For a moment, Daiki just stared at the Hyuuga heiress, completely taken aback by her confident, rather bold reply.
And that ara-ara…
It took his mighty strong willpower to stop himself from shivering. Ten out of ten, that was perfect.
His stunned reaction to her reply, was very obvious, and Hinata's smile grew a tiny bit wider.
"You totally should have," he forced his shock down and grinned at the older girl, "There was a point there where I had to sit still for a good few hours, looking at you would have made it much more bearable."
Her cheeks tinted red, but before she could reply, her teammate jumped in, "Sitting around for a few hours out there? Guess we're so good even a hotshot ringer like you're getting called would have trouble keeping up," Kiba grinned at him, "We finished in just four hours, second team overall and even broke a few records!" the feral dog using shinobi boasted proudly.
"I finished in less than forty five minutes and was the first to finish the exam actually, if you're going by the Suna team over there beating you for placements, then you guys are third actually," Daiki burst his bubble and smirked at him, idly picking up and chomping down on a piece of kebab meat, "I just didn't feel like waiting around, so went to play some more in the forest and have some fun."
"…What?" Kiba blinked, the proud grin on his face disappearing and he stared at Daiki blankly, "….No way, bullshit!" he shot to his feet and slammed his hands on the table.
His loud eruption drew three sets of eyes. Two male and one belonging to a pretty sandy blonde.
"No, he is not lying," Shino commented looking at Daiki in the eye through his sunglasses, "Why? Because only a fool would lie about a thing so easy to confirm when any exam proctor could tell us."
"What he said." Daiki's smirk grew to taunting proportions.
Kiba clicked his tongue, "…Well whatever we still beat Sasuke and Naruto at least," he sat back down, arms crossed, "Guess that ringer shit has some merit to it then, eh?"
"Maybe, or maybe I'm just that good," Daiki shrugged, "Don't put to much stock into the ringer thing, most ringers aren't absolute badasses like me, but like Sasuke, hell, give it a year or so and Hinata could be one as well."
"You think so?" Hinata hummed.
"I know so." he turned his ever so loveable smirk on her.
"Ah…thank you." she looked away, thanking him softly, but even then she couldn't hide how pleased her voice sounded.
Heh.
More confident and taking his advice or not, she still wasn't quite used to the honest praise yet.
"Alright, the heck is going on between you two?" Kiba questioned, looking between the pair of them weirdly, "Hinata's been acting weird lately, totally different, and you're totally flirting with her bro."
Hinata turned back around to reply, but Daiki beat her to it, "Nothing much, just been helping her train and change some things to get what she wants." he shrugged.
Kiba's eyebrows rose, "So you're the reason for the new look and how fast she's been improving?" he asked, leaning back in surprise.
"Something like that," Daiki shrugged again, "I just gave her some home truths, ain't that right good looking?" he looked to Hinata, his smirk growing.
"…Something like that." Hinata repeated his words, a light demure giggle escaping her lips.
Kiba eyed them for a moment before rolling his eyes, "Well whatever, not really my business unless you're causing her trouble," he gave up, and leaned back over the table, "Since you're here actually, and since you've helped Hinata so much, I'll give you a heads up about a guy even you should avoid."
"Oh?" Daiki's interest was piqued. Though, he already had a good guess as to who Kiba was about to warn him about.
Kiba leaned forward over the table a bit more, to the point where he was literally hanging over Daiki's food and met his eyes, before flickering them briefly to the corner of the mess hall, and Akamaru on his head under his hood was directly in front of his face.
Directly where Gaara was sitting out of the way.
As expected. Daiki supposed they saw him in action in the Forest of Death.
Daiki nodded, signalling Kiba he knew who he was talking about.
"That guys crazy, he got thousands of senbon tossed his way and didn't even blink, just used some freaky sand jutsu to shield himself and it was so fast I could barely follow it," Kiba whispered lowly, "He carries around his sand in that crazy gourd on his back and it stinks man, it absolutely reeks of blood, even right now I can smell it. We saw him kill a team of three older rain ninja that seemed really tough, he just crushed them to death his his sand, it was brutal, dunno how strong you are now dude, but I doubt even Sasuke could beat this guy." information given, the dog ninja leaned back into his seat, and Daiki noted that Hinata and Shino were giving him their full attention as well as he digested Kiba's words.
Hinata especially seemed to be waiting to see how he would reply to Kiba's words about the Jinchuuriki of the One Tailed Shukaku.
"Oh, you mean raccoon boy?" Daiki wasn't quiet at all as he replied and his voice travelled over the mess hall easily, "Yeah, you're right about him being tough, not someone any of you guys can take on. He's the youngest son of the Kazekage, and the hot blonde and guy with the painted face are his siblings."
He noted in his peripheral vision, both Temari and Kankuro tensing up, especially at the 'Racoon Boy' part. The teal eyes of Temari met his own and were now wide with shock.
"Course, I'm different from you guys, he's not someone I can't kick around for fun," Daiki smirked boldly, and didn't break eye contact with Temari, "If you go up against the other two though, the guy is a puppet user using chakra strings and probably poison while the hot blonde is a definitely a wind user, a bad match up for any of you guys actually." he noticed Kankuro tense at his words, and Temari's wide eyed gaze narrowed at him.
He winked at her and turned away, looking at the three of Team Eight, "You seem to know a lot about them." Hinata pointed out and he noticed there was now a small frown on her face.
Hmm.
She must be really taking these guys seriously.
"I know a lot in general," he shrugged, "But yeah, you guys should avoid taking them on, well beyond puppet boy, you and Shinobi are bad match ups for him after all as well." he added to the white eyed girl.
And he noticed then, he was done with his food. Daiki stood up, his tray in hand, "Right, well, fun as this has been, Im'a go train and grind this meat into my meat," Daiki said, he paused only to smirk at Hinata, "You're welcome to grind on my meat anytime you want by the way."
Shino's eyebrows rose up over his sunglasses in surprise.
Kiba gaped gobmsacked.
Hinata blinked and gave him a a confused glance, before her eyes widened as she apparently realised what he said and a crimson red blush spread across her cheeks, "…Ara ara," she cupped he face once more though, surprising him, "How forward Daiki-kun. But if you need help with your meat, I may pop by your room later to help you with it."
Daiki blinked.
Stunned.
"Hinata?!" Kiba spluttered.
Kiba's shock was enough to let him recover from his own and Daiki recovered his smirk, "I'll hold you to that sweet number nine," he winked at her and left the table, "Later." he bid them goodbye and went off to deposite his tray and leave the room.
As he did, he noted once again all eyes were on him, and Gaara in particular was glaring bloody murder at him, leaking a heavy dose of killing intent.
Scary~
Not.
He smirked at the redhead as he left. He had to at least get one taunt in on him even if he was hoping to avoid putting the boot to his sand rodent ass.
"So this is Daiki Yurei hmm?" the impassive voice of an elder woman mused aloud. There was no inclination was to what Koharu Utatane felt in her voice as a gathering of high ranking shinobi and kunoichi alike observed the boy making his way back to his provided room for his stay in tower of the Forest of Death.
Beside her, a frown was on the face of her teammate Homura Mitokado, but he said nothing himself.
Each of them were sat on either side of the Third Hokage, who had a small amused smile on his face as he witnessed what just happened in the mess hall of the tower.
Throughout the room, the staff of shinobi and kunoichi that oversaw the Forest of Death itself and the second round of the Chunin Exams kept quiet.
Even Anko, standing beside the screens showing off the feed from the camera's throughout the tower.
"He's-" Kohura began.
But she was cut off.
The sound of wood echoed through the room as a cane was thrust into the floor hard, "He's a fool," Danzo Shimaru spat, non too impressed, "He just drew the eyes of the Kazekage's children, one of them an unstable jinchuuriki, knowingly at that, just so he could show off to a girl."
His one un-bandaged eye opened and he gave a disdainful glance at the Hokage, "This is the one you have so much interest in?" his disappointment could not be any more apparent.
Hiruzen's smile grew, "As always, you have such a narrow view on things my old friend," he replied, voice casual and not at all bothered by his disdain, "I assume you're annoyed at the fact he so easily revealed what he knew, in front of them at that?"
"Of course, any advantage he could gleam from that is now lost," Danzo scoffed, "Talented he may be, but talent means nothing without the proper mind set to utilize it."
"You're looking at it all wrong," Hiruzen chuckled, shaking his head in amusement, "That wasn't a mistake, Daiki knows exactly what he done. While he was indeed showing off to young Hinata, that was not all he was doing. He was getting in their heads, telling them he knows exactly what they can do and he is not impressed, they in turn know nothing of his abilities and will work themselves into quite the tizzy no doubt over trying to counter him."
"Pure arrogance," Danzo scoffed, unperturbed by the reply he got, "That boy Gaara, he's as unstable as they come and his seal is pitifully weak, he can allow the Ichibi out to run amok at a moments notice, yet this boy see's no threat in him."
"Last I checked, three tails beats one," Hiruzen smugly pointed out, "And of course Daiki has full control over the Sanbi and works together with it, young Gaara can only let the beast itself run rampant, the Shukaku is no match for Daiki and the Sanbi together."
"So you say," Danzo huffed, "I have yet to see any proof of this wonder boy you have been telling tall tales of and giving such special treatment to having any control over the beast at all, and even if he did, defeating the Shukaku would be no simple matter, the damage it would cost when being brought down would be catastrophic if released within the village."
"We're not in the village old man," Daiki's voice echoed from the speakers connected to the camera feed, "So stop your whining."
Everyone froze, Danzo included at the sudden interruption.
Everyone bar the Hokage himself though who merely chuckled even louder.
For a moment nobody said a thing, such was the surprise at the sudden interruption.
Danzo was the one who found his voice first, well, beyond the Hokage that was, "You can hear us?" he asked, surprise evident in his tone despite how he tried to hide it, his one singular eye open wide.
"I can see the entirety of this forest, and whatever I can see, I can hear, that includes you guys sitting up top in the tower thinking you're all mysterious and shit and observing everyone," Daiki scoffed, "The Kazekage's children aren't a problem, I could beat all three of them, even Gaara, his ability to bring out the Ichibi isn't a problem, we're far enough away from the village that I'd have room to clown on it, and I wouldn't let it get that far anyway, I'd seal it off before he ever got the chance."
"Yes, that, indeed." Hiruzen helpfully added, the amusement plain on his face at seeing his old rival be berated by a child.
"…I was unaware of such an ability, dear Sarutobi apparently didn't see fit to inform me of such." Danzo quickly regained his calm and gazed dryly with his singular eye at the Hokage.
Hiruzen just gave him a pleasant smile, "Well, I didn't think you needed to know, you are after all supposed to be on house arrest," he pointed out unrepentantly, "I only allowed you out to indulge Koharu and Homura when they asked after I revealed we had a little chat and invited them here."
"Hmph," Danzo sniffed, looking away from the Hokage and looking to the screens and the boy taking central stage within them who was now leaning against one of the walls of the hall he was in, arms crossed and casually looking up, "Be that as it may, it is still a risk you foolishly and arrogantly took without needing to."
"Cool story bro," Daiki scoffed and many of the gathered shinobi outright goggled at his disrespect to one of the honoured elders of Konoha, "Also, just for your knowledge, I wasn't just showing off for Hinata, I was showing off to Temari as well, she's pretty hot isn't she? It'd be cool to bang a Kage's daughter I'm thinking."
"Bro!?" those gathered in the viewing room had the distinct and ever so rare opportunity to see Danzo Shimura completely lose his composure and sputter in shock, confusion and a not so little helping of disbelief.
in shock, confusion and a not so little helping of disbelief.
Anko snorted and the Hokage's chuckles turned into full on laughter.
"Do…do you not understand the meaning of respect, boy?" Danzo couldn't help but ask, goggling at at his sheer arrogance to talk to a man of his stature like that.
"Do you?" Daiki countered an instant later, "I mean, you were happily running your mouth about me right there without understanding or even knowing a fraction of what I can do. And for the record, yes, I can full on use the Sanbi's chakra as I please and I can enter Bijuu Mode at will. I just don't show that off because that would be fucking stupid to advertise, unless you think that's a good idea or something."
Silence. Danzo had absolutely nothing to say in return. The old mans hand tightened over his cane and his lips trembled as he looked and tried to find words with which to reply.
And failed utterly.
"Try not to bully Danzo too much, he's a feeble old man these days Daiki-kun," Hiruzen replied in his stead, smile still on his face, "Also, maybe try not to broadcast your multiple tailed friend so openly, hmm? Those in here can be trusted not to let this information leak, and know as such, but not everyone has the training the ninja in this room have when it comes to guarding secrets."
"Fair enough," Daiki shrugged, "I only brought it up because you guys were already talking about it and obviously already know, and Anko I told personally, oh, by the way, hey pony girl." he waved at the camera.
"You really need to work on that tact brat." Anko shook her head.
"Pony girl? Ufufufu, I sense an interesting story there." Hiruzen giggled in interest, without any shame at all despite those gathered in the room.
Homura sighed, and Koharu rolled her eyes, well aware of her teammate of multiple decades perverted side.
"Hiruzen, really, must you?" the old woman asked.
The Hokage shrugged.
"She offered to let me ride her like a pony if I fix that hickey on her neck." Daiki shamelessly and proudly replied.
Dozens of eyes swept over to Anko and gave her a series of stunned looks, the Hokage and Danzo included.
In return she shrugged, "I'd do pretty much anything to loosen the hold Orochimaru has on me or get rid of, it, he's offering one better," Anko admitted aloud, "The horny little brat has been pretty up front about wanting to bang me, if it motivates him and lets him accomplish what he promised, I'll happily do it."
"Hmm…interesting, tell me more." Hiruzen leaned forward in his seat, wiping his nose discreetly.
"Yes, I quite agree, but on your ability to deal with the Cursed Seal, not your shameless lustful ways," Koharu was quick to jump in, "And I do hope young man that you aren't so easily led astray by some female skin as you seem to be, strong and talented you may be, an understatement, but even a Jinchuuriki will have trouble surviving getting their throat slit after they are led astray by the first pair of large breasts or long legs that try to seduce them outside the village."
"That wouldn't kill me," Daiki shrugged, "But fair enough. So Anko has filled you guys in on the situation with the Curse Seal?"
"She has." Homura inclined his head simply, speaking for the first time.
"Right, well you probably already know the specifics of what I told her then," Daiki hummed, "To get to the point, the real problem with the Curse Seals are the shards of Orochimaru's soul in them. I can project myself into the seals if it comes to that, but I'll have to fight that shard of Orochimaru and kill it. It won't be anywhere near as hard to kill as the real Orochimaru, because it only has a fraction of his chakra and as such won't be able to use his full power, and I'll be able to use my full power while I'm at it. I'm confident I can do so, but I'm covering my bases first, and learning how he fights and his jutsu from Anko just to make sure."
At the mention of his traitorous student, Hiruzen sobered, a frown appearing on his face, "How far that boy has fallen," he shook his head in dismay, "Still, we may benefit from this. Anko was once one of our brightest and most talented, a rival of Kakashi in talent, if not for that seal, she may have become even stronger than him."
There was a reason after all, why one such as Orochimaru had specifically sought her out to take as his own personal apprentice.
"That'd nice, but I'll take not being able to use my full strength and chakra over being brainwashed by this damn seal any day of the week." Anko shrugged.
"You won't be waiting much longer," Hiruzen promised, "I'll be personally over-seeing Daiki's training during the month leading up to the final rounds of the Chunin Exams."
It was a grand reveal, and it silence the entire room once more. The fact that the Hokage and legendary Professor was personally going to be training the boy.
"You…you can't be serious?" Danzo hissed.
"I see you clocked on old friend, still quick even in your old age, at least sometimes I suppose." Hiruzen chuckled.
"You want to make this brat Hokage?!" Danzo demanded.
And shock filled the faces of all others within the room.
"I do." Hiruzen replied simple with a single nod in confirmation.
"Hiruzen, truly? Is that wise?" Homura asked, turning to look at his old friend and Koharu nodded in agreement.
"Yes, for his age he is strong, and his potential is mind boggling, his ability to reach the level of strength needed is not in question I dare say," she brought up, "But he is so very young still, he has yet to come close his to his maturity and in-experienced still."
"Things that he will gain in time, and I dare say myself that I am not in any danger of suddenly dying any time soon," Hiruzen pointed out, "I will be training him myself personally, and will be promoting him straight to Jonin once these exams finish, coming to the aid of Team 7 and driving off my former student is proof enough of his ability to hold the position."
Daiki on the screen gave a bit of a start at the old mans words, but nobody noticed since everyone's attention was on the Hokage and the extremely shocking information he was revealing.
After all, everyone within the room was there to hear the Sandaime Hokage's personal choice on who would become the Godame Hokage, history in the making.
"Foolish," Danzo scoffed, "Strength and experience? Paltry, what we need is a leader that can make the hard choices. Should he become Hokage, it will be revealed that he is a Jinchuuriki of a bijuu belonging to another village. Mist will bark, though they are toothless now so do not matter, but Stone and Cloud, they will threaten and encircle us, threatened by us possessing another bijuu at our beck and call, what will he do then? Placate? A child that has not seen war, has no right to be Ho-"
"I'll destroy their villages if they try it," Daiki cut him off, "Thanks to my eyes, I can mask my chakra entirely, non can sense or see my chakra unless I allow it, even when using the Sanbi's chakra. I can get into any of their villages without them any the wiser and transform into the Sanbi itself and unleash a Bijuudama right in the centre of their villages. I'll wipe them out and then leave, and that's it. Now will you shut up? Old man Hokage's word is law, so stop your damn whining about it before I decapitate you, I'm sick of your voice already."
Danzo was stunned into silence by the threat and proclamation of intent against their enemies.
There was absolutely nothing he could say against that.
"Hiruzen…is he actually capable of such a thing?" Koharu asked.
"Indeed, very much so," the Hokage nodded, "Though, that should be a very last option Daiki-kun I'd like to have you agree with. Wanton killing on that scale, is not something one should so casually decide on."
Once again, shock prevailed over all else for most of the room, wide eyed stares turning to look at the boy on the screen at the Hokage's confirmation.
"Well obviously," Daiki snorted, "I've got no problem killing enemy shinobi or kunoichi, but killing civilians isn't pleasant at all, sickening really. That's just for if Stone or Cloud tried to push their nonsense like they have before, I'll let them see that I can push back harder."
"…I rescind my previous statement, and apologise," Danzo added a moment later as the boy finished, "I will not go back on my words that the boy is arrogant and his in-experience shines brightly, but if he has the will to back up those words, then he is a much better candidate than Jiraiya or Kakashi, they wouldn't have the stomach for such a thing, see that you don't soften that edge Hiruzen."
"I will try my best." Hiruzen replied, blatantly rolling his eyes. Because of course threatening genocide was what won the boy Danzo's favour.
Lovely.
"Well…if even Danzo is agreeing with you now, then there is nothing much I can do to convince otherwise," Koharu sighed in defeat, "We will have to make sure the boy matures though, that is for sure."
"…I'm still here you know." Daiki pointed out at her words.
"However could I forget?" the old woman responded dryly.
"Heh, I like you lady," Daiki snorted, "Too bad you ain't young anymore, I've seen a picture of you in the records, you were pretty hot, I wouldn't have minded you in your younger years helping me 'mature' if ya' know what I'm sayin'."
Koharu palmed her face, "You are a cretin rivalled only by Jiraiya."
"Thanks," Daiki shamelessly grinned, "Now, I've got training to get back to. Need to throw myself back into the grind so I can get even swoller and then Im'a go all Tobirama on these bitches in the exam and make Konoha great again!"
With that said, the boy on the screen pushed up off the wall, his head lowering and looking ahead of him and more or less letting them know he was done speaking.
"Grind? Swoll?" Koharu was utterly lost, "I don't understand, what does that mean? And why is he bringing sensei's name into this?"
"A personal quirk of the boys, the grind is what he calls training, grinding at a wet stone I assume and swoll, I'm not sure, but I believe it has something to with his muscles," Hiruzen stroked his chin ands hummed, "As for the mention of Tobirama-sensei, it is a joke I'm led to believe that he first started using with young Sasuke-kun because of Tobirama-sensei's wariness of the Uchiha."
"Hmph," Homura snorted, "Tobirama-sensei would have been amused."
"That is not the point," Koharu shook her head, "To use the honoured Nidaime Hokage's name like that, how disrespectful can one boy be? You should look into giving the boy lessons in etiquette before he mouths off to someone and starts a war."
The older generation fell into a discussion of the boy, and Anko watched on blankly, "…Huh, who knew the kid was actually such a big shot." she mused.
And here we are back with the big chapter 28, social hell is now in full swing.
Socials, socials and more socials. Got some Team Eight action, mouthed off a little about the Sand and then mouthed off big time to Danzo. Dialogue heavy yaaay. We're up to chapter 36 on the Pa-atreon and I've started chapter 37 already, I'd be much further ahead chapter wise right now, if not for this fucking heat wave. It makes it hard to write and concentrate, but on top of that, the pollin count is insane, every time I wake up, my eyes are like dogs balls man.
Anyway, shameless Pa-atreon plug. I've got one, go by the same username on there, easy to find and all that jazz. Support me if you want, it'd be swell, but don't feel pressured lads and ladies, I'll be uploading my stuff outside it regardless and not keeping it all behind a paywall or anything like that.