Chapter 29: I Want to Break Free
"We need to talk."
How nostalgic, for all the wrong reasons.
Such an innocent phrase loaded with so much suspicion... Still, I must find a way out.
"Hum? What are you guys talking about? If this is your way of going to the shower before me, then I'll fight to the death. Besides Neji-kun didn't even break a sweat and I can smell that you took a shower in the hospital, Yama-kun. So, if you'll excuse me, I'll…"
"We all know Shinobi's rule number 17. Don't run away and answer us."
Well, Plan A failed. I Focused on the window on my left to give me a little time to think…
Okay, this might work. But I'm playing a dangerous game of improvisation here...
"Okay… Okay… No more running away…" I said while taking a sitting position on my bed, facing my two other male teammates. "But before I begin, you will have to promise me two things. First, acknowledge the fact that I might be wrong…"
"We've known each other for eight years. That's a given." Yama shrugged.
"You… Aren't really helping me here…" I said, my right eyebrow twitching before regaining control of myself. "And second, after I tell you what I suspect, none of you will act any differently."
Neji and Yama simply nodded, and I could easily feel that they weren't taking this seriously.
"Okay, let's start at the beginning. Our mission was to participate in the Chunin exam, with another team who will act as a decoy, right?" They both looked at each other and nodded.
"Then, upon arriving in the village, Sensei immediately exposed us by asking usto gather information on them in the cable car, joking to the motherfucking Jinchuriki of the two tails that this was part of the game, riiight?"
Yama continued to look at me impassively, while Neji frowned his eyes.
"Then, we arrived at our hotel, where the civilian receptionist told us that the other Konoha team arrived a week before and had been marvellous guests, especially the silver haired one, riiiight?"
"Wait, you believe we are…" Yama started talking but I shut him up.
"And they went to our room and made a complete ass of themselves, before Kabuto told them to 'please stop embarrassing Konoha'? But oooooh no, no, no it didn't stop here!" My improvisation was turning to cold because the more I thought about it the more I realized how obvious it was!
"We thought nothing of it and ACEDthe first exam! By just being ourselves, we drew all the attention on us! And they passed completely unnoticed because no one cared about them!"
"And then Kabuto tried to speak with the Sumire." Neji calmly said. "And she saw something in him that scared her. Kasumi-chan told me that she saw her muscles tensing like she wanted to attack but stopped herself at the last second out of fear."
"But it's still not over. Because of course it isn't…" I sighed and shrugged my shoulders. "During the second exam, after our team was 'defeated' like we were ordered to, they went straight to her… The team which we have the least information. What a lucky coincidence, right?"
"Well, that makes sense. But…"
"Wait!" Neji interrupted, Byakugan still active. "Something interesting is happening. The Kishi brought the Sumire to his personal chamber…"
"Yeah, that the part of puberty I'm trying my best to avoid, Neji-kun…" Yama tried to alleviate the atmosphere but was cut short.
"He's shouting at her. He cannot believe that… Kabuto-san is… an ANBU?" And that shut down Yama's wisecrack HARD.
"Blessed be the survival instinct of rabbits, the lowest of the low in the food chain…" I said while silently thanking the kami for the save. "Or it's paranoia. Meh, probably both. But still, I don't believe he's in ANBU. He's probably a Chunin or most likely a Special-Jonin from the intelligence division. Those never made it into the Bingo Books."
That got Yama to refocus hard. Time for the last shot.
"Yama-kun; humour me please. You know the casualty rate of the Chunin exams, right?"
"Hum… Yeah?"
"So, what is the chance of surviving six… No, sorry, seven Chunin exam without being killed or suffering any permanent injuries? Only out of luck?"
"Not… Significant…"
"The Kiri team are still talking." Neji continued. "The rabbit think that Kabuto was here to gather information on them and was added to his team only for that… And she believes he'll lose on purpose on the last exam so that he can be present for the next one."
Oh, yeah, the Konoha Crush… Wait, first stay alive for this clusterfuck before planning for the next one…
"In conclusion, you saw that he frightened me, and you were correct. When he introduced himself to us everything about him screamed 'I'm no one important, don't mind me'. That'swhat scared me. When the rest were boasting and showing off, he was just a little innocent wallflower. That felt wrong on so many levels that I failed to hide it." This time I was bullshitting hard, but I couldn't very well say the truth.
"So, what should we do?" Asked Yama.
"Well, first I want you to remember what I said. Ume andI might be wrong, but if we're not, then no one should act differently from today onward. He may be a spy, but he's our spy. Sensei is probably in the loop (bullshit again), so I think he'll appreciate if we don't blow his cover."
And by 'appreciate' I meant 'not kill us.'
"So, we just go as usual. We enjoy the festival before the final exam, we try to spot the Kiri team, and we go back to Konoha alive. Basically? We're on vacation, so I say let's fetch Kasumi-chan and have some fun."
They finally allowed me to take my shower and we made plans for the afternoon. Sensei will use the two weeks to train the other team, so we basically were left to our own devices.
"You know…" Yama said quietly before we left our room. "I'm starting to understand why Sensei ordered us to fail this exam. We are far from ready. Sometimes I wish I knew what's going on in the adults' heads and sometimes I just don't…"
Truth be told, we didn't gather any useful information during the afternoon. Every other team still in the running were training, leaving only the dropouts like us. But the festival was nice.
It was obvious that Kumo spared no expense in order to show their best. The stores in the civilian market, situated on top of the village, were filled to the brim with products from all the elemental nations and the local speciality, electronic gizmos, had reserved stalls in the streets where all Kumo could produce was displayed.
Restaurants were filled with customers; people chatted happily under the visible watch of their Genin Corps and could partake in activities I was not surprised to see here.
Gambling and betting.
For us, gambling was out. Even if we (at least Kasumi and I) were legal adults, bringing a Hyuuga in a poker table is certain to make the bouncers throw us out.
But betting was way more interesting for us, because they had erected multiple booths with the odds of the first round. They even had books with some analysis of each participant, updated with the results of the first and second exams.
We quickly bought one and went back to our room. Sensei's training with the other team should be over soon, but curiosity took the better of us and we huddled in the foyer to skim over it.
The first pages were propaganda about Kumo, it's astounding power and success in the war… You know, the usual.
Then a word of the Raikage about how Kumo will display their strength, how they will show respect and honour to the other villages… A quick passage about the presence of teams from Kirigakure, probably to stir up the betting crowd… A rap song composed by Killer-B, which I skipped by reflex…
Still, Neji's slight shivering clued me on the quality of the prose.
Then the interesting part began. The contestants were grouped by their respective villages, with Kumo being first. Because of course.
The first one was the Genin that 'took out' Yama, so we hungrily read everything…
When Kyougi-sensei entered our room a few moments later, still fresh from having fought four Genins (well, three plus one sandbagging snake), we were still trying to not laugh out loud. Except Neji, too proper for that of course, but his light smile was telling the truth.
"I take it that you found something interesting?" Said the adult while looking at the betting book on the table.
"Yes. Oh yes, we did." Answered Kasumi, holding the book to the page responsible for our state.
"Let's see… 'Raiton' Buruto. Age 16… I remember him. It's the guy that…"
"Continue reading. Please Nara-sensei." Kasumi continued.
"Okay? Equipment: the electric gauntlets you mentioned. Apparently, he builds those himself.
Strengths: only a little above average. I don't know what you want me to…. Ah.
Observations: Showed surprising observation and deduction skills when he spotted the unprotected support member of the favourite team from Konoha and took him out. Disqualifying them and earning his place as Kumo's favourite."
"Observation and deduction nothing." Yama laughed. "I had to move before him, turn away and scream 'KASUMI-CHAN WATCH OUT!' before he even registered thatI was here. Even so, with the insulated boots you gifted us, thanks by the way, his punch did more damage than his gauntlets."
"So, if that guy really is the best Kumo have to offer… They're gonna have a baaaaad time." I sing-songed.
"Indeed." Sensei chuckled. "But let's see the rest of them."
We grabbed a few tidbits of useful info. Apparently, our files for the Kiri teams were a little bit outdated. Ume had her speed score re-evaluated by a lot, Kiriko was outed as a particularly talented Genjutsu user and Minami and Mitsuki were suspected as trap specialists.
Nothing truly groundbreaking but every little bit helps.
This evening, our orders changed. For the next two weeks we were tasked to 'enjoy the festivities.' Read: gather every little bit of information on the rest of the competition. For one simple reason.
Our targets were going to train under the supervision of Kishimaru of the Seven Swordmen, so we will not get close to them for the foreseeable future.
Thank God, there's still a little bit of common sense in this world… Maybe we'll just have a nice little week of calm…
"I want you to know, for the records, that I like this as much as you do."
"I want you to know, for the records, that I'll toss you overboard if you don't shut up."
Kumo-by-night was truly a sight to behold. The city, already quite impressive, was positively shining now. The alleys I could see from our trolley were still filled with people. Civilians and off-duty Shinobis were drinking and loudly speaking together. A nice feeling of peace mixed with happiness welcomed us when we got out of our car, coming from everyone around us.
Well, almost everyone…
"Kuroko found a lead. The target is heading toward the civilian housings."
"Right behi… Errr… besides you." I rectified just in time when I felt the anger of my 'date' flare up and started to casually walk.
"And you aren't helping why, exactly?"
"Because we're still too close to the festival. Too many unknown smells, too many noises to pinpoint a single source and Moon-Moon would have been too visible, so he stayed at the hotel."
"Okay. They why did Sensei send us and not… Pretty much anyone else?"
"Because infiltration is a two-man job. Yama-kun cannot suppress his chakra as well as us, sending a Hyuuga without proper supervision in Kumo is a straight up shitty idea and I believe the other team are sorely regretting their life-choices after training with Sensei."
"…Alright, good reasons, I'll admit but…" My companion stopped walking and looked at me in the eyes. "Why do I have to go with you… Dressed like that?"
Because yeah. Kasumi was wearing a beautiful red yukata with flowery patterns that really accentuated her figure (and forbid any sudden and violent move, which was a nice bonus). Her blonde hairs were combed perfectly, and she even had a rose tied to the left of her head.
"Because we need a credible cover story if we're caught, and Sensei is an asshole."
As for me, I was wearing a fitting pair of jeans, clearly store-bought this morning, and a white t-shirt. Coming from a second-hand store judging by the smell, with a decal of Killer-B rapping in a microphone.
All in all? We looked like the pure but sheltered daughter of a rich family and the brash but kind-hearted son of a poor household. Using the hustle and bustle of the festival to escape the clutch of her family and discovering together the wonderful but forbidden happiness of True Love.
I swear I could hear "Kasumi-sama… We… We can't be together… Our worlds are too different!" and "I promise you, Shinji-san! I'll love you even if your family is poor!" in the wind…
Wait, no. That's Kuroko using her Intent to put words in our minds.
I'm killing that feline, one day. And Sensei.
And from the expressions of my 'date' she might even help me.
Anyhow. How did we end up here?
Well…
Two hours earlier.
"The rabbit is leaving the building. Alone."
Neji suddenly informed us, as we were reading the description of the rest of the contestants.
"She's not wearing her disguise but using a Genjutsu to blend into her surroundings. The receptionist didn't see her."
"Well. That's unexpected." Sensei said, taking her eyes from the betting book we had obtained.
"Kasumi-chan, Shinji-kun, you'll go after her. Follow her trail but do NOT engage. We need to have more information about this development."
Kasumi tried to protest but was cut short.
"This is Team 4 first undercover operation. Follow your target, do not be spotted and observe everything you can." Speaking in her serious tone, Sensei reached into a bag on her side and drew two sealing tags with the word 'clothes' on the middle.
"These are the disguise I've prepared if infiltration was required. They will help you blend into the crowd. Trust me, your attires are a little too recognisable since everyone was following your progress in the exam. Now, change yourself before going out and we'll have a debrief when you'll return."
Not willing to argue with Kyougi-sensei when she's in 'serious mode', Kasumi and I withdrew to our separate rooms. Then activated the sealing tags.
When the shock faded, Kasumi and I were back to the foyer, completely furious, and found Kyougi-sensei gone.
"WHERE… IS… SHE?" That was me. Wearing the… Thing… that was supposed to be a T-Shirt…
"TELL ME WHERE SHE IS, NEJI… RIGHT NOW… OR SUFFER…" Kasumi wasn't in a better mood.
"She ran away as soon as you went to your rooms." Neji calmy said, Byakugan active. "She entered a cable car toward the festival and… She just went outside of my range…"
"LET'S KILL HER!"
"GLADLY!"
Kasumi and I dashed out of the room and ran toward the car station, our justified rage making us forget to switch back to normal clothes and left a very confused receptionist in our wake.
Kasumi was getting her anger under control.
"Okay, Sensei played us for laugh… I know, I know… But still, what are we going to find tonight?"
"No idea. But as you said, the target is moving from the festival into a civilian area. I think that I can smell her now. What do you see?"
"Kuroko is tracking her, she's heading… Toward a civilian school? I don't know what she believes she'll find here but Kuruko cannot go on. A stray cat in the streets at night is easily overlooked, but any decent Shinobi will spot an animal following you in a building."
"Then I have something I want to try. Please Kasumi-san, follow me and watch our surroundings. And try to be as silent as possible."
We both sat on a bench in the school playground, with a decent distance like the awkward teenagers in love that we were supposed to be (and I just felt a part of my soul die).
Kuroko joined us and curled into her laps as I used chakra to boost my sense of hearing.
I did not have the preternatural precision of my Friend, but I could still hear Ume's footsteps in the building.
She was hesitating, moving without purpose as she walked on. Before finally stopping.
After a small gasp of surprise, I heard her opening the door and walking inside.
Then she sat on a chair or something and…
Ding.
A simple sound. The sound of a piano key.
Then, after a few second, I heard her pressing another key. Four time.
A crude and imperfect melody resonated in the air. Her hand was unsteady, just like someone trying to replay a song after years of not training.
But the melody… That melody… I immediately recognised it, and my mind froze as Ume started to sing.
"Is this real life…? Is this just fantasy…?
"Caught in a landslide… No escape from reality…"
"Open your eyes… Look up to the sky and see…"
Holy shit. That was it. That was the proof I had been waiting for all this time…
"From your expression, I guess you found out what she was doing but weren't really expecting it?" Kasumi ticked-off voice brought me back from my thoughts.
"Yes… Sorry, she's just… In a music classroom and… Playing with a piano."
"Well, then sensei will be delighted to add her musical education as another point for her to be 'option one.' Well, if she survives after what I plan to do to her…"
As much as I wanted to agree with her, I kept listening to her clumsily playing Bohemian Fucking Rhapsody.
Sumire Ume, Nara Shikako… The two people that Moon-moon could completely read as easily as he could read me…
Ume, who knew the term 'bugged.' Shikako, who knew Naruto's future…
Having moved here without explanation, I had no real proof that they came from my own world. Before now.
They must had read the original story; they could help me fix it.
I wasn't alone anymore…
"WATCH OUT!"
Kasumi's scream took me back, just in time to see a kunai heading straight between my eyes. I grabbed the edge between my fingers just before it pierced my skull and noticed that my 'date' also caught it by the handle before it could kill me.
"Before you draw some false conclusions: it was a reflex. I still want you dead." Kasumi angrily said, applying a little bit of pressure on the handle to try to push it back into my skull.
"Dully noted. I admit I asked myself that question. But can we concentrate on the fact that someone else tried to kill me? Because I believe that it's quite an important little detail…"
Kasumi thankfully let go of the handle and started to watch our surroundings. Then I noticed that a small paper was attached to the base of the kunai. A letter.
I might have to do something unpleasant tonight and I do not want my little sister to witness it.
Leave.
I kept the letter in my hand for a moment, before giving it to Kasumi.
"We've been spotted. This isn't a covert operation anymore. Let's go back."
I got up from the bench as my teammate was looking at the letter, eyes wide in horror as the implications set in. Only following me when I took her hand and headed back to the cable car station, toward our hotel.
"Do you think… That she'll kill her?"
"I don't… I don't know. Ume wasn't doing anything wrong… But in a shinobi village you can never be sure. I know very well that our paranoia knows no bound…"
We kept travelling in silence. Kasumi looked at the festival that was still going strong below the tram that was heading toward our hostel.
What she was thinking right now? I did not have a clue. I have some more pressing matter to think about.
The next day, we were glad to learn that Ume was seen alive and well. Well, by 'alive and well' I meant 'had to be nursed back to consciousness in the hospital wing after her training.'
And so, nothing of note happened during the following weeks. Sensei continued to train the other team while we scouted everything that was to see in the festival.
As much as we couldn't gather anything from any important team, I did find some alarming things about Kumo during the festival.
They didn't hide their technological advancements. In fact, they did their best to shove them in our face.
I've seen some camera that I would have called 'old fashioned' in Konoha, like the one that was used to make our Shinobi ID card. Here? They sell portables one.
I've seen some cooking utensils in Konoha, every Akimichi restaurant had at least some basic one. Here? They sell electric barbecue, food processor, toasters, even a prototype oven displayed in the street for everyone to see...
I've seen some transportations method in Konoha. We had horses, carts… Here? They sell trucks…
We rely on word of mouth and papers in Konoha… Here? They have televisions…
"You look like you've swallowed a lemon…" Yama-kun said as we were walking together in the streets of the festival.
"We're falling behind…" I said, making sure no one was listening to us while walking back toward the station. "Let's head back…"
The trolley to the foreign building took some time to move and I used it to gather my scattered thoughts.
Konoha was a central trading hub. Merchants from all over the place came to us, like the merchant from our first C-rank mission. Because we were in the middle of all the other elemental nations, no one even thought about a better way, making us rich, but stagnant.
Kumo, on the other hand, didn't have that. They were situated on the top of a mountain, far for most of the non-shinobi countries. But they were working on a way to facilitate transportation with their technology. In five years, ten at most, they will only have to create some trading outpost on common commercial lines in the land of lightning… And they will be unstoppable…
And such, our 'holiday', which should have been relaxing, ended. Giving me so many more headaches…
"Alright kids. Let's sit up here." As we entered the arena of the third exam, Kyougi-sensei led us to our seat.
The last exam, the tournament, was held in a huge arena that looked like a Colosseum.
The fighting arena was in the center, with rocks formations, small trees and even a small river flowing. If it was supposed to mimic a real battlefield, then kudos to Kumo for that.
The spectator seats surrounded it. Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, everyone will see you kill each other and will cheer at every second…
After what I deduced, if Ume screamed 'ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?!' before the end of the day, well…. I won't be surprised.
We took our seats on the north side. We had a good view of the arena and the Genin from the other villages while they were preparing themselves for this hurdle.
"Hey? Are you the team from Konoha that failed the second exam?"
Unfortunately, the person sitting on our left recognised us, probably a civilian.
Fortunately, Kyougi-sensei immediately took the closest seat and started talking with him as we all took a seat in the arena.
And then…
Four colorful explosions went out in the arena while two ninja appeared in the center. One of them was easily recognisable since it was KILLER FUCKING B AND WHY WAS THE OTHER SHINOBI BEATBOXING AND…
"Welcome to our exam and welcome from me!
Your number one proctor: Killer B!
You know your matches and that is cool,
But back up, while I go over the rules.
Now this is a fight!
That will show your might!
But you kids must see!
That this is mostly diplomacy!
On the first day, you'll have two rounds,
And that's all of you will all go down,
You get knocked out, your round is done,
You escape, your opponent's done.
This is what we want to see!
Which you'll be, little Shinobi!
Now let us all begin
To this Chunin exam!"
Okay, Shinji out…