Chapter 16
Last night at Nina's room.
"I know, one needs to finish at least eight missions. And it's already too late for me."
That was Nina response after hearing the news from Kakashi about not being nominated as a Chunin participant.
"Okay."
At first Kakashi had expected that her to act disappointed and expressed her frustration whether by remaining silent, whining, throwing tantrum or even trying to negotiate with him.
Yet Nina simply shrugged it off. As if she didn't want to be apart of the exam to begin with.
"It's because I'm not ready for it. Both physically and mentally."
As if having read his mind, Nina said her reason.
"Is that so."
And it made things much easier for him when Nina knew where she stood.
..
...
"Kakashi, the reason I'm calling you here today is because of this."
Hiruzen presented a sealed scroll with Kakashi's name tag on it, indicating that mission's especially made for him.
"This is..."
After reading the words written inside, Kakashi realized that it's a stealth mission.
He would be in charge of this subject called N, whom he presumed to be Nina. By keeping watch of its growth as well as guarding its life. And a report about the study of this subject shall be submitted to the Hokage once every three months.
The mission has no ranking, no time limit and he will be provided monthly with Ryo, also necessary items to support completing the job.
"...A long term side mission?"
Kakashi's confused since the jobs that were listed inside the scroll had been in progress for weeks. Why wait until now to turn them into a mission? And for what purpose?
"In the beginning, it wasn't our plan to keep Nina in Konoha for more than a month. And the Chuunin exam was an excuse to drag her into action to measure her abilities. To make sure that she's not a threat."
After reading several reports that Kakashi had given to him, however, Hiruzen thought that it wouldn't be a bad idea to let Nina stay at the village, as a normal citizen.
Meaning the monitoring job would be handled by a lower rank shinobi. So that Kakashi would have free time to dedicate himself into more important tasks.
Until Kakashi's suggestion happened the other day that gave Hiruzen a different conclusion.
"Since it's you who offered to extend her time in Konoha, Kakashi. I believe you must have several ideas in your mind."
Therefore Hiruzen trusted that Kakashi would do the job well. And the reason he made this into an official mission was so that Kakashi would actually get paid for his work instead of being a freelancer.
...
..
But was that really all? Kakashi wondered, but he had no reason to doubt the Hokage's motives.
"Are you okay there, sensei?"
Seeing Kakashi had been spacing out for a while, Nina called him and he snapped his fingers. As if just having awoken from a daydream.
"Right. I believe you still owe me some explanations."
Having fulfilled her requests just as she had asked, Kakashi demanded his share.
"Well, how should I explain this. You can say that we store... records about your world."
And he noticed that Nina's reading his expressions while picking her words very carefully.
Our world?
He's also curious about the way she addressed this place. However, that topic had to wait since there were more important things that needed to be discussed.
"How did they gain those info?"
For a single girl to know so much about Konoha, Kakashi thought that there must be a spy working under their noses for the whole time without being noticed.
Plus, Nina never stated that she's the only one to know their secrets. So he couldn't ignore the possibility that many more others like her existed and planning an invasion to this place.
"Beats me."
Nina admitted that she's not the one behind any of those writings, which had been existed way before she knew about their existence. Although how she had gotten her hands onto the records was still a mystery.
Writings? Does that mean the records are stored in scrolls? They can't be common, can they?
Kakashi frowned at the thought.
"Can you tell me more about the person who make those records?"
A single name could reveal a huge chunks of information to them if they looked into it. However Nina didn't seem to care about confidentiality and said it anyway.
"Kishimoto Masashi."
It's an unfamiliar name, and she didn't have anything to backup whether it's a made up character or not.
"Is this Kishimoto person also a shinobi? Do you know them in person?"
"Maybe."
After giving him an uninformative reply, Nina snickered.
"And how much have you studied about us."
Ignoring her strange reaction, Kakashi continued.
"Much more than you can ever imagine?"
Although most of the info she provided him with was widely known, except for Naruto was the son of Yondaime and had a giant-ass fox sealed within him by his parents.
This giant-ass fox she mentioned must be the Kyuubi. Kakashi's sweat dropped at her interesting verbal choice.
"I know that you're dissatisfied by the amount of these info, however, I cannot tell you more."
And before Kakashi could ask her anything further, he heard her saying.
"Why? No one here is stopping you from doing so."
He knew that what she had revealed to him was just a drop in the ocean.
"It's... more complicated than you think."
In the end Nina briefly mentioned about an old friend's arrival. Without revealing their identity or their reason behind the visit, and Kakashi wasn't sure whether that was a good or a bad sign.
After Kakashi explains to the team about my case.
Surprisingly Naruto's being understanding. And Sasuke doesn't care whether I'm going to join or not. While Sakura suggests me to ask the Third Hokage for a spot in the Chuunin exam. Believing that they will make an exception since I'm a special case.
"That's the point, Sakura. I don't want to be treated differently in a public activity."
It's too troublesome for something that is going to fail miserably in the end. And I definitely cannot tell them that the test is only be taken by teams of three.
When our discussion is over, I decide to walk home with Naruto.
"What's wrong? You look like you've been wanting to say something."
After a while Naruto asks me.
"Not really. I was just surprised that you supported my withdrawal decision."
Hearing so, his happy-go-lucky expression withers. Then he stares at the paper in his hand.
"The less you engage in battle, the less chance for you to use that, right?"
Eventually Naruto admits to me that it's not a bad idea if I don't participate in the Chuunin exam.
"Whether you're a shinobi or not, I will stay with you regardless. You know."
In the end, Naruto promises to become stronger in the future for the both of us. So that I don't have to rely on that dangerous technique to fight again.
"Thanks, Naruto."
As much as I appreciate Naruto's kindness, his ideal sounds impossible.
There's no doubt that he will become powerful, but that time takes too long and I refuse to sit in one place waiting. And the fact that I don't intend to stay in this world forever.
That's why, I need to act fast or my chance to return home will be gone.
Next morning.
While on my way toward to the market, I bump into our infamous Sasuke.
"Don't tell me you're scared."
And he believes that there's another reason behind me not participating in the exam with them.
Again with him acting like he didn't care then surprised me with his opposite action.
"Will you believe me if I say yes?"
He frowned at my question before replying no.
"Wow, Sasuke. You're making me feel embarrassed."
While I'm actually surprised to find Sasuke thinks highly of my abilities. Too bad, he has put his trust in a wrong place.
"It's true that I am terrified."
Firstly, there will be Orochimaru, one of Konohagakure's legendary Sannin and Gaara, jinchuuriki of the One-Tailed Shukaku. The Forest of Death will be a giant mess.
Secondly, I can't risk letting myself screw up the storyline. Sometimes my emotions will kick in so hard that I end up doing crazy things. Like going solo against Orochimaru to save my comrades (only to get killed) for example...
And lastly, I cannot bring myself to watch them suffer. Despite having seen beforehand how bad it is, I'm sure that experiencing that scene again in reality will make it even more horrendous.
But I cannot tell Sasuke anything about that and only stare at the ground before him.
"You won't know how bad the test is until you try."
And Sasuke thinks that I'm acting pessimistic. When having gone through much worse situations than a single promotion exam. Not to mention that this is only Chunin, not even a Jounin level.
"I'm not as strong as you think I am, Sasuke."
After saying so, I notice his eye twitches a little.
"Say the one that almost smashed my head to the ground."
And Sasuke snickers as if having heard a bad joke.
Ugh! He's not going to let that go, is he? No words can describe how much I've regretted being caught in the heat of the moment and accidentally hit him with all my might.
"What's the point in saying all of this anyway? Are you trying to make me join the exam or something?"
"Why would I? The test's an individual choice, having you participate won't gain me any benefit."
And his head tilts, acting like I've just said something stupid.
"Right..."
I almost forget that we've been informed by Kakashi that the test doesn't involve in any teamwork.
The following day.
After asking to join her for some ice cream at a shop nearby, Sakura tells me about her strange encounter with a mysterious shinobi from yesterday. And he had used Genjutsu on her to test whether she's ready for the Chuunin exam.
In the end Sakura passed his test, yet she still found herself not ready for it.
"I'm sure you will be a better candidate than me, Nina-chan."
Watching the people walking on the street through the glass window, Sakura sighs. No longer hides her worries about lacking of self-esteem and not being able to catch up to Naruto or Sasuke.
"It's the otherwise actually."
I would be lying to say that her concerns are not wrong. Because at this point of the story, Sakura's the one falling behind the most out of all three.
And that's precisely why Sakura has participate in this exam. So that she can grow into a much better shinobi.
"Stop joking around. We've already seen how you're capable of."
"Only when I activate that power. Without it, I'm a normal shinobi like anyone else. Probably even worse."
Knowing that Sakura's going to say something negative again to support her ideal of not being suitable for the test, I pat her shoulder to cheer her up.
"Everything will be fine. I believe in you, Sakura."
It's not that I expect my words to work against her anxiety, because that will be Sasuke's job. But I hope it at least help, even for a little.
The day of exam.
I meet up with the team by the gate to see how they're doing.
"I'm ready. You know!"
Naruto's super hyped for the test and states loudly that for the next time we meet, he will no longer be a weak Genin but a powerful Chunin that everyone will respect.
"Do your best. Sakura. I'll be cheering for you."
"Uh huh."
While Sakura's still acting nervous and indecisive. Though I can feel that she's somewhat calmed down than the last time I saw her at the ice cream shop.
"..."
Sasuke must have noticed something strange in her but doesn't say it out loud. Just standing by the side watching me and Naruto talking.
"See you later, Nina-chan!"
As we say our last goodbyes, Naruto gives me a thumbs up. Sakura nods to me reluctantly while Sasuke smirks, even jokingly say that I'm going to regret for not participating and suffer a huge loss for remaining a Genin.
"Be careful out there, you guys."
From then on I'm left alone. Since Kakashi's too busy dealing with Orochimaru's mess to be here watching my footsteps. Therefore I take this rare chance of freedom to go on a trip beyond Konoha's gate, in hope to find some clues about the robots.
"Halt! You're the shinobi who is working under Kakashi's supervision, aren't you?"
The moment stepping one step out of the gate however, I'm stopped by the guards. And it turns out I'm not allowed to leave the village alone under any circumstances, especially without my supervisor, Kakashi.
Established more new rules, huh? How nice.
Since going against Hokage's order will be unwise, I have no choice but to stay behind. Finding whatever that is interesting to do to draw away my attention from the Chuunin exam, which is now a hot topic flowing through every corner of the street.
Several weeks later.
After preliminaries are over, I hear from Sakura about what happened at the Forest of Death. And despite not going into full details about how they've gone through that hellish stage or the reason for Sasuke's unconsciousness, I've already have guessed that it's Orochimaru's fault.
"Let's meet up tomorrow."
Then Sakura tells me about her plan of visiting Sasuke at the hospital and asks me to come along. Therefore I agree and she quickly decides a place for us to meet. Soon we part our ways.
Later at night, inside Nina's room.
When getting ready for bed, suddenly I hear several knocks on my windows.
"Nina-chan."
It's Kakashi's voice calling for me.
"Kakashi-sensei?"
Confused, I open the windows to greet him. Strange, I don't remember having any meeting with him today.
"Sorry for bothering you this late but I'm kind of thirsty right now. May I have a cup of water?"
However Kakashi doesn't step inside and remains standing by the windows. He smiles and extends his hand to me.
"Huh? Okay?"
The moment turning around to look for a cup on a cupboard, I feel pain on the back of my neck and everything instantly goes black. As the last thing I hear is Kakashi's faint whisper by my ear.
"Sorry, Nina-chan... But I'm going to borrow you for a little bit."
Borrow?! What the hell does he mean by that...
...
..
After having fainted god knows how long, I'm awaken by the bright sunbeams shining directly at my face.
"W-Wha?!"
The very first things come into view is a clear blue sky and white clouds. The sun is up high above my head and I can feel hot wind constantly flowing against my skin.
Am I outside?! But how?!
In instant I sit straight up to look around. Only to realize that this is no longer my room but some mountainous area that I've never seen before.
"Finally awake, huh?"
There's a familiar voice echoing from behind and I turn around. It's Sasuke who is standing before me with his hands inside his pockets.
"Long time no see."
Seems to be amused by my dumbfounded reaction, he greets me with his trademark smirk.