'Something is not right here.' Hiruzen thought with a slight frown as he watched Naruto explaining his theory to Karin as the two were followed out of the room by Jiraiya, subtly gesturing at his ANBU to disappear as he looked down at the scroll rolled out in front of him.
The girl is both what we expected and not as well.
Most would be confused by the quick and short message, but Hiruzen sighed as he blew out a flame that burned it to ashes within the blink of an eye while relaxing in his chair with a sigh.
This was a development he was not expecting as while he did have his suspicions when he first caught sight of her, he was still a bit uncertain as she did not look like one.
'However, one could say the same about Naruto. If she is both one and not one at the same time, perhaps a half then?' Hiruzen thought as he stood up and vanished in a whirlwind of leaves.
It felt nice to be able to stretch his legs once in a while as the Hokage was invisible to the eyes of both the civilians and any shinobi that was not an Elite level jounin, easily making it to the Leaf's Torture and Interrogation building within just the minute.
Landing right at the main entrance, he simply let the sensory shinobi scan him while he walked into the building, nodding at the shinobi that saluted the moment he passed them.
As he turned the corner, he was not surprised to see one of his head interrogators already awaiting his presence, the blonde haired man with the long ponytail catching sight of his leader as he pushed off the wall and nodded at the older man.
"Lord Hokage, I assume you received my message."
"No, I simply wished to stretch my legs for a bit." Hiruzen joked and Inoichi Yamanaka chuckled at the joke before turning and gesturing for the leader to walk in first.
When he did so, Hiruzen was not surprised to see ANBU hidden under Transparency Jutsu all along the room while a woman was bound in the middle of the room.
Dressed in nothing but ragged clothing as she was suspended in the air with chains to her wrists and chains to her legs, the woman's mouth was muffled by a sealing tag and Hiruzen smiled as she glared directly at him the moment he walked in.
"I assume she was a handful considering she's not even touching the ground right now."
"We've had to recapture her four times after she keeps activating her Cursed Mark while using sound genjutsu to disorient any guards that near her. Hence, we asked Lord Jiraiya for a fuinjutsu tag that will keep her quiet as well as one more to seal off her chakra."
"Why didn't you do that from the start?"
"You told us we were only allowed to use light methods to restrain her." Inoichi spoke with a deadpan stare and Hiruzen blinked before giving a sheepish chuckle as he remembered that he did indeed say so.
"R-Right, well ahem~! Let us not dwell on the past and let me hear what you meant by her being both one and not one at the same time. Is she half?"
"Not…exactly."
"Explain." Hiruzen spoke as he drew his gaze from the glaring eyes of Tayuya and Inoichi sighed as he nodded.
"We have sent off her blood samples to the hospital to test it against the samples we have and found that there's a match. However…we have also found a match to these, sir." Inoichi said as he took out a portfolio from his coat.
Handing it over to the Hokage, Hiruzen frowned as he took it and opened it to read the first thing that caught his sight, his frown deepening with every second as the man read through the file before closing it back up with a sigh and looking back up at the glaring girl.
"Kurama, Nara and Uzumaki. Hah, how accurate is this test? Perhaps, we can test her again."
"Those are the results of the twentieth test, sir." Inoichi answered in response and Hiruzen felt his disappointment in his former student sinking even lower as he shook his head.
"So, he has taken the blood of three of the Leaf's clans and an ally to our village…and he's decided to place all three samples into one person?"
"That's not all, sir. With how close one of the blood samples we tested it against, we believe that he may have used the blood of Kushina Uzumaki." Inoichi said and Hiruzen opened the portfolio once more to stare at the first results that he saw.
Match to Kushina Uzumaki: Close Relation
Match to Naruto Uzumaki: Close Relation
Match to Karin Uzumaki: Distant Relation
Match to Tsunade Senju: Distant Relation
"…Why couldn't Orochimaru have just killed me?"
"It is with great pleasure that I stand here before you all, not just as your Hokage and leader but as a member of our vast family that is congratulating two of our younger members on their promotion!" I ignored the old man talking as Hinata and I stood besides him, both of us wearing our flak jackets while we looked out at the gathered crowd of chunin, Special Jounin and Jounin standing in the large gathering room.
"Through determination, tactical ability and sheer will, they have shown that they have the leadership capabilities and power necessary to be promoted and thus, I have decided to formally welcome Hinata Hyuga into the ranks of Chunin and Naruto Uzumaki into the ranks of Special Jounin."
'Yeah, these are definitely the higher-ranks.' While I saw some of the Chunin looking shocked and whispering to each other at the revelation, I stopped myself from smirking at the sheer composure of everyone as none of them showed any sign to the news.
I was barely to catch a few eyes widening ever so slightly at the announcement before they composed themselves once more, but the others just nodded and Hinata and I turned to the old man as he looked at us.
"Hinata, Naruto, you were but mere genin trying their best to earn this promotion a week ago, but today, you are joining the ranks of the higher echelon of the Leaf. Stay true to your beliefs, do not waver on the battlefield and make sure to hold up high the name of the Hidden Leaf!"
"Yes, sir!" Both Hinata and I barked out with nods and the man smiled before turning back to the crowd.
"That is all. You are dismissed." With that, the room quickly cleared out other than Kakashi and Kurenai, who looked proud as Hinata walked towards her sensei.
The outfit change when I first saw her this morning most definitely surprised me as she was now dressed in a form-fitting light lavender kimono-style, sleeveless blouse with vertical lines that was tied with a dark purple obi around her waist and baggy dark navy bants with black open-toed boots and her headband tied around her neck to finish off the outfit.
It looked very similar to her outfit in The Last movie except for the fact that the shorts were replaced by baggy pants and with the flak jacket she was wearing over the kimono blouse, she seemed to actually look the part of the badass that she was slowly becoming.
I on the other hand had decided to fully lean into the Shippuden vibes as I was dressed in a pair of orange baggy pants with black lines running along the side of them, a black sweatshirt with orange stripes and with my new black forehead protector tied around the thing it's supposed to protect, I had to admit that while a bit edgy for my liking, it was still a quite the upgrade from the blinding orange.
'Man, I am going to miss it, though. Maybe I should find a way to preserve it in a case.'
"What's with the outfit change?" Kakashi asked as he walked up to me while ruffling my hair, chuckling as I swiped his hand away with a grumble before crossing my arms with a shrug.
"New promotion, new me. Why? Think I look better than you?" I asked before grinning as the man snorted and shook his head.
"Not in the slightest. It's just quite the weird sight to see you without that orange monstrosity you called an outfit.
"Hey, no one disrespects the orange prankster getup, okay?"
"Um, Naruto?" I stopped myself from responding and looked over at Hinata to see her standing and waiting for me with a smile, Kurenai looking amused as she stood behind her student while Kakashi took a step back.
"Yes?"
"Have you forgotten about the bet?" She asked and I blinked at that before my eyes widened slightly as I remembered the little bet we made before the Exams started.
"Not at all, but…we both got promoted so how would it work now?"
"What bet is this?" The old man asked and I shrugged as Hinata explained.
"We made a bet where if one passes and the other doesn't, the loser has to do whatever the winner wants for an entire day."
"However, since both of us passed and got promoted, that kind of leaves us with a problem."
"Why don't each of you just do one thing that the other person wants to? That way, both of you can have a part of the winnings while still keeping it fair."
"We've already thought of that and she thinks it wouldn't be fair to me since I got the higher rank than her. I tell her it's no issue, but you can see how she feels with the dilemma we are in now." I answered with a shrug and they all looked at her as she blushed and gave a weak shrug.
"It just wouldn't feel like a win."
"You could also always settle it with a friendly match. It doesn't have to be a fight, too. It could be a simple match of hide and seek or capture the flag or even rock-paper-scissors."
"I…like the sound of that. Hina?" I asked and the girl looked to be in thought before I grinned as she smiled and nodded.
"Okay, when do you want to hold it?"
"When I get back. I took a mission this morning so I'll be busy for the next couple of days." I answered and she frowned slightly at that before nodding as she and Kurenai left the room.
"A mission?" Kakashi asked and I snorted while gesturing towards the old man.
"Can't say any much about it unless the old man lets me so if you want to hear more, you're gonna have to ask him."
"Ah, it's that kind, huh? Well, then forget I asked and instead let's have a quick celebration with the team before you leave."
"The mission starts later this afternoon so you have until then to meet them at the south-western gate."
"Got it. Come on, sensei! We're eating ramen and you're paying!" I spoke with a grin as I marched out of the room, hiding my snickers as I heard the old man laughing as well as Kakashi's regretful sigh.
"Perhaps this was a wrong choice from me."
"…Is something wrong with him?" I heard Sakura whisper to Sasuke as I drank the broth of my third ramen bowl, blinking as I placed the bowl and looked over to see the other members of Team 7 raising their eyebrows at me.
"What?"
"Usually, you would have finished six or seven bowls from now. You barely finished three."
"Ha-ha-ha~ Very funny. I just thought that since Kakashi-sensei doesn't have the money to feed my ramen addiction, three bowls would be enough, but if you want…"
"No, no, no! I'm quite happy with you just having three bowls." Kakashi quickly interjected and I smirked at that before nodding and placing my chopsticks flat across the bowl.
"Who would have thought that Naruto of all people would have become not just a Chunin but a Special Jounin before us? Do you think we're in some parallel universe where he's actually good, Sasuke?"
"No, because if we were, that would mean you guys would be good and you're still trash." I fired back and quickly leaned back as she leapt at me, hiding behind Kakashi while the man tried his best to calm down the hurricane that is Sakura Haruno.
"Say that to my face, you blonde bastard!"
"I just did, you bubblegum-haired brute! Now, sit down and stop trying to hit me!"
"Oh, that's it! Sensei, just one hit and I'll stop!"
"No, because one becomes two and that becomes three which makes everything spiral out of control so let's put the fists down and the insults away."
"Fine/ Sure." Sakura grumbled as she sat down while I was more than okay with it, sitting down in the empty seat right next to the man before grinning as I saw Sasuke simply eating away at his noodles in peace.
Not on my watch.
"Hey, Sasuke, you doing better today?"
"Let me eat in peace, idiot." He answered in response, but I grinned as I saw the slight smirk that faded away the moment I spoke to him.
"Don't think I don't see that little smile you had there, buddy. See, I knew you liked hanging around us."
"Naruto, stop aggravating your teammates."
"I know, sensei. Hey, Sasuke, wanna have a sparring match when I return? Just taijutsu this time?"
"If you're so desperate to get your ass kicked, sure. Can we go now?" He asked Kakashi and the man nodded as he went to stand up only for his one eye to blink as I pulled him back down while placing the check down in front of him.
"You're not slick. Your treat, remember? Hey, Sakura, want me to escort you back to your home?"
"No, I'm going to Ino's." She responded with a smile despite having being angry at me a few moments ago, to which I nodded before patting Sasuke's shoulder as I walked out of the stall with a whistle.
"See you guys when I get back."
"Bye~!/ Don't die/ No more treats from me." Sakura and Sasuke seemed happy to greet me and I smiled at Kakashi's misery before leaping up onto the first rooftop, jumping onto the next before making my way towards my apartment to both get Karin and my gear for the mission.
Hopefully, Tsunade comes along peacefully because while Naruto used Talk-no-Jutsu to convince the woman…
'I am Naruto Uzumaki, the embodiment of actions over words.'
"And that's what makes you an imbecile." Kurama chimed in as I landed onto the next rooftop, to which I rolled my eyes while leaping over a busy street onto the next.
'Yeah, yeah. You know you love my approach more than you want to admit.'
"Go jump in a pool of acid."
'You first.'
"Ah, the two cousins finally decided to arrive after two hours. Were you too busy looking at yourself in the mirror?" Jiraiya asked as Karin and I walked up to the south-western gate, to which I rolled my eyes while she snorted.
"If only. No, he wanted to check how many weapons we have in total between the two of us as well as-!"
"Hupupup~! That last part is on a need to know basis only and he doesn't need to know. Besides, it's a surprise weapon."
"What kind are we talking here?" Jiraiya asked and I snorted while Karin made a zip-motion around her lips.
"The kind that goes ka-boom."
"…You really have a very unnatural love for explosions." Jiraiya said with a slight frown and Karin giggled as I shrugged.
"Hey, better to blow someone up into a million pieces than stab them with a tiny knife."
"By the gods, you're like a combination of their worst qualities taken to the extreme." He muttered and I patted the man on the back while Karin just looked confused at our interaction.
"What…what is going on here?"
"Just Pervy Sage realizing that he may be in for the ride of his life with this mission. Now, onwards to the next mission!" I declared with a smile as I started walking out the gate, Karin following after me while Pervy Sage took up the rear and sluggishly shuffled after us with a depressed groan.
Time to start off this mission.
"I thought he was just going to take the Jinchuriki?" A light-blue skinned man asked with a frown as he along with two others stood atop a cliff, each of them dressed in a black coat with red lining the edges and imprints of dark red clouds layered around it.
"He was, but it appears that since the girl is an Uzumaki, they wish to use the two of them to perhaps guilt-trip Tsunade into coming along." A man with a pair of blazing Sharingan spoke as he looked down at the trio walking away, nothing but coldness in his gaze.
"It does not matter if there are two or three. What matters is that you two get the Jinchuriki." The holographic image of the third man spoke up as he stood between the two of them, his eyes being a lavender purple while having concentric rings encircling the pupil.
"Understood, leader." The man with the Sharingan spoke and the hologram of the man faded away, to which the shark humanoid man with the blue skin grinned as he gripped the handle of the bandaged blade on his back.
"I guess it's time to face a Sannin, eh Itachi?"
"I suppose it is, Kisame."
A/N: Hey, another chapter done~! I was going to start the arc this chapter, but I've decided to just leave it for the next one where I can focus more.
Also, a quick and early introduction to the leader as well as Itachi and Kisame, but…are they all still the same people we know and love? Are there less of them? Are there more than we thought?
Who knows~? Guess we'll have to find out along the lines.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until next week...
Ba-Bye~!