Chapter 16 - Beginning of Arc 2
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Kenta POV
With the Wave Arc seemingly done, despite the curveballs sent Team 7's way, it was time to look to the future. Normally, this wouldn't have been an issue. Unfortunately, the world has become a lot more complicated than I could have ever imagined.
"So, let me get this straight." I was in the Hokage's office the day after Kakashi's team came back. With me was Konoha's supreme leader, along with a small group of trusted figures, sitting in the middle of the room. "Not only did all of the hidden villages accept our invitation for the Chunin exams, including the Iwa and Kumo, but Mist is sending two separate delegations?"
"That's right," Hiruzen said with calm serenity.
"And every single one of these delegations comes with heavy-hitters, many of whom come from prestigious clans?"
"Indeed, they do."
"And Konoha is about to play host to all but one of the current Jinchuriki?"
"Don't forget that some of the participants will be kids or grandkids of Kages. Somehow, I doubt they'll be staying on the sidelines when things go to shit."
"Quite right, Jiraiya. And yes, Kenta-kun, there will be Jinchuriki."
"Okay… Right… Yeah…"
Suffice it to say, I was floored.
What the hell? Fanfiction tended to have a rather loose interpretation of what went on during the Chunin exams, so Hidden Stone's attendance isn't exactly a new concept, but this is my reality now. And it wasn't entertaining at all!
That's just the start, too.
All of these major players coming over to my home is just a disaster waiting to happen. And just like that, I understood this meeting's true purpose.
Looking the Hokage in the eye, I asked for confirmation. "I take it we're taking the next step with Team 7?"
To my surprise, the old man shook his head. "Not just them, Kenta-kun. With so many unstable elements coming, we will need to expand beyond our initial plans."
Shit. I knew he was right. Had events proceeded as in canon, keeping our circle small wouldn't have been an issue.
A few supremely talented rookies were just par for the course. Now, though?
"From what Hinata told me," I began, "our current stock of Genin is already more than enough for even elite ninja units of other hidden villages. Is an expansion really necessary?"
I'd really rather not rush this. Not only would it make the secret much harder to maintain, but cultivation had also already proven to have certain unexpected side effects. Noting Iruka standing over to the side, my concerns only grew.
Hiruzen sighed at my question. "While the strength of your generation has been proven, as well as many of those within our overall military forces, the difference isn't nearly enough to guarantee our security against potential enemies. Should the other hidden villages band together, they would outnumber us by a significant margin. We need an ace, Kenta-kun."
"You won't be doing all the work," Tsunade added from her position on the couch. "With the new facilities and the considerable number of new projects, your teaching session won't stand out as much as it would have before."
I knew she was right, of course. Revealing the truth about cultivation to the two Sannin at the beginning of this meeting did irk me, but it ultimately made sense. We now had three expert med-nin and a Senjutsu practitioner to help us out. If anything went wrong, it could immediately be addressed.
What's more, every single person who was now in the know is considerably more experienced at infosec than I was.
Still…
"How many are you thinking of adding, Lord Hokage?"
"In addition to the four you were considering," he said, referring to Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and Sakura, "I believe it would be beneficial to teach everyone present, as you have taught Iruka-kun and myself."
Yeah, I thought he'd say that. From a purely tactical standpoint, it even made the most sense. It would certainly bolster our overall combat and medical capabilities. Tsunade is already a powerhouse, and with Sayo and Reina bolstering her healing, casualties could be reduced by a lot.
I wasn't sure how cultivation would interact with Sage Mode, but I can't imagine it hurting Jiraiya's combat prowess.
Then there were Yamato and Kakashi. Both incredibly potent fighters in their own right.
With cultivation, all of them would become gods among men. On that note, there is one problem.
"Lord Hokage, you do remember that this can take a considerable amount of time, right? The exams are set to begin in two weeks. That's not nearly enough for anyone stronger than a Genin to gain the benefits of the sessions."
Our benevolent dictator merely chuckled. "Oh, I haven't forgotten at all. We are simply laying the groundwork for the future."
True, but this doesn't really address our more immediate problems. He must have seen the unspoken question on my face because he continued. "The threats we face in the near-term will need to be handled a different way, Kenta-kun."
In the face of his cavalier attitude, I was tempted to blurt out everything that we would be facing. Forget the new variables of scary powerful people coming to Konoha for the Chunin exams. There was still Orochimaru to consider, not to mention his spies in our ranks.
Kabuto may not have made an appearance yet, but I had no doubt that the slippery eel is already digging for information in the background.
I could only hope that Konoha's increased security measures have made his job much harder.
Then again, my presence in this story has already resulted in all kinds of changes that I may very well have butterflied the Konoha Crush Arc away altogether. Wishful thinking? Maybe. But also, bite me!
Withholding a sigh, I spoke again. "I know it's not my place to ask this, Lord Hokage, but with the full benefits being out of reach for the new participants, I don't understand why including them right now would be worth it. Iruka-sensei has certainly grown powerful, but he's a single shinobi. No offense, sensei."
"None taken," the scarred teacher snarked.
"If we're going to expand anyway," I continued, "wouldn't it be better to include more Genin to ensure a breakthrough? They can already handle Chunin and Jonin. Despite my hesitation, I won't deny that they would be an immediate force multiplier if this whole thing turns into a fight."
"That is assuming combat is inevitable," Hiruzen countered smoothly. "I do not doubt that there will be tensions, but rest assured, plans are already in place to ensure a peaceful outcome." He paused before his smile transformed into a sly grin. "Besides, what makes you think that only the young would have an imminent breakthrough?"
My eyes nearly popped out of my head. "Are you saying…?"
The proud, lively twinkle in those aged eyes was all the confirmation I needed.
Huh, we might survive the coming days, after all.
The next morning finds me leaving home early.
Having never watched the anime or read the manga in full, I wasn't sure what to expect with the Chunin exams. From the preparations I've seen, though, this event appeared to involve practically every rung of society.
Shops, inns, market stalls, and the whole entertainment district came alive with streamers, banners, and lots of other decorations. The streets got a makeover, too, with new signs and even lanterns strung up every which way. People were moving with vigor, and more deliveries were coming and going throughout the village.
At this point, it's clear that ninjas weren't the only ones who had cause to feel excited. Civilians were getting in on the action, too.
I would've liked to stroll through the market to sample the new fare, but I had somewhere to go and people to meet. So, with mild regret, I continued toward the Hokage monument. Hopefully, no one's there yet. It wouldn't do for the teacher to be late, after all.
When I finally reached the underground chamber set aside for this gathering, a large room that was probably etched to the gills with protective seals, only the Hokage was present.
Greeting him would have been my first instinct, but I froze instead.
Sarutobi Hiruzen was sitting cross-legged on a cushion with his eyes closed, as I have seen dozens of times before. However, unlike past instances, I could clearly see the shroud of chakra coating his body. And the sight nearly stole my breath.
This phenomenon wasn't new to me. I'd seen similar displays with several people before.
What made this moment different was how dense and heavy it looked. It was like comparing a slightly misty Spring morning to a pre-Winter fog. There was simply no way to mistake one for the other. It was also a humbling experience.
I mean, I already knew that the old man was exponentially stronger than me. And I certainly had no illusions about how my own chakra would stack up against his, no matter how pure and dense it's gotten. But as the old adage goes, quantity has a quality of its own, and I was in the presence of a hurricane in human form.
Then it all unravelled as the Hokage took a long, deep breath.
Maybe it was because I hadn't been paying close enough attention whenever we met, but this was definitely not the Hiruzen of just a year ago. There was this inexplicable air of energy around him. I'm sure it's there, but I can't seem to place it.
When he finally opened his eyes, for just a moment, I saw a flash of something I couldn't quite catch. Whatever it was, it nearly made me shit my pants.
By the Sage, what have I unleashed?
"Ah! Good morning, Kenta-kun!"
The greeting snapped me out of my daze, and I tried to return it, but the words wouldn't come out. Shit, did that momentary flex of power really leave me speechless?
Clearing my throat, I tried again. This time, I was successful. "Good morning, Lord Hokage. Your cultivation's really coming along nicely, huh?"
My attempt at levity elicited a chuckle from the aged ninja as he got on his feet. "Oh, I'm getting there." Picking up the cushion, he placed it on one of the cabinets that held others like it. "I had to take this opportunity, busy as I am. There won't be another free block of time until this evening, I'm afraid."
I winced in sympathy. "Sorry to hear that, Lord Third."
He waved a hand airily. "No, no. It's quite all right. Even with my strict schedule, I've still made quite a bit of progress, if I do say so myself."
Progress. Right. It might have taken him nearly three years to get to this point, but damn if it's not paying off with interest.
"In any case," Hiruzen continued, "it would appear that our guests are about to arrive."
I perked up at that, before taking my place beside him. Should make for a better visual for receiving my prospective learners. The wait wasn't long, as about a minute later, they started pouring through the door.
First were Tsunade and Jiraiya, followed by Sayo and Reina. Yamato then came after them, with Kakashi and the junior squad making up the rear. When they finally saw me, I could see confusion and surprise in Naruto and Sakura's wide eyes, but both Sasuke and Hinata didn't seem all that taken aback.
In fact, they seemed simultaneously amused and exasperated to discover that I was involved in whatever this was.
Naturally, I gave the four of them a cheeky grin. "Waddup, losers!"
"Kenta!" Naruto took the bait, of course, pointing at me with a screech. "What're you doing here?!"
"Isn't it obvious?" Sakura gave a tired sigh. Aww, she really has become one of us, hasn't she? "Either he'll be joining us for whatever secret training we'll undergo, or he's already ahead of us, and will be helping out."
"Quite right, Sakura-chan!" Kakashi chimed in with his usual devil-may-care attitude.
"What?!" Yes, yes, be more outraged, you annoying brat. "Is that true, Kenta?!"
"Pipe down, you idiot." For some reason, I found Sasuke's nonchalance irritating. I'll have to try harder to break his composure, it seems. Entirely in the name of science, of course. "Kenta's been ahead of us for years. Now, we'll probably find out why."
Hinata merely nodded with a smile sent my way, which I returned with gusto. She really is best girl, isn't she?
"All right, that's enough." Tsunade rolled her eyes at the display. "We're burning daylight."
"Weren't you allotted time for this, hime?" Jiraiya asked her.
The blonde's reply was scathing. "Unlike you, I'll still have to put in a few hours once we're done here. I don't enjoy being buried in paperwork longer than I have to."
Hiruzen gave a mirthful chortle at the scene playing out. "Yes, of course. Best we get on with it, Kenta-kun."
"Fine…" I huffed.
My childish whining was ignored as the old man turned to the kids. "As I'm sure you four have already figured out, you have been chosen for a rather special project. One that holds immense importance for the future and security of Konoha, and will thus require utmost secrecy."
At the grand proclamation, postures straightened, chests puffed out, and eyes gleamed with pride and excitement.
"Make no mistake, children. This is both an honor and a burden. Should you wish to proceed, you will need to accept certain precautions to maintain the integrity of this highly protected village asset. Once you're part of this program, there is no backing out. Do you understand?"
Reactions to Hiruzen's ominous words were varied. Naruto looked just about ready to agree to anything. Sasuke was in from the get-go. Sakura was unsure, seemingly caught in her own mind, probably weighing the pros and cons.
Then there was precious Hinata, who earnestly raised her hand.
"Yes, Hinata-chan?" the Hokage prompted.
"Ano, Hokage-sama, why are we being given a choice?" she asked nervously. "If we were chosen for such an important project, couldn't you make this an order?"
Gah! I just wanna squish this cinnamon roll! Sweet and smart. Naruto, you lucky bastard!
Judging by Hiruzen's warm gaze as he regarded the Hyuga, he shared my opinion. "It's precisely due to the importance of this project that I'm giving you a choice, my dear. Your willing and active participation is the only way it can succeed."
"Then, what're we waiting for?!" Naruto demanded. "We're all in, old man! And Kenta!" He threw me a challenging glare. "I'll surpass you in no time! Believe it!"
Rather than contradict him, Sasuke merely grunted while shooting me his own defiant look. Sakura seemed to have finally made up her mind and stood with her team in solidarity. Of course, Hinata was always a given.
Out of all of them, she was the one candidate from my list that I was confident would flourish once taught cultivation.
Seeing their resolve, I could only respond with equal fervor.
"Then let's get started," I declared while grinning like a maniac.
The next week passed by at a frantic pace of juggling responsibilities. Most of my time and attention went to teaching cultivation, but I also couldn't just abandon the projects I already had going.
I was close to solving many of the things that could help bolster our forces, starting with better weapons and armor. Frankly, I was amazed that no one thought of using Seals to create usable items other than scrolls.
Granted, they did require ink, so it's logical to use it on paper. But steel engravings were a thing! With a careful application of the chakra ink using etching tools tipped with chakra-conducting metal, I've already achieved promising results.
Increasing durability, hardness, sharpness, and flexibility. All of these were apparently possible with extremely precise control over chakra. And I haven't even begun to look into imbuing these effects from the start of the creation process.
What would happen if we incorporated acid treatments or empowered smithing techniques, for example?
The potential made me positively giddy!
As to how I made this discovery, it came about during a lively discussion with Jiraiya a month ago. He was giving me a deeper outline of the fundamentals of Fūinjutsu when I asked him how the seemingly random squiggles interacted with each other in any kind of structured way.
He explained that understanding the principles of advanced Sealing requires a different mindset compared to regular reading and writing. Almost intuitive and contextual, which can make it difficult to grasp for those whose thinking is too rigid.
Just as Jiraiya was giving me examples of how multiple lines can be read the same way, I noticed a pattern. One that almost didn't rely on specific syntax, but rather, interpretation.
The idea reminded me of certain pieces of fanfiction based on another IP. And when I brought up the concept with Jiraiya, his eyes became, dare I say it, quite frog-like. From there, things took an interesting turn as we experimented, which eventually yielded results.
It took a few more weeks after that before I could finally say with certainty that my idea was panning out. The Sannin was already confident long before I was, but it just seemed so absurd.
Who knew that treating Seals as Runes would work so well?
Of course, with the Chunin exams and teaching cultivation, Fūinjutsu had to take a backseat. But it's not like the sessions were taking up all of my time. At the end of the day, my students only really needed my help in the beginning.
Getting a feel for compressing their chakra, tailoring the approach to their individual control and quirks, as well as telling them what to watch out for. All of those were pretty much done by the second day. Not exactly surprising, considering how long they've been practicing the chakra control exercises developed for exactly this reason.
By the end of the first session, I could already tell who would get the most from cultivation, at least at the start.
Naruto and Sasuke were extremely miffed that both Sakura and Hinata beat them to forming their first layers. The former was particularly proud of her achievement, even as the heiress was only behind her by less than a minute.
As the two marvelled at their newfound strength and awareness, the boys became ever more competitive. Usually a bad thing since cultivation required serenity and calm to actually progress.
That would have been the case for us lowly mortals.
With shonen protagonists, though? They got their first layers nearly at the same time, and only an hour after the girls.
I wanted to call shenanigans and plot bullshit, but what would've been the point?
They succeeded in the thing I was teaching them to do. That they did it with such ease, despite the multitude of advantages they already had, was fine.
Annoying, but fine.
Annoyingly fine.
Okay, just annoying.
Naruto was the most surprising to me, though, since his chakra reserves were supposed to be comparable to a Kage. Wasn't that what Kakashi said in canon? Or was that yet another fanon misconception that was muddying my meta-knowledge?
I'll have to look into that.
Following their breakthrough, some sparring occurred, supervised by the Hokage. He was also looking for signs of unusual behavior or any kind of side effect. As he shared later that day, the four seemed normal, if incredibly exuberant.
I wasn't there at the time since they had to go to another room, and I had to remain with the adult learners. Thankfully, just as with Iruka-sensei and Hiruzen, they weren't making nearly the same amount of progress as their younger counterparts.
With Naruto putting a neat crack in my assumption that chakra quantity directly affects the speed of cultivation, I was left wondering if there were other factors at play.
Oh, God… I was going to have to really start examining my memories of all those Xianxia stories, wasn't I?
Then a more disturbing thought cut through the rest.
Am I turning this world into a generic cultivation story? Will there be jade beauties everywhere? Young masters? Sects? Oh, please, say it ain't so!
None of these thoughts showed on my face as I continued supervising the remaining learners. Otherwise, they would've been baffled at my expression of unadulterated horror.
You can read up to Chapter 29 over at Patreon and Ko-fi!
