"Heya, gaki…"
"No, you can stop right there. You don't know me; you have never known me, and I am inclined to believe you will never know me. You will address me as Ruto or Maki-San."
Sadness flickered across the visage of the toad sage before it was buried and replaced by frustration. "I thought you were dead. Your dear old mom never included me in her little plans…"
"Bullshit, bullshit Jiraiya. Don't lie to my sochi's face. How many letters? How many pleas for help did I send you? How many times did you ignore your obligations in favor of booze and women, Jiraiya? Look my son in the eyes and tell him how many times you ignored my pleas for help. Then ask yourself why I didn't include you in our escape from that hell hole." Kushina screamed at the immobilize toad Sanin.
Naruto walked over and wrapped his mother in a warm hug, whispering into her ear to calm her down. Ai's imposing figure stood protectively next to Kushina with a massive, yet reassuring, hand on her shoulder. Ai decided to speak.
"What are you doing here, Jiraiya?" A simple question, a complicated answer.
Jiraiya was close to breaking down. He hadn't cried since Minato's death but looking at the fully grown form of his son, so many memories crashed into him and disturbed his thoughts, preventing him from forming a coherent sentence. "I, well, I, but, he…"
Naruto rested his head on his mother's shoulder and pierced Jiraiya with an apathetic stare. "Speak, toad. Speak or I will kill you where you lie for forsaking your vow to my father."
The KI behind Naruto's statement shocked Jiraiya back into battle mode and he answered Naruto's gaze. "Look, Naruto, I ignored your mom's letters. I didn't think that it was that bad and Konoha needed my spy…"
"Your family needed you more, you pathetic old man. Look, save your whimpering. I don't want your apologies; I have no need for a family reunion because you lost the right to call yourself family. So, Jiraiya, spy master of Konoha, tell us why you are here." Cold indifference was all the Kumo contingent could feel in Naruto's words. The normal, jovial feeling was completely absent and left sharp words that cut right into their target.
"Fine, brat. I was here to spy on Iwa and find information on you. I have that information in Mount Myuboku, so if you kill me the information goes straight to Konoha." Jiraiya's guilt was replaced by anger now, which was dangerous considering he as in a room with at least three 'S' ranked shinobi.
"I have no desire to stain my hands with your blood, you aren't worth it. You already had the information you required, so why confront us in our own room? Why Jiraiya?"
"Because … because I needed to know for sure…" Jiraiya's anger faded as the past broke through his defenses once again.
"Oh, okay, so you are here because you feel guilty. Got it. Well, anything else you want to say before you leave me and my family the fuck alone?" Naruto shrugged off the pathetic nature of the man. Ever since his mother had told him about Jiraiya, he had wanted nothing to do with a man that would forsake his family.
Jiraiya looked up with tears in his eyes and his face that of a broken man. "Can't I make things right? What would you have me do!? I am bound to Konoha and obligated to report that their jinchuriki is in Kumo. That the Uzumaki have betrayed them…"
Kushina ripped herself from Naruto's arms, grabbed Jiraiya by the throat and slammed him against the wall. As she spoke, her blonde hair flickered about in agitated tails. "Don't you dare. Don't you dare say I am the one that betrayed Konoha. Danzo sent 20 Root ninjas after me and Kakashi. I faked my own death to escape, but I was already betrayed, my family was already betrayed, Minato was already betrayed. And yet, you remained. Ever the loyal lapdog of Konoha, never asking why, never even investigating why I was so desperate for your help. Then … then you have the nerve to call my son the jinchuriki and treat him as some weapon, just like they did."
Throughout Kushina's statement, Jiraiya's confidence and anger fell. Oxygen failed to get to his brain and his eyes bulged, then Kushina dropped him limply to the floor. The look in her eyes said the same thing Naruto said earlier, 'You are not worth killing.' Jiraiya coughed and gasped for breath before he looked up at the apathetic crowd in front of him.
"Minato died defending Konoha, he gave his life for that brat to protect the village. You say I pissed on his will and my obligations, what about you? You joined a village that he saved you from. You have dropped Konoha from its reign of supremacy and created enemies for the village you once swore to protect…" Jiraiya was cut off again by Naruto.
Naruto's hair shadowed his eyes, and his gaze was fixed on the ground. His aura threatened to explode, and he was shaking with absolute rage, but he spoke in a whisper. "Get out, get out of here Jiraiya. Next I see you, you are my enemy. I spare you this once in honor of my father, but I will answer your charges. My father died protecting a village that was supposed to honor his sacrifice and give me a home. Power hungry fools robbed me of my inheritance, which alone wouldn't have meant too much. Then, they beat me, nearly killed me when I was four and then again when I was five. In between those birthdays, they imposed a woman that would drag me by my hair out of the safety of my home and throw me at the feet of enraged villagers. My medical record shows over 60 visits to the hospital in under a year." Naruto's tone was starting to escalate, and chakra was taking shape around him. "Then they tried to kill my mother because she wouldn't die naturally on the back-to-back 'S' ranked missions they threw her on. They threatened those I loved, and you dare say that I betrayed the village! Let me save you your moral dilemma, Jiraiya, I will show the world exactly who I am. You tell Fugaku, you tell Danzo, if they want me then to come and get me, motherfuckers!"
Jiraiya looked incredulous at that statement and the firmness of Naruto's resolve. He looked to Ai, who smirked back at him and said, "I stand behind my successor's words. If Konoha wants to get crushed, they can bring it on. Uzu once stood against the might of three nations and overwhelming odds. Kushina-Chan has seen fit to equip Kumo to do the same. If war is what Konoha wants, they can come and get it. Now leave, you disgust me."
Naruto carried Jiraiya out of the room and down to the reception area of the hotel. He placed him on the couch and removed the paralysis seal. Jiraiya remained stunned the whole time, trying to wrap his mind around what just happened.
"I give you one warning, Jiraiya. You or Konoha threaten my family, the Kyuubi won't just say hello to Konoha next time. I spent the past ten years training myself to the brink to deal with the worst scum that Konoha has to offer. Pass that along to those pathetic old fools on the council. I do hope Sasuke's hands heal okay."
Naruto turned and left Jiraiya sitting in a stunned and silent rage. This rage would lead to Jiraiya's most epic drinking and whoring binge of his life. Sorry to say, no amount of booze or women will ever get rid of the guilt that Jiraiya carries in his heart.
A/N: I had a lot of fun with this and now that Naruto and the Uzumakis are unmasked, shit will start hitting the fan! I hope you enjoy and feel free to add what you would like to see from this!