Author's Note: Welcome back, everyone! I meant to have this out last week but I was sick. I'm feeling better now, and I really wanted to have another chapter out before Christmas so here we are! I wish everyone a wonderful Holiday season!
Disclaimer: Naruto and Inuyasha belong to their respective owners.
Dialogue Legend:
"Unforgivable" – Normal dialogue
'Unforgivable' – character's thoughts/speaking to Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being telepathically through a seal
"Unforgivable" – Jutsu name; Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being speaking to someone directly.
'Unforgivable' – Inner Demon/Inner Spirit/Supernatural Being speaking to someone telepathically or through a seal
Chapter 35 – Growing Embers Part 2
Hatake Clan Compound – The Morning After Kakashi's Funeral
Sasuke could barely hold back his tears while he descended the long staircase that led to the Hatake Clan Vault. His copy of Kakashi's will came with a key that allowed him safe passage through the barriers and seals protecting the vault entrance. Guy was leading Sasuke down the stairs, and he had his own key. The Green Beast of Konoha had no more tears to shed, having cried his heart out during the funeral. Now, his only goal was to ensure the survival of what Kakashi cherished above all else, his team.
Training Sasuke to be the next successor of the Gouken was the best way Guy could achieve that goal. The improvements to the Juuken Kakashi recommended would be a great help as well, but that was a secondary objective for the immediate future; per Hiruzen's orders, Sasuke was Guy's priority. 'Besides, Ibiki-san is quite the Taijutsu master himself.' Guy allowed a small smile to appear on his face as he reached the Fuinjutsu array that protected the vault door.
"Sasuke-kun, place your key into this indentation." Guy pointed to what looked like a dent in the wall to the door's left.
The last Uchiha wordlessly complied, and both he and Guy were bathed in a purple light radiating from the door. Guy's key glowed with the same purple hue, and the door opened.
Sasuke had expected the Hatake vault to look much like its Uchiha counterpart. Firmly organized, with everything in a proper place. What he saw was the opposite. Piles of Ryou, weapons in various states of disrepair – some of which were completely broken – and books on any number of topics were strewn in the vault's entrance hall in a heaping mess.
"Figures my rival would be too lazy to organize his spoils. Most of what's in front of us is his contribution to the Hatake legacy." Guy sighed in defeat. With the Hatake Clan Compound now his, cleaning up this war zone was his job. He took several seconds to look at the mess to estimate how long it would take him to clean up before moving past the disaster area to the vault's deepest chamber. Eight hallways branched away from the main corridor, but Guy's copy of Kakashi's will contained a detailed map of the entire Hatake Clan Compound. He knew the object of his and Sasuke's search lay in the depths of the vault.
After nearly half an hour, and five more security checkpoints that would have vaporized them if they didn't have their keys, the two entered the vault's inner sanctum. The room held only a single bookshelf, and eight color-coded scrolls were placed lovingly upon it. Two were red, another pair was green, a third couple was yellow, and the final set of partnered scrolls was blue.
"No Doton Jutsu?" Sasuke was confused by the lack of brown-colored scrolls.
"I'm afraid not. Kakashi copied plenty of them, but the Hatake Clan never invented or refined any Doton Jutsu." Guy explained.
Sasuke read the names of the two Raiton scrolls. "Chidori and Raikiri. I won't learn Raikiri. That was Kakashi-sensei's Jutsu, his crowning achievement. It can rest forever with him; I'll honor his legacy another way."
"They why take the scroll off the shelf?" Guy asked while Sasuke placed the last of eight scrolls into a large sack retrieved from a storage scroll he'd brought with him.
"Jiraiya-sensei told me that Chidori and Raikiri were failed attempts to add an element to Rasengan." Sasuke replied. "Their scrolls must have Kakashi-sensei's research notes."
Guy's eyes widened. "Then you're going to complete the Rasengan?"
"Yes, but not with Raiton. My Katon affinity is stronger, so it'll be easier to use that to complete it. I'm sure Naruto will do the same with Fuuton at some point, though he has Kurama's Chakra and a whole bunch of other stuff to master as well." Sasuke sealed his sack back into its storage scroll and placed said scroll into his pocket.
"I doubt Kakashi's research regarding Raiton will help you much with merging Katon with Rasengan. Those two Nature Transformations have almost nothing in common with how they're formed." Though he specialized in Taijutsu to the exclusion of almost everything else, Guy was still a Jonin of Konoha. Before Neji and Lee, he'd trained students who were much less suited to Taijutsu and had to rely on elemental Ninjutsu. Guy knew enough to teach them the basics of their primary Chakra affinities, and he'd gotten them experts in said affinities to train them further.
"You're right, but who said that I'm getting these for me? Hinata-hime's Raiton affinity is nearly as strong as my Katon affinity. She'll get more use out of Chidori and Raikiri's scrolls than I ever could." The last Uchiha turned to leave the inner sanctum.
"It's true that the Byakugan can compensate for the tunnel vision induced by Chidori and Raikiri, but there's no getting around the fact they'd require her to run in a straight line at incredible speeds. All-or-nothing attacks like that are counter-intuitive to the Juuken. Plus there's the Byakugan's blind spot to consider." Guy's thoughts of how effective Kakashi's signature Jutsu would be in the hands of a Hyuuga were soon interrupted by a loud sigh.
Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "If Naruto's godfather was willing to teach me the Rasengan because I'm his best friend, do you honestly think the man himself won't do the same for his future wife?"
Guy's jaw hit the floor. "You want her to have the opportunity to complete the Rasengan as well?"
"Eventually." Sasuke grunted. "She'll be dead set on refining the Juuken for the foreseeable future. She also doesn't have the same advantages that Naruto and I have when it comes to mastering the Rasengan. I have my Sharingan, and Naruto has his freakish Uzumaki stamina."
"Don't count Hinata-hime out of that race so easily." Guy chuckled. "Remember that the Byakugan can read Chakra better than the Sharingan."
Both Shinobi were smiling as they left the vault. Sasuke with determination, and Guy with hope for the future.
Training Field 7
"Team Seven, reporting for duty Ibiki-sensei." Naruto bowed to his team's new commander. Nearly an hour had passed since Sasuke had deposited the Hatake Clan's Jutsu scrolls into the Uchiha Vault. Shortly after the last Uchiha had closed the vault's entrance Naruto had arrived to give him the Hakkou Chakura Tou. He had Tenseiga and Tokijin, so he felt that Sasuke would benefit much more from that aspect of Kakashi's inheritance than he would.
'Especially since he's refusing to learn Raikiri and only took the scroll for Hinata's sake.' The young Daiyoukai smiled. He wasn't planning on telling his fiancé about that any time soon; he and Sasuke agreed that Hinata's immediate priority was renewing the Juuken. Becoming part of Minato's legacy could wait.
"At ease, and don't bow to me in the future. Save it for the nobles or the Kage." The commander of Konoha's Intelligence Division ordered. "My copy of Kakashi-san's will included full descriptions of all your abilities, but I've always said that seeing is believing!" Ibiki drew a pendant from his pocket and placed it around his neck. His three students were shocked by what the pendent had in place of the typical jewel or similar ornament.
"A bell, we're taking the Bell Test again?" Sasuke gawked.
"When was the last time you three fought as a team?" Ibiki countered. "Since the end of the Second Chuunin Exam, various circumstances have prevented Team 7 from fighting as a whole. Normally, that wouldn't be much of a problem since it's only been a few months since the Exams ended. In this case, though, all three of you have been training like crazy. The abilities at your disposal, and your proficiency with them, have skyrocketed. What better way to sync up as a team again than through a test that evaluates teamwork?"
"Makes sense to me," Naruto shrugged, "any special rules for your version of the Bell Test, Ibiki-sensei?"
"Naruto-kun, both your Daiyoukai form and the Kyuubi's Chakra are off limits. Sasuke-kun, the same goes for your Hanyou form. I want to see how you two fight as humans. Hinata-kun, I've read the Sasuke Retrieval Mission report. You can use your Rai no Juuken. Can't say I'm not intrigued to see what Juuken looks like when combined with an element.
Hinata nodded before activating her Byakugan. Sasuke did the same with his Sharingan, and Naruto drew Tokijin.
"You have ten minutes to get this bell off my neck. Fight to kill; I'll be fighting to incapacitate. BEGIN!"
"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!" Sasuke exhaled a barrage of small fireballs.
"Fuuton: Daitoppa!" Naruto's tempest engorged the fireballs to massive size. The resulting wall of fire was near-seamless.
"Raiton: Denkiya!" (Lightning Release: Electric Arrows) The few gaps that were present in the sea of flames seeking Ibiki's life had been filled with lightning bolts fired from Hinata's hands.
The Tokubetsu Jonin smiled. 'Katan and Fuuton is a classic combination for a reason, and Hinata's new Raiton Jutsu is a wonderful extra touch. Seems I was worried over nothing!' The collaborative Jutsu obliterated the entire chunk of forest that Ibiki had been standing in front of.
"Beneath us!" Hinata yelled before leaping away. Her teammates followed suit half a second later, just before Ibiki erupted from the ground.
"As always, the Hyuuga are nearly impossible to surprise," Ibiki chuckled, "emphasis on nearly!" He flashed through a series of hand seals and his Chakra blurred in Hinata's eyes. She could still see his Chakra, but it was like trying to look through a heavy veil.
"Like it? Chakra shrouds like this are used by masters of Yin Release or Yang Release. For a Hyuuga as powerful as you, it's not enough to completely blind the Byakugan, but most members of your clan would be helpless against it." Ibiki dodged several attacks from Naruto and Sasuke while lecturing Hinata. "Especially when it's combined with this. Mujin Meisai!"
"I thought that Jutsu was a Kiri technique!" Sasuke yelled as the water vapor in the air wrapped around Ibiki and bent light away from his body to make him invisible.
"An Iwa technique actually, invented by the Nidaime Tsuchikage, Muu-dono." Ibiki's voice echoed through the training ground. "He could erase his presence completely with Mujin Meisai, making it impossible to track him by any means while it was active." Muu-dono had quite the grudge against the Nidaime Mizukage, Houzuki Gengetsu, and the two killed each other. Houzuki-dono's journals described in detail what he'd managed to piece together of Mujin Meisai's inner workings, which allowed Kiri to develop a lesser version of it. They put it to great use in the Third Shinobi World War; luckily one of their assassins sent to Konoha wasn't quite as gifted with it as he liked to believe. Getting it out of his skull is one of the most delightful things I've ever done!"
A kunai flashed out from thin air, and Hinata's blood spilled to the ground. It was a shallow wound, but a very painful one. The Hyuuga princess retaliated immediately with a barrage of lightning shuriken, but Ibiki had already vacated the spot from which he'd thrown the kunai.
"Dobe, this fighting style!" Sasuke swore.
"Just like Zabuza's, I know." Naruto grimaced.
"Only seven minutes left, kids. Try not to make this too easy!" Hundreds of bomb kunai streaked toward the trio.
"Denshriken no Jutsu!" Hinata fought through her pain and matched Ibiki's fusillade with one of her own. Explosions roared through the training ground.
"Guys, cover me for a minute!" Naruto began weaving a long series of hand seals.
"Got it!" Sasuke stood in front of Naruto, while Hinata approached from behind.
"That series of hand seals isn't known to me, must be something Jiraiya-sama taught him." Ibiki mused as he redoubled his assault on his students. From every direction, including underground, an endless assault of shuriken, kunai – both the normal and explosive varieties – and even some elemental Jutsu sought to disrupt Naruto but his teammates held firm and blocked or redirected every last attack.
"This is the longest set of hand seals I've ever seen! Nearly double what's required for the Sanryuudan no Jutsu! No wonder he never used it in the Exams!" Ibiki had to fight the impulse to gawk at the impractical complexity of Naruto's Jutsu.
"Fuujin no Iki!" (Breath of the Wind God) Naruto exhaled an astronomical amount of Fuuton Chakra. To Ibiki's surprise, the air affected by the Daiyoukai's Jutsu barely caused a ripple in the affected air space.
'Not an attack then, and certainly not a defense, so it must be –' Ibiki's analysis was literally cut short when Naruto stabbed Tokijin into the trunk of the tree Ibiki had been standing in front of milliseconds before.
"Three minutes left, let's get that bell!" Naruto hollered just before streaking after Ibiki like the hounds of Hell. Sasuke was just behind him, and Hinata trailed only slightly behind Sasuke.
With his invisibility evidently nullified by the extrasensory nature of Naruto's Jutsu, Ibiki was forced to directly confront his new students. He tried retreating to the ground, but even that avenue of attack was not exempt from Naruto's newfound sense.
'If his Jutsu allows him to perceive all that disrupts the flow of nearby air, then that would include underground air pockets!' Ibiki marveled before looking at Naruto, and his suspicions were confirmed. The Chuunin was sweating profusely and his movements were dulled tremendously compared to just a minute ago.
"Naruto, what's wrong?" Hinata gasped.
"Hard . . . to focus. Too much sensory input." Naruto panted. "End . . . now!" Naruto formed his most iconic hand seal, and his crippled speed was soon compensated for by dozens of Kage Bushin. The original Naruto was forced to a sitting position, but his clones shared his enhanced sense and had much less trouble harrying Ibiki.
"Chidori!"
"Rai no Juuken: Shun!"
Sasuke and Hinata activated their signature Jutsu, ones that emphasized speed above all else, and ran toward the center of the Kage Bushin mob. Their new Sensei had been forced to deactivate his concealment Jutsu a few seconds earlier. It consumed Chakra at a high rate, and Ibiki lacked a Suiton affinity. He had been on the receiving end of Chidori several times in his spars with Kakashi, but Hinata's newly acquired speed caught him off guard. Surrounded by Kage Bushin and too off balance to weave the Doton Chakra needed to sink underground, Ibiki could only leap into the air and was tackled by Hinata mid-jump. They slammed into the ground and Hinata ripped the bell off Ibiki's neck!
"Time's up." Ibiki smiled before he and the bell vanished in a plume of smoke.
"A Kage Bushin, with his Chakra shroud still in effect I couldn't tell the difference!" Hinata moaned.
"Neither could I, even though Fuujin no Iki lets me sense Chakra in the affected area. Ibiki-sensei outfoxed us completely!" With his Jutsu canceled, Naruto's mental faculties were quick to return.
"Wouldn't be much of an Intelligence Division Commander if I couldn't lead three fresh Chuunin around by the nose, now would I?" The real Ibiki rose out of the ground.
"I'm not a Chuu –"
"You have more than enough skill and power to justify the rank." Ibiki cut Hinata off. "Neji was a terrible opponent for you, and you still managed to give him Hell before he won. You've only gotten stronger since then, and that strength was enough to kill one of Orochimaru's elite soldiers. No sense in putting this off for a second longer. Hinata Hyuuga, by the authority granted to me as Commander of Konoha's Intelligence Division you are field-promoted to Chuunin, effective immediately."
"Th-th-th-THANK YOU!" Hinata was absolutely glowing with pride.
"You're field-promoted too, Sasuke-kun." Ibiki continued. "You humiliated Kabuto, who from what we can gather is Orochimaru's second-in-command, while escorting Tsunade-hime home. More than that, Jiraiya told me about the calculated risk you took while you were still learning the Rasengan. You couldn't have known about Tsunade-hime's hemophobia, so the judgment call you made at the time was spot on given the information you did have. Shinobi have to make flash decisions like that all the time. Your lack of judgment regarding Gaara-san was the only reason you weren't promoted after the invasion. Now that you've demonstrated the capacity for sound judgment, I see no reason to keep you at Genin."
"You won't regret this, sir!" Sasuke vowed.
"I know I won't". Ibiki grinned.
Before anything more could be said, a round of applause rang through the training ground. "That was an excellent display!" Hiruzen had one of the most serene smiles any member of Team 7 had ever seen on his face. "Ibiki-san, Tsunade has returned from the Kage Summit and has a great many plans in place for Team 7, among others. She wishes to debrief you in person. Your students are to return home immediately and await further instructions."
Ibiki Shunshined away immediately, as did Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata.
Tsunade's Office – The Next Morning
"Hiruzen-sensei did an admirable job balancing the strengths and weaknesses of all your teams, but none of you, or any of your teammates, has an ounce of Medical Ninjutsu training!" Tsunade glared at the four Kunoichi standing in front of her. Ino, Sakura, Hinata, and Tenten all gulped.
"Tsunade-sama, I can't speak for the others, but I got myself tested for Medical Ninjutsu affinity shortly after graduating from the Academy last year and was told I had no affinity for it." Tenten's ashamed look surprised her friends. To someone who idolized Tsunade as much as Tenten, being told she'd never be a Medical Ninja was very painful.
"I don't doubt that for a second." Tsunade grunted. "Medical Jutsu is derived from Yang Release, and having an affinity for that is much less common than any elemental affinity. It's even more common for people to have a Yin Release affinity."
Tenten nodded sadly, but the response she was about to give was silenced a second later when Tsunade slammed her fist into her desk and cracked it in two!
"So, Tenten, granddaughter of Hephaestus-sama, what are you going to do about it?"
"Huh?" Tenten looked like a deer in headlights.
"You must have had a snob for a doctor when you took your Medical Jutsu affinity test. With how rare Yang Release affinities are, almost every Medical Ninja has to climb mountains and leap over rivers to earn their rank!" Tsunade cracked her knuckles. "Any Medical Ninja worth their salt would have given you some pointers on how to use Yang Release and told you to come back in a year or so to try again. So, I going to ask you again: what will you do about your non-existent affinity for Yang Release?"
The happiness on Tenten's face could make the sun green with envy. "Whatever it takes! For however long it takes!"
"That's what I like to hear! How about you lot?" Tsunade turned to her other three prospective students.
"We're on board too, so give us all the Hell you got; we can take it!" Sakura spoke for herself, Ino, and Hinata.
"Of course you can, you don't have a choice after all!" Tsunade began weaving a series of hand seals. "Normally, the education needed to become a Medical Ninja takes at least three years and involves several written and practical exams. But we're at war with Iwa now, so I don't have time for that! Brace yourselves, ladies, I'm going to use Yin Release to transfer all the knowledge you need directly into your minds. It will take several sessions over the next few days, but within the next two weeks you'll all be ready for a speed-run of the exams needed to become Medical Ninja!"
"Tsunade-sama, I must protest!" Ino shrieked. "The Jutsu you're weaving right now is known to my clan, and it's forbidden for good reason! Most minds can't handle direct memory transfer and are destroyed or crippled for life!"
"Most minds don't belong to three demigods and a descendant of the Senju." Tsunade countered. "One thing I'll thank Danzo for is the meticulous records he kept, at least in triplicate, of all the Konoha genealogies. If I didn't have it on unquestionable authority that you all have the capacity to survive this – especially with my oversight – then we wouldn't be having this conversation." Tsunade finished her hand seal sequence, and four golfball-sized Chakra spheres manifested. Each one entered the forehead of one of Tsunade's new students.
Cries of agony were soon silenced. The Slug Sannin made sure that her four charges were as close to good health as possible given the circumstances, then ordered a squad of Anbu to bring them to the nearest hospital.
Uchiha Clan Compound – Sparring Hall
While Tsunade was conscripting four new Medical Ninja, Sasuke was getting knocked around like a ragdoll.
"Again." Guy ordered. Sasuke winced as he stood up. Guy pitied the last Uchiha but he couldn't afford to go easy on him. Hiruzen ordered him to get Sasuke up to Lee's level with the Eight Gates as soon as possible. The fastest way for Sasuke to learn how to unlock the Gates was for him to watch Guy do it with his Sharingan active, but his semi-matured Sharingan was not capable of reading the flow of Guy's Chakra with enough accuracy to see how the gates were opened. Guy had trained other Uchiha before the clan was destroyed, so he knew that the Sharingan gained tomoe through repeated use.
Hence the one-sided beating he was giving Sasuke.
"Kami-damn this training method!" Sasuke swore. The Uchiha Clan Vault has more than a few manuals detailing this exact method of accelerating the Sharingan's growth. Sasuke wanted to get stronger quickly too, but right now he was seriously doubting if the pain he felt was worth it.
"If you can complain, you can fight!" Guy retorted before lunging at Sasuke for the hundredth time that morning.
Training Field 10
"Troublesome doesn't even begin to describe this!" Shikamaru panted. Choji would have gasped out a response, but he was still recovering from having the wind knocked out of him by his father.
"I fear for the future of our clans if the current Ino-Shika-Cho can't amount to more than this." Inoichi taunted. With his daughter preoccupied with Tsunade's training, the Yamanaka lord decided it would be a good use of the very limited free time he currently had to assist his old teammates in their current mission.
"Son, if I hear you say 'troublesome' at any time before I'm deployed to the front lines again, you'll wish that our clan's catchphrase was anything else." Shikaku growled. NOW ON YOUR FEET!"
"That goes double for you, son!" Choza declared. "If you can't land one good hit on me in the next ten minutes, I'll replace your entire stock of barbecue sauce with sugar water and tell every merchant in Konoha to stop selling your favorite brand to you!"
"NEVER!" Choji screamed with flames in his eyes.
Inuzuka Clan Compound – Sparring Hall
"Gatsuuga!" Kiba and Tsume screamed in unison. They and their partners, Akamaru and Kuromaru, roared through the hall. The former pair was more powerful now that'd become a Hanyou and Youkai hound duo, but the latter pair was far more experienced. Several clashes later, Kiba and Akamaru slumped to the floor, covered in fresh wounds.
"Very good, the two of you are adapting to your new Youki at an incredible rate." Tsume suppressed a wince. Kiba and Akamaru had gotten a few good shots in with the last exchange of blows. Kuromaru – feared by Konoha's enemies as the most battle-hardened ninken alive today – was nursing an injured paw; if that wasn't proof enough that Kiba and Akamaru's newfound power was steadily eclipsing the advantage her and Kuromaru's experience granted, then she didn't know what was.
Shino's Mindscape
"You are still thinking too much, Host-Brother!" Kyuku, queen of Shino's hive, clicked her mandibles in frustration as the faction of her children she commanded for their most recent spar dominated the insects under Shino's command. "My children can obey both conscious and subconscious commands. To excel in battle, the orders to produce the easier and swifter Aburame Jutsu must become instinctive!"
"That is a paradox, Queen-Sister!" Shino protested. How can the Aburame – a clan renowned for its logical prowess – thrive by relying on base instinct?"
Kyuku resisted the impulse to slam her giant head against a nearby wall. "You confound my words. I am not telling you to abandon reason and become little more than a beast. I am telling you to cultivate the analytical prowess for which the Aburame are feared to the extent that you – to as much a degree as possible – do not have to analyze your foe!"
Shino's eyes widened. "Thought without thought? You speak of a state of mind not achieved by any Aburame for generations!"
"I did not say it would be easy, nor do I expect you to truly attain such a state at any point in the near future." Kyuku rebuked. "Yet answer me this, Shino Aburame: how does a journey of one thousand miles begin?"
"With a single step!" Shino replied with unwavering determination.
Kirigakure – Umino Clan Compound
"Otou-san, I must protest this deployment! Why must I be banished to Sunagakure for the duration of this war?!" Arashi, eldest of Yama's three daughters and the only not currently a Chuunin, was nearly beside herself with fury.
"It is not banishment; in terms of combat prowess, you are currently my strongest daughter." Contrary to his daughter's explosive rage, Yama was as calm as an extinct volcano. "We cannot discount the possibility that Iwa will invade Suna given how close Kaze no Kuni is to Tsuchi no Kuni's southern border. Konoha has sent a full regiment to compensate for Suna's current lack of forces. Since Gaara-san is a Jinchuriki, however, Onoki may well seek to capture him, much like he intends to capture the Nanabi's Jinchuriki. It is impractical for Kumo to send troops to Suna given the distance between the two villages. Kiri has precious few forces to spare, I would feel much better sending one soldier, than none at all.
Arashi's eyes narrowed. "Has Mizukage-sama approved your decision?"
"She has not denied it yet, and I have no reason at this time to suspect that she will." Yama evaded the question. "Your Clan Head has given you an order, Arashi Umino. Unless you intend to challenge me for leadership of the clan, depart for Suna with all haste!"
Arashi's eyes became saucers. Her father never pulled clan rank with his children unless the matter at hand was of the utmost importance. "I will leave at once, Otou-san." Almost as soon as she left the room, an Anbu arrived.
"Yama-dono, Mizukage-sama requests your presence immediately." Yama was already Shunshining to Mei's office before her messenger finished his sentence.
"Yama, have you lost your mind?" Mei's typical calm demeanor was nowhere to be seen. "What on Kami's green earth could possibly have compelled you to take such an enormous risk?!"
"You disappoint me, Mizukage-sama. I expect a granddaughter of Minerva-sama to recognize the difference between a reckless gamble and a calculated risk."
"Calculated risk?" Mei couldn't believe her ears and barely resisted the urge to destroy her desk. "You know as well as I that the chance that your endeavor will resolve in our favor – and Suna's favor for that matter – is fifty percent at best!"
"Under normal circumstances, that would be true," Yama allowed, "but Gaara-san's mannerisms during the Chuunin Exams – particularly during the fight with poor Lee-san – suggest a much higher probability of success than normal.
Mei's rage evaporated, and tears began falling down her face. She slumped in her chair. "You're probably right, but we've lost so many precious people. I've lost too many precious people!"
Yama laid a massive hand gently on his master's shoulder. "You speak of the rebels who abandoned you after your first attempt to kill Yagura-sama failed, particularly Zabuza-dono?"
"Y-Y-Yee-Yeeess-Yeeessssssss!" Mei's sobs continued unabated for the next two hours. Throughout it all, Yama didn't know whether to thank the gods or curse his fate.
Chapter End
Fuujin no Ika: Breath of the Wind God (A-Rank) – An extrasensory Jutsu that very few Fuuton specialists can use due to its massive Chakra cost and the immense strain placed on the user's mind. Once the Jutsu is cast, all distortions in nearby air – including any underground air pockets – are detectable by the user, rendering all but the most powerful concealment Jutsu useless. The amount of hand seals required to cast Fuujin no Ika is far larger than any other known Jutsu, so its practicality is further impeded by the need to have at least one person protecting the user until the casting is complete.
Raiton: Denkiya: Lightning Release: Electric Arrows (B-Rank) – The user fires lightning bolts from their hands. The natural speed of lighting makes the Jutsu very difficult to avoid. Similar to the Denshuriken no Jutsu, is relatively easy to master despite its high rank. Those born with a Raiton affinity frequently learn to use it without hand seals with enough training.