Sarutobi Compound: Evening…
Kakashi escorted his team out of the forest before telling them to meet at their training ground tomorrow morning. At that point, he'd disclose what the month would look like for each of them. After being informed of this, Goku had been informed his grandfather wanted him home.
Upon arriving, it seemed Gohan had wanted them all home. Turles had arrived before him and was sitting with Raditz, who seemed to have just gotten home from a mission given he was wearing his flak jacket, at the table.
"Ah, there you are Goku." Gohan voiced genuinely relieved.
He entered the room with a tray holding a tea pot and four cups. Upon his return, Gohan could relax knowing all his grandsons were alive. Of course, Raditz hadn't been at the Forest of Death the day it happened, but Gohan had worried about him all the same.
"Now that Goku is here, what's this about grandfather?" Raditz asked, having only been informed that Gohan had something important to discuss with them.
"First, come on in Goku and have a seat." Gohan stated, setting everyone up with cup of tea.
Goku walked over and took a seat as he looked at his family. "It's been quite a while since we've all been together like this."
Goku knew each of them, himself, Turles, and Raditz, had been with grandpa at various times over the last few months; however, the twins becoming Genin had changed a lot in their lives.
"I've asked you all here because I received a report from Kakashi Hatake, Goku's sensei." Gohan decided he might as well get to the point "He informed me of his Genin's encounter with Orochimaru."
"Orochimaru was here, in the forest with them!" Raditz exclaimed, he had to take a second look to make sure both his brothers were here.
"Orochimaru, you mean one of the legendary Sanin who went rogue?" Turles asked.
"The very same." Gohan grasped his cup firmly. "That man was once Hiruzen's student; however, he went down a dark path." He looked up. "Goku and his teammates had an encounter with the man." His gaze turned to the mentioned Genin. "Would you mind telling us?"
Goku nodded before informing his family of his team encounter with Orochimaru; however, he only got up to the point of his transformation before someone spoke up.
"Are you saying Goku entered the same transformation father undertook all those years ago?" Raditz asked.
"It is what the report says, yet Kakashi wasn't there in person." Gohan looked to Goku. "Can you access this form, Grand Sage as you've been informed?"
Rather than respond with words, Goku stood and drew on the power he now felt within himself. His hair shifted to a golden color while his eyes became turquoise. Gohan, despite knowing of this from the report, and Raditz were both stunned.
Even Turles was taken aback upon seeing the very form he's only ever heard of before. Given what he's heard, how his twin unlocked this form, it only cemented that Orochimaru must live up to his status. To think he could utilize a combination of Killing Intent and Genjutsu like that.
If Turles had known what was happening, he would run to his brother and their team's aid. While he wouldn't have wanted to put Lee and Tenten at risk like that, Turles knew they probably would have come along to.
Goku soon reverted to normal and took a deep breath. The anger wasn't as intense, probably because it was a transformation he just undertook, but he still wanted to compose himself a little before continuing. Fortunately, the tea did help.
After a few moments. Goku continued the story up until the part where Naruto was knocked out followed by himself. From there, he recounted the second-hand accounts Sasuke, Karin, and Hinata had to say on their fight with the guy, which led up to the end of his information on it.
"Given how father and Goku both unlocked this form, it would appear the only way to access it is to believe at least one person close to you has died." Raditz reasoned.
"I was hoping it'd be easier to access, so I could have it against that red head." Turles was thinking about Gaara.
"I'll see what I can figure out." Goku shrugged. "I'm not planning on spending the month on it, I'd rather cultivate more skills beyond it, but I'll get on it after the Chunin Exams. Maybe I can teach you both how to access it without that restriction."
The other two were content with this, and Gohan smiled upon seeing them like this. "With that out of the way, there is something I want to share with you three." He brought out a scroll. "Naturally, people of Konoha have looked into this form your father obtained."
"They have?" Raditz asked. "How come none of us were informed prior?"
"It's because there's not much here." Gohan unfurled the scroll. "This is all that was left in some old records Hiruzen became the owner of after the second Hokage's passing. He confirmed the writing to be the that of the First Hokage, Hashirama."
They all looked at the scroll, which seemed to be a journal entry.
"The First Mizukage, Yamoshi
He seems to be the perfect balance between Madara and I, with the power to back it up. His love of battle and pride rivaled Madara's while the two of us have sat to negotiate only to end up drinking each other under the table. The man knows how to have fun.
While our villages are allies, the friendly competitions we get into, which Tobirama says we really shouldn't be doing, shows we're darn near equal. He says he owes it to his Sage Mode, Grand Sage, which has an ascended level to it."
"Grand Sage…that name was given to me by my dream." Goku thought. "Did he have a similar dream?"
"Even with two levels to his Sage Transformation, my Wood Style seems to be just enough to edge out quite a few competitions between us. Kirigakure has a bright future ahead of it with him at the helm, and I look forward to the next time we meet."
"Seems to me our First Hokage had a great deal of respect for this man." Turles noted. "Makes me wonder what either of them would think of the hellscape that place has become today."
"I'm more focused on the fact that Grand Sage has levels." Goku hadn't gotten that information from his dream, though something told him that likely wouldn't be the only one he had over the course of his life time. "I mean, it's good to know at least."
"Is that all there is grandfather?" Raditz questioned.
"Hiruzen had people look through the oldest records around the village, yet this was the only thing anyone ever found." Gohan rolled the scroll up. "On the plus side, going through all that history led to a great deal of reorganization, and a lot of materials one would think were lost."
"I wonder if any of that information would be on clans or Shinobi that were once part of Konoha?" Goku contemplated, thinking of Naruto and Sasuke. "Just how many clans or prominent Shinobi has Konoha lost over the years? For what reasons did we lose them?"
Goku wasn't entirely certain why he was becoming fixated on this, but the fact that these powerful clans would just be wiped out, like they were, was getting him thinking about it. Granted, Uzushiogakure being wiped made sense.
For all their power, facing down three of the five great villages was a tall order. Then, what about the Uchiha Clan? Goku had heard that was all Itachi's doing. While the man was said to be the truest form of a prodigy, the Uchiha were a clan known for being strong.
They were one of the founding clans. Perhaps it was the fact that one man wiped out the Uchiha while three villages had to wipe out the Uzumaki. Something just wasn't sitting right, and it got him thinking about other, potential loses Konoha may have suffered.
Konoha Streets
Sakura was on her way home when Rock Lee's voice rang out. "Sakura!" She turned to see the green spandexed Shinobi approaching her, only to stop about a foot away "I am glad to have found you, fair maiden."
"W-What?" Sakura asked.
"I have been looking for you since returning to the village with my sensei." Lee suddenly took her hand and got on one knee. "Since I first laid eyes on you, during the preliminaries, I have thought you were the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.
I knew then was not the time to declare this, much was at stake to the point such words would have been distracting. Now that the preliminaries are over, I ask that you please go out with me, and I shall protect you for the rest of your life."
Sakura looked at this boy, surprised; however, she couldn't help herself from blushing. "As flattered as I am, I will have to decline." The boy was saddened to hear that. "I am focusing more on my growth as a kunoichi at the moment."
"I understand." Lee perked up. "That is an admirable quality; however, I find I cannot give up. You are perfect, so I shall protect you forever." Sakura's blush turned crimson. "Until we meet again, fair Sakura."
Lee took off. While he hadn't gotten the girl tonight, the way she rejected him did not completely close off a potential future together.
Atop the Hokage Monument
With them being one the few teams without an actual sensei, Orochimaru hadn't returned, Vegeta left for Konoha alone. Upon returning, he aimlessly wandered the streets before ultimately ending up atop the Hokage Monument.
From there, he stared out at the village as his mind turned to Orochimaru. "Just what are your intentions?" His gaze narrowed. "What's the purpose behind the orders we were given?"
That was a question he had no answers to, and it was plain to see why. Kin, Zaku, and he were as disposable as they came. If Orochimaru saw everyone as pawns, then the three of them where the pawns he was most satisfied in disposing of first.
"Quite an enjoyable night for a walk, is it not?" Hiruzen asked.
Vegeta turned to see Konoha's Kage standing behind him. "I probably shouldn't be up here, huh?"
"No, you're doing nothing wrong by simply coming up here." Hiruzen assured him. "Although, I must admit I am rather curious. I have been standing here for the last ten minutes, yet you didn't notice me until I spoke."
"Damn, was I that lost in my own head?" Vegeta thought.
"Given your performance in that last preliminary fight, it seems unlike you." Hiruzen voiced. "I know you may not wish to talk about it, but I'd be willing to listen if you have a problem."
"I was just thinking about…stuff, I guess." Vegeta answered. "What are you doing out this late? I didn't think the Hokage would leave his home at such a time as this."
"I often feel the need to clear my head, and an occasional night walk does wonders." Hiruzen answered. "Every time I come here and see the faces of my predecessors and successor, it reminds me how much the village has changed since its birth.
The sacrifices our people have suffered for the sake of a better tomorrow. Maybe they don't realize it, but the reason why the men, women, and children peacefully wake up in the morning and sleep at night is because they know we will do anything to protect the village."
"What's so important about a village?" Vegeta asked, attempting to see if a reason existed on the other side. "Why do Shinobi risk their lives every day for people who don't even know their names?"
Thinking about it, Oto wasn't much of a village. Not like Kirigakure had been and not like Konoha was. Comparatively, Oto was just a series of underground systems meant to hold experiments and prisoners. Only the few, like himself, had the privilege not to be behind bars.
"You are right." Hiruzen nodded. "Most villagers will never know the names of the people who die for them. It is something I think any Shinobi must learn to deal with since we do not seek recognition or gratitude from others. For Konoha, our actions and deeds often go unnoticed, yet we keep going because we are fueled by the Will of Fire."
"The Will of Fire?" Vegeta repeated.
"The Will of Fire is our philosophy, our way of life." Hiruzen informed. "It is what gives us the strength to continue fighting against all odds, what helps us build willpower and strength of character.
It is the spiritual heritage passed down by our ancestors, and we have the duty to pass it down to the next generation. Because of the Will of Fire, every Konoha Shinobi loves, believes, cherishes, and fights to protect our village…Tell me something, who do you think the King is?"
"I beg your pardon?" Vegeta asked.
"If you had to associate a village with the pieces of a Shogi game, who would be the King?"
Vegeta thought about it. The King was by far the most important piece in the game of Shogi. If the King was captured or surrounded, it's game over. At first, he thought about how Orochimaru would view it, and he'd likely say the King was himself.
In the context of Otogakure, Orochimaru would likely be right. Compared to how Kirigakure was and Konoha is, defeating the Kage didn't seem like it'd be the end of the world for a village. In that case, Vegeta could only see one answer.
"Any true village can survive without its leader, yet a leader is nothing without a village to look after." Vegeta answered. "The King is the people. You can destroy any village, but if the people survive, that can be rebuilt. To a Shinobi, the King is everyone around them."
"You are a wise one beyond your years." Hiruzen smiled. "As you can see, the Will of Fire is not something exclusive to Konoha. It is something any Shinobi can carry in their heart." He nodded. "Now, have a good night."
The Hokage took his leave while Vegeta was left with more to ponder.
Konoha Streets: Morning…
Sakura was on her way to the hospital with the intention of checking on Ino, and she wasn't the only one. On her way there, she ran into Turles, and the two of them seemed to understand what the other was doing, resulting in them walking together.
Out of everyone who had been taken by the Medical-Nin, Ino was the only one who needed to be moved to the hospital. This created a sense of unease among the two of them with Turles more withdrawn than he usually was.
Hospital
Sakura and Turles arrived within the lobby of their village's hospital where they ended up running into another who was here to check on the girl.
"I'm here to visit Ino." Shikamaru asked the receptionist. "Is she able to receive visitors?"
"Just a moment please."
Shikamaru nodded before turning and seeing the two who had just arrived. "Figured you two would have the same idea."
"I just…I need to know she's okay." Turles stated, looking away.
Sakura smiled since she could tell these emotions weren't the easiest on him. "I think it's clear we feel the same, and I believe others do as well, even if they are not here themselves."
"Sir, she's in room 301."
"Thanks." Shikamaru nodded before walking off. "Let's go." As they walked, he looked to Turles. "Can't deny I still want my shot at the red head, but if you can beat him, you won't hear me complaining."
"I plan on doing everything to prepare for him this month." Turles declared firmly.
He spoke with absolute finality, as though he said it and it would happen. To be fair, with Turles, he was liable to push himself harder than ever this month. Considering his goal was to make it to his fight with Gaara, Sakura and Shikamaru didn't think he'd jeopardize that with too much risk.
Room 301
Fortunately, most of the worry Turles, Shikamaru, and Sakura had evaporated upon seeing the Yamanaka sitting up in her bed as she ate breakfast. Granted, she was heavily bandaged, but at least this seemed like a good sign.
"Thank goodness." Shikamaru spoke, drawing the patient's attention to the doorway.
"Oh, I didn't expect many visitors today." Ino stated.
As the three of them walked into the room, Sakura smiled. "I'm glad to see you look alright."
"Well, I'll have to be in here for roughly a week, but I should then be able to do the rest of my healing back at home." Ino voiced.
"You did good Ino." Turles voiced.
"Yeah right." Ino shook her head. "There wasn't a thing I could do against him."
"Even against those odds, even as you were terrified, you fought until the very end." Turles approached her. "Now, I'm going to get back at him."
"Don't fight him." Ino's face was in full blown terror as she grabbed his arm. "When I went into his mind, I saw a monster. Something that partial look you all got doesn't do justice."
"I'll beat that Suna Genin into the ground." Turles preempted any argument she might have by grabbing her hand and sitting in the nearby chair. "That guy hurt you Ino. Your mine, yet he left you like that. No one hurts my people and gets away with it."
Ino blushed because she knew Turles, knew what he meant by how he spoke and acted. This was clear confirmation that he had feelings for her, just like what she felt for him.
"I promise I will win, no matter what he contains." He firmed his hold on her hand. "This month, I will train harder than ever to ensure it and come out the other side as the victor. Watch me."
He was asking her to be behind him rather than against him on this.
"Alright Turles." Ino held his hand back. "I believe you can beat him."
Sakura smiled at the scene while Shikamaru suddenly wished he was anywhere else. As for Turles, he knew what he needed. He didn't care what it took, he was training with Guy and Lee on their level rather than the easier level they utilized with someone a year younger.
Training Ground 7
Kakashi met with his Genin and could tell they were eager to learn how he would train them for the final phase. "Before we get started, I'd like to say congratulations are in order. Through two tests and a preliminary, you four succeeded. Now, onto how this month will work.
There is much I can teach all of you, yet this month requires something more. For all of you, a rare opportunity to learn from different sensei has been arranged. Sasuke, you will also be my sole project this month, and we shall leave the village that whole time."
Considering the varied abilities of their peers, Goku and Hinata were willing to take this while Sasuke liked the idea of having multiple sensei, including their own, to himself. No doubt that would lend itself well to his training. The only one who opposed this was their blond teammates.
"Hold on, why can't you train the rest of us!?" Naruto exclaimed. "Beyond my prior reasons for making Chunin, I must acquire it to learn about my dad. I want to know who he was. Plus, training with Kakashi would give me plenty of opportunities to ask about my mom."
"Now, now." Kakashi held up his hands. "I assure you I've found adequate substitutions for the rest of you." He leaned over to the blond and lowered his voice to ensure only he could hear him. "In fact, I managed to snag you one of Konoha's legends, Jiraiya of the Sannin."
Naruto's eyes grew wide as he whispered, "A Sanin like that Orochimaru guy?"
"Yeah, except he's loyal to Konoha." Kakashi whispered back. "Not to mention he was the one who trained the Fourth Hokage."
Suddenly, Naruto had no problems with this as he stepped back with a toothy grin. "Alright, I'm sold."
"Naruto, you may go find your sensei now." Kakashi looked to the sky. "He should be at the bathhouses right about now. Look for a man with long, white hair in a pony tail."
"Got it!" Naruto sprinted off, ready to start his training.
With Sasuke and Naruto handled, that leaves you two." Kakashi looked to Hinata and Goku. "Tell me, what plans did you already have?"
"My father and uncle offered to train me; however, they are willing not to if you have someone else in mind." Hinata stated.
"It would be wise if you didn't train with them, for the person I've found isn't the biggest fan of the Hyuga." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head. "Of course, despite that, I do trust him with your training at least."
Hinata was beginning to picture just who her sensei got to train her. "I understand." She nodded, willing to take on this challenge. "I'll accept the teacher you've chosen for me this month."
"I'll be sure to send a shadow clone to let your family know." Kakashi then turned to his last student. "Goku?"
"Grandpa says Turles and I are ready to learn the Kamehameha, just he learned it from his sensei, Muten Roshi." Goku informed. "He's going to show Turles, when he's not training with Guy, while Raditz teaches me. Big brother offered to do more if I didn't have a teacher."
"Figured it'd be something like that, to the point I warned your teacher this might be the case." Kakashi nodded. "Regardless, they shouldn't have problems with each other, so I'll send a shadow clone to inform Raditz where your sensei will be taking you."
"Before we part, what about my appointment?" Goku asked, drawing the attention of his remaining teammates.
"Earliest he can squeeze you in is the day after the final phase." Kakashi informed and received a nod in return. "Now Hinata, you will find your sensei waiting at the dango shop nearest the Forest of Death.
Goku, your sensei will meet you at the academy." Kakashi then made the hand sign. "Shadow Clone Jutsu." Two more Kakashi appeared and took off in different directions to fulfill what he needed them to. "Alright, let's go Sasuke."
The Uchiha followed while Hinata and Goku shared a nod before parting ways as well.
Bathhouses: With Naruto
Naruto had eagerly made his way to the bathhouses, stoked about his luck in getting someone to teach him who held the same title as Orochimaru. Given just how strong the Snake Sanin was, the man he was going to see now must know a lot of cool things he could teach.
Almost immediately, Naruto spotted the only other person around with the exact white hair his sensei told him to look for. He was tall, well built, and had fair skin. His attire consisted of a short green kimono, matching pants, and a red haori…He was peaking on girls.
"MY SENSEI FOUND ME A PERVERT FOR A TEACHER!" Naruto yelled.
Granted, some might call Naruto hypocritical for calling someone out, he had a perverted Jutsu himself, but he'd stopped his research upon being assigned a team. Jiraiya looked back at him before noticing that kid's the shouting had alerted the girls and sent them running.
"Why you do that?" Jiraiya asked, devastated. "That was some good research material!"
"I don't care about your research!" Naruto yelled. "I came here expecting to find my teacher for the month, but you'll clearly be no help to me if all you're going to do is stare at girls!"
Jiraiya looked at Naruto with surprise. "Wait, you're Naruto…"
"Apparently you're supposed to be Jiraiya of the Sanin, but all I see it Pervy Sage." Naruto stormed off. "Forget this, I'll find someone who can actually train me rather than likely getting distracted by pretty girls."
"Wait, kid!" Jiraiya quickly got to his feet. "This isn't how I…"
"Save it!" Naruto wheeled on him. "Look, I don't know what my sensei told you, but I got to reach Chunin. I just recently learned who my mom is, and now I find out I can learn about my dad if I make the rank. I can't waste time, nor can I let my teacher waste time with me."
"You learned about Kushina?" Jiraiya suddenly asked.
Naruto froze for a moment before calming down just a bit. "You knew my mom?"
Jiraiya realized Naruto wasn't exactly the happiest with the current situation. Given what was at stake, the older Shinobi could understand why he was acting like this, so he decided to do his best to salvage this.
"Kid, I knew your parents well." He pulled out a light brown book with a white cover titled, 'The Tale of the Utterly Gutsy Shinobi' before handing it over. "This was my first book, well before I found my current style. It didn't sell well, yet your parents loved it.
They particularly resonated with the main character. It was to the point that his name was the only option they'd accept if their baby was a boy. They hoped giving him that name would make him just as determined as the character I wrote."
"You named me…" Naruto stated.
"Look, I can't say I'll forgo my research, but I am asking for a chance at a better first impression here." Jiraiya stated.
Despite what this man was saying, the blond believed it, Naruto was still skeptical. "What can you show me?"
"For starters, I can show you this!" Jiraiya had backed up and bit his thumb to draw blood before slamming his palm on the ground. "Summoning Jutsu."
A large red and blue toad appeared underneath him. Naruto marveled at it since he recalled Orochimaru summoning snakes before.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself, Naruto." Jiraiya declared, with a grin. "I'm the hermit of Mr. Myoboku. The wise and immortal spirit. That's right, it is I, Toad Mountain Sage Jiraiya. If you would allow me, I will gladly train you."
"Alright Pervy Sensei, I'll accept you as my teacher." Naruto declared.
"What's the deal with the nickname!?" Jiraiya exclaimed.
"It's what you get for being a dirty old man." Naruto retorted.
"You little…" Jiraiya lept off his toad and approached him. "There's nothing dirty about me." He now pulled out a familiar orange covered book. "I'll have you know, after that first book, I wrote this series."
Naruto knew that book because it was the one his sensei reads. "You dare compare those books to the one my parents drew my name from." He didn't even know what was really in this book but knew it couldn't be dirty stuff. "What a lame excuse to peek on girls."
"My first work is something I stand by, but you cannot just insult my Icha Icha series like this!" Jiraiya shouted.
These two would be going at it for a bit, showing they were certainly off to an interesting start. Despite how things were going, Naruto was still interested enough to give learning from Jiraiya a try. That said, nothing he said now was going to get rid him of Naruto's nick name for him.
Academy:With Goku
Goku arrived at the academy and immediately saw two familiar figures standing before the building, wearing Konoha headbands. The first was Zabuza who had his blade sheathed on his back and wore the bandages, like he had before, though his attire was that of a Konoha Jonin.
Haku wore his pink sleeveless kimono underneath a Konoha flak jacket, indicating he was likely a Chunin. Goku was ecstatic to see them finally among the ranks of the village, and he had no doubt these were the people Kakashi got to train him for the final phase.
"Zabuza and Haku!" Goku ran over to them. "Hey, it's good to see you both got accepted. Have you been enjoying the village?"
"It's certainly been nice, Goku." Haku smiled at him. "I'm glad you brought up us coming here."
"Enough with the frivolities!" Zabuza roared. "We got one month to shape you up for the final phase of these Chunin Exams, so I hope you're ready for the hell I have planned."
Goku grinned happy with Kakashi's choice of instructor. "Bring it on, Zabuza Sensei!"
This is exactly what Goku needed to truly excel in the final phase. He had no doubt there was a lot Zabuza and Haku could teach him, and he's never been opposed to hard work before.
"We'll see if that's your attitude once we get started, brat." Zabuza declared. "Come on, I already know where you're going to be trained this month."
Both younger Shinobi fell in step with him.
The reason nothing has been said on Yamoshi prior is pretty much the main reason I think we learn nothing about the Uzumaki in canon, except to a worse extreme. How I look at it is that no one, except the oldest, really remember what the Uzumaki were. Looking at it that way, Yamoshi's passing would have happened well before even that. I essentially came up with the idea to introduce this historical tidbit because you guys really wanted some of that connective tissue soon.
Rather than muddle the Konoha of the past, any more than I plan to with a certain other character who'll appearing as an Edo Tensei, I decided Kirigakure could work well. Next, Sakura runs into Lee, and they have an interaction that's basically just what their first canon one was. Given Sakura's teacher is Kurenai, and the changes that's brought, I don't see her being appalled. Will this amount to them dating down the line? Possibly. Possibly not. Depends how I feel.
Then, there is Vegeta who is in deep contemplation over where his allegiance has lied all this time. Come morning, there is a scene with Ino and three of the people closest to her. Choji would have been there to, but I think Shikamaru knew who would show up. He thusly convinced Choji not to come as four might be a tad overwhelming. It ends with some Turles and Ino interaction. Now, the big point being this Team 7's training.
Unlike canon, Sasuke is going to have an extra teacher, and it's someone I feel should have been more involved in this whole plotline; however, Kishimoto seemed rather content to brush her under the rug. It's Anko. As someone who was marked and knew Orochimaru, I feel she would have been invaluable to Sasuke's arc, yet they never interacted in canon. Moving onto Naruto, he immediately gets turned towards Jiraiya...only to not be happy with some pervert.
He's far more determiend to make Chunin than he was in canon. This leads to a moment where they connect over Kushina and the book where Naruto got his name from. Hinata's teacher will be covered next chapter; however, Goku gets to learn from Zabuza and Haku. I think it makes sense they'd have a soft spot for him. He is the reason they are in the leaf.
Dontus -not Donut- Powerus: I think fire & lightning work better as a Flare or Plasma Release. Since we have Storm Release, and I feel Plasma would look strikingly similar, I'm more partial to Flare. Yep, Naruto did better against Kiba. As for your things on Goku and Choji, you are right; however, it'd also be similar to how Turles won his match with Zaku as well. Yeah, Vegeta had Temari red like a book and used it to his advantage. As for the final phase, I'm looking forward to it. The randomizer gave me great matches to work with.
GojiraSerizawa: Fairly sure Obito has Madara's gunbai, or at least one based off it as we see him use it during the War arc. As for Sasuke using a gunbai in general, I don't know about that.