"Amidst a world of war and chaos, he alone stood to resolve it. He would be the one to establish peace and order."
Buried in a history book, the young boy slowly read aloud as the forest sat in silence around him as if to respect his presence. He sat upon a felled tree, his body unusually stiff as his fingers robotically moved to flip the page.
As a sudden breeze pushed his crimson hair into his line of sight, he continued to sit motionless. With a slow turn of his head, the boy glanced upon a pair of approaching figures. Gently closing his book, he stood and turned to face them.
Ringed, purple eyes met amber as his sister immediately closed the distance and pointed at him. "Zennou, we're gonna be late! You can't keep leaving without telling anyone, we'll think you've been grabbed up by someone."
"I apologize, Hitode. The winds carried a nostalgic tone for the past." Zennou stated as he looked to the sky, listening to the occasional howl of wind.
With a sigh, Hitode turned on her heel. "That's all good and well, but we've got to get a move on." Glancing to her side at the forest green haired girl, Hitode gave her a quick nudge, earning a ring of the bells within the girl's hair. "Midori, why didn't you go with him? You're his keeper more than anything."
Midori rolled her eyes before giving a shrug, causing another ring of the bells. She quickly motioned to the book underneath Zennou's arms.
Hitode held up her hands defensively with a playful laugh. "No need to give me that kind of sass, I was just surprised that you two were separated for once."
"It's my fault for not telling anyone. I've been focused on learning the wisdom of the past." Zennou spoke again, his voice inducing an eerie calm. "We should make it in time though."
Midori nodded beside the siblings, sticking her tongue out at Hitode before breaking into a sprint in the direction of the academy. Her smile split her face from ear to ear, yet no laughter escaped her. Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, she was sure of one thing.
She would win. Hitode wasn't as fast as she was, and Zennou would take his time. She couldn't wait to see their faces when she was already at the entrance waiting for them.
But there was that feeling that she could never get used to. The feeling of actually being seen. Turning towards the source, her black eyes locked with the ringed purple eyes of Zennou and the winged serpent he currently perched in the horns of.
"Sorry, Midori, but Shinkirou wanted some time out." Zennou quickly stated as the opalescent serpent flew past. Before she could process that she was about to lose, Shinkirou's feathered tail whipped by with Hitode clinging on tight.
Despite the fact that her bicoloured crimson and blonde hair was currently being ravaged by the wind and shrouding her face, Hitode still stuck her tongue out and blew a raspberry at Midori.
Refusing to be one upped, Midori broke into a mad dash across rooftops for the academy, straining herself despite the futility of it. The only sound that came with every push forward was the ringing of bells.
Finally arriving at the academy entrance, she was greeted with the sight of Hitode and Zennou. Zennou was largely unphased, but Hitode…the look on that girl's face was more than enough to make losing worth it.
Her hair had been turned into an unruly mess that she was actively attempting to fix, some strands still catching in her earrings much to her dismay.
Zennou gave a smile, or at least, what she had come to recognize as his smile. His eyes didn't move or soften as the corners of his lips barely curled upwards. "It looks like I won."
"That's not fair, you're the only one between us who can summon things to help!" Hitode quickly snapped as she began to tie her hair into its usual ponytail. "If we're being really specific, Shinkirou won, you came in second, I came in third, and Midori came last."
Midori's eyebrow cocked, shooting a quick glance at Zennou before a smug grin formed upon her face. Beginning to walk through the doors of the academy, she ignored the remarks of Hitode telling her to wipe that look off her face.
Zennou waited as his sister finished fixing her hair before beginning to follow Midori. From beside him, Hitode sucked her teeth. "Honestly, for a mute, that girl sure can be loud."
"She doesn't make any noise though?" A look of sheer curiosity on Zennou's face couldn't help but bring Hitode a sigh of dismay. As much as she loved his brother, he wasn't exactly socially adept.
Placing a hand on her brother's shoulder, Hitode gave a thin smile. "Loud in the sense of her actions being very bold. It's like how I've told you that sometimes when I touch things, the colours I see are very loud."
"I see." Zennou plainly said. "So, would having Shinkirou take us here be considered "loud?"
Hitode happily nodded. "Yes, I guess you could say that. It was worth it though, we won."
Zennou smiled at the sentiment as they walked through the doors. "In that case, I think I like being loud every now and then."
The new building had been completed almost seven years ago, right when they had been able to enter the Academy. He had remembered often walking by the construction with his mom, the entire village seeming to be in a state of repair.
Just as he began to sink into his thoughts, a pair of hands quickly slammed down on his shoulders. Before he could turn to see who it had been, the newcomer was in front of him lightly punching his chest in rapid succession. "It's almost the big day, Zennou! We're gonna get outta here and be official genin! Isn't that something?!"
Even if Zennou couldn't see the dark-skinned boy, his overjoyous attitude that was beyond hyper gave away Zasshu Hibana. "I hope we all can pass without complications. I'm sure you will with ease."
"D'aw, you're just saying that!" Zasshu waved his hand playfully. "Besides, if anyone is getting out of here guaranteed, it's you."
Hitode quickly looked around, shaking her head at the shorter boy. "You'd better be careful. If a certain someone hears you say that, he'll start up fighting again."
Zasshu gave an exaggerated pfft as he waved Hitode off and pulled his white hair back. "Oh, please, Mr. Sourbones can deal with it. That's one face I can't wait to not see everyday."
"You never know, you might get put in a team with him." Hitode playfully lulled.
"If that happens, I'm re-enrolling in the Academy for another year." Zasshu deadpanned.
Suddenly, a hand tapped on the short boy's shoulder causing him to nearly jump out of his skin. Turning to look at the newcomer to the conversation, Zasshu let out a sigh of relief after seeing it was just Midori. "I don't know how you do that, but every time, I think I lose a year of my life."
With a blank face, the green-haired girl gave a quick peace sign as she found her place beside Zennou.
"You'll have to get used to surprises if you're going to be a shinobi, Zasshu." Zennou chimed in.
Exaggeratedly rolling his eyes, Zasshu groaned. "I know, but I don't expect to have my guard up here. Besides, that grump will always let you know he's about to fight you. Her, on the other hand," He pointed at Midori, who quickly bore a smug smirk. "you won't even know she's there! She's just a ghost until she's right in front of you!"
With a quick thumbs up, Midori tapped on Zennou's shoulder before motioning for the classroom.
"She's right, it's almost time for class." Hitode took a deep breath. "Last one before we become genin!"
Zasshu zipped between the trio, smacking each of them on their back before bolting in front of them. "That's the spirit! Tomorrow is gonna be a brand new day!"
As the quartet filed in, the expansive classroom was clearly brimming with energy. Friends who had known each other for years were talking about the chances of ending up in the same team, while others who had rarely spoken before were beginning to chat with whoever they could.
Zasshu was the first to leave the quartet, beginning to make conversation with seemingly everyone in attendance. The remaining trio quickly found their seats near the top of the classroom, Hitode beginning to search the crowd for a certain head of pastel azure hair.
It didn't take long to find her target, however. The swirling iridescent crown and shroud was more than enough to give away Biteki Kosshi. That, and his current conversation with the turban clad boy beside him, Hosheki Setsuzoku.
"Using puppets feels cowardly to me, if you are incapable of fighting for yourself, then using a fill-in still won't help-" Biteki began to loudly explain, prompting Hosheki to blow the fringe of scarlet hair out of his eyes as he held up his hand.
"How many times are we going to have this conversation?" Hosheki contemplated getting up and walking away, but there was some magnetism to these conversations that kept him around. "Me using puppets is just like you using your little metal powders or weapons. It's just using a tool at your disposal."
Biteki's face scrunched up as he shook his head. "I don't think so. At least I'm the one still actively fighting. Once I take out your puppet, what's left then? You're too weak to fight."
"You're only one person. Enough puppets, or reinforcements, and the battle turns." Hosheki retorted.
"At the end of the day, how strong you are affects where you get placed in the world. If you rely on your puppets, then you won't make an impact." Biteki spoke matter-of-factly, looking around the classroom before his eyes settled on Zennou. "Speaking of."
Hosheki quickly moved to grab at Biteki's shroud, forgetting its composition for a moment as his hand simply slipped through. "Leave the guy alone, I'm sure you'll get an opportunity another day."
"I don't want another day." Biteki spat venom as he ascended the stairs, arrogant chartreuse eyes trained on the Senju boy. "Senju Zennou."
As the shrouded boy spoke, the classroom seemed to come to a silent standstill in anticipation for Biteki's next action.
"Kosshi Biteki," Zennou met Biteki's gaze, a calm smile resting upon his lips. "How can I help you?"
Holding his hand up, Biteki formed the Confrontation seal. "I want to challenge you to a sparring match."
"We have our graduation exams today, though?" Zennou's crimson brow arched.
"Yeah, did you grow a bunch of bones in the place where your brain is meant to be?" Hitode chimed in, a venomous smile barely hiding her hostility. "Maybe you should be more focused on graduating."
"That isn't a worry." Biteki didn't look down at Hitode. "After the exams then."
Zennou looked to the ceiling before nudging Midori. "What do you think?" The girl chuckled to herself, pointing between Biteki and Zennou before dragging her finger over her throat. "I don't know, Biteki stands as a powerful classmate of ours. But I don't feel like being loud anymore today."
Biteki's lips pulled into a prideful grin at Zennou's comment, but he remained focused on his response. "Is that a no?"
"Perhaps another day, Biteki. I'm sure the flames of ambition will bake the clay of your potential." Zennou spoke softly.
Biteki dropped his hand forming the seal, his hand balling into a fist.
"Oh, that's gotta sting. What is that, the fifth time you've been turned down?" Hitode lulled. "Well, maybe you'll get that fight one day. And when you do, I hope the full weight of your ego crushes you."
Midori quickly reached across Zennou and gave Hitode a high five, much to Biteki's scornful gaze.
"That's big talk from someone who lost." Biteki spat. "But I look forward to our eventual match, Zennou. I hope you won't disappoint."
Zennou nodded in agreement. "You as well, Biteki. I wish you luck and perseverance in your exam today."
Biteki sucked his teeth as he walked back to his seat beside Hosheki.
"Seriously, why do you say nice things to him?" Hitode quickly turned to Zennou, her face dropping in disbelief. "His ego is big enough without you singing his praise."
Zennou shrugged. "If a tree of jewels is told that it is lower than the flowering bushes, it retaliates by stealing their nutrients."
"Zennou, I love you, but…" Hitode slowly grabbed hold of her brother's shoulders before beginning to shake him. "I need you to speak like a normal person more often!"
As Zennou moved to explain, the door suddenly opened to reveal a slim man. The red spirals upon his cheeks and spiky bush of hair quickly identified the man as Choji Akimichi, their instructor. He held a stack of papers in his arms, gently setting them on the podium in the front of the room. "Good morning, class."
"Good morning, Choji-sensei!" Echoed the classroom, some clearly more enthusiastic about the day than others.
"As I'm sure you all are aware, we will be conducting your graduation exams today." Pausing for the cheering from the students, Choji couldn't help but smile at their spirit. "First, you all will be taking a written exam. This should cover your simple academic subjects along with a few open-ended questions based on strategies and tactics."
The immediate loss of energy by a majority of the class couldn't help but dampen Choji's spirit. "Come on, there's quite a bit of fun in that sort of test!" When that energy was not returned, the armour-clad man continued. "Afterwards, there will be individual practical exams. Everyone here will have an exam that suits them."
A drastic change from when he was a genin, but Choji recognized the importance of it nonetheless. Individuals like Rock Lee and Might Guy were prime examples of there needing to be more specific exams.
Not to mention, it made sure the students were advanced beyond simply being able to perform the most basic jutsu.
"Results should be ready in the upcoming week." Choji turned around to the podium and began to thumb through the stack of papers. "Now, I will begin to pass out the written exam."
As a trio of chuunin entered to aid in the exam administration, the tense excitement radiating from the students began to suffocate the room.
The jounin lounge was unusually peaceful today. There weren't any missions at the moment that weren't already taken. Freshly back from his mission at Uzushiogakure, all he had to do was wait for the results to come in and see what genin he'd be assigned to.
It was a simple day, which was rare. Leaning his head back, Hametsu Uchiha let out a deep breath and closed his eyes, pulling his white forehead protector over them. He could rest for the moment.
Suddenly, the sound of sniffling and the presence of a wet nose inspecting his pant leg roused him from any rest he'd hoped for. Lifting his forehead protector and opening his right eye revealed the presence of a trio of foxes. The two smaller members of the trio, one blue and one silver, were busy playing among themselves, while the larger burgundy fox watched him carefully while inspecting his scent.
Reaching down to pet the burgundy fox with his bandaged right arm, Hametsu looked for their master, who was undoubtedly fixing herself something to eat. "I didn't hear you come in, Kyuuki." His voice was smooth, flowing like honey.
Turning the corner, a tall woman with wisping brown hair revealed herself while carrying a bag of jerky. "That's the point, isn't it? Wouldn't be much of a shinobi if everyone heard me." Sitting down across from Hametsu, she quickly held out a hand of jerky to the two smaller foxes. "Aomaru, Midomaru, settle down."
The two quickly listened, each taking the food offered before laying down. However, the pair slowly continued to yip and chatter at each other in a muffled tone.
"None for Muramaru?" Hametsu asked, continuing to pet the burgundy fox despite its playful nipping at his hand.
"She's enjoying herself right now." Tossing over a piece of jerky, Hametsu caught it without looking. "You can treat her if you'd like though." Kyuuki leaned back into the couch, spreading out to take up an obscene amount of space.
The two continued to sit in silence, Hametsu finally pulling away and allowing Muramaru to return to her partner. The violent sound of a bag of jerky rustling continued to interrupt the peace, along with Kyuuki's extremely harsh chewing.
With his eyebrow beginning to tweak, Hametsu let out an exaggerated sigh. "I didn't expect you to be taking on students."
"You're one to talk." Kyuuki immediately shot back, her sharp voice laced with snark. "So it looks like we're both full of surprises."
Chuckling to himself, Hametsu gave a quick shake of his head. "You never change." Ignoring the scoff from Kyuuki, he continued. "It should be fun for the both of us though, we've got an interesting group this year."
"Yeah, it'll be interesting to teach some for once. I'll make sure mine are actually cut out for this." Kyuuki sealed the bag of jerky, a yawn escaping her. "Seems more and more like I get stuck on assignments with chuunin that only know the bare minimum."
"Is it that they know the bare minimum, or is it that things are getting harder and harder to prepare for?" The onyx-haired man asked, looking to the roof.
It seemed as if every other village was slowly getting bolder with their attacks and attempts at assassinations. Not only that, but the techniques and weapons being designed just seemed to get more heinous and advanced by the day.
Kyuuki ran her hands through her hair a few times as she shook her head. "I don't know. It just seems hit and miss on their skill. You either end up with someone that you can trust to take care of themselves or someone that you have to worry about swooping in to save."
"That's not fair to them. I'm sure you were that latter person at some point. Everyone is." Hametsu's gaze hardened, staring into her yellow eyes.
"That's rich coming from you." Kyuuki laughed, kicking his shin from her seat. "Regardless, I can't believe I'm saying it but I'm looking forward to raising these kids up right."
As the two began to descend into idle conversation, the lounge suddenly flooded with the sweet smell of nectar and floral blooms. Kyuuki visibly reeled at the intensity of the scent, while Hametsu seemed to appreciate it. "Setsu, is there no way for you to turn that down? I feel like I can smell you a mile away!"
Setsu Aburame snaked his way towards the couches, immediately laying down on the same couch as Hametsu. Adjusting his diamond-shaped glasses, he turned his head to face Kyuuki. "My insects enjoy the scent, so no. Besides, I think it is pleasant."
"It's sickening is what it is, feels like I just stepped into a flower shop." Kyuuki rolled her eyes. "When'd you get back from the Land of Trees?"
"A few days ago, I've just been isolating for a little bit before I got out again." Setsu let out a deep breath, gently crossing his hands over his grey trench coat. "That place is draining. The people there are so…intense."
"Well, you're also a foreign shinobi coming into their country, regardless if you were just passing through, they're gonna be wary of you." Hametsu remarked. "But you're right, Takigakure folk are…different."
Kyuuki snickered to herself as she waved her hands. "Hold on a second, you gotta be careful there! Don't forget that Ningyoushi girl is one of the students you could end up with."
Setsu looked to the ceiling, remembering the individual she was talking about. "Ningyoushi Midori, huh? Poor girl…" He grimaced as he thought of the Ningyoushi and Shiwasu of Takigakure.
Slowly humming to himself, Hametsu looked at Setsu. "Yo, Setsu, you're gonna be a group leader as well, aren't you?"
"It looks that way." Setsu bluntly stated, his deep voice muffled by the collar of his coat. "It'll be a change of pace, but I'm sure I can do it."
"If your smell doesn't run them off first." Kyuuki's face crinkled as she tried her best to take less breaths.
"You're always free to leave." Setsu fired back, once again looking at the Inuzuka. "I think the only ones I would worry about having are Tsunade's twins or that Kosshi kid."
The other two bobbed their heads from side to side as they thought of the three mentioned. Hametsu was the first to speak. "I suppose it would be intimidating to deal with the kid with the Eye of Six Paths. Regardless, someone has to train the next generation, so we'll just have to see who we get assigned."
Kyuuki took a few moments longer to think of the students. "Kosshi? That's the bonsai shop that sells mochi, isn't it?"
"Yes, their cherry mochi is amazing." A wave of hunger suddenly washed over Setsu as he thought of the store. "It's amazing that a civilian family could produce a boy like that."
Biteki Kosshi was one of the most watched members of the newest generation, but his attitude and tendency to challenge every single classmate of his to a sparring match was easily enough to worry any future teachers. Whatever he had to prove was likely proved long ago, but it didn't seem to be enough.
Still, it was often a spectacle for the jounin free in the lounge at that moment to gather and watch any sparring matches he initiated.
"Either of you know who all else is being assigned as team leaders? I need to know who I should tell my students to form rivalries with aside from you." Kyuuki suddenly asked, looking at Hametsu more than Setsu.
Sure enough, Hametsu began to rattle off names of various jounin who had been recommended to be team leaders for this class, going through various Uzumaki, Nara, Senju, and others.
However, the three that caught Kyuuki's attention the most were Menma Namikaze, Hinata Hyuuga, and most importantly, Shinwa Heikou, audibly gasping when Hametsu mentioned his name.
"Old Rainbow Scales is going to be a teacher?!" Kyuuki bolted up, causing her trio of foxes to jump to attention as well. "That's who I'm telling my kids to pummel!"
"Kyuuki, that's rude, he's only three years older than us, don't call him old." Setsu chided. "You don't call Hametsu a child."
Kyuuki immediately quirked a jagged eyebrow. "Yes, I do. It's the only way I can feel superiority over him."
Hametsu chuckled to himself, looking to the ground. "Shinwa is easily the most excited about being a teacher. On the other hand, I expect Hinata to fail her students and send them back to the academy. It'll keep her from having to deal with children."
"Has she done that before?" Setsu craned his head to look up at Hametsu from his lounging position.
"No, but I expect it out of her." The confession came quick enough to earn a cackle from Kyuuki. Doubling over on herself, she clutched her core before reaching into her bag of jerky and shoveling a handful into her mouth.
Looking over at Hametsu, she quickly tossed him a piece for making her laugh. The room fell silent as the inhabitants watched to see what Hametsu would do. Without breaking eye contact with Kyuuki, Hametsu grabbed the jerky and began to chew it.
"Didn't think you'd accept being treated like a pet." Setsu stated, looking back to the ceiling with a yawn.
"I'm just not one to turn down free food." Hametsu quickly said. "It's not being treated like a pet, it's just…accepting a gift."
Kyuuki hummed, eyes narrowing on the crimson-clad Uchiha. "Whatever you need to tell yourself."
Dismissively waving off Kyuuki, Hametsu let out a groan as he finally stood up. "Suppose I should go make sure I have everything prepared for my team tomorrow."
As his hand reached for the door, it suddenly swung open to reveal the yellow serpentine eyes of Shinwa Heikou, who quickly shook his head of curling purple hair out of his face and flashed a fanged smile at the taller man. "Leaving as soon as I get here, Hametsu?"
"Rainbow Scales!" Kyuuki cheered from the couch. "When did you decide to take on a squad?"
Shinwa looked past Hametsu to answer the call of the Inuzuka. "Since they began looking for squad leaders. I can't wait for tomorrow, I've been unable to sleep over the anticipation of getting my own squad for once!"
Beginning to enter, Shinwa slipped by Hametsu who lingered in the doorway before finally deciding to stick around. The clack of his geta alerted Kyuuki's foxes as he walked by, before taking a seat next to the woman.
"Were you ever part of a genin squad in the first place?" Setsu asked, causing Kyuuki to chuckle at the bluntness.
Shinwa scratched the side of his pale face, beginning to think of the past. "As a matter of fact…" The three jounin quickly leaned closer before Shinwa clapped his hands together. "Nope! I just learned everything I needed from Orochimaru-sama. After he thought I was ready, I just started going on missions with him or Kabuto. Once I became a chuunin, I just spent my time working between here and Otogakure."
"Man, so you don't even get what it's like to have those bonds with your teammates for life?" Kyuuki mused. "That sucks for you."
"I wouldn't say that. My family were essentially my teammates." Shinwa lulled in his husky tone.
"One's dead and one is a missing-nin." Setsu interrupted, earning a quick gasp from Kyuuki, immediately looking between the Aburame and the serpentine man.
However, Shinwa merely laughed it off. "Suppose you're right, so much for those bonds, huh?" Letting out a drawn out sigh, the purple-haired man couldn't help but reminisce on his adoptive parent and adoptive brother. "Orochimaru-sama wouldn't have wanted us to grieve for his death. He had reached an end he was satisfied with, so Kabuto and I simply honoured him how he would have most appreciated."
Hametsu spoke in a low tone. "Have you heard from Kabuto since he left?"
"I haven't. He didn't leave on the highest notes though, so I will leave him to his own devices." Shinwa gave a warm smile to the man. "Besides, Otogakure is in good hands even without him. Kimimaro and Jugo have done well leading it these past two years."
"Well, maybe fate will have it and you'll find him while leading your genin." Hametsu remarked. "Hopefully he isn't too far gone to try and attack them."
"I wouldn't let that happen." Despite the smile still present on his face, the sheer venom in Shinwa's tone immediately put everyone on edge. Just as quickly as the room grew thick with tension did it fade. "Besides! If I train my genin right, they'll be able to hold their own against him easily one day."
Setsu began to shuffle as he finally rose from his lounging position. "Well, I have to be going. I've been craving mochi since we discussed the Kosshi family. I will see you all around."
"I could've given you some-" Kyuuki began to say before noticing that she had managed to empty the bag during their conversation. "I guess that's the end of my time here as well. Come on, you three, let's get home!"
Whistling sharply, the three foxes jumped to attention as they prepared to leave. Pushing past Setsu to leave first, she stopped in the doorway and turned to face the trio of jounin. "You three better raise your kids up to be something special, 'cause I'm gonna make sure my kids work to be better than anyone else's."
Setsu pinched his brow as the taller woman left. "She gives me a headache. I suppose I'll get some mochi for the students tomorrow." He began to walk away, although Hametsu could barely hear him mutter, "That'll be awkward if the Kosshi kid is in my team though."
The two sat silently smiling at each other, waiting for Setsu to close the door as they made sure there was no one else in the lounge. Slowly, Hametsu's smile dropped first, staring down Shinkou. "No signs of him at all?"
"None. If I had to guess, he's off somewhere gathering new genetic samples. He always had a knack for combining genes." Shinwa's citrine eyes had grown sharp, but his smile remained present. "I wouldn't worry about it, though. If he rears his head, I'll take care of him."
"Are you sure you can do that?" Hametsu stared into Shinwa's very spirit, his eyes unwavering as he looked for the slightest bit of hesitancy. "It can be easy to say you'll be able to handle someone close to you until it comes to pass."
Shinwa chuckled for a moment, the sickeningly sweet tone of it making Hametsu's hairs stand on end. "Kabuto may have been like my brother, but he is not close to me. I don't think there is anyone I keep further out of arm's reach than him."
"If you say so." Hametsu's tone hardened, his head bowing as he leaned back. "But if you can't do it, don't mistake me. I will kill Yakushi Kabuto without hesitation if he is a danger to this village."
Shinwa nodded as he stood to his feet, pulling the purple cord taut tied behind his back and smoothing out the creases of his pale kimono. "I'm sure you would, Hametsu, but you needn't worry about it. I'll take those matters into my own hands if needed."
"I hope so." Hametsu finally spoke in a softer tone, standing as well before yawning. Giving a quick stretch, he began to walk for the door. "Well, if Kyuuki is anything to go by, this is the end of our friendship. Here's to a never-ending rivalry between us and our students."
Giving a curt wave, Hametsu was already out of the doorway before Shinwa could answer, leaving the serpentine man by himself.
Looking around, Shinwa noticed the crumbs and scraps of jerky that were left over the couch. With a sigh, he grabbed the nearby broom and dustpan, taking to cleaning the area.
"What a mess we have here."
"Hibana Zasshu."
The mahogany skinned boy jumped from his chair outside the room, already in the door before the proctor had finished calling his name.
"Present!" Zasshu excitedly stated. The written exam had gone pretty fast, regardless of the fact that he wasn't sure about a chunk of his answers. But he followed with what his gut had said the first time, and didn't plan on changing the answers.
It sure had been boring just sitting in the classroom while everyone else took their time on the exam though.
Choji smiled at the boy's usual energetic attitude, looking down at his notes for Zasshu's practical exam. Easily among the fastest in the class, gifted in Lightning Release, which was to be expected given his heritage from Kumogakure.
With a set of targets lined up in the room, they planned to focus on the boy's strength just as they had done for everyone else, before also going over any big potential weaknesses previously shown in class to note any progress.
"Alright, Zasshu, to start off, give us a demonstration on your current shuriken usage." Choji instructed. It wasn't so much to deal with his bukijutsu skills, but moreso, his capability to flow chakra into the tools.
Nodding exaggeratedly, Zasshu reached into the pouch on his right side. Wedging three shurikens between his fingers, he tensed his fingers around them for a few moments. Slowly, an aura of electricity began to envelop them.
With a whip of his hand, the shuriken soared towards a target at the end of the line, already riddled with a number of weapons. However, the electrified shuriken sheared through the target's hay body, embedding themselves in the wall behind it.
"Very good, Zasshu. Now, how about showing us some of your usage with lightning chakra?" Choji continued, scribbling down notes and marks on the grading paper.
Zasshu took a deep breath, his warm smile remaining on his face as he placed his hands together. Running through the series of seals in his brain, he nodded to himself.
He would be a genin. He would.
Bird, Snake, Monkey, Ram.
Lightning Release: Lightning Ball!
Suddenly, several orbs of lightning burst to life around the boy. Lingering for just a moment, they proceeded to shoot towards the targets.
With his hand shooting into his pouch, Zasshu grabbed a series of kunai from his bag. Much faster than during his shuriken demonstration, each that entered his hand was immediately charged with lightning chakra.
Wasting no time, he launched the charged kunai through the orbs of lightning, the two sources of electricity merging and rocketing through the targeting dummies.
"I'm not done yet!" Launching himself towards a dummy in the center of the line, he held his arms out in a lariat. As soon as the "head" of the dummy made contact with the crook of his elbow, a flash of lightning chakra surged through his body, effortlessly powering his arm through the dummy's head.
Letting out a deep breath, Zasshu's smile returned to him, breathing slightly heavier than before.
Choji couldn't help but be proud of the boy, he had been his student for far less time than most others, but he still was always the most excited to learn and improve.
He was proud of all of his students.
"That was a great demonstration, Zasshu, your training has been paying off." Choji gave the boy a kind smile before looking down to the grading sheet.
Beaming with pride, Zasshu gained his second wind as he bowed. "Thank you, Choji-sensei. I have been trying my best."
Choji nodded as he finished writing on the paper, slowly rising to his feet. "Okay, I'm going to arrange these targets around the room. There is a specific order to them that you will have to tag them in, and your goal is to tag them each as fast as possible in whatever way you see fit, but in the correct order."
"Understood!" Zasshu practically shouted, vibrating with excitement as he watched Choji effortlessly pick up the training dummies and move them around the room.
He wasn't completely sure how he was supposed to tell the order he was supposed to strike them in, so instead he just made note of the order Choji moved the dummies, considering Choji hadn't asked him to step out so as to not see the order he rearranged them.
Finally, Choji finished moving the last dummy, the now headless one, and returned to his chair in the back of the room. "Alright, Zasshu, your time starts…" He held up a stopwatch before hitting the button. "Now."
Immediately, Zasshu bolted around the room in blinding speed, landing some form of kick or punch on each dummy in exactly the order Choji had moved them. Coming to a stop in the center of the room, he beamed a wide smile.
"While that was extremely quick, Zasshu," Choji had already stopped the stopwatch as soon as Zasshu had hit the last dummy, marking the short time it had taken the boy. "You didn't hit them in the right order. If you'll notice, there were numbers at the base of every dummy."
"Dang it, I knew that was too simple to be the answer!" Zasshu reprimanded himself for his decision on the striking order.
Chuckling, Choji held his hand up. "It's okay, but this is one of the main things we've noticed during your time at the Academy. While your speed is impressive, as well as your usage of Lightning Release, you tend to get tunnel vision and too hyperactive at times. It's important to think while zipping around, otherwise you may endanger a teammate by triggering an opponent reaction or trap."
"I understand…" Zasshu spoke in a dejected tone, looking at the ground as he feared the worst.
"That being said, your skills are definitely worthy of being a genin." Choji smiled as his student's bubbly attitude returned, the boy's head snapping upwards with a wide grin. "You have passed the practical exam, and the final results will be available within the week."
The speed at which Zasshu zipped around the room was immeasurable, managing to hug Choji and proceed to celebrate in mere moments before throwing a quick, "Thank you so much!" as he bolted out of the door.
Shaking his head, Choji placed Zasshu's grading sheet to the side and began to reset the room for the next student.
"Kosshi Biteki." Choji called from the examination room.
Standing to his feet, the enshrouded boy pushed the bangs of his fluffy azure hair back, his hands passing harmlessly through the shifting iridescent crown. Walking into the room, it was clear that even though they were nearing the halfway mark of their class, the room had been thoroughly battered by demonstrations.
Sitting next to Choji was a pale-eyed woman with long black hair. "Welcome in, Biteki. This is Hyuuga Touiyume, she will be here to assist with your practical examination. At any point during the examination, she may attempt to perform genjutsu on you. Your goal is to notice it beforehand and defend against it, or if you are unable to do so, break the genjutsu as fast as you can."
Biteki gave a curt nod. "That will be easy."
Choji gave a smile and a nod back, holding back a sigh at the boy's remark. He knew that genjutsu was his weakness, what he didn't seem to think about was that hubris and how it seemed to blind him. "Alright, let's begin with taijutsu. Give us a demonstration of your current taijutsu prowess on any of the targets."
Biteki's sharp chartreuse eyes glanced at the battered targets, which had only been replaced a few participants ago. Stifling a yawn, Biteki quickly sprinted towards the nearest dummy.
With a flurry of hits to what would be the vitals on the dummy, his hand suddenly pierced through the torso of the target before a series of sharp bones erupted outwards.
His hand still embedded in the impaled target, Biteki swung the dummy around to the next closest one. At the last possible moment, the bones retreated into Biteki's embedded arm, allowing the dummies to collide with each other before another bone speared out of the boy's elbow, piercing both targets.
Swiping his foot under the base of both dummies, Biteki slammed the pierced dummies into the ground with the protruding bone of his elbow.
Withdrawing the sharpened bone, Biteki returned to a neutral position, eyes glancing at the Hyuuga for just a moment before looking to Choji. "Will that suffice?"
"Yes, Biteki, that was an excellent demonstration." Choji gave a short applause as he wrote down a few notes in the grading paper.
The truth was, there were quite a few members of the class that had no need to go through this exam. Everyone had known they were easily material to be genin for quite a while. But exceptions couldn't be made for them, they still had to take the exam just as the rest of their class.
What Choji never understood is why those students never tried graduating earlier. They had been told of the opportunity, they simply never sought it.
"Alright, let's go over your current ninjutsu prowess. Again, give a demonstration however you see fit." Choji gestured at the remaining dummies scattered about the room with his hand.
Biteki smirked as he looked around the room, the iridescent shroud around him writhing with malice. Suddenly, the shroud separated and began to stick pieces against every dummy in the room.
Reaching into the pouch on the left side of his dull pink pants, he pulled out a handful of kunai. Tossing them in the air, he quickly formed a half-ram seal with his left hand, causing the kunai to blitz through the air at the assorted dummies as they became attracted to the iridescent powder attached to the dummies.
Folding his arms on opposite sides of his body with his hands outstretched, the targets that had been marked by powder quickly flew towards Biteki before being impaled upon a number of bones that erupted from his body.
Biteki's face tensed for a moment before ripping his arms away to slam his hands on the ground, causing a number of crystalline spikes to tear through the ground and impale the dummies.
'Damn it. I should've been able to do that without an initiation.' Biteki clicked his teeth as he slowly recalled the pieces of his iridescence powder and removed the crystal spikes from the room, the scowl on his face telling Choji all he needed to know.
"That was great, Biteki. Your training has been paying off, I see." Choji praised the boy, a slight chuckle escaping him. "I just wish you wouldn't get most of that training from fighting your classmates sometimes."
Biteki's prideful grin returned to him as he thought of his classmates, and how few stood close to his level. A violent itch still sat in the back of his mind due to Zennou's deferment of their match, but he would have that fight one day.
"I'd hardly say that my classmates provide much training when sparring with them." Biteki's voice was laced with arrogance. "I've mainly focused on training by myself recently. THough, my Crystal Release usage is lacking because I haven't begun training it."
Quickly forming a series of Horse, Ox, Boar, and snake seals, a bone began to extend from Biteki's left forearm before becoming encased in a thick amber crystal. "It's easy to use it to supplement my-"
He sensed the activation of the Hyuuga's Byakugan before he could put up his defenses. Within a moment, a wave of fatigue washed over him, causing him to begin to fall to the ground.
Flooding his chakra through his body, Biteki released the genjutsu, catching himself right before he hit the wooden floor. Regaining his footing, the boy dissolved the crystals around the bone in his arm.
The sound of ripped skin and flesh slowly piecing itself back together as the bone retreated into Biteki's body made Choji wince ever so slightly. Biteki shot a venomous glance at Touiyume before looking back at his teacher, refusing to say a word.
"While you were able to break the genjutsu quickly, you still allowed yourself to get caught in it by not paying heed to the threat of it being presented to you at the start of the exam." Choji explained, brow furrowed as he looked at Biteki. "Your potential is exponential, Biteki, don't get me wrong, but if you continue to get so ahead of yourself and think yourself invincible, you're going to get yourself, or your teammate, in danger."
Biteki's lip twitched for a moment, breathing becoming drawn out. Of course the head of the Akimichi clan would talk down to him and tell him that he was getting ahead of himself and that he was going to put someone in danger.
Leave it to someone from a clan to tell him how he wasn't good enough.
"I understand." Biteki hissed the words through his teeth, the venom still present within his tone.
Choji marked down a few notes on the grading sheet before setting it to the side. "That being said, you easily have the potential to be a genin, as I'm sure you already know. You have passed the practical exam."
As soon as the words left Choji's mouth, Biteki turned on his heel, walking out of the room without a word. A sigh escaped the Akimichi man, slowly shaking his head.
"That boy…if only he could see past that wall of his…" Standing from his chair, he moved to reset whatever salvageable dummies there were. Looking at Touiyume, he gave a sheepish laugh. "Before you go…you don't mind helping me out, do you?"
"Ningyoushi Midori!"
Zennou and Hitode both patted the green-haired girl as she silently rose to her feet. "You're gonna do great, Midori!" Hitode gave a quick word of encouragement as the girl gave a nonchalant thumbs up.
"You'll surpass his expectations with ease." Zennou added, once again giving his best version of a smile. Nodding at her adoptive siblings, Midori walked into the room.
Choji did a quick double-take as the girl walked in, never fully becoming used to the effects of her Non-Person Technique placed upon her. If she wasn't directly in front of you, most wouldn't know she was there.
A perfect assassin, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl's forced muteness from it. The class had collectively become quite skilled at understanding her meanings without much elaboration through the years though.
"Okay, Midori, how about we start with your genjutsu usage?" Choji said softly, looking at his grading sheet.
Suddenly, he heard the whipping of wind as a pair of kunai flew past his face, followed by the thick scent of cherry blossoms. Turning around, he noted a number of petals stuffed into the ring of the kunai.
When he turned back to face Midori, she had vanished. Grabbing hold of his pen to begin writing, he found that it dissolved into pink leaves. Nodding to himself, Choji formed a seal in his right hand and dispelled the genjutsu.
Just as quickly as he dispelled it, however, the sound of Midori's bells in her hair rang through the air. Suddenly, standing in front of him was Midori. Then a second. Then four. Then eight. Until the room was full of Midoris.
With a shake of their head, the bells in their hair all rang out at once, the synchronized ringing becoming deafening.
Dispelling the genjutsu, Choji gave a quick applause. "That was fantastic, Midori, it takes a decent amount of skill to perform genjutsu. I see your lessons with Kurenai and Mirai have been beneficial." Choji hummed as he was reminded of his teacher's child who would soon be taking this exam herself.
Mirai may have been a few years younger, but that girl had already been making quite the stir in her class. Despite her mother being unable to use genjutsu, she was undoubtedly a good teacher of it.
Midori's skill was evidence enough for that. To use genjutsu on inexperienced shinobi was one thing, but being able to use it on him was another, even if he had been expecting it and letting his defenses down some.
"Next, I'd like to see how your tool usage has advanced." Choji gave a quick gesture to the newly replaced target dummies.
Her right hand reaching into the pouch in the center of her lower back, Midori quickly tossed a handful of kunai at the target. However, each missed the dummies, instead hitting the wall in various places.
"Oh, well, that was still very quick on the draw. Your tool usage will-" As Choji was beginning to commend the girl, she held up her left hand's pointer finger. With her right hand still outstretched, she closed her extended fingers, tightening the wires attached to the kunai.
As the wires quickly wrapped around the base of the target, she pulled her hands together to begin forming seals.
Dog, Dragon, Rat, Ram.
Lightning Release: Spider Web!
Immediately, electricity surged through the wires and began to char the wooden base with the voltage. It was weak, she knew that much, but it did well for immobilization. Plus, it worked better on living targets. But she hadn't worked much on her ninjutsu admittedly lately, she could recognize that.
Choji, however, had been fairly impressed by the girl's concealed usage of wires. While it wasn't too much of a surprise, considering the Shiwasu's treatment of the Ningyoushi clan in Takigakure, she was naturally suited to much of the stealthier combat approaches.
"An efficient usage of wires with electricity, Midori! Can you show me some of your taijutsu skills?" Choji asked, writing down notes in her bukijutsu section.
Looking up, he watched Midori dash towards the same target she had entrapped in wires. While she moved and struck fast, her hits against the dummy barely pushed it around, leaving no impact marks.
Nodding to himself, Choji finished scribbling down notes. "That's good enough, Midori! While your speed could be very useful in taijutsu matches, your strength isn't the highest. You could see about enhancing your strength with chakra if you'd like, as taijutsu can always be a method to fall back on when you're low on chakra."
Midori pursed her lips for a moment before shaking her head. Pulling her kunai from the wall, she replaced them in her pouch while slowly rolling her wires back into their spool.
"Well, regardless, congratulations, Ningyoushi Midori! You have passed the practical exam." Choji gave a thumbs up to the girl. "The final results will be out within-" As the man trailed off, Midori gave a peace sign and walked out of the door. 'These kids are so ready to be out of here…'
In the hallway, Midori gave a quick high-five to Zennou and Hitode. Quickly signing that she was headed to Kurenai's before giving a wave, she then broke into a sprint for the woman's house.
There weren't many left in the line as Hitode looked down the row of students still seated. There was her, Zennou, Hosheki, and five others past him. She could only imagine how exhausted Choji was from grading exams all day long.
While a decent amount of the class had been passed, given their reactions, there were also quite a few that seemed to have either failed or been given criticism they didn't want to hear. While the written exam and the practical exam were said to be equal, it was commonly accepted that the practical exam was far more important. It was one thing to know about something and how it worked, but having the ability to defend or perform those same techniques was another.
Times had changed, genin weren't allowed to proceed by simply knowing a Clone Technique and a Transformation Technique. She had heard plenty of her mother's discussions with the Sixth Hokage when he was still in office, she knew that sending out genin who only knew performed at the bare minimum level would end in their deaths.
Even then some jounin still performed tests on their students in order to determine if they were fit to be genin even after the two-part graduation exam.
Only when tensions got high were the requirements eased so as to increase the numbers. That hadn't happened in a handful of years though.
"Senju Hitode!"
Jumping to her feet, Hitode tightened her dual-coloured ponytail before patting her brother on the shoulder. "Wish me luck!"
"May fortune favour you, although fortune is created purely by the efforts of our own actions." With a thumbs up placed awkwardly in front of his smiling face, Zennou watched as his sister disappeared into the examination room.
From beside him, Hosheki nudged the crimson-haired boy. "Zennou, sometimes it's better to just say, "Good luck!" with a smile and leave it at that."
Nodding slightly, Zennou leaned his head into the examination room with his thumbs up still outstretched in front of his face. "Good luck!"
Hitode shook her head with a smile upon her face. Her brother was something special, but if there was one thing she hoped for, it was that being in a team would help him learn social skills.
"Alright, Hitode," Choji spoke, shuffling through papers. He was clearly tired, his mane of hair disheveled and his eyes half shut. "Let's start with the basics. How about you show me your current skill with taijutsu?"
"No problem!" Hitode ran towards the nearby dummies, her first hit against one managing to cause it to burst into hay. Picking up the stand it was attached to, she swung in a circle before tossing it into a set of other dummies, blasting them apart as well.
'She's definitely got her mother's strength…' Choji remarked to himself as he watched the girl unleash a number of controlled blows against another target, grappling it before ultimately causing it to fall apart as well with a punch to the center.
"That'll definitely do, Hitode. Let's go over your medical ninjutsu." Reaching into the desk, he pulled out a small doll that had only seen use a few times that day. After all, medical ninjutsu was far from easy for genin to perform. "There is an object within the doll. Your goal is to remove it and repair the doll with medical ninjutsu."
Being made from a synthetic skin material designed by the medical-nin corps for training, it would respond to medical ninjutsu just as a real body would.
Stepping up to the desk, Hitode looked down at the doll with a certain bored expression. She had been practicing medical ninjutsu since as long as she could remember. Her mother had practically turned her into her spitting image.
Everywhere she went, she was "Just like Lady Tsunade!" and compared exclusively to her.
For everything that Zennou did deal with, he never had to deal with that constant comparison. It was one of the few things she envied about him.
Holding up her right hand, she quickly formed a chakra scalpel and cut into the doll. Immediately noting that the object was purposefully entangled with the internal stuffing of the doll, she began to focus her chakra into the innards with her left hand.
Slowly, the object began to detach and untangle itself from the stuffing, until she was able to carefully remove it, quickly performing the Mystical Palm Technique with her left hand to close the wound.
Setting the object down on the desk, Hitode quickly stepped back. "Was that good enough?"
"Absolutely, Hitode." Choji gave a warm smile, marking down the performance on her grading sheet. There wasn't much else to her exam, if he was being honest. Hitode had always been fairly well-rounded, covering her bases pretty well.
Her ninjutsu had never been a big focus, but she performed it well in class when asked to. Her hand seal usage wasn't particularly fast, but she rarely used techniques that required them. Humming to himself, he thought about any glaring points that the girl needed to address.
Meanwhile, Hitode watched as the man sat in silence, clearly thinking of any other trials he could put her through. She could only imagine that he was running through a list of skills that her mother had been known to possess, seeing if there were any that she could replicate.
Finally, the armour-clad man shook his head. He was getting tired, but he knew that the end of the exam was nearing, so he had to stay sharp. "That was all I needed to see, Hitode. You have passed the practical exam. The results should be available within the week once the written exams are all graded."
"Awesome, I can't wait. Do we still come to class in order to know when the grading is all finished?" Hitode asked.
Immediately, Choji's face grew flushed. Had he forgotten to tell everyone else about that? Surely he had mentioned it at some point. If he hadn't…he sure hoped someone else had. "Yes, still come to the Academy every day as normal."
"Alright then, thank you, Choji-sensei!" Hitode waved as she exited the room. Turning to face her sitting brother, she gave a thumbs up. "Too easy!"
Zennou leaned back with a smile on his face. "It's to be expected, your skill has been honed for years."
Hitode nodded as she sat down beside him. "He'll probably call you in just a moment. You've got this, I don't even know why they are bothering to test you."
From the opposite side of Zennou, Hosheki groaned. "Tell me about it, I have to follow you?! Anything I do is gonna seem like nothing compared to that."
"You can go first if you'd like, Hosheki. I'm sure that your skill would dazzle regardless of if you followed me or not, puppetry is the art of creating life from nothing after all." Zennou's head slowly turned to stare directly into Hosheki's soul as he spoke, forcing goosebumps to emerge on his skin.
"What a creepy dude…" Hosheki gave a shaky smile as he stood to his feet. "S-Sure, I'll go first." Straightening out his purple cloak, his hands frantically patted down his body as he checked the scrolls containing his puppets.
Hitode huffed as she stretched out. "Alright, I guess I can stick around longer then, Zennou. I was hoping we could get home and get something to eat."
"I just would rather Hosheki get the chance to feel more comfortable while showing his talents." Zennou explained, shrugging. "You're welcome to head home if you'd like, it won't be much longer until I finish."
Ruffling her brother's hair, she was greeted by the smell of lilies and a hollow ringing. "It's okay, I don't know how often we'll have to hang out after this after all."
As the shuffling inside of the room finally came to an end, a call came out. "Senju Zennou!"
Instead, Hosheki took a deep breath before walking into the room. "Sorry, Choji-sensei, Zennou let me go before him."
"Oh," Choji quickly moved through the remaining exams and pulled out Hosheki's while setting Zennou's to the side. "That works too, I suppose. Alright, Setsuzoku Hosheki. Let's begin with your Puppet Technique."
Nodding, Hosheki quickly reached behind him and pulled a red scroll from his lower back. Unraveling it, he placed the palm of his hand on the seal and dispelled it. With a cloud of smoke, a stag-like puppet had emerged. It had jagged metal antlers, and where one would logically guess there to be hooves, there were hooked blades.
However, the most unnerving thing about the four-legged puppet was the fact that it seemed to be covered in sinew and tendons.
Holding up his left hand, five chakra threads immediately shot out and connected to the puppet. 'Oshika is more useful for showing my talents in the exam. Sorry, Aomushi.'
Flexing his fingers, he made sure that each part of Oshika moved properly before suddenly making the puppet charge the nearby dummies. The rack of antlers suddenly expanded outwards, before snapping inwards on a target, trapping it while simultaneously impaling it upon the bladed horns.
Dragging his index finger back, the head slowly seemed to creep through the sinew before positioning itself in the center of the torso. Closing each finger except for his index caused the legs to suddenly swing around and hook the jagged feet into the target's body.
As Hosheki began to slowly reset Oshika's form and remove the dummy from its antlers, he looked to Choji. "Due to Oshika's composition, I can also use medical ninjutsu to repair any tears on the protective sinews and muscles surrounding its frame." Holding out his right hand towards Choji, five chakra threads shot into the man. "I may not have the highest chakra reserves, but I can mitigate that by sapping chakra from my opponents."
Sure enough, Choji began to feel the distinct sensation of chakra being siphoned away from him through the chakra threads.
'I may not be as good at medical ninjutsu as Hitode either, but at least I'm able to do it.' Hosheki thought to himself as he walked over to Oshika. Disconnecting the threads from Choji, the turban-clad boy held his right hand out towards the back of the puppet, a green aura enveloping his palm.
Slowly, the musculature of the back began to tighten and reform themselves to look good as new.
Choji let out a short breath as he wrote on Hosheki's sheet as quickly as possible, doing his best to keep up with the developments the boy demonstrated. As Hosheki resealed Oshika in its scroll, he waited for Choji's next instruction.
Slamming down the pen, the Akimichi looked up at his student with tired eyes. "Very demonstrative, Hosheki, that covered just about every base I had on your exam. However, do you care to demonstrate any progress with taijutsu or close-quarter combat using any tools?"
Hosheki shook his head. "I can tell you now that it wouldn't be anything different from any of my showings in class. I know my strengths as a puppet user, and I know the limitations of my own body. While I may be faster, if my hits do nothing, then it'll only expend my own energy. That is where I will have to let my teammates cover me in that aspect."
Choji had to resist the urge to beam with pride. The boy was as analytical as ever, it often seemed as though he had a strategy for everything he did. While there were plenty that had been wary of him for being a Sunagakure immigrant, the boy's tact would be a massive asset to the Leaf.
"Alright then, Hosheki. In that case, you've passed the practical exam. Continue coming to class like usual, but the final results will be out within the week." Choji had grown tired of smiling but he forced one all the same. He was proud of all of his students for how much they had grown over the years, even those that had only just begun making progress.
"Thank you, Choji-sensei." Hosheki slid Oshika's scroll back into its holster on his back, silently turning to leave. He couldn't help but take deep breaths as his brain began to race with what came next, who he could possibly be paired with, what he would focus on training, and more as he walked out of the doors. "Best of luck, Zennou!"
The wavy hair of the Senju brother gave way to allow for Zennou's Rinnegan to stare into Hosheki's soul. "Thank you, Hosheki. May you create fortune in your next ventures." Holding his thumb up in front of his face, he flashed a smile. "Good luck!"
With a shudder, Hosheki nodded as he continued on his way. He knew the guy was trying his best, but it was seriously freaky that someone so powerful at their age was also that…existential. The kid spoke like a prophet half the time.
"Senju Zennou!" In much less time than before, Choji called in the purple eyed boy.
Standing to his feet, Zennou stretched his lanky frame upwards. Placing his hands on either side of his exposed midriff, he gave a quick pop of his back before entering the room. "Hello, Choji-sensei. I hope the constant grading has not been too exhausting on you today."
"It's definitely been a long day, Zennou, but there isn't much left." Choji admitted as he looked at the grading sheet for the boy that had, admittedly, been mostly blank. He felt no need in him having to do this, but he wasn't going to give him special treatment regardless of that. "I know you are skilled in your Summoning Ninjutsu, but let me see your current usage of the Nature Transformations with ninjutsu."
Zennou nodded as he tossed aside the scale-like jacket that had been cropped at his midriff, leaving his torso covered in a sleeveless mesh shirt that cut off at the same area.
He hadn't grasped majority of the abilities of his Rinnegan, but he vaguely knew what they were. The Animal Path had been the first of its abilities that he understood, beginning to use it when he was still young. But this path, he had only training for the past few years.
His shoulders seemed to erratically bubble and shift before two more arms erupted from either side. The two freshly sprouted limbs on his left shoulder formed a Tiger seal.
Earth Release: Earth Flow River!
Suddenly, a dummy in front of him began to become submerged in mud. The arms that sprouted from his right shoulder began to form a Tiger seal at the same time as his natural set of hands forming a series of seals.
Tiger, Ox, Dog, Rabbit, Snake.
Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
Pushing his natural hands out towards the dummy at the same time as he exhaled a draconic head of fire, a massive gust of wind merged with the flames in a powerful combination as they struck the thoroughly mud-covered target, a cloud of smoke surrounding the site for a moment.
However, as the smoke settled, the mud had been thoroughly baked into thick clay, rigid and refusing to allow the dummy stand to move despite the target itself being nearly incinerated.
'Amazing. So this is thanks to the Eyes of the Sage…' Choji watched the boy breathlessly as he retracted the additional arms back into his shoulder. Writing down some notes that did little to capture what the boy had actually done. "That was amazing, Zennou." He contemplated telling the boy that he didn't actually have much of an exam for him and just allowing him to head out.
But that wouldn't be fair. "Let's go back to the basics though, just in case those eyes of yours have taken you away from doing things like that." Choji gave a forced chuckle before clearing his throat. "Can you perform the Clone Technique?"
Zennou gave a curt nod, forming the seals for the technique. With a puff of smoke, suddenly there was a second Zennou beside him.
"Of course, just had to make sure you-" As Choji began to speak, his voice only dulled out in Zennou's ears.
He looked at the clone across from him.
The clone looked back.
Was that him?
Was he who he was?
They were both Zennou, but that couldn't be, there was only Zennou.
Which one was the real Zennou?
Even if he was the one who just made that Zennou, what if there was another that had made him?
Was he even real?
The clone's hand twitched, an arm forming out of his right shoulder and splitting apart to reveal machinery inside that began to whir to life.
As the glowing cannon of an arm aimed at Zennou, he tensed his core, causing it to unravel in a serrated saw of a blade, impaling it through the clone and causing it to dispel.
His ringed eyes seemed to dart back and forth as he regained himself. He was Senju Zennou. There was no other. There was only himself.
Looking back at his teacher, he gave a sharp breath. "Apologies, Choji-sensei. I felt the spur of a desire to "be loud" and wished to demonstrate the abilities of the Asura Path."
"I see." Choji watched Zennou closely, having seen the look upon the boy's face as he and his clone seemed to target each other. "It is a powerful ability, so I recommend being careful so as to not endanger your allies or yourself." Pointedly looking at the boy, he nodded. "Well, with that being said, you have passed the practical exam. Make sure to still come in like usual, but results should be finalized within the week."
"Thank you, Choji-sensei. I will see you tomorrow." Zennou spoke quietly, heart still racing as his eyes remained focused on the floor. Picking up his cropped scale-mail jacket, Shinkirou's opalescent scales giving a wondrous quality to the clothing, Zennou walked out of the room without a word. "Let's head home, Hitode."
Hitode jumped up and gave her brother a hug. "We did it, Zennou, we're gonna be genin!"
"Yeah…" Zennou had to remind himself to blink as he continued to stare at the floor. His breathing slowly began to return to normal, and he found himself regaining his composure.
"Our tale has started its next chapter."
Hello everyone! My name is Eden'sGrace and this is a story that I adopted from my dear friend NirvanasDemise, who allowed me to adopt it for a few reasons, but ultimately to give it another chance at life! While the original story, "Through The Looking Glass" starts later into the timeline, it will no longer play out the exact same as that. I instead opted to start in the genin years so as to better acquaint myself with any characters submitted.
Furthermore, I will be merging aspects of the Genjutsu World from Road to Ninja and the Canon World in this universe, taking pieces from the latter while mainly using the former as the largest base foundation for the universe. This story takes place roughly 10 years following the events of Road to Ninja, with the Konoha 12 being roughly 26-27.
The form and rules are going to be on my profile, and the deadline will be January 1st! Best of luck, and I can't wait to see your characters.