Chapter 14


Location: Akimichi's BBQ

Kagero entered the establishment of the Akimichi and was immediately greeted with a friendly female face. The plump Akimichi woman greeted her and immediately asked for the number of occupants and a name.

To her surprise, she had been expected. The hostess guided her through the restaurant, shinobi and civilians alike enjoying their meals or eagerly awaiting it. They eventually came to stop at a booth near the back.

A booth that was very much occupied.

The hostess bowed to her and departed, but Kagero had not yet seated herself. Instead, she stared at the blonde boy seated in front of her with a look of indifference.

"Took you long enough, Kagero-san." The boy spoke, somehow exuding smugness through his placid expression. Instead of indulging the boy with a reaction, she scooted herself into the seat opposite him.

"It has been some time, Uzumaki... Though I am curious on how you made it here before me." She spoke shortly after, the blonde tilting his head and exuding that placid smugness once again.

"I ran." He stated flatly.

Kagero did not believe him, as always.

A waiter came by, and Naruto ordered what was likely the most expensive thing on the menu, Kagero not far behind. The waiter bowed and then departed, the Akimichi girl coming by to fill their cups with tea.

She thanked the woman and took a sip, the blonde still staring her down with those eyes that seemingly looked right through you.

"You've grown taller," she decided to say to fill the silence.

"So have you... along with other things." The blonde hinted, yet the woman remained unmoved.

"...That is highly inappropriate."

"As inappropriate as a grown woman stocking a prepubescent child?"

"I was gathering information on a potential student. What is your excuse?"

"I was making an observation on a stalker. May need it if I report you to the Hokage."

"...You are as insufferable as I remember."

"And you are still as boring as I remember." Despite the jabs, a smirk twitched on both their faces so fast one might be forgiven for missing it. "Were you always planning to be my sensei?"

"I was not." Kagero answered immediately. "In fact, I had no plans on being your sensei again. Recent developments are the only reason our paths have intertwined once again."

"Awwwww, and here I was hoping you finally realized after all these years how boring your life was without me." Naruto said, trying to come off as playful but sounding more deadpan without the needed emotion behind it. Likewise, he didn't believe her, but did not voice it.

"I suppose I also do not need to tell you that you are not yet a Genin, no?"

"You're supposed to test us after this, right? Something about teamwork?"

"Hai...though that is not information an academy graduate should have."

"I always have my ways."

"...Was it your 'friend'?"

"...Maybe."

Kagero shook her head. As always, the boy remained as elusive as she remembered. Memories of their agreement and time together shortly flashed through her mind—specifically, the end of it. As promised, she fulfilled her end of the deal and eagerly awaited for the boy to fulfill his. He did, but at the time, she didn't realize the answer he gave would be of any significance until much later on.

'I have help' was his answer. Of course, she pushed further, but all he gave her was, 'That is my secret. I have help'. With that, they concluded their time together, and she immediately reported to the Hokage, then her father.

She hadn't spoken to the boy since. The Hokage had made the foolish decision to remove the ANBU watch from keeping tabs on him, but due to his constant disappearing act and his insanely increase in skill, the ANBU were forced back upon him.

Safe to say, in the grand scheme of things, it didn't matter. Hiruzen was content with being the passive old fool, and the boy was left to his own devices. At some point, he learned to evade the ANBU and even her agents all together. If it weren't for him actively revealing himself to them, Kagero feared they would never find the boy. She knew not what kept him attached to the village, but she dearly wished it was not taken. If it was, Kagero wasn't so sure they would be able to find him ever again.

"...Tell me something, Uzumaki. Do you still plan on becoming Hokage?" She honestly didn't know why she was asking. It had been years since she'd last seen the boy, and despite her thoughts on his naivety, she could not deny he held talent that far surpassed any in his age group. If he were not to become a Hokage, then he would for sure become an S-ranked Nin.

As she expected, the boy smirked before pointing a thumb at the metal plate covering his forehead. "I made a promise, and I plan to keep it. This means I've already started towards my dream. I'm still gonna become Hokage one day, and you're still gonna one day call me 'Hokage-sama', dattebayo."

The boy truly hadn't changed at all.

There was no need for her to say anything further.

As if on cue, his teammates arrived shortly after. Both looked puzzled that their blonde teammate had somehow made it here before them, but a quick gesture from their sensei told them this was not the time.

The two Genin slid into the booth with the blonde, the Uzumaki shimmying over to make room for his team members. They weren't too packed in, but their close proximity to each other was definitely far from comfortable. Silence ensued as the Jonin sensei seemingly observed her students. This went on for about a minute before she finally began.

"Before we begin, we shall start off by introducing ourselves. I shall lead by example. My name is Shimura Kagero, and I am the heiress of the Shimura clan. My likes are my village, and my dislikes are those who wish to cause harm to it. My hobbies are art, and my only dream is to improve the standing of my clan." Finished with her introduction, she turned to the bun-haired girl at the end of the Genin's side. "You start first, girl. State your name, likes, dislikes, hobbies, and dreams."

The girl looked hesitant from the 'no nonsense' vibe the woman gave off, but gave her best smile and introduced herself with gusto. "My name is Higurashi Tenten. Um, I guess my hobbies are training and, um, spending time working at my family's shop. My hobbies include learning and collecting new weapons. I also enjoy improving my Fuuinjutsu. Um, the only thing I guess I dislike is traveling for long periods of time. As for my goals, well… that is…" Tenten suddenly turned meek, poking her fingers together much like a certain Hyuga girl. "…t-to be as strong as Tsunade of the Sannin..."

"...How admirable." Her sensei acknowledged, sounding detached in a way that replaced Tenten's meek behavior with confusion, then a bit of anger. Turning from her, Kagero now stared at the Hyuugs expectantly. The boy looked as if he disapproved of her attitude but did not speak on it.

"...My name is Hyuga Neji. My hobbies are training and meditation. My likes only consist of herring soba and improving my skills, while my dislikes... there are many, but I suppose spices. My only goal is to never lose. To anyone." Finished, he stared down the Shimura head, daring her to say anything against him. Instead, she observed him a bit more before dismissing him altogether and turning to the last of their group.

The blonde blinked at the expecting heiress. "You already know me."

"That may be, but this is a team exercise. You are expected to participate no matter the circumstances."

"..We literally just talked."

"Good. Then that means your vocal chords aren't broken and you can speak—to the team this time."

"But we're not even officially a team yet."

"You won't be if you continue."

Taking the threat for what it was, the blonde caved.

"...My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like Ramen, and I hate dishonesty. My hobbies are training and spending time with the little friends I have. My goal is to become Hokage one day and change the world... Happy?"

Getting what she wanted, she turned to observe her students once more before getting to the matter at hand.

"Now that we are all acquainted, it is time we move on to why we are here. As you may know, this team is stacked with more talent than the others. Do you know why that is?"

All three Genin answered in order.

"Because, um, the village wishes to train the best to lessen unnecessary casualties?"

"So the village doesn't waste their time on fodder when they can have more experienced soldiers on the field."

"Because the Hokage is an asshole who knew I didn't like you but us on the same team just to spite me?"

Three pairs of eyes looked to the Uzumaki blankly.

"...You are partially correct, Hyuga." Kagero brought attention back to her. "You three are all geniuses in your own right. You possess incredible talent in your fields, far exceeding those of your peers. It is talent that the Leaf cannot afford to waste. We could have easily split you into even groups to better the weaker bunch, but, forgive my frankness, the talent in your year was very…disappointing."

She couldn't have worded it any better if she were at Kunai Point. Most of the kids in their year were, to put it simply, unsatisfactory. They were children who had ambition but did not possess the drive or skill to carry out said ambitions. There was no doubt in her mind that maybe two or three other teams would pass this year while the others either dropped out or were sent to the Genin Corp. That fate was better than having the real world smack them in the face when they were already on the field.

"It is indeed bias that we prioritize the more talented, but Konoha is not currently in a position to care about equality. We are still licking our wounds from the Kyuubi attack 12 years ago, and we are not foolish enough to send unprepared Genin into the field. It is why we broke tradition and selected no one for Team 7, and it is why you three are on a team."

In other words, there were high expectations for the three of them, and everything they did from here on out would be judged.

A sigh left the Shimura as she frustratedly stated, "Typically, there is a test that follows your graduation. However, I see no need to do so. Due to what is riding on this little 'project', I cannot exactly fail you. Instead, we will immediately start your training. Afterwards, we shall complete a series of D-ranked missions until I deem you ready for something harder. My goal is to have you all complete at least a B-rank mission before your Chunin Exams. Are there any objections?"

The silence was confirmation enough.

"Good, then I suppose there is only one thing left to say." Reaching behind her, the woman pulled out three scrolls and placed them all on the table. The Genin blinked at the scrolls before looking back to their sensei in confusion. "For the next 6 months, you all shall be living under my roof. These are sealing scrolls holding various essentials from your homes. They are also your key to getting into the compound. Lose this or leave the compound without it, and you shall be punished. Do not worry about getting permission from your guardians. I have already informed them of this matter, and they have all accepted."

The Genin were actually stunned at the revelation. Not once did they hear of this, nor were they expecting it, so to say they were upset would be an understatement.

"I do not recall giving consent." Neji, surprisingly, was the first to speak out.

"Your consent is not needed. You have a headband, but you are not yet Shinobi of the Leaf. Therefore, you are not yet adults, and your parents or legal guardians are allowed to make decisions on your behalf. Also, your guardians each signed a contract that is directed to every Genin after their test. It confirms your enlistment into the ranks and that I am now your direct superior. That also means that these," she pointed to the scrolls, "are considered direct orders. Failing to comply is the same as insubordination."

Neji and Tenten were left slack-jawed. Could their guardians really have signed off on such a thing without their consent? If so, why? Was this really how all this was supposed to go?

In Naruto's case, he was not nearly as upset as his teammates. Out of spite more than anger, he raised a hand to bring light to a hole in her statement. "I don't have a legal guardian." He said, to which the Shimura replied without missing a beat.

"The Hokage signed in your stead."

His hand slowly lowered.

'...That wrinkly old prick...'

"If there is nothing else you wish to say, then let us enjoy a meal before heading to Training Ground 3. I wish to get an assessment of your skills before your true training begins."


Location: ?

Sothis yawned as she awoke from her slumber. Through blurry eyes, she observed her surroundings, taking in the monotone atmosphere that was her 'prison'. As always, it remained devoid of life without her ward. But alas, it was quiet, and that's all she truly wanted.

Stretching out her limbs, she sleepily snapped her fingers, a hand supporting her face on her throne as she awaited the rift in the mindscape to change. When it did, she was greeted with a ripple of reality opening before her like an eyelid. Whatever she expected wasn't what she got.

The view was pitch black.

Blinking, she snapped her fingers a few more times, thinking there was an error in her spell.

Nothing changed.

Slightly annoyed, she opted to call out to the darkness, hoping to receive answers for her lack of vision.

She got a reply almost immediately.

"Good afternoon. Sleep well?"

"Better than expected." She replied to the voice, yet was slightly confused. "Afternoon? And you're still asleep? Were you not meeting your teacher before my nap?"

"I was, and I did. We're now in Training Ground 3." Sothis raised an incredulous brow at that.

"And why are you sleeping?"

"I was bored. There isn't really much for me to do right now."

"How so?"

"It's complicated..."

"Well, uncomplicate it and tell me the situation."

"...I think it's better if you see with your own eyes."

Sothis rolled hers, but stood from her throne. With another thought, she was out of the mindscape and in the real world. She was immediately met with greenery and a clear blue sky...

And a kunai flying towards her. A panicked squeak left her as she dodged, her arms flailing about and momentarily forgetting she was intangible to the outside world. She looked to where the blade landed somewhere in the forest behind her before turning to where it came from.

She was greeted with a skirmish.

A boy, Hyuga Neji (she believed), was squaring off against a much taller woman. In the back, a bun-haired girl was throwing multiple sharp objects at the woman, but her weapons found no purchase in their target. After marveling at the sight, Sothis looked around, hoping to find her ward somewhere nearby.

"Down here."

The voice did not come from around her but from beneath her. Looking down, she found what she was originally looking for—not in the form of a body, but a head. Spiky blonde, followed by green, met her eyes. Circling till she was In front of the head, she could finally see the stoic visage of her ward—his eye staring not at her but the fight happening yards away.

The Divine had no words.

Not even when the boy casually asked, 'how was your sleep' did she deem him with a reply. Eventually, the boy caught on to what she was thinking and observed his current 'situation'. "...You're likely wondering how I ended up like this. Quite funny how it happened, actually..."

Flashback

Team 7 stood in the middle of Training Ground 3 eagerly waiting for their sensei to reveal this 'test'. Reaching to her side, Kagero pulled out a small silver bell and held them before her Genin team. "This test is simple. All you have to do is take this bell from me and you pass."

The three Genin blinked, confused at such a short explanation.

"Um, that's it?" Tenten voiced, to which the woman nodded.

"That is all. Take this bell from me and I shall consider it your victory."

"What is the catch." Neji asked skeptically.

"There is none. This test is simply for me to gauge your abilities. That is all. No catch, no hidden test." Despite the reassurance, the Genin still looked skeptical.

Naruto raised his hand next, hoping to clear up something personal. "Does it matter how we take the bell? And how long do we have?"

"It matters not how you do it, just as long as you take it." Kagero reiterated. "I will give you two hours to attack me. In that time, you may-"

The sudden explosion of chakra followed by the blonde suddenly being right in front of her a blink later, had the Jonin suddenly leaping back. Eyes sharp, she landed on her feet at least 30 yards away from her original position with her hand on her tanto and her eyes focused on the three Genin. All but the Uzumaki were suddenly on guard, the boy now occupying the spot she'd stood a second ago.

A jingling caught her attention. Looking at the blonde, she noticed a familiar bell in his hand. Looking at her own, she noticed the absence of one. Back to the Uzumaki, she was greeted with a tilted head and eyes that radiated arrogance.

"...Now what, Kagero-sensei?"

Flashback end

"...I see you are utilizing your abilities to the fullest." Sothis said flatly, to which the boy shrugged in spirit.

"We're Shinobi, and she said to get the bell by any means necessary. If she didn't want us to cheat, then she shouldn't have made such exploitable rules."

The comment caused a smirk to twitch on the Divine's face.

"Still doesn't explain your current situation." She pointed out.

"I was getting to that... After our hard-earned victory, she challenged us to a rematch. She fought valiantly, but she was no match for my awesomeness."

"...You did it again, didn't you? That, what did you call it? Instant Transmission?"

"Hey, hate the player, not the game. Anyway, being the sore loser she is, she challenged us a third time. This time, however, I was forbidden from 'utilizing that accursed energy' as she selfishly put it. I complied, and her clone did this to me before she even said 'hajime'. The nerve, right? Cheating on a test. How unprofessional."

The amused smirk stayed this time around. "And your team? Have they deemed you not worth saving?"

"No, they tried, but Kagero-san kept targeting them, so they left me here. Don't blame them, really. She looked really upset whenever they tried."

"How vindictive."

"Quite."

Both shared a silent moment to watch the battle, their eyes following as Tenten was suddenly flung across the field with her own shooting star.

"...I think they need help."

"Possibly..."

"Do you not wish to aid them? This is as much your test as it is theirs."

"No need. I've already passed—three times now."

Sothis raised a brow at that, to which the boy seemed to move something in his mouth before opening it. A shiny object rolled onto the grass, jingling all the way. Sothis observed the bell before looking back at the boy it came from.

"Has that thing been in your mouth this entire time?"

"Yes... I was keeping it safe." Sothis stared owlishly down at her ward before returning her attention back to the skirmish.

"...Do you think she knows?"

"More than likely."

"Then why is she still going?"

"I accused her of going easy on us after the second round. I don't think she liked that."

They watched as the Hyuga was flung across the field while the bun-haired girl began frantically throwing any and everything she had at the Jonin, who seemed to weave and deflect the projectiles with expert precision.

"...And have you learned anything from this, Child?"

"...She's either really weak, still going easy on us, or I'm just that awesome.

"...You are something else."


Later...

Shimura Compound

Moving into the Shimura Compound was a simple affair. Since their things had, technically, already been packed, all they truly had to do was follow their new sensei home after the beating they received—well, two of them, at least.

The Shimura Compound itself was in a remote area located on the far east side of the village. Most of the houses were connected to the mountain in some way, and due to its close proximity to the Training Grounds and the Hokage Tower, it made travel quite convenient.

Despite being the heir, Kagero lived in a house on her own next to the main. It was two stories, a traditional Konoha-styled structure with tatami flooring and sliding doors. Their room mirrored this, a spacious corner of the house that they were all meant to share.

As the trio unpacked, they couldn't help but think about all the memories they would make in their new room. Naruto envisioned many late-night conversations with friends, TenTen imagined practicing her weapon skills and perfecting new techniques, and Neji, with his calm demeanor, envisioned peaceful mornings watching the sunrise from the balcony.

As time passed, their new room became a sanctuary of comfort, growth, and camaraderie. It saw laughter, tears, and countless unforgettable moments. The balcony became a place of solace, where they often found themselves reflecting on their journey, their dreams, and what they meant to one another. With each passing day, Naruto, TenTen, and Neji continued to grow as shinobi and as individuals. Their bond, forged through their shared experiences, only seemed to strengthen in their new domain.

The room became a symbol of their unbreakable friendship, reminding them that they were never alone. In their new room, Naruto, TenTen, and Neji found not just a place to call their own, but a safe haven where memories were made and dreams were nurtured. In time, they would become well-respected Shinobi of the Leaf and change the world of Shinobi for the better singlehandedly...

...As if life could be that simple!

In reality, upon entering, conflict was immediately had.

They were told that not only would they not be getting their own rooms, but everything other than a toothbrush and futon would be shared indiscriminately. Yes, that meant their equipment, room, money, and even bath were to all be shared between each other.

Tenten was the first to dispute this, very adamantly. Naruto and Neji were both impartial, yet they did not stop their female companion from airing out their grievances for them. As expected from the Shimura, she did not care. In fact, she was quite ruthless in shutting the Higurashi down with an ultimatum: 'follow my rules, or return to the academy.' It was a threat that worked quite well.

Next, they were introduced to the rules of the house.

One—always wake up on weekdays at 6 a.m. for breakfast, then training. Any who does not wake up on time will not eat that morning, and training will be twice as harsh for everyone due to the tardiness of one. Quite unfair, but they've long since learned that that particular word doesn't exist in their sensei's dictionary.

Two—any and all 'grudges' are settled in the dojo. Any fighting done outside of training or the dojo is punished by spending a day in 'The Box', which was basically a big square room in the basement none of them wanted to ever visit.

Lastly, none are to venture outside the compound without express permission from their sensei. It was one of the rules none of them agreed with but were forced to comply with.

Now, sitting in their shared rooms, the trio was given time to themselves to place their belongings in peace. Their training would begin in the morning, and they were all too ready to get their asses kicked; notice the sarcasm. Occupying the area in the far right corner, Neji sat in seiza, his eyes closed in clear meditation. On the other side of the room was Tenten, sitting similarly under a table while tending to the weapons she had on her.

Unlike the two, Naruto was not as active. Laying on his back with his arms under his head, knees up, and a leg over the other, the blonde filled the silence by humming a toon neither of the Genin recognized. Unseen to his teammates was the green-haired deity casually observing them from above.

"So, this is where you are to stay for the foreseeable future... It is marginally better than the apartment, if nothing else. Though I don't appreciate the lack of freedom." The blonde agreed with his friend. This would make traveling to Fodlan a lot more difficult than it ever was before.

It wasn't like they had to go. Traveling to Fodlan was more of a hobby than anything nowadays. It was a time where Sothis could see her child and descendants freely, and Naruto could interact with a world he thought was more of a fantasy. It was time well passed when he wasn't training, so to say he could no longer do such was more than disappointing.

"Wow. I believe this is the first I've seen a weapon such as this." Sothis had moved from observing the room to hovering over Tenten's work table. On the table was a sickle and chain. Not a weapon most frequented by Shinobi of the Leaf, but was somewhat a signature item to the Higurashi's fighting style.

"This one reminds me of you...if a lot more broody." She was now in front of the Hyuga, observing his features curiously. "This one has those eyes, no? Do you think he could see me if they were active?" The thought had her floating closer to the boy's face, observing his features intensely.

At the same instance, his eyes snapped open, causing the Divine to gasp and jump back. He stared right at her, and Sothis almost feared he could see her before he turned his attention to something at the center of the room.

That something just so happened to be her ward.

"Naruto, tell me something," the boy called out, garnering the attention of both the Uzumaki and Higurashi. "Back at the Training Grounds, you moved at speeds that not even our Jonin Sensei could follow—not once, but thrice. Was it a Genjutsu?"

Naruto blinked at that before glancing to ceiling in thought, thinking of the best way to answer. "I don't know any Genjutsu," was what he ended up going with, getting a frown from the Hyuga prodigy.

"Then what was it? None of us saw you move or even reappear. Other than Genjutsu, I see no other way you could have performed such a feat."

"Hmmmmm... You know what? Let's go with that. I used a very convincing Genjutsu on you all before we left the academy. In fact, I've been using Genjutsu on the entire village for the last 12 years. You all are actually a part of my simulation, and I allowed you to see 1% of my true power. I'd tell you more, but then I risk you escaping the matrix, and I'd be forced to kill you."

Neji scoffed at the gibberish his teammate was spitting. "If you were going to patronize me, then I'd rather you'd not say anything at all."

"...Fine, I'll tell you the truth, but you're likely not gonna believe me." Neji was unmoved by the statement, prompting the blonde to take him seriously and answer him truthfully. "I have an interdimensional loli goddess who has been living in my head rent-free since I was a kid. She holds the power of time, which means she can stop and reverse it at will. She is why I talk to myself and why I can do the things I do. She is a god, which means I am a god, which also means you should be grateful to be in my presence. Happy?"

Pen-dropping silence followed the blonde's revelation. Somewhere through the dialogue, Tenten's expression morphed into that of extreme incredulousness, Neji's pupilless eyes slowly dimmed, and Sothis was silently wondering what a 'loli' was.

"You're wasting your time, Neji." Tenten spoke up, pinning her incredulous stare on the blonde. "Tried for years to crack that egg head of his, but his lips are sealed tight... Doesn't help that he's a douche about it."

"That's mean, Tenten-chan. I'm only protecting my secrets like any good Shinobi would. I don't see either of you spilling your secrets whenever someone is curious." Naruto defended, his teammates silently admitting the blonde's point. "How about this, Neji. Teach me how to use the Gentle Fist and I'll tell you one of my secrets. Sound fair?"

"If that is your idea of fairness, then I dread to see how you broker."

"I'm surprisingly good at it. Once tricked this redhead into buying a hinged kunai after she ripped me off. Haven't heard from her again, though I hear she and her sisters are looking for me... which I don't know if that means I'm gonna get lucky in the future or if my life is in serious danger..."

"...You are entertaining, if nothing else."

"I live to please...which reminds me of a joke. What do you call a man with no body and no nose?" Tenten groaned, while Neji simply raised a brow. "Nobody knows."

Instead of the laughs he definitely deserved, both of his teammates returned to their devices, leaving him blinking while Sothis looked on amused.

"Your humor is still something to be desired, Child."

The blonde pouted at the deity in that way only his poker face could pull off.

"Flayn would have laughed..."

...

Hours later, the sun had been replaced with countless stars, a midnight sky, and a crescent moon. The village that was once vibrant with life had descended into silence, the faint shadows of passing Shinobi being the only signs of life on the streets.

Inside the Shimura Compound, the three Genin now lay peacefully in their respective futons, their breaths slow as their bodies rested from the day's activities. In their dreams, they were completely unaware of the figure descending from their ceiling.

A cloaked figure.

It looked upon each of them, its eyes lingering on Naruto, before turning to the Hyuga. The figure slowly extended its arms, the fingers of its hands forming hand seals.

Tiger.

Horse.

Snake.

Ram.

The figure pointed its index and middle finger at the forehead of the sleeping Hyuga.

There was a soft flash.

Neji's eyes shot open, but before he could even breathe, his mouth and limbs were wrapped tightly before he was pulled into the ceiling. One dealt with, the figure moved on to the next.

It now hovered over the sleeping form of Tenten, caution in it's every move.

Tiger.

Horse.

Snake.

Ram.

A single finger was pointed at the forehead of the young kunoichi, and, like Neji, she too was dragged into the ceiling.

That only left one.

The figure turned its attention back to the last sleeping person in the room.

Tiger.

Boar.

Monkey.

Ram.

The figure aimed, a single finger extending forward...

A second later, the figure found itself on its back. It didn't know how or why, but in that single moment, its prey had woken up and struck. A fist crashed into the figures face, causing the figure to reel back from the attack.

Naruto stuck to the ceiling with his assailant, his face a mask of indifference.

"Who are you?" The figure got to its feet, its hood having fallen back, revealing the face of a woman. The blonde blinked, confused at what he was seeing. "Sensei?"

As if her name were the signal to continue, the Shimura charged forward.

Her left hand grabbed at the blonde's shirt and he was prepared to counter.

It turned out to be a faint.

The moment he went to counter, she was twisting her body while dipping low for a leg sweep. The attack forced the blonde to fall back to the ground, but not before throwing three hidden shuriken at the woman.

As expected, she dodged the projectiles with expert ease and even grabbed one from its trajectory to throw back at the Genin.

Naruto rolled out of the way of the incoming blade, but as he came out of the roll, he saw a pair of feet swinging towards his face. He leaned back to avoid the attack, but a second later, a hand grabbed his right ankle, and his vision was turned upside down. His assailant then slammed his upper body into the wooden wall of the house. Before he could recover, he was flipped again, and the wall became the floor. Finishing the combo, a kick sent him crashing through the shoji screen doors leading outside.

Kagero followed him outside, but as soon as she exited the building, she was met with a volley of Kunai. The woman weaved through the weapons, her body twisting and spinning around the projectiles with an unnatural ease. She came to a halt once she was clear of the danger and stared at where the blonde should have been.

The hallway was empty.

The woman frowned, her eyes darting around her. A small tingle in her head had her turning around and blocking the incoming punch. She pushed the Genin back, and the boy landed gracefully on his feet. Naruto wasted no time in attacking, launching a flurry of punches and kicks at the woman, all of which were blocked, deflected, or dodged with ease.

Kagero ducked a right hook and used her momentum to launch a kick at the blonde's exposed chest. Naruto blocked the attack, but before he could push the kick away, the woman pulled her foot back, spun, and landed another kick to his side. He was sent stumbling away, but recovered quickly and held a hand out in front of him.

Kagero charged, but was shocked when a flash of light blinded her. She came to a stop, rubbing her eyes to regain her sight.

It was a moment too long.

When she regained her vision, the boy was in front of her. Instead of his fist, he wielded a sword. Through the darkness, she saw its unnatural red glow along with its bronze color.

Seeing the sword had her reaching back to her own tanto with the speed of a Jonin. Her blade met the blonde's, stopping him in mid-air. To her ever-growing surprise, the top of the blade began coming undone. Pieces of the blade were shown to be connected by some sort of thread. It fascinated her for a moment as she watched it slowly begin to disappear behind her.

Suddenly understanding the danger, she dove and retreated from the now-revealed whip blade that would have surely wrapped her up not a second later. Her retreat was followed by the sword extending towards her. The weapon seemed to have a mind of its own, moving with the precision and accuracy of the user, and even with the speed of a Jonin, Kagero found it pressing to keep up. Its versatility was shown in the tight hallway, giving the Shimura little room for error as it filled nearly every hole. Sending projectiles proved useless, the blonde able to knock it clear from the air with the whip. However, it gave her the opportunity to weave through the writhing threaded blades and close the distance.

Her tanto met the hilt of the whip blade once again and the two exchanged a flurry of blows. The blonde was able to keep up well enough, but it was evident who was the more experienced swordsman.

It was when he was pressed that his fighting style began to change.

His strikes became more erratic.

More desperate.

His blocks became more wild and unpredictable.

Kagero had her opening.

In a flash, her left hand pointed a finger at the blonde's torso.

Before the blonde could register the motion, something shot from her finger, attaching itself to the boy. With a yank, he was pulled forward as the Shimura jumped back. The hand holding her tanto pointed a finger at the blonde as well, the same sticky fluid shooting towards the boy and wrapping his hand completely. Jumping wall to wall, she continued the act, the strings sticking to the blonde all over as she quickly and efficiently began circling the now-bound Genin.

When she finally came to a stop, she was standing before the blonde who was blinking rapidly and looking down at himself.

He was in a cocoon. All around him, silky threads stuck to the walls and ceilings, holding him in place. The entire corridor was thrashed, yet that seemed to be secondary to the fact that he was now captured.

"You are good," the woman began as she made the finishing touches to her bindings. "Why not use that power from before? There were multiple opportunities to finish the fight, so why hold back?"

The blonde blinked at the heiress and said, "I was trying to stop you."

Her eyes narrowed. "You should have gone for the kill."

"I don't kill people," the boy said with a bit of firmness in his tone.

"And that is your greatest weakness. You are clever, and that will take you far, but there will come a day where you will need to be more decisive in your blows. If I had truly wished to kill you, I would have done so. Your ideals are admirable, but they will only lead you and the ones you hold dear to an early grave. That is not me forcing my ideals on you. That is simply a fact. The more you hold out on your opponent, the closer you come to death. Leave them alive, and they will have the opportunity to kill someone close to you. You may not like it, but that is our world, and you will do well to remember it."

"Duly noted..." The blonde said flatly before glancing at something behind her. "Oh, and you might want to dodge. Like, right now."

The Shimura followed the advice without question and sidestepped.

Her timing couldn't have been more perfect.

From the corner of her eye, she caught the blur of an arm poking forward. When she saw the attacker's face, her eyes slightly widened.

"How?"

The figure jumped back before she could bring her tanto down on their extended arm.

It was Neji.

He had managed to dodge and retreat, now glaring at the woman he called Sensei, "Your threads are troublesome, but they are useless against the Hyuga. You would do well not to forget that."

The woman's expression returned to its normal stoic demeanor, looking unimpressed by the statement as she voiced, "That was your only chance. You will not get another."

"I wouldn't count us out just yet," came yet another voice from her six. Glancing over her shoulder, Kagero was met with the form of Tenten standing smuggly at the end of the hall with, surprisingly, another blonde Jinchuuriki next to her. "You really had us in the beginning, Sensei. If not for Naruto, we would have all been captured."

"...So that was your plan? To free your friends?" Kagero asked, not needing to look back to confirm the blonde in her trap had disappeared. The blonde answered by pulling his eyelid down and sticking his tongue out childishly. "...It matters not your numbers. You three are still outclassed. Your only option is to surrender." She warned, setting herself up to attack once more.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Tenten warned, motioning for the Shimura to look down. Humoring the girl, the woman looked down.

She saw nothing, but her senses were screaming that something was wrong.

"Underneath you are explosives—a landmine, of sorts. Move even an inch, and the entire compound goes boom. It may or may not get you, but it will be more than enough to get every ninja in Konoha over here faster than you can say 'Yandaime'."

The woman was quiet.

"Do not bother trying to detect the explosive tag." Neji suddenly added. "It is hidden from even the Byakugan. If you truly read our files, then you would know how good Uzumaki is with seals."

The woman glanced between her Genin, said Genin not breaking eye contact even once at her gaze of steel. For several moments, there was only silence.

Finally, the Shimura sighed, dropping her guard completely. "I underestimated you... It is my defeat."

Tenten grinned victoriously, but her expression faltered slightly at the sound of chuckling.

Kagero's smile was wide, something none of them would have ever expected from the stoic woman. "Very impressive. Very impressive indeed. You've won, and yet I find myself laughing."

"And why is that?" Neji questioned, his guard not dropping a single notch.

"Because this proves that you are truly more than your papers say. It means the Hokage was right, and you all will truly be worthy assets to the Leaf." The woman responded, making chills run down the three Genin's spines.

"What do you mean by that?" Tenten asked, her tone cautious.

"As I've said before, my goal is to have you all at Chunin level before the next Exam. I now know your skills and abilities, and I can now devise a training plan that will best utilize them. The only problem I see is that your instincts are all lacking. I'm going to fix that."

Turning around, the woman began walking away, much to the shock of the Genin. There was no explosion following her departure, which now made the Genin look as if their entire act was a bluff.

It was not.

Tenten and Naruto had seriously planned to blow the woman sky high. The fact that it didn't brought unease to them all.

Stopping at the stares, she turned to look over her shoulder, her brown orbs oddly shining in the dark and giving the Genin a sense of dread. "Your real training begins now."


A/N: So, about an hour after I posted this, the site and App suddenly went down, which also meant a good portion didn't even know it was out. I was tempted to post this chapter right after, but remembered the next chapter is literally the last I have on the back log and would ruin my update speed if I did... I seem to have very back luck when it comes to this sight :(

Nothing really to say here. This was a prelude to yet another time-skip. Thought about going through their entire training camp like I did before, but could not find the motivation to do so when what we REALLY care about is the Chunin Exams and on field missions. Can't get all of that if I'm wasting time showing how they are constantly getting their asses kicked day by day with no reprieve...

Not much to say here. Just wish to thank everyone who left reviews last chapter! To answer a few questions, Suzuki is the crazy lady who made the cult (which I will expand into two more OMAKE later on). The next chapter will introduce another character I think you all are going to enjoy seeing. She isn't exactly important to this arc, but will be in the Chunin Exams portion.

Thank you all for the follows and favorites. If you like this story, consider giving my other work 'The Fate We Have Chosen' a try. Reviews, both good and bad, give me motivation to write, so please keep them coming, and I hope you all have a damn good day.

P.S. Another interlude incoming tomorrow...I think we all see the pattern now...

Current Age in Scene:

Naruto: 12

Neji: 13

TenTen: 13

Kagero: 19

Sothis: ?

Hiruzen (Updated): Wrinkly old prick